Roberto Manuel Hernández Rodríguez (born November 11, 1964) is a
Puerto Rican former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
right-handed
In human biology, handedness is an individual's preferential use of one hand, known as the dominant hand, due to and causing it to be stronger, faster or more Fine motor skill, dextrous. The other hand, comparatively often the weaker, less dext ...
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
. His best
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) seasons came with the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
and
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one of two major league clubs based i ...
, in the 1990s. In all, Hernández played for 10 different big league teams, over 17 seasons.
Early life
Roberto Manuel Hernández was born November 11, 1964, in Puerto Rico. His father moved his family to the Dominican Republic where his father was originally from. At age 2, his family moved again to New York City.
Hernández attended the
Chelsea Vocational School in Manhattan where he played baseball for three years. During his junior year of high school, he and his brother were forced to drop out due to the fact that is mother was sick and his father was laid off from his job. He assisted his family for a year, then was offered a scholarship at the New Hampton School, a private school in New Hampshire where he repeated his junior year and completed his senior year of high school while continuing to play baseball.
Amateur career
In the fall of 1984, Hernández attended the
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university system with its main campus in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two benefactors. In 1893, ...
to play baseball for the
Huskies and was named the starting catcher in the spring of 1985. Following the 1985 college season, he played in a summer league in Virginia. He was the only catcher on the team but he desired to pitch. The coach told him he would get the opportunity to pitch if they found another catcher. In his first start, he pitched against a team from Madison and struck out 14 batters. He then pitched against
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
,
East Carolina and finally against
Elon but wouldn’t pitch again and caught mostly every game the rest of the summer.
Hernández hoped to return to UConn in the fall of 1985 and pitch; However, he had difficulty contacting the coach during the summer. Hernández then made the decision to transfer. He hoped to attend the
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina (USC, SC, or Carolina) is a Public university, public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Car ...
but he could not get a letter of consent. Had he signed, he would have been forced to sit out a season, which would have hurt his chances of being drafted the following year. Larry Carr, the pitching coach at
Coastal Carolina, had seen Hernández pitch and called the pitching coach at
USC Aiken (USCA) and told him to offer Hernández a scholarship.
Hernández enrolled at USCA without having visited in the hope that he could pitch there during the 1986 season and prepare for the draft. He hurt his arm pitching in the fall and would undergo surgery to remove
bone chips from his elbow. Once he recovered from surgery, he pitched well in the spring. Every time he began warming up for a game he would notice that 10-15 scouts would be watching him with a radar gun. Hernández’s success in the 1986 season helped put USCA on the map for professional scouts. The school would later refurbish and rename their baseball field after him.
Professional career
Hernández was selected by the
California Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
as the 16th pick in the first round of the 1986 amateur draft. He was traded to the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
in 1989. In 1991, while pitching for the
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bail ...
of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, Hernández experienced numbness in his pitching hand, later determined to be caused by blood clots. He was rushed into emergency surgery to have veins transplanted from his inner thigh to his forearm. The surgery was successful and he went on to make his major league debut as a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
against the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
on September 2 of that year.
Hernández had a long and largely successful career as a
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
in the major leagues. In 1993, he was instrumental in the White Sox' drive for the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
West Division
pennant, going 2–1 with 21
saves in the second half of the season. He made four appearances in the
American League Championship Series
The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. The winner of the ALCS wins the AL pennant and ...
that year and pitched four scoreless
inning
In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other tea ...
s.
During the season, the White Sox traded Hernández,
Wilson Álvarez
Wilson Eduardo Álvarez Fuenmayor (born March 24, 1970) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher. During a thirteen-year baseball career, he pitched for the Texas Rangers ...
, and
Danny Darwin
Danny Wayne Darwin (born October 25, 1955), known as "the Bonham Bullet", is an American professional baseball pitcher and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox ...
, to the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
for six prospects (
Keith Foulke
Keith Charles Foulke ( ; born October 19, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. A graduate of Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas, Foulke attended Galveston College and Lewis–Clark State College. Between 1997 an ...
,
Bob Howry
Bobby Dean Howry (born August 4, 1973) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher.
Early life
Howry attended, and played baseball at Deer Valley High School in Arizona, then he attended McNeese State University and was drafted b ...
,
Lorenzo Barceló
Lorenzo Barceló (born August 10, 1977) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Chicago White Sox from –.
Career MLB career San Francisco Giants
Barceló was originally signed by the San Francisco Giants as an am ...
,
Mike Caruso,
Ken Vining
Kenneth Edward Vining (born December 5, 1974) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Vining played for the Chicago White Sox during the 2001 season. In 8 career games, he posted an 0–0 record and an earned run average (ERA) ...
, and Brian Manning in what became known as the
White Flag Trade. He appeared in all three games of the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
Division Series against the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park.
The ...
. After the season, he signed as a free agent with the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one of two major league clubs based i ...
. In 1999, he earned his career-high of 43 saves which was a Devil Rays team record until 2010. Despite his 43 saves, the team only won 69 games overall.
His performance level declined after being traded to the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
prior to the season. He went on to sign as a free agent with the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
in 2003, the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
in 2004, and the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
in 2005. After 2002, he moved from being a closer to being a setup man, in which role he generally flourished. He signed a one-year contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
for the 2006 season. On July 31, 2006, Hernández was reacquired by the Mets along with pitcher
Óliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez (born August 15, 1981) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamond ...
for outfielder
Xavier Nady
Xavier Clifford Nady VI (; born November 14, 1978) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. Nady played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Ari ...
.
On December 2, 2006, Hernández signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
for the season with a $3.7 million club option for 2008.
Coming out of
spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
, he and
Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Jose Betancourt (born April 29, 1975) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies, as well as in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) ...
were the Indians' primary right-handed eighth-inning relievers.
But Hernández pitched poorly over the first three months of the season (6.23 ERA in 28 games) and eventually lost the confidence of manager
Eric Wedge
Eric Michael Wedge (born January 27, 1968) is an American former baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher and manager.
As a player, Wedge attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in ...
. He was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...
June 20 and
waived
A waiver is the voluntary relinquishment or surrender of some known right or privilege.
A waiver is often written, such as a disclaimer that has been accepted, but it may also be spoken between two or more parties. When the right to hold a p ...
for the purposes of giving him his unconditional release on June 28.
Hernández was signed to a minor league contract by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
on July 7, 2007, and, after pitching in one game for the Triple-A
Las Vegas 51s, was recalled to the Dodgers on July 18.
On August 16, 2007, Hernández appeared in his 1,000th game against the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
. He became the 11th pitcher in major league baseball history to appear in 1,000 career games.
In addition to his MLB career, Hernández played in the Puerto Rican Winter League from 1987 to 1996 with the
Mayaguez Indians.
Personal life
Hernández is married with four children and resides in
Gulfport, Florida
Gulfport is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, bordering St. Petersburg, South Pasadena, and Boca Ciega Bay. The population of Gulfport was 11,783 at the 2020 census. Gulfport is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater ...
. His son, Roberto Jr., attended USCA as a member of the baseball team, playing at the stadium named for his father.
See also
*
List of players from Puerto Rico in MLB
*
Career Leaders in Games Finished
*
Major League Baseball titles leaders
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hernandez, Roberto
1964 births
Living people
American League All-Stars
Atlanta Braves players
Birmingham Barons players
Chicago White Sox players
Cleveland Indians players
UConn Huskies baseball players
Gulf Coast White Sox players
Kansas City Royals players
Las Vegas 51s players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
Midland Angels players
New York Mets players
Omaha Royals players
Palm Springs Angels players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Canada
Quad Cities Angels players
Richmond Braves players
Salem Angels players
San Francisco Giants players
South Bend White Sox players
Baseball players from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Tampa Bay Devil Rays players
USC Aiken Pacers baseball players
USC Aiken Pacers athletes
University of South Carolina Aiken alumni
Vancouver Canadians players
New Hampton School alumni