José Oquendo

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#BC003A
bgcolor2=#BC003A
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=José Oquendo
position=Outfielder / Infielder
bats=Switch
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1963|7|4
debutdate=May 2
debutyear=by|1983
debutteam=New York Mets
finaldate=September 29
finalyear=by|1995
finalteam=St. Louis Cardinals
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.256
stat2label=H
stat2value=821
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=254
teams= As Player
*New York Mets (1983-1984)
*St. Louis Cardinals (1986-1995)As Manager
*Puerto Rico (2006)
highlights=
*Led NL in games played in 1989 with 163

José Manuel Roberto Guillermo Oquendo (born July 4, 1963 in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico) is a former infielder in Major League Baseball and the current third base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Career

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Oquendo began his major league career at the age of 19 in 1983 with the New York Mets. In the by|1986 season, however, he joined the Cardinals, where he would spend the rest of his career, eventually playing every defensive position, most often second base until his retirement after failing to make the Cardinal roster out of spring training in 1996. He was a lifetime .256 hitter, but made a mark as a patient batter, finishing his career with more walks than strikeouts and a .346 on base percentage.

Oquendo once pitched in relief for four innings, shutting out the Atlanta Braves for three innings before yielding 2 runs, earning the first decision by a non-pitcher in 20 years. His best year came in by|1989, when he was in the top 10 in batting average, hits, triples, walks, singles, on base percentage, and games played.

Oquendo served as manager of the team representing Puerto Rico in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

Trivia

*In 1990, Oquendo set a major league record for the fewest errors (three) by a second baseman in a 150+ game season after tying what is the current American League record (five) the previous season (based upon 2002 information) [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks/rb_2ber.shtml] . However, Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg won the Gold Glove Award both years.
*Oquendo has played every single position on a baseball field.
*Oquendo also struck out Deion Sanders, looking.
*Jose grounded into a fielders choice at Shea Stadium in his first MLB At bat.
*Oquendo was thrown out of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 13, 2008 for arguing. Earlier in the game, Cardinals pitcher Russ Springer threw an inside pitch that grazed the hip of Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. Springer was thrown out without warning, which caused Cardinals manager Tony La Russa to argue with umpire Larry Vanover. La Russa was subsequently thrown out of the game, and Oquendo assumed the role of manager. Later in the game, Phillies pitcher Rudy Seanez threw a pitch that went behind Cardinals batter Brendan Ryan and was not ejected or warned. Oquendo came out of the dugout, argued, and was tossed by Vanover.

The Sklar Brothers and the "Utility Man"

In 2004, a comical one hour special aired on ESPN and was produced by MLB Productions about José Oquendo. It featured Randy and Jason Sklar of Cheap Seats going on a trip all the way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on a campaign to get José "The Utilityman" Oquendo inducted for his versatility to play any position on the baseball field. The special included the Sklars receiving Oquendo's blessing to lobby for his spot in Cooperstown, collecting signatures for the petition, and giving a lackluster presentation to the Hall of Fame's committee. After initially denying their claim, the committee agreed to place his plaque in a spot that fits the man- the utility closet.

Nickname

*In Puerto Rico, he is known as "Cheito".

*In St. Louis, he is known as "The Secret Weapon," a nickname bestowed by former manager Whitey Herzog in 1987.

ee also

*List of players from Puerto Rico in Major League Baseball
*List of Puerto Ricans

External links

*baseball-reference|id=o/oquenjo01