Pittsburgh Pirates: Remembering Jose Lind
The 1980s and early 1990s were filled with a lot of middle infielders with an excellent glove and little hitting ability. Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Jose Lind exemplified that era.
There was a time when middle infielders were not the offensive force they have become. For decades, shortstops and second basemen were expected to possess a stellar glove, while any ability with the bat was a bonus.
Perhaps no one exemplified that era as much as Jose Lind. The starting second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was a steady presence at the keystone. However, he was barely a threat offensively, a slap hitter with some speed, but no power.
The Pirates from that time period were a solid offensive team. Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, and Andy Van Slyke formed a star studded outfield, while Jay Bell and Jeff King helped give Pittsburgh a formidable lineup. With the ability of that outfield, as well as the supporting cast, they could afford to keep a player like Lind in the lineup.
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He certainly did not keep his job for his bat. over the course of his nine year career, including his time with the Kansas City Royals and the California Angels, Lind produced a .254/.295/.316 batting line, good for an OPS+ of 70, while hitting nine homers and 145 doubles. In his best season in 1991, Lind had a career best OPS+ of 82 on the strength of his .265/.306/.339 batting line. That year, he hit a career best three homers, a surprising burst of power.
It was Lind’s glove that truly kept him in the lineup. He won the 1992 Gold Glove at second, but it is fair to say that he deserved more than that one award. Lind led the National League in runs saved in 1987 and 1990, and finished in the top five in two other seasons. Lind led the league in fielding percentage twice as well, with his career .988 fielding percentage the 18th best in baseball history.
Looking back at Lind’s career through the lens of advanced statistics shows how much of his value was attached to his glove. Lind had a career 6.6 dWAR, while his bat was worth just 0.2 oWAR. He saved 32 runs in his career, while his bat cost teams 84 runs during those nine years.
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Today, former Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Jose Lind turns 54 years old. It is interesting to look back at his career as a reminder of what middle infielders were expected to be not that long ago.