through 1978, playing some second and third base as well. In five seasons with the Pirates, Mendoza batted .221, .180, .185, .198, and .218, respectively. Seattle Mariners Mendoza's request for a trade was granted at the Winter Meetings on December 5, 1978, when he was dealt along with Odell Jones and Rafael Vásquez from the Pirates to the Seattle Mariners for Enrique Romo, Tom McMillan and Rick Jones. In his first season with the Mariners in 1979, he made a career-high 401 plate appearances in a career high 148 games and 132 starts at shortstop. While providing the Mariners with a steady glove, he ended the season with a .198 batting average—making him only the fourth major leaguer ever to play as many as 148 games in a season and fail to break .200. The following year, Mendoza fared better at the plate, batting .245 in 277 at-bats. Texas Rangers Mendoza was traded along with Willie Horton, Rick Honeycutt, Leon Roberts and Larry Cox from the Mariners to the Texas Rangers for Richie Zisk, Jerry Don Gleaton, Rick Auerbach, Ken Clay, Brian Allard and minor-league right-handed pitcher Steve Finch in an 11-player blockbuster deal on December 18, 1980. In 1981, Mendoza split time at short with Mark Wagner with Mendoza receiving the bulk of the playing time, and finishing with a .231 batting average. During the following season, he was released in June 1982 with a .118 batting average. Return to Mexico Mendoza received an invitation to spring training with the Pirates in 1983. After failing to make the team, he accepted a player-coach position with their triple A Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Hawaii Islanders. After one season in Hawaii, Mendoza returned to Mexico as a player/manager of the Monclova Acereros. Mendoza only managed Monclova for part of his first season back in the Mexican League, but his playing career in Mexico lasted seven seasons after his major league career ended. His career batting average in Mexico was a substantially better .291; he earned the nickname Manos de Seda, or Silk Hands, for his fielding prowess. Managerial career Bill Bavasi, an executive with the Anaheim Angels, believed Mendoza was someone who had potential as a manager and offered him the reins to the Angels' Class A advanced California League affiliate, Lake Elsinore Storm, for the 1998 season. He remained with the Storm until they became a San Diego Padres