A switch-hitting infielder with good range, solid speed and little power, Luis Alicea spent most of his career straddling the line between regular starter and utility man. The 5' 9" Puerto Rican native played his first five years in St. Louis, honing his skills at second base and steadily raising his batting average into the high .270s. One-year stints with the Red Sox, the Cardinals again, and then the Angels (where he stole a career high 22 bases in 128 games in 1997) would follow.
Alicea signed with the Rangers in December 1997, and spent the next three seasons in Texas. A series of injuries contributed to a .201 batting average and diminished speed in 1999, but Alicea rebounded the next year to post his most productive season. At the age of 35, Alicea supplanted Mark McLemore as the Rangers' everyday second baseman and set career highs in 2000 by playing in 139 games, collecting 540 at-bats, batting .294, driving in 63 runs and scoring 85. (AGL)
»December 7, 1994: The Cardinals trade 2B Luis Alicea to the Red Sox in exchange for P Nate Minchey and minor league OF Jeff McNeely.
»May 9, 1996: The Cardinals use an 11-run 8th inning to beat the Giants, 16–8. Willie McGee's grand slam is the highlight of the inning, and Luis Alicea also adds four RBI in the game. Barry Bonds hits his league high 15th homer to pace the Giants.
»August 31, 2000: The Rangers defeat the Indians, 14-7, as OF Rusty Greer gets five hits and drives home four runs. 2B Luis Alicea scores five runs for Texas.
»July 13, 2001: Pittsburgh P Todd Ritchie hurls a 1–hitter against the Royals. KC's Luis Alicea hits a single for the Royals only hit in the Pirates 1–0 win.
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