| Liván Hernández | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hernández with the Nationals in 2010 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1975-02-20)February 20, 1975 (age 50) Villa Clara,Cuba | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| September 24, 1996, for the Florida Marlins | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| September 29, 2012, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 178–177 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 4.44 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 1,976 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera (Spanish pronunciation:[liˈβaneɾˈnandes]; born February 20, 1975) is aCuban-born former professional baseballpitcher inMajor League Baseball. Over a 17-year career, he played for nine different teams and was named to twoAll-Star Games. He was named theMVP of the1997 World Series with theFlorida Marlins. He is the half-brother of pitcherOrlando "El Duque" Hernández.
Hernández played for theFlorida Marlins (1996–1999), theSan Francisco Giants (1999–2002), theMontreal Expos (2003–2004), theWashington Nationals (2005–2006, 2009–2011), theArizona Diamondbacks (2006–2007), theMinnesota Twins (2008), theColorado Rockies (2008), theNew York Mets (2009), theAtlanta Braves (2012) and theMilwaukee Brewers (2012). He bats and throws right-handed, and was known for throwing a "slow hook"curveball, sometimes below 60 miles per hour, as astrikeout pitch.
A two-timeAll-Star, Hernández was considered to be a great defensive pitcher, having made just fifteen errors in his career. He was described as a workhorse due to his ability to pitch deep into games. Between 1998 and 2007, he never pitched fewer than 199 innings in any given season (in 1999 he threw only 1992⁄3 innings). Hernández led theNational 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.
Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera was born on February 20, 1975, to a poor family in theVilla Clara Province inCuba. Hernández's actual age has been the subject of debate. Some believe he is older than his given birthday.[1][2] After meeting recruiter Joe Cubas inVenezuela in 1994, the two planned an escape through Mexico. At the age of 20, Hernández gave up his job as an official Cuban athlete anddefected to the United States in 1995. His half-brother, Orlando, would defect two years later.
After meeting with numerous team officials in theDominican Republic, Hernández signed a four-year, $4.5 million contract with theFlorida Marlins on January 13, 1996, in order to live in Miami.[3][4]
He made his major league debut for the Marlins on September 24, 1996, tossing three scoreless innings in a relief appearance against theAtlanta Braves.[5] Hernández joined the team for good in June 1997. He finished his rookie season with a 9–3 record, a 3.17 ERA, and 72 strikeouts in 17 starts.[6]
The Marlins reached the1997 World Series, and Hernández started and won Games 1 and 5 of the series against theCleveland Indians.[7] In the1997 National League Championship Series, he struck out a postseason-record 15 batters in Game 5 against theAtlanta Braves.[8] His efforts earned him theWorld Series MVP trophy.[7]
Before Game 7, Hernández 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.[9] His mother and sister now reside in Miami.
On July 25, 1999, the Marlins traded Hernández to theSan Francisco Giants for minor leaguersNate Bump andJason Grilli.[10] He tallied a career-high 17 wins in 2000, finishing the year with a 17–11 record in 33 starts, alongside a 3.75 ERA in 240 innings.[6] He would regress slightly in the next two seasons, despite pitching226+2⁄3 and 216 innings respectively, as he went 13–15 with a 5.24 ERA in 2001 and 12–16 with a 4.38 ERA in 2002 (his 16 losses that year were tied for the most in the National League).[6]
Hernández would go on to pitch in five postseason games during his stint with the Giants, one in 2000 and four in 2002. During the 2002 postseason, Hernández had a record of 1–2 with an ERA of 6.20.[11]
On March 23, 2003, following his loss in Game 7 of the2002 World Series, Hernández, along with infielderEdwards Guzmán, were traded by the Giants to theMontreal Expos for relief pitchersJim Brower andMatt Blank.[12][13]
From 2003 to 2005, Hernández led the National League in innings pitched, and led the league in complete games 2003 and 2004.[6] In 2003, Hernández posted a 15–10 record and had a career-low 3.20 ERA in 33 starts. He threw233+1⁄3 innings, including eight complete games, giving up just 225 hits and 57 walks, while recording 178 strikeouts (the seventh-most in the NL) and a career-high 6.87 K/9 ratio, and turned in 22 quality starts.[6][14] Hernández was particularly dominant in July, going 4–1 in six starts with a 1.80 ERA in 50 innings, throwing three complete games, striking out 43 and holding opponents to a .197 batting average.[15] This helped earn him the NL Pitcher of the Month Award (he also won the Player of the Week Award on July 13, after throwing back-to-back complete game victories and striking out 16.).[16] His most dominant stretch came from July 2 to September 5; Hernández recorded 13 consecutive quality starts, allowing two earned runs or less in 11 of those starts, and pitching at least seven innings in all but one of them.[15] He recorded a 9–2 record with a 1.54 ERA in 105 innings during this stretch, averaging over eight innings per start, while striking out 95 against just 24 walks and holding opponents to a .203 batting average.
The following season, Hernández was selected to represent the Expos at the2004 All-Star Game inHouston, Texas.[17] This would turn out to be the first of two selections to the Midsummer Classic for Hernández during his career and the last All-Star selection for the Expos. Despite an 11–15 record, Hernández posted a respectable 3.60 ERA in 35 starts (20 of his starts were quality).[6] His 255 innings pitched led all major league pitchers, while giving up just 234 hits, 86 walks, 26 home runs, and holding opponents to a .248 batting average. He struck out a career-high 186 batters (good for ninth in the NL) and threw nine complete games, including two shutouts.[6][18] Hernández also won the National LeagueSilver Slugger Award for a pitcher, hitting .247 with one home run and 10 RBI.[6]
Between the 2004 and 2005 MLB season, the Montreal Expos franchise, with Hernández in tow, relocated to Washington, D.C. to become theWashington Nationals. Hernández started and won the first major league game in Washington since 1971, defeating theArizona Diamondbacks 5–3 on April 14, 2005.[19] In 2005, Hernández would once again lead the National League in innings pitched, as well as earn his secondAll-Star selection; along with relieverChad Cordero, he was the first All-Star in the new Nationals' history.[20]
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 opposing batters had been batting .308 against him. But over his last five starts with the Nationals, he had a 3.27 ERA with four walks and 23 strikeouts.[21]
On August 7, 2006, Hernández was traded from the Nationals to theArizona Diamondbacks for two young pitching prospects,Matt Chico andGarrett Mock.[22] He made 10 starts with Arizona to close out the season, going 4–5 with a 3.76 ERA.[6]
Hernández struggled in 2007, finishing the season 11–11 with a 4.93 ERA in 33 starts. He led the majors in home runs allowed, with 34, and had the lowest strikeout-to-walk ratio in the Major Leagues (1.14).[6]
On February 12, 2008, Hernández signed a one-year, $5 million deal with theMinnesota Twins, including an additional $2 million for performance bonuses.[23] Through July 20, 2008, Hernández led all Twins starting pitchers with 10wins and127+2⁄3 innings pitched.[24] He was 10–6 with 5.29 ERA and 47 strikeouts. On August 1, 2008, Hernández wasdesignated for assignment to make room forFrancisco Liriano.[25] At the time, he was 10–8 with a 5.48 ERA in 23 starts for the Twins.[6]
On August 6, Hernández was claimed off waivers by theColorado Rockies. He posted a record of 3–3 with an 8.03 ERA and 13 strikeouts in40+1⁄3 innings across eight starts with the Rockies.[6]
Hernández ended 2008 having given up 12.9 hits per nine 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.[26][27] 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.[28]
On February 14, 2009, Hernández signed a minor league deal with theNew York Mets.[29] He won the fifth spot in the rotation, and was added to the major league roster when his turn came up on April 11.[30]
In 2009, Hernández was one of only three active players, along withDerek Lowe andBrad Ausmus, to have played 12 or more seasons without going on the disabled list.[31]
Hernández securely established himself as a dependable starting pitcher early in the Mets' 2009 pitching rotation. On May 26, 2009, Hernández threw a complete game, allowing just one earned run through his nine innings courtesy of anAdam Dunn home run in a 6–1 win over his former club, theWashington Nationals.[32] He was the first pitcher to throw a complete game inCiti Field, and became the only active player to have thrown a complete game with six different teams.[citation needed]
However, after struggling greatly in July and August, Hernández's job was put in jeopardy. After a 6–2 loss to theDiamondbacks, managerJerry Manuel decided to start Hernández against theSan Francisco Giants, who handed the Mets a 10–1 loss on August 17, 2009.[33] Subsequently, on August 20, the Mets released Hernández to make room forBilly Wagner on the active roster.[34]
On August 26, 2009, Hernández re-signed with the Washington Nationals.[35] He went 2–4 with a 5.36 ERA in eight starts to finish the season.[6]
On February 24, 2010, Hernández signed a minor league deal to stay with the Nationals.[36] He was called up on April 11.[37] Hernández had a bounce-back season in 2010, finishing 10–12 with a 3.66 ERA in 33 starts.[6] On August 29, 2010, he signed a one-year contract extension with the Nationals for the 2011 season.[38]
Hernández was the starting pitcher on Opening Day of the 2011 season, his fourth Opening Day appearance for the franchise.[39] Despite allowing only two earned runs on four hits in6+2⁄3 innings, he took the loss in a 2–0 defeat to theAtlanta Braves.[40]
On August 30 against the Braves, Hernández threw his 50,000th pitch of his MLB career, gettingJair Jurrjens to ground out and end the inning. Since 1988, only 11 pitchers have thrown more pitches.[41]
On January 31, 2012, Hernández signed a minor league contract with theHouston Astros with an invitation to attend spring training.[42] He was released by the Astros on March 30.[43]
Within hours of being released by the Astros, Hernández was signed to a one-year Major League deal by theAtlanta Braves as a relief pitcher.[44] On May 5, 2012, he recorded his first career save in his 485th major league appearance.[45] On June 19, 2012, Hernández was released by the Braves.[46] His release came after his relief appearance on June 10 where he allowed seven hits (including two home runs) in just1+2⁄3 innings as the Braves were defeated by theToronto Blue Jays.[47]
On June 22, 2012, Hernández signed a one-year deal with theMilwaukee Brewers.[48] Following the season, he was removed from the 40-man roster and opted to become a free agent.
After not playing in the Major Leagues for a full season, Hernández officially retired from professional play on March 13, 2014.[49][50] Hernández filed forChapter 13 bankruptcy on June 30, 2017, inUnited States bankruptcy court inFort Lauderdale, Florida. Despite earning more than $53 million during his 15-year career, his assets were worth no more than $50,000 and he owed up to $1 million to as many as 50 creditors.[51] Court documents revealed Hernández had no bank account and gambled heavily at local South Florida casinos.[52]
Hernández now runs a youth baseball academy in Miami.[53]
As a young man, Hernández had afastball in the mid-90s, aslider, and achangeup.[54] As he aged, he became afinesse pitcher who relied on locating his pitches rather than generating great pitch speed.[55] His primary pitch was asinker sitting at 83–87 mph. He also had afour-seam fastball in the same speed range. Another main pitch, used mostly against right-handed hitters, was acut fastball at 79–82 mph. His off-speed offering to right-handers was acurveball ranging from 65 to 70 mph. Against lefties, he also added achangeup in the upper 70s.[56] His four-seam fastball was the slowest among all MLB starters in the 2011 season.[57]
Hernández was an excellent fielder throughout his career, finishing seven full seasons without making anerror. He posted a career .982fielding percentage committing only 15 errors in 827total chances in 3,189 innings of work and 519 games pitched. As of September 30, 2019[update], he owns the 128th-bestfielding percentage all-time among pitchers. He also was a better than average hitting pitcher, posting a .221batting average (215-for-973) with 64runs, 38doubles, 10home runs and 85RBI.[6]
· Baseball Almanac| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | National League Player of the Week July 7–13, 2003 (withPreston Wilson) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League Pitcher of the Month July 2003 | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | Opening Daystarting pitcher 2000—2002 San Francisco Giants 2005—2006 Washington Nationals 2011 Washington Nationals | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
