Former All-Star infielder Sandy Alomar Sr. has died, according to an announcement from the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League. He was 81 years old and would have been 82 next weekend.
The father of great players Roberto Alomar And Sandy Alomar Jr.Sandy Sr. enjoyed his own 15-year playing career. From 1964 to 1978, he played for the Angels, Yankees, White Sox, Expos, Rangers and Mets. The elder Alomar made the 1970 All-Star team as a member of the Angels during a season in which he hit .251/.302/.293 and played in all 162 games while providing quality defense and 35 stolen bases.
Overall, Alomar hit .245/.290/.288 in 5,160 major league appearances during his decade and a half as a big league player. He played primarily second base, but also logged over 1,200 innings at shortstop and made some appearances at hot corner. Alomar was known for his glove and speed more than his bat; he totaled only 13 career home runs, 126 doubles and 19 triples, but accumulated 227 career stolen bases. He is one of 300 players to steal at least 225 sacks in his career.
Beyond his playing career, Alomar spent parts of 16 seasons as a manager in the major leagues, spending time with the Padres (third base coach), Cubs (first base coach), Rockies (third base coach) and Mets (bench coach, first base coach). He also managed the minor league ranks for the Cubs and Mets and spent several seasons coaching and managing home teams in the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Our condolences go out to each of the organizations affected by Alomar, as well as Alomar’s family and friends, and the countless fans he amassed during a baseball career that spanned more than 50 years.
