Alex Cintrón
A Puerto Rican infielder turned hitting coach, now guiding the Texas Rangers' offense after a journeyman playing career.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Puerto Rican baseball player and coach·Birthday: December 17·Generation X
Biography
Alex Cintrón’s baseball life has unfolded in two distinct chapters: the versatile player and the sharp-eyed coach. As a switch-hitting infielder, he broke in with the Arizona Diamondbacks, showing flashes of potential as a contact hitter with decent pop. He was part of the game’s fabric for a decade, moving from team to team as a reliable utility man who could fill in at shortstop, second, or third. His playing career was solid if unspectacular, defined by professionalism rather than stardom. The second chapter began almost seamlessly after he retired. Cintrón transitioned into coaching, his deep understanding of the mechanics and mentality of hitting finding a new outlet. He served as the hitting coach for the Houston Astros during a period of offensive dominance, and later brought his expertise to the Texas Rangers. In the dugout, he is known for a calm, analytical demeanor, helping hitters simplify their approach and unlock consistency, applying lessons learned from his own days in the batter’s box.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Alex was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alex Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Alex's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a World Series championship as the hitting coach for the Houston Astros in 2022.
- Played in over 500 Major League games across seven seasons as an infielder for four different teams.
- As a player in 2003, he hit a walk-off home run for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the San Francisco Giants.
- Helped develop the offensive approach for the Texas Rangers team that won the 2023 World Series.
Did You Know?
He was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Chicago White Sox in 2005 in exchange for relief pitcher Jeff Bajenaru.
He hit two home runs in one game on two separate occasions during his MLB career.
He served as a temporary manager for the Houston Astros for one game in 2020 when manager Dusty Baker was away from the team.
He was known for wearing high socks during his playing days, a less common style choice in later baseball eras.
“A switch-hitter has to see the game from both sides of the plate.”
