José Lind
Encyclopedia
José Lind Salgado, nicknamed "Chico", (Born May 1, 1964 in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
) is a former Major League Baseball
player, and former manager of the Atlantic League
's Bridgeport Bluefish
. He is the cousin of Onix Concepcion
, another MLB player. Primarily a second baseman
, Lind was highly regarded for his defensive skills, winning a Gold Glove award in 1992. That same year, however, he committed a crucial fielding error in the ninth inning of the 7th game of the National League Championship Series that led to a come-from-behind victory for the Atlanta Braves.
as an undrafted free agent
. He did not hit for much power as a prospect, totaling only four home run
s in five minor league seasons, but his strong defense helped him ensure a place in the organization's plans. Lind made his major league debut with the Pirates on August 28, , and the next day the Pirates traded incumbent second baseman Johnny Ray
to the California Angels
, clearing the full-time role for Lind.
Lind would go on to play regularly for the Pirates for five more seasons, including the 1990-1992 squads that were the champions of the NL East. He never again equaled his rookie batting average
of .322, but he contributed a strong defensive presence, winning a Gold Glove in 1992, which broke Ryne Sandberg
's string of nine consecutive Gold Gloves at second base and was the first by a Pirate second baseman since Bill Mazeroski
's string of five consecutive awards from 1963-1967. He also acquired a reputation for whimsical behavior, as one might expect from a man nicknamed "Chico" (Spanish
for "Boy"). The photo on his 1991 Upper Deck
baseball card shows him jumping over the head of 5'11" teammate Mike LaValliere
, and he often surprised fellow players in the clubhouse by playfully brandishing one of the many knives he kept in his locker.
After the 1992 season, the Pirates traded Lind to the Kansas City Royals
for Dennis Moeller
and Joel Johnston
. His performance declined in Kansas City, and at some point he began to use cocaine
. He walked out on the Royals in the middle of 1995 after his wife filed for divorce, and they placed him on waivers shortly thereafter. The California Angels
put in a claim, and he finished the year with them as a reserve.
1995 was Lind's last major league season. He finished his career with a .254 batting average, a .295 on-base percentage, and a .316 slugging percentage in 3,677 at bat
s.
and the situation escalated to physical violence, which was witnessed by his daughters. They arrested him for possession of cocaine, and he pled guilty to that charge in February of the next year.
On November 21, 1997, highway police in Tampa, Florida
stopped Lind for leaving the scene of an accident. They discovered that he was visibly intoxicated, and that he had been driving while naked from the waist down. A search of his car revealed seven cans of beer and one gram of cocaine. Lind ended up spending a year in jail.
left to take a position with the New York Mets
in February 2003, Lind was promoted to fill the vacant position.
As of 2006, José was replaced as manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish by former MLB Journeyman Dave LaPoint
.
Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Toa Baja is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over 5 wards and Toa Baja Pueblo . It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.Toa Baja considered to be a...
) 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...
player, and former manager of the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
's Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. He is the cousin of Onix Concepcion
Onix Concepcion
Onix Cardona Concepción Cardona in Dorado, Puerto Rico, is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop. He is the cousin of former MLB player José Lind....
, another MLB player. Primarily a 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...
, Lind was highly regarded for his defensive skills, winning a Gold Glove award in 1992. That same year, however, he committed a crucial fielding error in the ninth inning of the 7th game of the National League Championship Series that led to a come-from-behind victory for the Atlanta Braves.
Playing career
In 1982, Lind began his professional career by signing with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
as an undrafted free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He did not hit for much power as a prospect, totaling only four 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 five minor league seasons, but his strong defense helped him ensure a place in the organization's plans. Lind made his major league debut with the Pirates on August 28, , and the next day the Pirates traded incumbent second baseman Johnny Ray
Johnny Ray
John Cornelius Ray is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 10-year career from 1981 to 1990. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League and the California Angels of the American League...
to the 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...
, clearing the full-time role for Lind.
Lind would go on to play regularly for the Pirates for five more seasons, including the 1990-1992 squads that were the champions of the NL East. He never again equaled his rookie batting average
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 :...
of .322, but he contributed a strong defensive presence, winning a Gold Glove in 1992, which broke 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...
's string of nine consecutive Gold Gloves at second base and was the first by a Pirate second baseman since Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
's string of five consecutive awards from 1963-1967. He also acquired a reputation for whimsical behavior, as one might expect from a man nicknamed "Chico" (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "Boy"). The photo on his 1991 Upper Deck
Upper deck
Upper deck may refer to :* The Upper Deck Company, an American trading card business* The upper deck is the highest level internal deck on a ship, i.e. just below the superstructure and open deck....
baseball card shows him jumping over the head of 5'11" teammate Mike LaValliere
Mike LaValliere
Michael Eugene "Mike" LaValliere , nicknamed Spanky, is a former catcher in Major League Baseball whose 11-year career included tenures in both the National and American Leagues...
, and he often surprised fellow players in the clubhouse by playfully brandishing one of the many knives he kept in his locker.
After the 1992 season, the Pirates traded Lind to the 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...
for Dennis Moeller
Dennis Moeller
Dennis Michael Moeller is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1992 to 1993.-Before professional baseball:...
and Joel Johnston
Joel Johnston
Joel Raymond Johnston is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played 5 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox. He was 6'5", 220 pounds, and he also threw and batted right-handed...
. His performance declined in Kansas City, and at some point he began to use cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. He walked out on the Royals in the middle of 1995 after his wife filed for divorce, and they placed him on waivers shortly thereafter. The 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...
put in a claim, and he finished the year with them as a reserve.
1995 was Lind's last major league season. He finished his career with a .254 batting average, a .295 on-base percentage, and a .316 slugging percentage in 3,677 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s.
Off-field problems
Lind's personal life continued to spiral out of control. Police were called to the home of his ex-wife, Lizza Lind, in July 1996, when he visited in violation of a restraining orderRestraining order
A restraining order or order of protection is a form of legal injunction that requires a party to do, or to refrain from doing, certain acts. A party that refuses to comply with an order faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
and the situation escalated to physical violence, which was witnessed by his daughters. They arrested him for possession of cocaine, and he pled guilty to that charge in February of the next year.
On November 21, 1997, highway police in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
stopped Lind for leaving the scene of an accident. They discovered that he was visibly intoxicated, and that he had been driving while naked from the waist down. A search of his car revealed seven cans of beer and one gram of cocaine. Lind ended up spending a year in jail.
Managing career
Lind underwent rehabilitation to compensate for his addiction, and after his release from prison he signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish as a player/coach. When manager Duffy DyerDuffy Dyer
Donald Robert "Duffy" Dyer is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates , Montreal Expos , and Detroit Tigers .-Playing career:Dyer played alongside Sal Bando and Rick Monday as a member of...
left to take a position with 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...
in February 2003, Lind was promoted to fill the vacant position.
As of 2006, José was replaced as manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish by former MLB Journeyman Dave LaPoint
Dave LaPoint
David Jeffrey LaPoint was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently the manager of the Rockland Boulders, an American professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York and member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball known as the Can-Am League.-Early life and...
.