Ernie Camacho was a professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher for various teams in the Major League Baseball (MLB) during his career. He was born on February 1, 1955, in Salinas, California, and attended Hartnell College in Salinas before being drafted by the California Angels in the 10th round of the 1976 MLB draft.
Camacho made his MLB debut with the Angels in 1980 and played for them until 1983. He then played for the Cleveland Indians from 1984 to 1987, the Milwaukee Brewers in 1988, and the San Francisco Giants in 1989 and 1990. During his career, Camacho was known for his fastball and slider pitches, which he used to strike out batters.
In his rookie season with the Angels, Camacho appeared in 36 games and had a 3.38 earned run average (ERA). He continued to improve in the following seasons, posting a 2.87 ERA in 1981 and a 2.70 ERA in 1982. However, his performance declined in 1983, and he was traded to the Indians.
Camacho had a successful stint with the Indians, becoming their closer in 1985 and recording 19 saves. He had a career-high 21 saves in 1986 and was named the team's Pitcher of the Year. However, his performance declined again in 1987, and he was released by the Indians.
After a brief stint with the Brewers in 1988, Camacho signed with the Giants in 1989. He had a solid season with the team, posting a 2.95 ERA in 57 appearances. He continued to pitch for the Giants in 1990 but struggled with injuries and was released by the team in August of that year.
Overall, Camacho had a career record of 34-32 with a 3.56 ERA and 63 saves in 537 appearances. He retired from baseball after the 1990 season and went on to work as a pitching coach for various minor league teams.
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