This page is about the baseball player in the 1970s and 1980s. For his son, also a baseball player, see Tony Armas, Jr.

Antonio Rafael Armas Machado (born July 2, 1953 in Puerto Píritu, Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela) ) is a former professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was one of the top sluggers in the American League in the early 1980s. Twice Armas led the league in home runs, and led all of Major League Baseball in RBIs in 1984. He was, however, prone to injuries that affected his career. In his major league career, Armas went to the disabled list twelve times, missing 302 games.

Pittsburgh Pirates[link]

Armas debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates' Gulf Coast League affiliate in 1971 just shy of his eighteenth birthday. He spent six seasons in their farm system, batting .270 with 69 home runs when he received a September call-up in 1976. He appeared in four games for the Pirates, and collected two hits in six at-bats.

During Spring training 1977, he, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, Rick Langford, Doc Medich and Mitchell Page were dealt to the Oakland Athletics for Chris Batton, Phil Garner and Tommy Helms.

Oakland A's[link]

Armas was the opening day right fielder for the A's in 1977, though by the end of the season, he was starting in center, and saw most of his action there. Armas' inability to stay healthy limited him to just 91 games in 1978 and 80 in 1979. For 1980, Armas became a full-time right fielder, and finally played a full season, batting .279 with 35 home runs and 109 runs batted in in 158 games.

In the strike shortened 1981 season, Armas tied for the league lead in home runs and games played to be named the American League Player of the Year by The Sporting News. In 1982, Armas set a pair of major league records with eleven putouts and twelve total chances in right field against the Toronto Blue Jays. Following the season, he and Jeff Newman were traded to the Boston Red Sox for Carney Lansford, Garry Hancock and Jerry King.

Boston Red Sox[link]

In Boston, Armas became a center fielder, sharing the outfield duties with Jim Rice (LF) and Dwight Evans (RF). Although he was booed by fans for his low batting average (.218), he placed second in the AL with 36 home runs, and seventh with 107 RBI.

Armas peaked again in 1984, batting .268 and leading the AL with 43 HR, 123 RBI, 77 extra-base hits, and 339 total bases. He was named to The Sporting News and UPI postseason AL All-Star teams, was Boston's co-MVP, and placed seventh in the AL MVP balloting.

From 1980 to 1985, Armas hit more homers (187) than any other AL player. His next two seasons were ruined by recurring leg injuries and Boston's acquisition of Dave Henderson. Armas was released after batting just once in the 1986 World Series. In the following years, he became a valuable role player for the Angels, and he retired after the 1989 season.

Coaching career[link]

Armas is the current Batting coach for the Leones del Caracas a team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. His career in Venezuelan pro baseball was a stellar one. He played with the Leones del Caracas and the Caribes de Oriente teams. His 97 career home runs were the Venezuelan pro record, before another center fielder—Robert Perez "the black wall" of Cardenales de Lara--broke his record in 2007, and he is fourth in the all-time list of RBI leaders, with 412. He was recently elected by the Comité Contemporáneo to the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame, with 96% of the vote.

Armas' brother Marcos had a brief stint with the A's in 1993, and his son Tony Jr. made his debut in 1999 as a right-handed starting pitcher for the Montreal Expos.

Career Stats[link]

Twice Armas finished in the top ten in AL Most Valuable Player award balloting (4, 1981; 7, 1984).

• List of second generation Major League Baseball players
• List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
• List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
• List of Major League Baseball home run champions

Sources[link]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball Library
• The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia – Gary Gillette, Peter Gammons, Pete Palmer. Publisher: Sterling Publishing, 2005. Format: Paperback, 1824pp. Language: English. ISBN 1-4027-4771-3

Tony Armas Jr.
Free Agent – No. --
Pitcher
Born: (1978-04-29) April 29, 1978 (age 34)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 16, 1999 for the Montréal Expos
Career statistics
Win–loss record	53–65
Earned run average	4.65
Strikeouts	680
Teams
Montréal Expos / Washington Nationals (1999–2006) Pittsburgh Pirates (2007) New York Mets (2008)

Antonio José Armas (born April 29, 1978 in Puerto Píritu, Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela), better known as Tony Armas, Jr., is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent. He last appeared in a Major League game in 2008. He spent most of his active career with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.

Professional career[link]

Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1994, Armas was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 1997, and was sent to Montreal later the same year along with pitcher Carl Pavano to complete the deal for Pedro Martínez.

Various injuries held him back until 2003, when he was the team's Opening Day starter, shutting down the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, 10–2. But the strong start turned into a breakdown weeks later, after he was diagnosed with injuries in his arm and shoulder which required season-ending surgery. At that time, Armas was off to a fine start with a record of 2–1, 23 strikeouts and a 2.61 ERA, while allowing barely more than a baserunner per inning (1.065) and not allowing a home run until his fifth and last start.

Armas worked out in 2004 spring training, and his recovery was proceeding. Although the team initially hoped he could be ready for the start of the season, the rehabilitation was slower than expected. He finished the season with a 2–4 mark in 72 innings.

In a nine-year career, Armas has a 52–65 record with 674 strikeouts and a 4.62 ERA in 917.3 innings. At bat, he is a .098 hitter (26-for-265) with ten RBI.^[1]

During the 2006 season, Armas had a 9–12 record in 30 starts. Armas missed one month with arm problems, but in his second game back from the disabled list he pitched seven innings, allowing only one run on three hits.

On October 29, 2006, Armas filed for free agency. On February 1, 2007, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a one year $3.5 million contract with a 2008 mutual option.^[2] After starting the 2007 season 0–3 with an 8.92 ERA, Armas was removed from the rotation.^[3]

On February 11, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the New York Mets. He re-signed with the Mets in January 2009.^[4] However, he was released on March 31 after not making the team.^[5] On May 11, 2009 he was signed by the Atlanta Braves and assigned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves.^[6] On July 25, 2009 the Braves released Armas.^[7]

Pitching style[link]

Armas uses a low-90s moving fastball and a sharp-breaking curve to establish what he wants to do with each hitter. He'll mix in an effective slider, a splitter and a changeup to keep opponents out of balance. His slide step has improved to the point where opposing baserunners no longer take him for granted.

Personal life[link]

Armas is the son of former All-Star outfielder Tony Armas, and a nephew of former first baseman Marcos Armas. Tony's father broke into the Majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1976.

See also[link]

• List of Montreal Expos Opening Day starting pitchers
• List of second generation MLB players

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Anthony "Tony" Sanneh (born June 1, 1971 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is an African American^[1] soccer player who most recently played for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

Career[link]

Youth and college[link]

Sanneh grew up in St. Paul, where he attended St. Paul Academy and Summit School and played for the local soccer team - St. Paul Blackhawks. He graduated in 1990 having been selected twice to the All State team. He went on to play college soccer for the NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panthers in the Horizon League, where, as a striker, he became the school's all-time scoring leader, with 53 goals and 32 assists from 1990 to 1993. He was named an NCAA Second-Team All-American in 1993.

Professional[link]

In 1994, his first year out of college, Sanneh played with USISL's Milwaukee Rampage, where he scored 14 goals and 14 assists while teaming up with Brian McBride. After Brian McBride converted Sanneh's cross for the game-winning goal in the US' opening 2002 World Cup match against Portugal, McBride referenced their partnership in the postgame interview, saying he and Sanneh had run that play "100 times with the Milwaukee Rampage." That winter, Sanneh joined the indoor soccer Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). He played 34 games, scoring 27 goals in the 1994-1995 season. He also played goalkeeper in four games for a total of 79:15 minutes.^[2] In the 1995-1996 indoor season, he played in only 9 games, scoring 4 goals, but also played 4:19 minutes as a goalkeeper.^[3] In 1995 he played with a former UWM Panthers teammate, Manny Lagos, on the Minnesota Thunder, amassing 18 goals and 22 assists with the team. He also played the 1995-1996 indoor season with the Milwaukee Wave.^[4] In 1996, midway through the inaugural MLS season, Sanneh was signed by D.C. United. Originally a forward, Tony played a variety of positions for United, mostly at right midfield. He went on to score goals in the first two MLS Cup, leading DC to consecutive titles. Sanneh ended his original MLS stay after the 1998 season, signing with Bundesliga club Hertha BSC in January 1999.

Sanneh spent the next three years with Hertha, where he was a starter when healthy. His playing time was limited at times due to many injuries and a national team tug of war. He scored just one goal in league play, and is remembered for assisting on Ali Daei's first Champions League goal in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. He transferred to FC Nuremberg in 2001, where he played nearly every game the first year and a half leading the back line until he sustained a back injury that kept him out of action for 13 months. During his injury layoff Nuremberg was demoted to the second league. Upon his return Sanneh started the last 7 games, winning five in a row, to give Nuremberg promotion and the second Bundesliga crown. He tallied a total of 5 goals. In 2004, he came back to MLS, signing with the Columbus Crew, to play alongside long-time friend, college and Thunder teammate Manny Lagos. The crew finished the season with the league's best record and a 19 game unbeaten streak but lost in the playoffs after they missed two penalty kicks, one of which marred Sanneh's time there. Sanneh was traded following the end of the season to the Chicago Fire, in exchange for Ante Razov and part of an allocation. He play out the 2006 season assisting on the final goal of the Fire's 3-1 Open Cup win over the L.A. Galaxy. Sanneh's MLS league totals stand at 16 goals and 27 assists.

However, following the 2006 season, Sanneh and the Fire failed to reach a new agreement on his contract, prompting his release from the team. On July 24, 2007, USL First Division team Minnesota Thunder announced that they had signed Sanneh. The Colorado Rapids then acquired his rights from the Fire. He made his debut for the Rapids on Aug 16, 2007 against the New England Revolution at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. He played in 10 out of their final 12 games but did not agree to terms the following season.

After sitting out the 2008 season, he signed with Los Angeles Galaxy in February 2009. He made 13 appearances with the Western Conference champions (including 5 starts) but struggled with injuries the latter half of the season and was not invited to 2010's training camp.

International career[link]

Sanneh made his debut for the United States national team on January 29, 1997 in a 2-1 loss to China but failed to make Steve Sampson's final squad and was left out of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.

Sanneh than had very good seasons from there on out, enough to impress new USA coach Bruce Arena scoring his first international goal in a shock 3-0 win over Germany. Eventually, he became an important part of the team by the time the 2002 FIFA World Cup came around and was one of the USA's best players in the tournament, playing every minute of every game. In the USA's first game of the tournament, a 3-2 upset of Portugal, his precise cross from the right side of the field provided an assist to Brian McBride's goal. He was also instrumental, both defensively and offensively, in the USA's narrow 1-0 loss to Germany in the quarterfinals, barely missing an equalizing goal on two occasions in the 47th and 89th minute.

After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Sanneh was rarely picked due to injury and an influx of young talent into the national team pool. However, after playing impressively for the Colombus Crew and Chicago Fire in MLS, he was recalled for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, starting in group games against Cuba and Costa Rica. The USA later won the tournament upon beating Panama in the final, following which Sanneh retired from the USA national team. He finished his career with 3 goals in 43 appearances.

Post career[link]

Sanneh operates his own soccer camp system in the Midwest and U.S. Virgin Islands. He also is a coach and consultant for the club soccer team Minneapolis United. In addition to overseeing youth development, Tony also runs his own charitable foundation headquartered in St. Paul which, among other initiatives, aims to help urban youth and also assists in recovery efforts in Haiti.

Honors[link]

United States[link]

• CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (1): 2005

References[link]

External links[link]

• Interview with Tony Sanneh
• http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/players/active/index.html?player_id=117
• MLS Stats (Surname S)
• Sanneh Soccer
• Tony Sanneh at National-Football-Teams.com

v t e United States squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Friedel 2 Hejduk 3 Berhalter 4 Mastroeni 5 O'Brien 6 Regis 7 Lewis 8 Stewart 9 Moore 10 Reyna (c) 11 Mathis 12 Agoos 13 Jones 14 Cherundolo 15 Wolff 16 Llamosa 17 Beasley 18 Keller 19 Meola 20 McBride 21 Donovan 22 Sanneh 23 Pope Coach: Arena

v t e United States squad – 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (3rd Title) 1 Hahnemann 2 Hejduk 3 Vanney 4 Onyewu 5 O'Brien 6 Cherundolo 7 Beasley 8 Dempsey 9 Quaranta 10 Donovan 11 Casey 12 Conrad 13 Noonan 14 Armas 15 Olsen 16 Wolff 18 Keller 19 Ralston 21 Davis 22 Sanneh 23 Pope 24 Reis 25 Mastroeni Coach: Arena

Chris Armas (born August 27, 1972 in Bronx, New York) is a retired American soccer player. He is currently the head women's soccer coach at Adelphi University. He was also a teacher of physical education at St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, New York.

Career[link]

College[link]

Armas is of Puerto Rican descent. He attended Adelphi University from 1990–1993, amassing 17 goals and 15 assists over the four years, and was named an NCAA Division I First Team All-American his senior year.

Professional[link]

After graduation, Armas spent 1994 and 1995 playing for the USISL's Long Island Rough Riders, being selected as a USISL All-Star. In 1995, the Rough Riders defeated the Minnesota Thunder in the USISL's Pro League Championship. Besides Armas, the 1995 Rough Riders also included such future MLS standouts like Tony Meola, Giovanni Savarese and Jim Rooney.

In 1996, Armas was drafted by Los Angeles Galaxy in the first round of the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft, and played a significant role in their first and second seasons. Chicago Fire acquired Armas in a trade for their inaugural 1998 campaign. It was with the 1998 Chicago Fire team that Armas emerged as an exceptional player, helping them win their first (and only) MLS Championship that year. Between 1998 and 2001, Armas was named to the MLS Best XI four consecutive times, his streak only being broken by an ACL injury that kept him out of much of the 2002 campaign; Armas was named to his fifth Best XI after the 2003 MLS season, in addition to being named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year. He was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2000. In ten years in MLS, he totaled 11 goals and 41 assists, plus added four goals and four assists in the playoffs.

On April 19, 2007, Armas announced that the 2007 MLS season with the Chicago Fire would be his last, as he decided to retire. His retirement was made official on November 13, 2007, after spending 12 years in MLS.

International[link]

Armas played for Puerto Rico in the 1993 Caribbean Cup. The competition was not then recognised by FIFA and so his five matches were classed as friendlies. He was therefore later allowed to switch his allegiance to the United States,^[1][2] for whom he made his debut November 6, 1998 against Australia. He went on to register 66 caps. Unfortunately for Armas, he did not break into the squad until soon after the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and his ACL injury came just before the 2002 FIFA World Cup, so he was never able to play for the United States in the world's most prestigious soccer competition. He was named as a standby player for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and did not feature in the final squad. Armas is the US player with the most caps to never go to a FIFA World Cup.

Personal[link]

Armas and his wife, Justine, have two sons, named Christopher and Aleksei. He is currently the head women's soccer coach at Adelphi University. He also taught physical education at St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, New York, the high school from which he graduated.

Career statistics[link]

^[3]

Honors[link]

United States[link]

• CONCACAF Gold Cup (2): 2002, 2005

See also[link]

	Puerto Rico portal
	Biography portal

• List of famous Puerto Ricans

References[link]

External links[link]

• Chicago Fire Bio
• Chris Armas articles on Yanks Abroad