José Oquendo
Encyclopedia
José Manuel Roberto Guillermo Oquendo Contreras (born July 4, 1963 in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
) is a former Major League Baseball
infielder
and the current third base coach
for the St. Louis Cardinals
. He also served as manager
of the team representing Puerto Rico
in the 2006
and 2009 World Baseball Classic
.
as an amateur free agent in at only fifteen years old. When he made his major league debut with the Mets in , he became the first player in franchise history to be younger than the franchise (the Mets began play in ; Oquendo was born in 1963). After two seasons bouncing back and forth between the Mets and their triple A affiliate the Tidewater Tides, Oquendo was traded with Mark J. Davis to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ángel Salazar and John Young.
; with perennial All-star
Ozzie Smith
firmly entrenched there, the Cards experimented with Oquendo at other positions when they brought him up for the season. Along with short, Oquendo played second base, third
and in the outfield
.
In , Oquendo played every position, except catcher
, and was nicknamed "The Secret Weapon" by manager Whitey Herzog
. His one emergency appearance on the mound came on August 7. Already down 12-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies
, Oquendo pitched
the eighth inning and gave up three earned runs. Oquendo reached the post season for the only time in his career in . He batted .222, including a three run home run
in the second inning of the seventh game of the 1987 National League Championship Series
against the San Francisco Giants
.
In , Oquendo became one of only a handful of players to have played every position on the diamond when he made his debut behind the plate. He also took the mound again, this time it was in a nineteen inning marathon against the Atlanta Braves
on May 14. After pitching three scoreless innings, Oquendo was tagged for a two run double
by Ken Griffey
in the nineteenth, and took the loss.
With Luis Alicea
back in the minors in , Oquendo emerged as the Cardinals' regular second baseman
. He responded by committing only five errors in 851 chances and a .994 fielding percentage
. He also enjoyed his best season with the bat, batting
.291, and was in the top ten in hits
, triples
, walks
and on base percentage
. He also played in a league leading 163 games that season.
His best season with the glove was the following season, when he set a major league record for the fewest errors
(three) by a second baseman in a 150+ game season. However, perennial Gold Glover and future Hall of Famer
Ryne Sandberg
won the Gold Glove Award
that year.
In the first game of the season, Oquendo suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for most of the season. Oquendo spent three more seasons with the Cardinals as a utility infielder
. He retired after failing to make the Cardinal roster out of spring training
in .
Oquendo was 0-1 with a 12.00 earned run average
over six innings in three games pitched. His career fielding percentage as a second baseman was .992. Overall, he had a .983 career fielding percentage.
of the New York-Penn League in . He became bench coach for St. Louis in , and a year later, he moved to third base coach, where he has remained ever since.
Oquendo was thrown out of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 13, for arguing. Earlier in the game, already a blowout loss for the Cardinals, 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 bench coach Joe Petini 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 began arguing from his position in the coaching box behind third and was tossed by Vanover.
On April 4, , Oquendo appeared as a Cardinals pinch hitter
in a preseason exhibition game against the Cardinals' triple A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds
. Oquendo fouled off several pitches before being walked. He was advanced to 3rd base on a hit and walk before an inning ending groundout.
Over the past few years Oquendo has interviewed for managerial positions with San Diego, Seattle, & the New York Mets. Also during the 2011 offseason he was interviewed for the managing position. The spot would later go to Mike Matheny
.
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 his utility specialty- the utility closet.
Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
Río Piedras is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded in 1714, it has been the home of the University of Puerto Rico's main campus since 1903, earning the town the popular name of Ciudad Universitaria...
) is a former 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...
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...
and the current third base coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
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...
. He also served as manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the team representing Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico national baseball team
The Puerto Rico National Baseball Team is a team that is selected by the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation to compete in major international events in representation of Puerto Rico...
in the 2006
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
and 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
.
New York Mets
Oquendo signed with 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...
as an amateur free agent in at only fifteen years old. When he made his major league debut with the Mets in , he became the first player in franchise history to be younger than the franchise (the Mets began play in ; Oquendo was born in 1963). After two seasons bouncing back and forth between the Mets and their triple A affiliate the Tidewater Tides, Oquendo was traded with Mark J. Davis to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ángel Salazar and John Young.
St. Louis Cardinals
Oquendo spent all of with the Cardinals' triple A affiliate the Louisville Redbirds. With the Mets, Oquendo had only ever played shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
; with perennial All-star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
Ozzie Smith
Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith is an American former baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996...
firmly entrenched there, the Cards experimented with Oquendo at other positions when they brought him up for the season. Along with short, Oquendo played second base, third
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...
and in the outfield
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...
.
In , Oquendo played every position, except catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, and was nicknamed "The Secret Weapon" by manager Whitey Herzog
Whitey Herzog
Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...
. His one emergency appearance on the mound came on August 7. Already down 12-4 to 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...
, Oquendo pitched
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
the eighth inning and gave up three earned runs. Oquendo reached the post season for the only time in his career in . He batted .222, including a three run 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...
in the second inning of the seventh game of the 1987 National League Championship Series
1987 National League Championship Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 6, 1987 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Giants struck first on an RBI groundout by Candy Maldonado, but the Cardinals tied it in the third on Vince Coleman's RBI single...
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....
.
In , Oquendo became one of only a handful of players to have played every position on the diamond when he made his debut behind the plate. He also took the mound again, this time it was in a nineteen inning marathon against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on May 14. After pitching three scoreless innings, Oquendo was tagged for a two run double
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....
by Ken Griffey
Ken Griffey
There are two former Major League Baseball players named Ken Griffey:*Ken Griffey, Sr., who played from 1973 to 1991 for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners...
in the nineteenth, and took the loss.
With Luis Alicea
Luis Alicea
Luis René Alicea de Jesús is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.Alicea played for the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox...
back in the minors in , Oquendo emerged as the Cardinals' regular second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. He responded by committing only five errors in 851 chances and a .994 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...
. He also enjoyed his best season with the bat, batting
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 :...
.291, and was in the top ten 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....
, triples
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....
, walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. He also played in a league leading 163 games that season.
His best season with the glove was the following season, when he set a major league record for the fewest 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 ...
(three) by a second baseman in a 150+ game season. However, perennial Gold Glover and future Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
won the Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
that year.
In the first game of the season, Oquendo suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for most of the season. Oquendo spent three more seasons with the Cardinals as a utility 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...
. He retired after failing to make the Cardinal roster out of 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...
in .
Oquendo was 0-1 with a 12.00 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
over six innings in three games pitched. His career fielding percentage as a second baseman was .992. Overall, he had a .983 career fielding percentage.
Coaching
Oquendo accepted a minor league coaching position with the Cardinals in , and became manager of the New Jersey CardinalsNew Jersey Cardinals
The New Jersey Cardinals were a Short-Season A minor league baseball team affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. They were a member of the New York - Penn League and played at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey from 1994-2005.-History:...
of the New York-Penn League in . He became bench coach for St. Louis in , and a year later, he moved to third base coach, where he has remained ever since.
Oquendo was thrown out of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 13, for arguing. Earlier in the game, already a blowout loss for the Cardinals, Cardinals pitcher Russ Springer
Russ Springer
Russell Paul Springer is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Springer made his major league debut on April 17, , with the New York Yankees. He also pitched for the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, St...
threw an inside pitch that grazed the hip of Phillies first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
. Springer was thrown out without warning, which caused Cardinals manager Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball manager and infielder, best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals...
to argue with umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
Larry Vanover. La Russa was subsequently thrown out of the game, and bench coach Joe Petini assumed the role of manager. Later in the game, Phillies pitcher Rudy Seanez
Rudy Seanez
Rudy Caballero Seánez [SEE-ah-nez] is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was the prototypical major league journeyman....
threw a pitch that went behind Cardinals batter Brendan Ryan
Brendan Ryan
Brendan Ryan is an Irish politician and former member of Seanad Éireann for the National University of Ireland constituency...
and was not ejected or warned. Oquendo began arguing from his position in the coaching box behind third and was tossed by Vanover.
On April 4, , Oquendo appeared as a Cardinals pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
in a preseason exhibition game against the Cardinals' triple A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
. Oquendo fouled off several pitches before being walked. He was advanced to 3rd base on a hit and walk before an inning ending groundout.
Over the past few years Oquendo has interviewed for managerial positions with San Diego, Seattle, & the New York Mets. Also during the 2011 offseason he was interviewed for the managing position. The spot would later go to Mike Matheny
Mike Matheny
Michael Scott Matheny is the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball. He is also a former baseball catcher, playing for four different teams during his thirteen years in the major leagues...
.
The Sklar Brothers and the "Utility Man"
In 2004, a comical one hour special aired on ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and was produced by MLB Productions about José Oquendo. It featured Randy and Jason Sklar
Randy and Jason Sklar
Randy Sklar and Jason Sklar , professionally known as the Sklar Brothers, are American identical twin comedians and sportscasters. They formerly hosted the show Cheap Seats on ESPN Classic, which came to an end on November 19, 2006, after four seasons.-Biography:Randy and Jason grew up in suburban...
of Cheap Seats
Cheap Seats
Cheap Seats without Ron Parker, commonly shortened to Cheap Seats, is a television program broadcast on ESPN Classic hosted by brothers Randy and Jason Sklar...
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 his utility specialty- the utility closet.