The Charlotte Sting's veteran right fielder Ricky Salinas has a reputation for inspiring the younger members of his club with his never-ending hustle and determination as well as his willingness to do whatever it takes to help his team. Salinas has often flown under the radar in his 14+ year career though he did win the SJL MVP award for his best season, when in 1974, as a member of the Jacksonville Wolf Pack, he led the league in hits with 223, batting average at .352, and WAR with 6.7.
Ricky Salinas was originally a member of the Columbus Whalers and two of his three championship rings come from his time as a member of that club. In fact, he was named the MVP of the 1969 KCS. (He was the 115th overall draft pick in the WPK Inaugural Draft.) After six seasons with Columbus, Salinas became a free agent and signed a 1-year deal to play with Charlotte for the 1971 season. After a modestly successful one year with the Sting, Salinas again tested the free agency market and this time he was inked by the Jacksonville Wolf Pack, and thus began the best years of his big league career. Although he was only a member of the Wolf Pack for three seasons, his two highest WAR years happened in a Jacksonville uniform and he earned his third WPK championship ring in 1973. He then returned to Charlotte as a free agent in the offseason prior to the 1975 campaign on a 6-year deal. Unfortunately, he has shown a propensity in his 30's for being injury prone and following his 6.7 WAR season of 1974 he has never put up a WAR higher than 2.4 in a single season.
The 4-time Gold Glove award winner (he has a career ZR of +57.6), 3-time All-Star, and 1-time Silver Slugger remains a decent hitter but he has been slowed by time and injuries and his previously superb defense is now subpar. In spite of a .291/.349/.354 start to the 1979 season he is on pace for -1.2 WAR. Ricky Salinas is almost surely not going to reach the WPK Hall of Fame but he will be remembered as a talented player with great drive and dedication and yesterday he reached perhaps the last big milestone of his career when he collected his 2,000th big league hit.
