Quintana was born in Miranda State, Venezuela. A former outfielder, he made himself into an outstanding defensive first baseman. He had terrific hands, streched well, giving a good target and improving his footwork to become a key for the Boston infield.

In 1990, Quintana batted .287 in his first full-season, adding seven home runs and 67 runs batted in. Yet he can barely got a chance to play every day. Part of the problem was that the Red Sox were loaded with first base/DH/outfield types like him.

Essentially a right field singles hitter, Carlos Quintana never pulled fastballs, which gave him trouble when pitchers pounded him inside. But he was an intelligent and instinctive player who demonstrated his ability to make adjustements. In 1991 he went along with pitchers, looking for fastballs depending on counts and situations, hitting breaking balls, and increasingly drove the ball to left and left-center. After began to use the whole field, Quintana hit .295 with 11 homers and 71 RBI. Also, he was second in the American League in average after the sixth inning (.340).

Right before the 1992 spring training, Quintana was seriously injured in an automobile accident back home in Venezuela. He broke his left arm and right toe. When the season was over, not only hadn't he played at all, he still hadn't regained feeling in his left thumb. Quintana returned in 1993, but only to share duties on first with the young Mo Vaughn, and eventually in a congested outfield. He retired at the end of the season.

In 438-game career, Quintana batted .276 (380-1376), with 19 home runs, 165 RBI, 163 runs, 59 doubles, one triple, three stolen bases, a .350 on base percentage, and 498 total bases for .362 of slugging average.

Highlights

On July 30, 1991, Quintana tied a MLB record by driving in six runs in the same inning in Boston's 11-6 victory over Texas Rangers. He collected a double and a grand slam. He started games for both AAA Pawtucket Red Sox and Boston on the same day (1989). See also