Héctor Cruz
Encyclopedia
Héctor Louis Cruz (born April 2, 1953 in Arroyo, Puerto Rico
) is a former outfielder
/third baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played for the St. Louis Cardinals
(1973, 1975–1977), Chicago Cubs
(1978, 1981–1982) San Francisco Giants
(1978–1979) and Cincinnati Reds
(1979–1980). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a nine-season career, Cruz was a .225 hitter
with 39 home run
s and 200 RBI
in 624 games played
.
In 1975, Cruz was named by The Sporting News
as the Minor League Player of the Year after hit 29 home runs and 116 RBI in the American Association
. In 1976, his first regular season with the St. Louis Cardinals, he led the National League
rookie
s with 13 HR and 71 RBI, but also led the league third basemen with 26 errors
. Then he switched to outfield, but never again performed a job on a regular basis. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and in a second stint with the Cubs. After that, he played in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants
in 1983.
He is the younger brother of José
and Tommy Cruz
, and uncle of José Cruz, Jr.
He now works for the United States Postal Service as a mail carrier on the North Side of Chicago.
Arroyo, Puerto Rico
Arroyo is a municipality located along the southern coast of Puerto Rico and bordered by the Caribbean Sea, east of the municipality of Guayama and northwest of the municipality of Patillas. Arroyo is spread over 5 wards and Arroyo Pueblo...
) is a former outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
/third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1973, 1975–1977), 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...
(1978, 1981–1982) 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....
(1978–1979) and 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....
(1979–1980). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a nine-season career, Cruz was a .225 hitter
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 :...
with 39 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 200 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 624 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
In 1975, Cruz was named by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
as the Minor League Player of the Year after hit 29 home runs and 116 RBI in the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. In 1976, his first regular season with the St. Louis Cardinals, he led 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...
rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
s with 13 HR and 71 RBI, but also led the league third basemen with 26 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. Then he switched to outfield, but never again performed a job on a regular basis. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and in a second stint with the Cubs. After that, he played in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
in 1983.
He is the younger brother of José
José Cruz
José Cruz Dilan is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is also the former first base coach for the Houston Astros. During his 19-year baseball career, he played from 1970-1988 for three different teams, playing primarily for the Astros...
and Tommy Cruz
Tommy Cruz
Cirilo "Tommy" Cruz Dilan is a former mcc blue river soccer playeroutfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox . Cruz batted and threw left-handed...
, and uncle of José Cruz, Jr.
José Cruz, Jr.
José Luis Cruz, Jr. is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Over his nine year playing career, Cruz played for eight different teams. Standing 6'0" tall and weighing 210 pounds, Cruz was a right-handed switch hitter...
He now works for the United States Postal Service as a mail carrier on the North Side of Chicago.