Juan Beníquez
Encyclopedia
Juan José Beníquez Torres (born May 13, 1950 in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
) is a former center fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Boston Red Sox
(1971–1972, 1974–1975), Texas Rangers
(1976–1978), New York Yankees
(1979), Seattle Mariners
(1980), California Angels
(1981–1985), Baltimore Orioles
(1986), Kansas City Royals
(1987) and Toronto Blue Jays
(1987–1988). He batted and threw right-handed.
A valuable role player, Beníquez spent 17 seasons in the major leagues playing for eight different American League
clubs. He started his career with the Boston Red Sox in 1971, appearing at shortstop
in part of two seasons, and later was switched to center field. A Gold Glove Award
winner with Texas in , he posted four consecutive .300 seasons with California and Baltimore from 1983–86, with a career-high .336 in 1984, and hit three home run
s in a game for the Orioles in 1986. He also had three post-season appearances, including the 1975 World Series
with the Red Sox. Beníquez was a .274 hitter with 79 home runs and 476 runs batted in in 1500 games played
.
Following his majors career, in 1989 Beníquez hit .359 while playing for the St. Lucie Legends
in the Senior Professional Baseball Association
.
San Sebastián, Puerto Rico
San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...
) is a former center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
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 Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1971–1972, 1974–1975), Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1976–1978), 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...
(1979), Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(1980), California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(1981–1985), 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...
(1986), Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1987) and Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1987–1988). He batted and threw right-handed.
A valuable role player, Beníquez spent 17 seasons in the major leagues playing for eight different American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
clubs. He started his career with the Boston Red Sox in 1971, appearing at shortstop
Shortstop
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...
in part of two seasons, and later was switched to center field. A 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...
winner with Texas in , he posted four consecutive .300 seasons with California and Baltimore from 1983–86, with a career-high .336 in 1984, and hit 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 in a game for the Orioles in 1986. He also had three post-season appearances, including the 1975 World Series
1975 World Series
The 1975 World Series was played between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds . It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played...
with the Red Sox. Beníquez was a .274 hitter with 79 home runs and 476 runs batted in in 1500 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,...
.
Following his majors career, in 1989 Beníquez hit .359 while playing for the St. Lucie Legends
St. Lucie Legends
The St. Lucie Legends was a U.S. baseball team and one of the eight original franchises that began play in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989....
in the Senior Professional Baseball Association
Senior Professional Baseball Association
The Senior Professional Baseball Association was a winter baseball league based in Florida for players age 35 and over . The league began play in 1989 and had eight teams in two divisions and a 72 game schedule...
.