Liván Hernández

Liván Hernández
Houston Astros – No. 61
Pitcher
Born: February 20, 1975 (1975-02-20) Villa Clara, Cuba
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 24, 1996 for the Florida Marlins
Career statistics (through 2011 season)
Win-Loss record	174-176
Earned run average	4.39
Strikeouts	1,928
Teams
Florida Marlins (1996–1999) San Francisco Giants (1999–2002) Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals(2003–2006) Arizona Diamondbacks (2006–2007) Minnesota Twins (2008) Colorado Rockies (2008) New York Mets (2009) Washington Nationals (2009–2011)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (1997) World Series MVP Award (1997) NLCS MVP (1997) 2× All-Star selection (2004, 2005) 3× league leader in innings pitched (2003, 2004, 2005) 2× league leader in complete games (2003 & 2004) Silver Slugger Award winner (2004)

Medal record
Men’s baseball
Competitor for Cuba
Baseball World Cup
Gold	1994 Managua	Team

Hernández pitching for the Colorado Rockies in 2008.

Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera (Spanish pronunciation: [liˈβan erˈnandeθ]; born February 20, 1975) is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who is currently in the Houston Astros organization. He is the half-brother of pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernández.

Playing career

Liván Hernández is a successful baseball player from a poor family in Cuba. He was born in Villa Clara Province. After meeting recruiter Joe Cubas in Venezuela in 1994, the two planned an escape through Mexico. At the age of 20, Hernández gave up his $6 a month job as an official Cuban athlete and defected to the United States in 1995. His half-brother, Orlando, would defect two years later.

Hernández has played for the Florida Marlins (1996–1999), the San Francisco Giants (1999–2002), the Montreal Expos (2003–2004), the Washington Nationals (2005–2006, 2009–2011), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006–2007), the Minnesota Twins (2008), the Colorado Rockies (2008), and the New York Mets (2009). He bats and throws right-handed, and is known for throwing a "slow hook" curveball, sometimes below sixty miles per hour, as a strikeout pitch.

A two-time All-Star, Hernández is considered to be a great defensive pitcher, having made just fifteen errors in his career. He is described as a workhorse; he throws many pitches, pitches many innings, and makes every start he needs to provide his team's bullpen much rest. Between 1998 and 2007, he never pitched fewer than 199 innings in any given season (in 1999 he threw only 199⅔ innings). Hernández led the National League in innings pitched in three consecutive seasons, 2003 through 2005, and led the league in complete games for the first two of those years. In 2005, he once threw 150 pitches in nine innings, although the game went into extra innings after he left. In 2004 and 2005, he led the major leagues with 3,927 and 4,009 pitches, respectively. Hernández also is a dangerous hitter, helping his own cause with the bat, and won the Silver Slugger award at the pitcher position in 2004.

Hernández's actual age has been the subject of debate. Some believe he is older than his given birthday.

Florida Marlins

After meeting with numerous team officials in the Dominican Republic, he signed with the Florida Marlins in order to live in Miami. He made his first appearance for the team as a September call-up in 1996, and joined the team for good in June 1997.

His rookie season in 1997 coincided with the recent expansion franchise reaching the 1997 World Series. He started and won Games 1 and 5 of the series against the Cleveland Indians. His efforts awarded him the World Series MVP trophy.

Before Game 7, Hernandez was able to meet his mother, Miriam Carreras, for the first time in two years. The moment was the result of concerted efforts by the Cuban and United States governments as well as a written plea from the entire roster of players. His mother and sister now reside in Miami.

After signing a four year contract with the San Francisco Giants (1999–2002), he bought and delivered a Mercedes Benz to former minor league teammate Kevin Millar.

San Francisco Giants

On July 25, 1999, the Florida Marlins traded Hernández to the San Francisco Giants for minor leaguers Nate Bump and Jason Grilli.

Hernández would go on to pitch in five postseason games during his stint with the Giants. With a record of 2–2, and ERA of 5.38, and an average of 6.2 Innings, Livan Hernandez was an integral part to the San Francisco Giants World Series run in 2002.

Although Hernández pitched in the mid-80's, his ability to change speeds and put movement on his fastballs made him one of the most effective pitchers in baseball throughout the four years he was with the Giants. Hernández had a 4.43 ERA while at the Giants, averaging 186.3 innings, 121 strikeouts per year, a WHIP of 1.41 and a 50% Win/Loss Record.

Montréal Expos / Washington Nationals

On March 23, 2003, following his loss in game seven of the 2002 World Series, Hernández, along with infielder Edwards Guzmán, was traded by the Giants to the Montréal Expos for relief pitchers Jim Brower and Matt Blank.

From 2003 to 2005, Hernández led the National League in innings pitched, and led the League in complete games 2003 and 2004. Hernández was selected to represent the Expos at the 2004 All-Star Game in Houston, TX. This would turn out to be the first of two selections to the Midsummer Classic for Hernández during his career.

Between the 2004 and 2005 MLB season, the Montréal Expos franchise, with Hernández in tow, relocated to Washington, DC to become the Washington Nationals. In 2005, Hernández would once again lead the National League in innings pitched, as well as earn his second All-Star selection.

After the 2005 season, Hernández had knee surgery, and his performance in the first half of 2006 suffered. At the All-Star break, he had a 5.64 ERA and allowed hitters a .308 average. But over his last five starts with the Nationals, he had a 3.27 ERA with four walks and 23 strikeouts.

On August 7, 2006, Hernandez was traded from the Nationals to the Arizona Diamondbacks for two young pitching prospects, Matt Chico and Garrett Mock.

He led the majors in home runs allowed in 2007, with 34, and had the lowest strikeout-to-walk ratio in the Major Leagues (1.14).

While with the Nationals, Hernandez appeared in MTV Cribs where he gave a tour of his home.

Minnesota Twins

On February 12, 2008, Hernandez signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins worth $5 million, with an additional $2 million for performance bonuses.

Through July 20, 2008, Hernandez led Minnesota Twins starting pitchers with 10 wins and 127.2 IP. He was 10–6 with 5.29 ERA and 47 strikeouts On August 1, 2008, Hernandez was designated for assignment to make room for Francisco Liriano.

Colorado Rockies

On August 6, Hernandez was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Rockies, and had a record of 3–3 with 13 strikeouts in 40.1 innings and finished the 2008 season there.

Hernandez ended 2008 having given up 12.9 hits per 9 innings, the highest rate in the majors, had a major-league-worst .342 batting-average-against, and his 3.4 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched were the lowest rate in the major leagues. Batters also made contact with his pitches 91.3% of the time that they swung at them, easily the highest percentage among major league starters.

New York Mets

Hernández with the New York Mets during spring training in 2009.

On February 14, 2009, Hernández signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets. He won the fifth spot in the rotation, and was added to the major league roster when his turn came up on April 11.

In 2009, Hernandez was one of only three active players, along with Derek Lowe and Brad Ausmus, to have played 12 or more seasons without going on the disabled list.

Hernandez securely established himself as a dependable starting pitcher early in the Mets' 2009 pitching rotation. On May 26, 2009, Hernandez threw a complete game, giving just one earned run through his nine innings courtesy of an Adam Dunn home run in a 6–1 win over his former club, the Washington Nationals. He was the 1st pitcher to throw a complete game in Citi Field. He became the only active player that have thrown a complete game with six different teams.^{[citation needed]}

However, after struggling greatly in July and August, Hernandez' job was put in jeopardy. After a 6–2 loss to the Diamondbacks, manager Jerry Manuel decided to start Hernandez against the Giants, who handed the Mets a 10–1 loss on August 17, 2009. Subsequently, on August 20, 2009 the Mets released Hernandez to make room for Billy Wagner on the active roster.

Return to Nationals

On August 26, 2009, Hernandez re-signed with the Nationals, where he finished the season.

On February 24, 2010, he signed a minor league deal to stay with the Nationals. He was called up on April 11.

Hernandez went 10–12 with a 3.66 ERA in 2010 and agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Nationals after the season. He was the starting pitcher on Opening Day of the 2011 season, his fourth Opening Day appearance for the franchise.

On August 30, 2011 against the Atlanta Braves, Hernandez threw his 50,000th pitch of his MLB career, getting Jair Jurrjens to ground out and end the inning. Since 1988, only 11 pitchers have thrown more pitches.

Houston Astros

On January 31, 2012, Hernandez signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros with an invite to spring training.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of NL Silver Slugger Winners at Pitcher

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Javy López	National League Championship Series MVP 1997	Succeeded by Sterling Hitchcock
Preceded by John Wetteland	World Series MVP 1997	Succeeded by Scott Brosius
Preceded by Mark Redman	National League Player of the Week (with Preston Wilson) July 7–13, 2003	Succeeded by Rich Aurilia
Preceded by Dontrelle Willis	National League Pitcher of the Month July 2003	Succeeded by Mark Prior
Sporting positions
Preceded by None	Washington Nationals Opening Day Starting Pitcher 2005–2006	Succeeded by John Patterson