Chico Fernandez

Fernandez was a bright prospect who could not displace Pee Wee Reese at shortstop for the Dodgers, and the Phillies traded five players to get him for 1957. He was their regular shortstop for two seasons. After starting off adequately with the bat (.262 with 51 RBI in 1957), the native Cuban fell off over the next two seasons and saw limited time in 1959, hitting .211. The Tigers gave him the shortstop job in 1960, and although he led the AL in errors that season, he surprised in 1962 with 20 HR (half his career total). After starting 1963 with a .143 BA, he was traded to the Braves and then the Mets in just one day. The Mets traded him to the White Sox in 1964 for Charley Smith, but Fernandez didn’t see any more major league action.