Conrado Marrero all-time best pitcher against Baltimore Orioles

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Connie Marrero of the Washington Nationals poses for a portrait prior to a game in 1951 against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium/
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Baltimore Orioles

Best Opposing Pitcher: Connie Marrero

Look, I was hoping as much as you were to see some interesting names here. How about Babe Ruth (fifth) or Rollie Fingers (eleventh) or Walter Johnson (sixteenth) for crying out loud? But no. We get Connie Marrero. Fine. Whatever. [cracks fingers] Let's do this.

Marrero was a Cuban pitcher for the Washington Senators (version 1.0). Really, he was "El Duque" before Orlando Hernandez was El Duque. Marrero joined the Senators (best motto ever: "First in war, first in peace, last in the American League.") in 1950 and immediately took it to the then-St. Louis Browns, posting a 1.71 ERA in 21 innings. Things only got worse from there for the not-yet-Orioles, as Marrero ended his career with a 1.50 ERA in 101.2 innings against St. Louis/Baltimore. Even when he was 43 years old in 1952 and just about finished (with a 4.75 ERA overall that season), Marrero went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 12 innings against finally-Baltimore. Marrero died this past April at the age of 102. Not so much as a card from Baltimore.