1978 Topps Baseball #311 - Jose Baez

• Jose Baez probably owed his short 2-year major league career to expansion. His entire major league experience was with the expansion Seattle Mariners.
• Jose was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1971. Baez played in the Dodgers' system from 1972-1976. He had good batting averages, but Jose wasn't going to crack the deep Dodger club.
• After the 1976 season Baez was sold to the Mariners.
• Jose was 23 years old in 1977 and made the Seattle ballclub. He got about half of the starts at second base, splitting time with 22-year-old Julio Cruz. Baez batted .259 in 91 games. Jose got the first hit in Mariners' history on April 6, 1977.
• In 1978 Baez started the season splitting time with Cruz again at second base. Baez didn't hit well and by the end of April Cruz took over full-time at second base. Jose played a few games at third base in May, but in mid June he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Mike Potter. Baez was sent to AAA for the rest of the season.
• Jose was released in February 1979. Baez played in the Inter-America League in 1979 and in the Mexican League in 1980.
• 1978 Stats:
• Seattle Mariners - .160 (8 for 50) in 23 games
• Springfield Redbirds (AAA) - .276 in 33 games
• 1978 Highlights:
• April 16 - Had two hits and scored two runs to help the Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2.
• June 6 - Appeared as a pinch runner and scored the winning run on a Willie Randolph error as the Mariners beat the New York Yankees 4-3. It was Jose's last major league appearance.