José Cardenal

José Rosario Domec Cardenal (born October 7, 1943 in Matanzas, Cuba) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants (1963–64), California Angels (1965–67), Cleveland Indians (1968–69), St. Louis Cardinals (1970–1971), Milwaukee Brewers (1971), Chicago Cubs (1972–77), Philadelphia Phillies (1978–79), New York Mets (1979–80) and Kansas City Royals (1980). Cardenal batted and threw right-handed. He is the cousin of Bert Campaneris.

Cardenal played for nine major league clubs in a span of 18 seasons. Basically a line drive hitter with a good bat speed, he also was a smart, aggressive baserunner with excellent speed, collecting 20 or more stolen bases in ten seasons. At the field, he showed good range and a strong throwing arm in center field.^[1]

Playing career

Cardenal started his major league career with the San Francisco Giants in 1963 and was sent to the California Angels before the 1965 season. He finished second in the American League with 37 stolen bases, then was dealt to the Cleveland Indians after the 1967 season.^[2] He led the Indians twice in steals twice with a career-high 40 in 1968.^[3] In that season, he tied a major league record for outfielders by making two unassisted double plays. Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970, he hit .293 with 74 RBI. In a 1971 season split between the Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, he collected a career-high 80 RBI. He was sent to the Chicago Cubs at the end of the season.

In 1973 as a right fielder for the Cubs, Cardenal led the team in batting average (.303), doubles (33) and stolen bases (19), being named Cubs Player of the Year by the Chicago baseball writers. Famously temperamental, in 1974 Cardenal was at odds with the Cubs management, and notoriously refused to play the season opener claiming that he was injured because the eyelids of one eye were stuck open.^[4] In 1975 he posted career-highs in average (.317) and hits (182).^[5]

Cardenal played with the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1978 and 1979 seasons. He was the last player to wear uniform number 1 for the team, which retired the number in honor of Richie Ashburn during the 1979 season. The Phillies sent Cardenal to the New York Mets on August 2, 1979, between games of a twi-night double header featuring the two teams. Cardenal was a member of the Phillies for the first game and switched uniforms and dugouts to join the Mets for the second. He played for the New York Mets for the balance of the 1979 and was there for most of the 1980 campaign. He was released by the Mets in August of that year. He later signed with the Kansas City Royals, ending his major league career with the Royals during the 1980 World Series.^[6]

In an 18-season career, Cardenal was a .275 hitter with 138 home runs and 775 RBI in 2017 games played. In addition, he collected 1913 hits, 936 runs, 46 triples and 329 stolen bases.

Coaching career

Following his retirement as a player, Cardenal coached for the Reds, Cardinals, Yankees and Devil Rays. He was the first base coach for the Yankees dynastic run of World Championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999.^[7] He resigned from his position with the Yankees prior to the 2000 season over a contract dispute.^[8]

In 2005, Cardenal became the senior advisor to the Washington Nationals general manager. On September 14, he announced that he wanted to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and was seeking to auction his World Series ring he won with the New York Yankees in 1998.^[9] Cardenal was relieved of his position with the Nationals following the 2009 season.^[10]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba
• List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
• List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
• List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches
• List of Cuban Americans

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• Baseball Library
• Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame
• MLB News
• New York Mets Database