Alex Cintrón
Encyclopedia
Alexander Cintrón is a former Major League Baseball
infielder
who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks
, Chicago White Sox
, Baltimore Orioles
and Washington Nationals
. His last Major League game was in April 2009. After more than 2 years in the minors trying to get back to the big leagues, Cintrón retired on May 24, 2011.
He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.
by the Arizona Diamondbacks
, spending the '97 season with the Arizona League Diamondbacks where he hit
.197 with six doubles
, a triple
and 20 RBIs. He appeared in one game with the Lethbridge Black Diamonds
in the Pioneer Baseball League and went 1-for-3.
In Cintrón spent the season with Rookie-League Lethbridge and hit .264 with 11 doubles, four triples, three home run
s and 34 RBIs.
He hit .307 with 25 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 64 RBIs in 128 games with the Class-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks
. He was also named to the California League
All-Star team.
Cintrón played in 125 games for the Double-A El Paso Diablos
and hit .301 with 30 doubles, six triples, four home runs and 59 RBIs in . He was fourth in the Texas League
in hits
with 157, fifth in at-bats with 522 and tenth in average. He was named to the Texas League All-Star team.
In Cintrón hit .292 with 24 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 35 RBIs for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders
. He was as recalled from Tucson to the Diamondbacks on July 23. Cintrón made his major league debut with the D-Backs on July 24, . He collected his first major-league hit with a single off the New York Mets
Donne Wall
on August 3. Cintrón hit .286 with a triple in eight games with the Diamondbacks and was optioned back to Tucson on August 6.
Cintrón played in 38 games with the D'Backs over four separate stints in . The first was when he was recalled on May 8 but played in just two games. He was recalled a second time on June 11 and reported to Yankee Stadium
to play against the New York Yankees
. He was optioned to Tucson again on June 26 but returned on July 1 after Erubiel Durazo
was injured. Cintrón was returned to Tucson after the All-Star Break but was recalled for the final time on August 21.
In Cintrón had a break-out season after being recalled on May 6 following an injury to Craig Counsell
. Cintrón went on to lead Arizona with a .317 average, ranked second with 26 doubles and third with 70 runs scored and a .489 slugging percentage. He started 90 games at shortstop, 14 at third base
and five at second base. He batted .311 with runners in scoring position. He hit his first major-league home run on May 14 against the Philadelphia Phillies
, a solo shot off Brett Myers
. Cintrón posted three straight three-hit games from June 14 to June 17. He hit his first walk-off home run
on June 20 against the Cincinnati Reds
off Scott Williamson
.
He continued his success into where he led the Diamondbacks in games played with 154 and at-bats with 564 and finished second in doubles with 31 and third in hits with 148. He was the everyday shortstop for most of the season until a late-season stretch of starts at second base. Cintrón became the first player in franchise history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate on July 8 against the San Francisco Giants
hitting a solo home run off Dustin Hermanson
in the fourth inning and a three-run shot off Wayne Franklin
in the seventh, finishing with a career-high four RBIs.
Cintrón appeared in 122 games with Arizona in , down from 154 in '04, He played in 39 games at shortstop, 32 at third base and 23 at second base. He hit .304 with three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs as a pinch-hitter, sharing the major-league lead among pinch-hitters in home runs, tied for third in the National League
in RBIs and ranked ninth in average. He hit the pinch-hit homers off Jim Brower
, Kent Mercker
and Jon Lieber
.
for Jeff Bajenaru
. That season with the White Sox Cintrón made 41 appearances at shortstop, 26 at second base and 11 at third base. He compiled a .972 fielding percentage
. Cintrón stole a career high 10 bases. He batted .288 with all of his five home runs left-handed and .274 from the right side of the plate. He went only 2–18 as a pinch hitter. Cintrón recorded at least one at-bat in all positions in the lineup except leadoff, his best spot being second batting .315. He made two starts at designated hitter
going 2–12 and hit .310 in interleague play
. Cintrón hit two triples on April 13 against the Detroit Tigers
, the first Sox player to accomplish the feat since José Valentín
in 2004.
He batted .243 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 68 games in his second season with the White Sox in . He made 19 appearances at third base, 17 at shortstop and 14 at second base. He also made two starts as designated hitter going 0–7. Cintrón compiled a .941 fielding percentage and batted .244 with two home runs left-handed and from the right side of the plate. He hit .273 on the road, compared to .209 at home. He hit .333 with runners in scoring position. The White Sox waived Cintrón on November 29, .
with the Chicago Cubs
on February 18, . He was released on March 26 and was signed to another minor league contract by the Baltimore Orioles
. After starting the season with the Norfolk Tides
, his contract was purchased by the Orioles, and he was added to the active roster on May 11. He went 4-for-4 in first starts with Baltimore on May 17 against the Washington Nationals
. He missed the month of July with strained left hamstring. He hit .352 at Camden Yards. 27 of 28 starts came at shortstop. Cintrón filed for free agency after the '08 season.
in . Although he competed for a spot on the Nationals' roster during spring training
, Cintron was sent to the minors on April 4. His contract was purchased from the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs on April 18. He went 2-for-26 with the Nationals before his release.
.
.
that Cintrón had retired. No details were given; the tweet simply said "Alex Cintron has retired." It was reported on July 18 that he was considering coming out of retirement.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. His last Major League game was in April 2009. After more than 2 years in the minors trying to get back to the big leagues, Cintrón retired on May 24, 2011.
He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Cintrón was drafted in the 37th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997...
by the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, spending the '97 season with the Arizona League Diamondbacks where he hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.197 with six doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 20 RBIs. He appeared in one game with the Lethbridge Black Diamonds
Lethbridge Black Diamonds
The Lethbridge Black Diamonds were a minor league baseball team located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. The team was previously known as the Lethbridge Mounties from 1992-1995 before becoming the Lethbridge Black Diamonds from 1996-1998. The team was one of the first two farm clubs of the Arizona...
in the Pioneer Baseball League and went 1-for-3.
In Cintrón spent the season with Rookie-League Lethbridge and hit .264 with 11 doubles, four triples, three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 34 RBIs.
He hit .307 with 25 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 64 RBIs in 128 games with the Class-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
. He was also named to the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
All-Star team.
Cintrón played in 125 games for the Double-A El Paso Diablos
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
and hit .301 with 30 doubles, six triples, four home runs and 59 RBIs in . He was fourth in the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
with 157, fifth in at-bats with 522 and tenth in average. He was named to the Texas League All-Star team.
In Cintrón hit .292 with 24 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 35 RBIs for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders
Tucson Sidewinders
The Tucson Sidewinders were a minor league baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona. The team, which played in the Pacific Coast League, was the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club....
. He was as recalled from Tucson to the Diamondbacks on July 23. Cintrón made his major league debut with the D-Backs on July 24, . He collected his first major-league hit with a single off the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
Donne Wall
Donne Wall
Donnell Lee Wall , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1995-2002....
on August 3. Cintrón hit .286 with a triple in eight games with the Diamondbacks and was optioned back to Tucson on August 6.
Cintrón played in 38 games with the D'Backs over four separate stints in . The first was when he was recalled on May 8 but played in just two games. He was recalled a second time on June 11 and reported to Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
to play against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He was optioned to Tucson again on June 26 but returned on July 1 after Erubiel Durazo
Erubiel Durazo
Erubiel Durazo Cárdenas is a Mexican baseball player. Durazo played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball.-Major league career:...
was injured. Cintrón was returned to Tucson after the All-Star Break but was recalled for the final time on August 21.
In Cintrón had a break-out season after being recalled on May 6 following an injury to Craig Counsell
Craig Counsell
Craig John Counsell is a Major League Baseball infielder.Counsell grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and attended Whitefish Bay High School, where he played baseball. His father worked for the Milwaukee Brewers...
. Cintrón went on to lead Arizona with a .317 average, ranked second with 26 doubles and third with 70 runs scored and a .489 slugging percentage. He started 90 games at shortstop, 14 at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and five at second base. He batted .311 with runners in scoring position. He hit his first major-league home run on May 14 against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, a solo shot off Brett Myers
Brett Myers
Brett Allen Myers is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who is currently playing for the Houston Astros.-High school career:...
. Cintrón posted three straight three-hit games from June 14 to June 17. He hit his first walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
on June 20 against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
off Scott Williamson
Scott Williamson
Scott Ryan Williamson is a right-handed relief pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization. He has played for the Cincinnati Reds , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , San Diego Padres , and the Baltimore Orioles...
.
He continued his success into where he led the Diamondbacks in games played with 154 and at-bats with 564 and finished second in doubles with 31 and third in hits with 148. He was the everyday shortstop for most of the season until a late-season stretch of starts at second base. Cintrón became the first player in franchise history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate on July 8 against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
hitting a solo home run off Dustin Hermanson
Dustin Hermanson
Dustin Michael Hermanson is an American former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.After being selected in the 1st round of the amateur draft by, and playing for, the San Diego Padres, he bounced around the majors, playing for the Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red...
in the fourth inning and a three-run shot off Wayne Franklin
Wayne Franklin
Gary Wayne Franklin is an American Major League Baseball pitcher for the independent Chico Outlaws of the Golden Baseball League. He previously played for the Houston Astros , Milwaukee Brewers , San Francisco Giants , New York Yankees , and Atlanta Braves...
in the seventh, finishing with a career-high four RBIs.
Cintrón appeared in 122 games with Arizona in , down from 154 in '04, He played in 39 games at shortstop, 32 at third base and 23 at second base. He hit .304 with three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs as a pinch-hitter, sharing the major-league lead among pinch-hitters in home runs, tied for third in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in RBIs and ranked ninth in average. He hit the pinch-hit homers off Jim Brower
Jim Brower
James Robert Brower is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for 8 MLB teams: Cleveland Indians , Cincinnati Reds , Montreal Expos , San Francisco Giants , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles , San Diego Padres , and New York Yankees...
, Kent Mercker
Kent Mercker
Kent Franklin Mercker is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his seventeen-year career....
and Jon Lieber
Jon Lieber
Jonathan Ray Lieber is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
.
Chicago White Sox
On March 8, , Cintrón was traded to the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Jeff Bajenaru
Jeff Bajenaru
Jeffrey Michael Bajenaru is a former MLB baseball pitcher.Bajenaru began his college career at the Riverside Community College. The Oakland Athletics drafted him in the 13th round after his sophomore season, but he elected not to sign. He parlayed his community college performance into a...
. That season with the White Sox Cintrón made 41 appearances at shortstop, 26 at second base and 11 at third base. He compiled a .972 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. Cintrón stole a career high 10 bases. He batted .288 with all of his five home runs left-handed and .274 from the right side of the plate. He went only 2–18 as a pinch hitter. Cintrón recorded at least one at-bat in all positions in the lineup except leadoff, his best spot being second batting .315. He made two starts at designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
going 2–12 and hit .310 in interleague play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
. Cintrón hit two triples on April 13 against the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, the first Sox player to accomplish the feat since José Valentín
José Valentín
José Antonio Valentín is a former Major League Baseball infielder, who played with the Milwaukee Brewers , Chicago White Sox , Los Angeles Dodgers , and New York Mets .-Early years:...
in 2004.
He batted .243 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 68 games in his second season with the White Sox in . He made 19 appearances at third base, 17 at shortstop and 14 at second base. He also made two starts as designated hitter going 0–7. Cintrón compiled a .941 fielding percentage and batted .244 with two home runs left-handed and from the right side of the plate. He hit .273 on the road, compared to .209 at home. He hit .333 with runners in scoring position. The White Sox waived Cintrón on November 29, .
Baltimore Orioles
Cintrón signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on February 18, . He was released on March 26 and was signed to another minor league contract by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. After starting the season with the Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
, his contract was purchased by the Orioles, and he was added to the active roster on May 11. He went 4-for-4 in first starts with Baltimore on May 17 against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He missed the month of July with strained left hamstring. He hit .352 at Camden Yards. 27 of 28 starts came at shortstop. Cintrón filed for free agency after the '08 season.
Washington Nationals
He signed a minor league contract with the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in . Although he competed for a spot on the Nationals' roster during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, Cintron was sent to the minors on April 4. His contract was purchased from the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs on April 18. He went 2-for-26 with the Nationals before his release.
New York Mets
He played 20 games with the Buffalo Bisons the Triple-A affiliate of the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
Washington Nationals
On February 8, 2011, Cintrón signed a minor league deal with the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
.
Retirement
On May 24, 2011, Padres minor league broadcaster Tim Hagerty announced through TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that Cintrón had retired. No details were given; the tweet simply said "Alex Cintron has retired." It was reported on July 18 that he was considering coming out of retirement.