Random Player Review: Jose Oquendo

Before he was the guy slapping Albert Pujols on the rear-end after a home run, he was the guy who played every spot on the field. Jose Oquendo was no slouch despite not being a superstar. He once struck out Deion Sanders, looking. He was a valuable member of the St. Louis Cardinals from 1986 to 1995, playing his entire career in St. Louis except for his first two years in baseball, which he was a New York Met.

Oquendo’s finest season statistically came in 1988 when he hit 7 home runs (the most he had in any other year was 2). The year after in 1989, Oquendo had a career high in hits with 162 adding 28 doubles. He once stole 10 bases in a season.

Oquendo was the type of player who manager Tony La Russa would have loved to play forever. Spending his whole career in the national league was a distinct advantage for his manager who would need to pull a double switch or a late in-game defensive substitution. He was a pretty weak player to control on RBI Baseball for the NES, but oh well. He wasn’t a glamour player.

It’s true, Jose Oquendo played every spot on the field at one point or another in his career, and was nicknamed “The Jack of all Trades”. He’s currently the 3rd base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and may have a management spot in his future.