Liván Hernández
| Liván Hernández | |
|---|---|
 Hernández with the New York Mets during spring training in 2009. | |
| New York Mets – No. 61 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| September 24, 1996, for the Florida Marlins | |
| Career statistics (through 2009 season) | |
| Win-Loss | 150-140 |
| Earned run average | 4.38 |
| Strikeouts | 1,638 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera ([liˈβan ɛrˈnandɛs]) (born February 20, 1975, in Villa Clara, Cuba) is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets. He is the half-brother of pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernández.
Playing career
Hernández defected to the United States from Cuba in 1995, and has played with the Florida Marlins (1996-1999), San Francisco Giants (1999-2002), Montreal Expos (2003–2004) the Washington Nationals (formerly Montreal Expos) (2005-2006), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-2007), the Minnesota Twins, and the Colorado Rockies (2008). He bats and throws right-handed, and is known for often throwing a "slow hook," sometimes going even below 60 miles per hour, as a strikeout pitch.
A two-time All-Star, Hernández is considered to be a great defensive pitcher, having made just 11 errors in his career. He is described as a workhorse; he throws many pitches, pitches many innings, and makes every start he needs to in order 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" 199 2/3 innings). He 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.
After the 2005 season, he 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. [1]
On August 7, 2006, Hernandez was traded from the Nationals to the Diamondbacks for two young pitching prospects, Matt Chico and Garrett Mock.
Livan led the majors in home runs allowed in 2007, with 34.
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. [1] [2] He is 10-6 with 5.29 ERA and 47 strikeouts[3] 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 finished the 2008 season there.
New York Mets
On February 14, 2009, Hernández signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets.[4] He won the fifth spot in the rotation, and was added to the major league roster when his turn came up on April 11.[5]
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.[2]
Hernandez has securely established himself as a starting pitcher 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 over his former club, the Washington Nationals.
See also
Notes
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
{{subst:#if:Hernandez, Livan|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1975}}
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- Living people
- Deaths
- National League All-Stars
- Florida Marlins players
- San Francisco Giants players
- Montreal Expos players
- Washington Nationals players
- Arizona Diamondbacks players
- Minnesota Twins players
- Colorado Rockies players
- New York Mets players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball players from Cuba
- Cuban defectors
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