View source for José Báez (baseball)

{{short description|Dominican baseball player (born 1953)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=José Báez
|image=Jose Baez 1978.jpg
|caption=Báez in 1978
|position=[[Second baseman]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1953|12|31}}
|birth_place=[[San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic|San Cristóbal]], [[Dominican Republic]]
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 6
|debutyear={{By|1977}}
|debutteam=[[Seattle Mariners]]
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=June 6
|finalyear={{By|1978}}
|finalteam=[[Seattle Mariners]]
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.245
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hit]]s
|stat2value=87
|stat3label=[[Run (baseball)|Run]]s
|stat3value=47
|teams=
* [[Seattle Mariners]] ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1978}})
}}
'''José Antonio Mota Báez''' (born December 31, 1953) is a former [[Major League Baseball]] player.
==Professional career==
===Los Angeles Dodgers===
Báez was signed by the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] in {{By|1972}} as an amateur free agent.
===Seattle Mariners===
Báez was purchased from the Dodgers by the [[Seattle Mariners]] in {{mlby|1976}}. He was the favorite for the second basemen spot going into the {{mlby|1977}} [[spring training]].<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JbUOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6YIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6970,3791059&dq=jos%C3%A9+b%C3%A1ez+baseball&hl=en Kingman Daily Miner - Feb 23, 1977]</ref>
In his debut on April 6, {{mlby|1977}} against the [[California Angels]], Báez delivered the first hit in Mariners history.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070914190422/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/history/club_firsts.jsp Mariners Firsts], [[Seattle Mariners]]. Accessed September 24, 2008.</ref> He finished the '77 season batting .259 with 79 hits, one home run, 14 doubles and 17 RBIs in 91 games.
With the Mariners in {{mlby|1978}} he hit .160 in 50 at bats.
===St. Louis Cardinals===
Báez was later traded to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for a player to be named later (eventually revealed to be [[Mike Potter (baseball)|Mike Potter]]). Báez spent the rest of the {{mlby|1978}} season with the Triple-A [[Springfield Cardinals|Springfield Redbirds]].
He did not play another major league game before being released in {{mlby|1979}}.
==Personal life==
He is the cousin of former Major League players [[Andy Mota]], [[José Mota (baseball)|José Mota]], and [[Manny Mota]].
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Baseballstats|br=b/baezjo01}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baez, Jose}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Albuquerque Dukes players]]
[[Category:Bakersfield Dodgers players]]
[[Category:Daytona Beach Dodgers players]]
[[Category:Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball second basemen]]
[[Category:Ogden Dodgers players]]
[[Category:People from San Cristóbal Province]]
[[Category:Santo Domingo Azucareros players]]
[[Category:Seattle Mariners players]]
[[Category:Springfield Redbirds players]]
[[Category:Waterbury Dodgers players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic]]