José Vidro
Encyclopedia
José Angel Vidro is a former Major League Baseball
second baseman
. Though he never officially retired, Vidro has not played since .
from Sabana Grande PR high school Blanca Malaret. He spent four seasons in the minor leagues before making his major league debut on June 8, 1997. He was primarily a reserve infielder for the Expos in 1997 and 1998. Vidro is the first of three players (Robinson Cancel
-New York Mets, Jonathan Sanchez
-San Francisco Giants) from Sabana Grande
, PR to make it to the Major Leagues.
In 1999, Vidro became a full-time player as the Expos starting second baseman. He hit
.304 with 12 home run
s and 59 RBI
and was second in the National League
with 45 doubles
.
In 2000, Vidro was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. His career high .330 batting average was seventh best in the NL. His 200 hits
were 2nd best in the NL and his 51 doubles on the season were good for 3rd best. He also set career high numbers in homers with 24 and RBI with 97. Vidro continued as the starting second baseman for the Expos in 2001 when he hit .319 with 15 homers and 59 RBI.
Vidro made the NL All-Star team in both 2002 and 2003, hitting over .300 both seasons and winning the Silver Slugger
as the best hitting 2nd baseman in the NL in 2003. Vidro played 3 more seasons with the franchise, including the first two seasons when the Expos moved and became the Washington Nationals
. Due to injuries to his right knee, ankle, and quadriceps muscle, Vidro played in only 87 games for the Washington Nationals
in 2005, 8 of which were as a pinch hitter
.
for outfielder
Chris Snelling
and pitcher
Emiliano Fruto
. Vidro spent two seasons with Seattle primarily playing DH. He hit .314 in 147 games in 2007; but, had only 6 homers while slugging .394.
On August 5, 2008, the Mariners designated Vidro for assignment, and he was released on August 13. He was hitting .234 with seven home runs and 45 RBI at the time.
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...
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...
. Though he never officially retired, Vidro has not played since .
Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals
Vidro was drafted in the sixth round of the 1992 amateur draft by the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
from Sabana Grande PR high school Blanca Malaret. He spent four seasons in the minor leagues before making his major league debut on June 8, 1997. He was primarily a reserve infielder for the Expos in 1997 and 1998. Vidro is the first of three players (Robinson Cancel
Robinson Cancel
Robinson Cancel is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently with the Houston Astros. He made his major league debut for the Brewers on September 3, 1999....
-New York Mets, Jonathan Sanchez
Jonathan Sanchez
Jonathan O. Sánchez is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals....
-San Francisco Giants) from Sabana Grande
Sabana grande
Sabana grande is a Spanish term meaning Grand plains . It may also refer to:*Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, a municipality of Puerto Rico...
, PR to make it to the Major Leagues.
In 1999, Vidro became a full-time player as the Expos starting second baseman. He hit
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 :...
.304 with 12 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 and 59 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
and was second in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with 45 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
.
In 2000, Vidro was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. His career high .330 batting average was seventh best in the NL. His 200 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
were 2nd best in the NL and his 51 doubles on the season were good for 3rd best. He also set career high numbers in homers with 24 and RBI with 97. Vidro continued as the starting second baseman for the Expos in 2001 when he hit .319 with 15 homers and 59 RBI.
Vidro made the NL All-Star team in both 2002 and 2003, hitting over .300 both seasons and winning the Silver Slugger
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
as the best hitting 2nd baseman in the NL in 2003. Vidro played 3 more seasons with the franchise, including the first two seasons when the Expos moved and became the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. Due to injuries to his right knee, ankle, and quadriceps muscle, Vidro played in only 87 games for the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in 2005, 8 of which were as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
.
Seattle Mariners
On December 14, 2006, the Nationals traded Vidro to the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
for outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Chris Snelling
Chris Snelling
Christopher Doyle Snelling is a former Major League Baseball outfielder of Christopher Doyle Snelling is a former [[Major League Baseball]] [[outfielder]] of Christopher Doyle Snelling is a former [[Major League Baseball]]...
and pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Emiliano Fruto
Emiliano Fruto
Emiliano Ricardo Fruto is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher. He made his debut in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners on May 14,...
. Vidro spent two seasons with Seattle primarily playing DH. He hit .314 in 147 games in 2007; but, had only 6 homers while slugging .394.
On August 5, 2008, the Mariners designated Vidro for assignment, and he was released on August 13. He was hitting .234 with seven home runs and 45 RBI at the time.