- The former player died in Florida, United States. The causes are still unknown
Omar Malavé, a two-time former player and manager in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP), passed away on November 22 at 58 years of age in Dunedin, Florida. This was reported by the journalist Carlos Feo.
His daughter Omarling Malavé expressed a few words on Twitter about the death of her father. He denied that he did not die of covid-19 after several rumors.
Who was Omar Malavé?
Omar Antonio Malavé was born on January 17, 1963 in Cumaná, Sucre state. At the age of 17, he made his debut with the Lara Cardinals in the 1980-1981 LVBP season, a team with which he would play his entire career as a player for 10 seasons.
Malavé set a Venezuelan baseball record of 195 hits, 27 doubles, three home runs, 70 RBIs and 14 stolen bases for an average of 216.
As a major league player, he was in the minor leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays, although he never made the leap to the MLB.
His outstanding work was as manager of Cardenales de Lara, Leones del Caracas, Caribes de Anzoátegui and Navegantes del Magallanes.
His first championship as a manager was obtained in the 1997-1998 season with the Lara Cardinals after finishing with a record of 48 wins and 25 losses in the regular round. In the final that team faced and defeated the Leones del Caracas in seven games. This was the second title in history for Larenses.
The following year they repeated and got the double championship with 35 games won and 26 lost. The final was again before the hairy team four victories to two. These were the only championships he achieved as a manager.
Then he assumed the mandate of the Caribes de Anzoátegui (Eastern Caribbean at that time), and later became the coach of the Caracas Lions.
With the hairy ones he obtained the runner-up against the Tigres de Aragua in 2004-2005 in seven games. The following year he left the capital team, which won the championship against the Aragua team and also the Caribbean Series.
His last harvest in the LVBP was with the Navegantes del Magallanes in 2017, with whom he was in second place in the regular season.
In the MLB Minor Leagues, he coached for 24 years with teams affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Fondly remembered
The Lara Cardinals posted on Twitter an emotional video with the words of Omar Malavé when he won the two consecutive championships with the Lara team.
The other teams of the LVBP also expressed their condolences after the news of the death of the Cumanian manager.
Omar Malavé, two-time champion.
Eternally, THANK YOU! ????????#SomosUno ???? pic.twitter.com/u8GBwGsezn– Cardinals of Lara (@CardenalesDice) November 23, 2021
I will never forget, when Omar Malave, being my manager in AA, called me into his office to give me the news that he had been promoted to the Major Leagues. Obviously in his colloquial language as a good Oriental, first he made a few jokes to me, Prieto told me. RIP ”, expressed former great deliga Kelvim Escobar.
The Mexican Baseball League also issued a statement on the death of the former manager.
“We regret the sensitive passing of our friend Omar Malavé, recently nominated for Manager of the Year in our circuit. Our most sincere condolences to family, friends and the entire organization of Algodoneros de Unión Laguna ”, he highlighted.
Many remember Malavé as a man of baseball and wisdom on the field. A coach who leaves a mark on the Lara Cardinals and on Venezuelan baseball.
