José Offerman

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=José Offerman

|image=Jose Offerman postgame interview (cropped).png

|caption=Offerman during the 2014 Caribbean Series

|team=Conspiradores de Querétaro

|position=Infielder / Manager

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1968|11|8}}

|birth_place=San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic

|bats=Switch

|throws=Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 19

|debutyear=1990

|debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 2

|finalyear=2005

|finalteam=New York Mets

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.273

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=57

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=537

|teams=

Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1995}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|1998}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2002}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2002}})
Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2004}})
Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|2005}})
New York Mets ({{mlby|2005}})

|highlights=

2× All-Star (1995, 1999)

}}

José Antonio Offerman Dono (born November 8, 1968) is a Dominican professional baseball manager and former player. He played professional baseball for nearly 20 years, including 15 seasons in Major League Baseball and four seasons of independent and Mexican League baseball after leaving MLB.

He most recently managed the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM), leading them to the 2008–2009, 2013–2014 and 2022–2023 LIDOM Championship. During a baseball game on January 16, 2010, Offerman attacked an umpire during an argument and, as a result, was banned from LIDOM for three years.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAX17wMMuC4&feature=channel Video of José Offerman hitting an umpire] YouTube He managed the Rojos del Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League in 2014.{{cite web|title=Offerman looks to coach in MLB again after legal trouble|url=http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2014/03/30/offerman-looks-to-coach-in-mlb-again-after-legal-trouble/|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=March 30, 2014|date=2014-03-30}}

Early career

After attending Colegio Biblico Cristiano High School in San Pedro de Macorís, Offerman signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1986. In {{Baseball year|1988}}, he completed his first season of professional play being named as Best Prospect in the Pioneer League. Progressing rapidly through the minor leagues, he made his major league debut against the Montreal Expos on August 19, {{Baseball year|1990}}, becoming the 55th player in major league history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.

Major leagues

By {{Baseball year|1992}}, Offerman became the Dodgers' starting shortstop. On opening day 1993, he was the first batter to ever face the Florida Marlins, striking out against Charlie Hough. He made his first appearance in the All-Star Game in 1995 but was traded to the Kansas City Royals after the season, mostly because of his very poor defense. After a year as a utility player, he won the starting second baseman job in 1997. Offerman had his best offensive seasons in Kansas City, culminating in {{Baseball year|1998}}, when he hit .315 with a league-leading 13 triples and the fifth most stolen bases, 45. After that season, he signed with the Boston Red Sox as a free agent, making the All-Star Game for the second time in 1999.

Offerman was a more productive hitter than fielder; in 1992, 1993 and 1995, he committed 42, 37 and 35 errors respectively.{{cite web |last1=staff |title=Jose Offerman stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/offerjo01.shtml |website=Baseball Reference |access-date=7 July 2021}} Offerman's offensive production declined beginning in {{Baseball year|2000}}. He was sent to the Seattle Mariners during the {{Baseball year|2002}} season, but was released afterwards. In {{Baseball year|2003}}, he joined the Montreal Expos in spring training but was cut before the regular season began. He spent the entire year with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League. In {{Baseball year|2004}}, he won a spot on the Minnesota Twins roster and led the league in pinch-hits with 12 in 29 attempts. He started {{Baseball year|2005}} with the Philadelphia Phillies but was released after a slow start. Later, he signed with the New York Mets and was called back up to the majors in June.

Post-USA major leagues

Offerman played in the 2008 Caribbean Series for the Tigres del Licey and assisted the team in winning its tenth Caribbean Series title. During the series he signed a contract with the 2008 Veracruz Red Eagles of the Mexican League.

In December 2008, Offerman was named player-manager of Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM). With Offerman as manager, Licey swept the LIDOM championship, winning five straight against the Gigantes del Cibao. As champions, Licey was then invited to participate in the 2009 Caribbean Series with Offerman as manager (the series was ultimately won by Venezuela).

On January 7, 2014, Offerman was again named manager of the Tigres del Licey of LIDOM, replacing Mike Guerrero. With Offerman at the helm, Licey won the LIDOM Championship, winning five games to three over the Leones del Escogido. As champions again, Licey was invited to the 2014 Caribbean Series with Offerman as manager.

=Bat incident=

He has not played or managed professional baseball in the United States since 2007. On August 14, 2007, while playing for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, Offerman was thrown out of a game against the Bridgeport Bluefish for charging Bluefish pitcher Matt Beech with a bat after he was hit by a pitch. Beech sustained a broken finger in the resulting melee. Bluefish catcher John Nathans was also hit in the back of the head during the bench-clearing melee, receiving a severe concussion that effectively ended his playing career.{{cite web

| author =ESPN News Services

| title =Former big leaguer Offerman arrested for melee

| work =ESPN.com

| url =https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2975386

| access-date = 2007-08-16 | date =2007-08-15

}} Beech and Nathans were taken to Bridgeport Hospital where they were treated and released. After being removed from the game, Offerman was arrested by the Bridgeport Police.{{cite web

|last = Elliott

|first = Rich

|title = Ducks' Offerman arrested after attack on Bluefish

|work = Connpost.com

|url = http://www.connpost.com/sports/ci_6624910

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003933/http://www.connpost.com/sports/ci_6624910

|archive-date = 2007-09-28

}}

On August 15, 2007, he was suspended indefinitely. The independent Atlantic League announced on August 17, 2007, that Offerman would remain suspended at least until the legal case was resolved.{{cite web|title=Suspension to remain in effect until legal proceedings finish|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2979699|work=ESPN.com| date=18 August 2007 |access-date=14 September 2014}}

On September 24, 2007, Offerman pleaded not guilty to two second degree assault charges.{{cite news

| agency =Associated Press

| title =Offerman pleads not guilty to charges stemming from mound attack

| work =ESPN.com

| url =https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3033915

| access-date = 2007-09-25 }}

His case was pending in Bridgeport Superior Court GA#2 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. On October 30, 2007, Offerman was given two years special probation called "Accelerated Rehabilitation." The Court determined that his actions on August 14, 2007, were of an aberrant nature. The Court also found that Offerman is not likely to offend again in the future.{{cite news

| agency =Associated Press

| title =Offerman gets two years of probation for minor league bat attack

| work =ESPN.com

| url =https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3087226

| access-date = 2007-10-30 }}

Nathans filed a $4.8 million civil suit against Offerman in February 2009, alleging that he still has post-concussion syndrome and that the injury caused by Offerman ended his baseball career.[https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3902057 Jose Offerman Sued By John Nathans] ESPN.com, February 12, 2009{{cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2009/05/12/a_dizzying_turn/ | work=The Boston Globe | title=A dizzying turn | first=Stan | last=Grossfeld | date=May 12, 2009}} On July 29, 2014, Nathans won his suit, and Offerman was ordered to pay $940,000.{{cite web|title=Offerman ordered to pay nearly $1M|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/11282853/jose-offerman-ordered-pay-nearly-1-million-bat-attack-case|work=ESPN.com|date=July 29, 2014}}

=LIDOM incident=

On 16 January 2010, Offerman once again engaged in an on-field assault when he struck an umpire while managing a LIDOM game.{{cite news|title=Ex-big leaguer Offerman punches ump in Dominican|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/01/16/sports/s205458S68.DTL&tsp=1 |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122003905/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2010%2F01%2F16%2Fsports%2Fs205458S68.DTL |archive-date=January 22, 2010 }} Offerman, manager of the Tigres del Licey, came onto the field during the third inning while losing a 6–0 game to the Gigantes del Cibao, to protest ejection of his catcher for arguing balls and strikes and ended up arguing with first-base umpire D.J. Reyburn. He swung with a right hook at Reyburn, who then fell to the ground. Offerman was detained by stadium security, eventually being transported to the local police station to await the end of the game and Reyburn's decision whether to ask for charges to be pressed against him or not.

A day after the incident, the American crew that umpired the game resigned their positions with LIDOM and left the country, reportedly due to threats and concerns about their own safety. Because of this incident Offerman received a lifetime ban from LIDOM, a suspension that was eventually lifted in February 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.almomento.net/articulo/130505/Levantan-suspension-a-Jose-Offerman-por-golpear-arbitro |title=Levantan suspensión a José Offerman por golpear árbitro – Almomento.net: Periodico Digital Dominicano |publisher=Almomento.net |access-date=2014-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809201348/http://www.almomento.net/articulo/130505/Levantan-suspension-a-Jose-Offerman-por-golpear-arbitro |archive-date=2014-08-09 }} Coincidentally, at the time he was suspended, Offerman was replacing Dave Jauss as Licey manager after Jauss was suspended himself for two years for bumping an umpire during a playoff game.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4836498 |title=José Offerman banned for life by Dominican league – ESPN |publisher=ESPN |date=2010-01-18 |access-date=2014-08-05}}

Managing career

In February 2024, Offerman joined the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the Mexican League as their manager.{{cite web|first=Francisco|last=González|title=Conspiradores de Querétaro ya tiene manager, es José Offerman|url=https://www.diariodequeretaro.com.mx/deportes/conspiradores-de-queretaro-ya-tiene-manager-es-jose-offerman-11397760.html|website=Diario de Querétaro|date=6 February 2024|access-date=10 April 2024|language=es}} He was awarded the 2024 Mexican League Manager of the Year Award.{{cite web|title=LMB: José Offerman es el Manager del Año en la Liga Mexicana de Beisbol|url=https://www.milb.com/mexican/news/lmb-jose-offerman-es-el-manager-del-ano-en-la-liga-mexicana-de-beisbol|website=MiLB.com|date=2 October 2024|access-date=2 October 2023|language=es}}

Personal life

He is the father of former WWE ring announcer and former reality television star JoJo Offerman.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/nxt-10-count-jojo-27496134|title=NXT 10-Count: JoJo|author=Saxton, Byron|website=WWE|date=June 11, 2015|access-date=June 12, 2015|author-link=Byron Saxton}}

References

External links

{{baseballstats|mlb=119948|espn=2385|br=o/offerjo01|fangraphs=205|brm=offerm001jos}}

[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003926/http://www.connpost.com/breakingnews/ci_6623997 Ducks' Offerman Arrested After Attack]
[https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=1401462&type=page2Story Most overpaid baseball players]
[http://www.royalsreview.com/2008/10/15/635602/the-100-greatest-royals-of The 100 Greatest Royals of All-Time- #42 José Offerman]

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:Albuquerque Dukes players

Category:American League All-Stars

Category:Azucareros del Este players

Category:Bakersfield Dodgers players

Category:Baseball players at the 2007 Pan American Games

Category:Boston Red Sox players

Category:Bridgeport Bluefish players

Category:Caribbean Series managers

Category:Delfines del Carmen managers

Category:Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico