Jose Cruz
Born: 8/8/1947 in Arroyo, P.R.
MLB Debut: 1970-09-19 | Final Game: 1988-07-19
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 170 lbs
Biography
José Cruz was a prominent professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1970 until 1988. Born in 1947, Cruz established himself as a key position player in Major League Baseball, showcasing his talents primarily as an outfielder. Over his 18-year career, he played in 2,353 games and recorded a notable 2,251 hits. His offensive prowess was highlighted by a career batting average of .284, along with 165 home runs and 1,077 RBIs. Cruz also demonstrated remarkable speed on the bases, stealing 317 bases throughout his career, which added another dimension to his playing style.
Cruz was selected as an All-Star twice, underscoring his impact during an era characterized by fierce competition and evolving playing styles. His ability to consistently perform at a high level helped him to become a respected figure in the game. Beyond his individual achievements, Cruz's contributions to his teams were significant, as he played a vital role in both offensive and defensive strategies. His legacy in baseball is marked not only by his impressive statistics but also by his influence on future generations of players.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2353 | 7917 | 1036 | 2251 | 391 | 94 | 165 | 1077 | 317 | 898 | 1031 | 0.284 | 0.354 | 0.420 | 0.774 | 15030.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | STL | NL | 6 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.353 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | STL | NL | 83 | 292 | 46 | 80 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 27 | 6 | 49 | 35 | 0.274 | 1029.7 |
| 1972 | STL | NL | 117 | 332 | 33 | 78 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 9 | 36 | 54 | 0.235 | -306.2 |
| 1973 | STL | NL | 132 | 406 | 51 | 92 | 22 | 5 | 10 | 57 | 10 | 51 | 66 | 0.227 | -248.6 |
| 1974 | STL | NL | 107 | 161 | 24 | 42 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 4 | 20 | 27 | 0.261 | 271.6 |
| 1975 | HOU | NL | 120 | 315 | 44 | 81 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 49 | 6 | 52 | 44 | 0.257 | 594.4 |
| 1976 | HOU | NL | 133 | 439 | 49 | 133 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 61 | 28 | 53 | 46 | 0.303 | 1298.3 |
| 1977 | HOU | NL | 157 | 579 | 87 | 173 | 31 | 10 | 17 | 87 | 44 | 69 | 67 | 0.299 | 1811.0 |
| 1978 | HOU | NL | 153 | 565 | 79 | 178 | 34 | 9 | 10 | 83 | 37 | 57 | 57 | 0.315 | 2145.2 |
| 1979 | HOU | NL | 157 | 558 | 73 | 161 | 33 | 7 | 9 | 72 | 36 | 72 | 66 | 0.289 | 1075.2 |
| 1980 | HOU | NL | 160 | 612 | 79 | 185 | 29 | 7 | 11 | 91 | 36 | 60 | 66 | 0.302 | 1280.9 |
| 1981 | HOU | NL | 107 | 409 | 53 | 109 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 55 | 5 | 35 | 49 | 0.267 | 481.0 |
| 1982 | HOU | NL | 155 | 570 | 62 | 157 | 27 | 2 | 9 | 68 | 21 | 60 | 67 | 0.275 | 202.9 |
| 1983 | HOU | NL | 160 | 594 | 85 | 189 | 28 | 8 | 14 | 92 | 30 | 65 | 86 | 0.318 | 2376.0 |
| 1984 | HOU | NL | 160 | 600 | 96 | 187 | 28 | 13 | 12 | 95 | 22 | 73 | 68 | 0.312 | 2350.0 |
| 1985 | HOU | NL | 141 | 544 | 69 | 163 | 34 | 4 | 9 | 79 | 16 | 43 | 74 | 0.300 | 891.5 |
| 1986 | HOU | NL | 141 | 479 | 48 | 133 | 22 | 4 | 10 | 72 | 3 | 55 | 86 | 0.278 | 518.0 |
| 1987 | HOU | NL | 126 | 365 | 47 | 88 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 38 | 4 | 36 | 65 | 0.241 | -452.9 |
| 1988 | NYY | AL | 38 | 80 | 9 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0.200 | -287.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 61 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 0.279 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | NLCS | HOU | 6 | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0.192 |
| 1981 | NWDIV | HOU | 5 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.300 |
| 1980 | NLCS | HOU | 5 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0.400 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 3 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| OF | 2156 | 2054 | 4391 | 125 | 120 | 28 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | SLN | OF | 4 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | SLN | OF | 83 | 80 | 197 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 1972 | SLN | OF | 102 | 89 | 220 | 9 | 5 | 5 |
| 1973 | SLN | OF | 118 | 110 | 276 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 1974 | SLN | 1B | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1974 | SLN | OF | 53 | 25 | 76 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1975 | HOU | OF | 94 | 80 | 187 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| 1976 | HOU | OF | 125 | 114 | 265 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
| 1977 | HOU | OF | 155 | 151 | 311 | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1978 | HOU | 1B | 2 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978 | HOU | OF | 152 | 149 | 311 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 1979 | HOU | OF | 156 | 156 | 320 | 7 | 14 | 0 |
| 1980 | HOU | OF | 158 | 158 | 323 | 16 | 11 | 1 |
| 1981 | HOU | OF | 105 | 105 | 237 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1982 | HOU | OF | 155 | 153 | 340 | 9 | 13 | 3 |
| 1983 | HOU | OF | 160 | 158 | 322 | 9 | 7 | 1 |
| 1984 | HOU | OF | 160 | 159 | 310 | 11 | 8 | 1 |
| 1985 | HOU | OF | 137 | 137 | 257 | 12 | 8 | 3 |
| 1986 | HOU | OF | 134 | 131 | 237 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 1987 | HOU | OF | 97 | 89 | 178 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 1988 | NYA | OF | 8 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Left Field | 1407 |
| Center Field | 277 |
| Right Field | 495 |
| Designated Hitter | 12 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Player of the Week | Week of 1987-04-10 |
| 1984 | Player of the Month | July |
| 1984 | Player of the Week | Week of 1984-06-29 |
| 1984 | Silver Slugger | OF |
| 1984 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1983 | Silver Slugger | OF |
| 1978 | Player of the Week | Week of 1978-09-09 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | NYA | AL | $350,000 |
| 1987 | HOU | NL | $755,000 |
| 1986 | HOU | NL | $755,000 |
| 1985 | HOU | NL | $796,383 |
| Total Career Earnings | $2,656,383 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 21th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 53.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1983 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 76.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 14th | 25.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 166.0 | 336 | 0 |