Houston Jiménez

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Jiménez and the second or maternal family name is González.
Houston Jiménez
Jiménez with the Minnesota Twins in 1984
Dorados de Chihuahua – No. 56
Shortstop / Coach
Born: (1957-10-30) 30 October 1957 (age 67)
Mexico City, Mexico
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 13, 1983, for the Minnesota Twins
Last MLB appearance
September 12, 1988, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average.185
Home runs0
Runs batted in29
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the Mexican Professional
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2007

Alfonso "Houston" Jiménez González (born 30 October 1957) is a Mexican former professional baseball shortstop and coach who is currently the third base coach for the Dorados de Chihuahua of the Mexican League. Jiménez played in Major League Baseball from 1983 through 1988 for the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians.

Jiménez spent 14 seasons playing in the Mexican League and 25 seasons in the Mexican Pacific League. He was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2007.[1][2]

Playing career

Early years

Jiménez began his playing career with Puebla in 1974 at the age of 16. In 1975, he was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Cubs organization, where he played for the Key West Cubs. After batting just .215 as their regular shortstop, he returned to Pericos for two seasons. He had a brief trial with the Chicago White Sox organization in 1978, batting .220 in 13 games.

Twins

After two more seasons with Puebla, Jiménez signed with the Minnesota Twins before the 1981 season. At the end of spring training, he was purchased by the Broncos de Reynosa. After spending a season and a half with Reynosa, he was reacquired by the Twins, finishing the season with the Toledo Mud Hens.

Jiménez started 1983 with the Mud Hens, but was called up to the majors in June. He spent the rest of the season splitting time at shortstop with Ron Washington. The following year, Jiménez became the Twins' starter, playing in 108 games. However, 1984 would prove to be the only full season he spent at the major league level. After batting just .201, he spent all of the 1985 season with Toledo, then was released just before the start of the 1986 season.

Pirates and Indians

After spending 1986 out of organized ball, Jiménez signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in December. He spent most of the 1987 season with the Vancouver Canadians, playing in just six games for the Pirates, for whom he went hitless in 7 at bats. He became a free agent after the season.

In June 1988, Jiménez signed with the Cleveland Indians. His experience was similar to the previous year, as he spent most of the season in Triple-A with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. He appeared in eight games with the Indians, managing just one hit in 21 at-bats.

Back to Mexico

After spending several years playing winter ball, Jiménez returned to the Mexican League in 1993 with the Saraperos de Saltillo. He played there until his retirement in 2001.

Managerial career

While still active with Saltillo, he was named the clubs' manager in 1999. After leaving Saltillo in 2001, he managed the Guerreros de Oaxaca from 2002 until 2004. He managed the Diablos Rojos del México in 2005 and the Potros de Tijuana at the start of 2006.[3][4]

After being let go by Tijuana, Jiménez was named to the coaching staff of the Tri-City Dust Devils, a class-A farm team for the Colorado Rockies. In 2007, he became the hitting coach for the Asheville Tourists, where he served for two seasons. He was also elected to the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.[5][6]

Jiménez was named manager of the Pericos de Puebla in 2009. That year, he also served as third base coach for the Mexico national baseball team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.[7] Jiménez led Puebla to the 2010 Final Series, but lost to Saltillo 1 games to 4.[8] After the 2011 season, Jiménez left the Pericos and was later hired by the Petroleros de Minatitlán in May 2012 as a replacement for Roberto Heras; after taking the Petroleros with a 19–40 record, Minatitlán finished the season last in the South Division with a 40–73 record.[3][9]

In 2013, he was enshrined into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame. In February 2013 he was named again Puebla's manager. On 14 May 2014, Jiménez left Puebla, replaced by Joe Alvarez.[10][11] On 14 July 2014, he was hired as the manager of El Águila de Veracruz replacing Eddie Castro.[12][13] In 2015, he managed Olmecas de Tabasco finishing sixth in the South Division with a 48–56 record.[14]

In April 2016, Jiménez was appointed manager of Oaxaca, replacing Enrique Reyes. He managed the Guerreros for two seasons, failing to qualify for the postseason in both years.[15][16] Jiménez was named manager of the Olmecas de Tabasco for the first tournament of 2018 season, finishing sixth in the South Division.[17] On 18 May 2019, he was hired by the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos, replacing manager Félix Fermín; on 23 August 2018, with six games remaining in the season and with a 36–41 record, he was replaced by Rafael Rijo.[18][19]

In 2024, Jiménez joined the Dorados de Chihuahua as third base coach.[20]

Managerial statistics

Mexican League

Year Team Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Tied Pct. Finish Won Lost Pct. Notes
1999 Saraperos de Saltillo 119 74 45 0 .622 1st in North 7 6 .538 Lost Semifinals (México)
2000 Saraperos de Saltillo 120 77 42 1 .646 1st in North 1 4 .200 Lost First round (Monterrey)
2001 Saraperos de Saltillo 120 68 52 0 .567 1st in North 3 4 .429 Lost First round (Monterrey)
2002 Guerreros de Oaxaca 108 62 45 1 .579 1st in South 7 4 .636 Lost Championship Series (Tigres)
2003 Guerreros de Oaxaca 109 57 52 0 .523 3rd in South 6 4 .600 Lost Championship Series (Tigres)
2004 Guerreros de Oaxaca 98 50 48 0 .510 4th in South 1 8 .111 Lost Second round (México)
2005 Diablos Rojos del México 107 56 51 0 .523 4th in North 4 8 .333 Lost Second round (Tijuana)
2006 Potros de Tijuana 35 19 16 0 .543 – – – – –
2009 Pericos de Puebla 105 62 43 0 .590 3rd in South 5 5 .500 Lost Championship Series (Tigres)
2010 Pericos de Puebla 105 66 39 0 .629 1st in South 9 8 .529 Lost Serie Final (Saltillo)
2011 Pericos de Puebla 106 53 53 0 .500 4th in North 2 4 .333 Lost First round (México)
2012 Petroleros de Minatitlán 54 21 33 0 .389 8th in South – – – –
2013 Pericos de Puebla 106 58 48 0 .547 3rd in North 1 3 .250 Lost First round (Monterrey)
2014 Pericos de Puebla 35 14 21 0 .400 – – – – –
El Águila de Veracruz 30 16 14 0 .533 6th in South – – – –
2015 Olmecas de Tabasco 104 48 56 0 .462 6th in South – – – –
2016 Guerreros de Oaxaca 91 38 52 1 .423 7th in South – – – –
2017 Guerreros de Oaxaca 107 40 67 0 .374 7th in South – – – –
2018 Olmecas de Tabasco 57 24 33 0 .421 6th in South – – – –
2019 Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos 77 36 41 0 .468 6th in South – – – –
Total[21] 1793 939 851 3 .525 46 58 .442

References

  1. ^ "Un 30 de octubre pero de 1957 nace Alfonso Houston Jiménez". Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Mexicano (in Spanish). October 30, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  2. ^ Sainz Gaxiola, Humberto (July 13, 2020). "Dejó huella en Algodoneros Alfonso "Houston" Jiménez". El Sol de Sinaloa (in Spanish). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Martínez Álvarez, José Félix (October 2, 2015). "Ahora `Houston' Jiménez manager de Minatitlán". Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  4. ^ "Recortan Potros su roster de pretemporada". MiLB.com (in Spanish). February 28, 2006. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "Entronización 2007 al Salón de la fama". MiLB.com (in Spanish). June 21, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "Por siempre". ESPN.com.mx (in Spanish). June 24, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Grajales Rojas, Pablo (January 14, 2009). ""Houston", tenemos un problema: Alfonso Jiménez es el reciente manager de Pericos". La Jornada de Oriente (in Spanish). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "Diez años de la hazaña de la Nave Verde: Saraperos Bicampeón de la LMB". Vanguardia (in Spanish). August 16, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "«Houston» Jiménez, nuevo manager de Petroleros". De Beisbol (in Spanish). May 29, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  10. ^ "'Houston' Jiménez es cesado de Pericos". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). Notimex. May 14, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  11. ^ Aguilar, Leopoldo (May 16, 2014). "Joe Álvarez es el manager de los Pericos de Puebla". La Jornada de Oriente (in Spanish). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  12. ^ "'Houston' Jiménez, manager de Rojos del Águila". MiLB.com (in Spanish). July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Kerlegand, Enrique (July 16, 2014). "'Houston', al rescate de Rojos del Águila". Debate (in Spanish). Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  14. ^ ""Houston" Jiménez llega al timón olmeca". MiLB.com (in Spanish). October 29, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "Alfonso "Houston" Jiménez regresa como manager bélico". e-consulta (in Spanish). April 29, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  16. ^ "Houston Jiménez seguirá en Guerreros Oaxaca". Quadratin Oaxaca (in Spanish). September 23, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  17. ^ "Alfonso Jiménez, nuevo manager de Olmecas de Tabasco". Esto (in Spanish). Notimex. February 2, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "'Houston' Jiménez se convierte en nuevo manager de Tecolotes" (in Spanish). Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos. May 18, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  19. ^ Jackson, Chris (August 23, 2019). "Tecos announce change at manager". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Carrión Velo, Álex (January 11, 2024). "Listos los primeros dos coaches de Dorados". diario.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  21. ^ "Quién es quién 2021" (PDF). Liga Mexicana de Beisbol. Retrieved July 23, 2024.