| Fernando Viña | |
|---|---|
| Second baseman | |
| Born: (1969-04-16)April 16, 1969 (age 56) Sacramento, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 10, 1993, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 11, 2004, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .282 |
| Home runs | 40 |
| Runs batted in | 343 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Fernando ViñaSpanish:[feɾˈnandoˈβiɲa]; born April 16, 1969) is a Cuban-American formerMajor League Baseballsecond baseman and former MLB analyst forESPN. His parents Andres and Olga emigrated from Cuba in 1968.[1] From1993 through2005, Viña played for theSeattle Mariners (1993),New York Mets (1994),Milwaukee Brewers (1995-1999),St. Louis Cardinals (2000-2003), andDetroit Tigers (2004).
Viña was acquired by theBrewers on December 22, 1994, to complete a transaction that began three weeks earlier on November 30 whenDoug Henry was traded to theMets and also included minor-league catcher Javier Gonzalez being sent to Milwaukee on December 6.[2][3]
On May 31, 1996, while attempting to tag the runner and make a throw to first to complete a double play, Viña was caught off guard and knocked down byAlbert Belle, an incident which led to Belle receiving a 5-game suspension from the American League. In a 2018 interview, Viña good-naturedly laughed about the incident, claiming "that put me on the map," meaning that the play was regularly featured in highlight footage on television.[citation needed]
Viña was a two-timeGold Glove winner (2001-2002), and aNational League All-Star in1998, becoming the first ever NL representative from the Brewers, who had moved to the league that year.
In 2004, he was limited to 29 games for the Tigers—a serious leg injury ended his first season with Detroit, and Viña missed the entire 2005 season because of a strained right hamstring andpatellartendinitis in his left knee, but his signing was the first of several major acquisitions that led to the Tigers' resurrection to a playoff contender.[citation needed]
In 2006, Viña was invited tospring training by the Seattle Mariners but was cut before the start of the season due to a labrum tear in his right hip, in effect bringing an end to his 12-year career. Viña retired with a .282batting average, 40home runs and 343RBI in 1148games played. In 2007, Viña joined ESPN as an analyst forBaseball Tonight to do about 60 shows during the 2007, 2008, and 2009 seasons. He was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame in 2011 and Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor in 2014. He hit the first inside-the-park home run ever in bothAT&T Park andMiller Park.
On December 13, 2007, Viña was mentioned in theMitchell Report in connection withsteroid use.[4] The report cited an interview with former Mets clubhouse attendant Derek Sprang, who claimed Viña purchased anabolic steroids from him six to eight times between 2000 and 2005.[4] The two first met in 1993 when Viña was in the Mets minor league system, and Viña's personal contact information was listed in Radomski's address book seized by federal agents investigating Radomski.[4] Three checks from Viña to Kirk Radomski for purchases ofHGH and steroids were included in the Mitchell Report itself as further evidence of Viña's steroid use.[4] Viña later confirmed during an airing ofSportsCenter that he used HGH in 2003 to recover from injuries, but denied ever using steroids or purchasing them from Radomski.[5]
Viña was featured in the music video forJermaine Dupri'sWelcome To Atlanta (Coast to Coast Remix) withNelly,Murphy Lee and theSt. Lunatics.
