| Willy Taveras | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Taveras during the2007 World Series | |
| Center fielder | |
| Born: (1981-12-25)December 25, 1981 (age 44) Tenares, Dominican Republic | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 6, 2004, for the Houston Astros | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 15, 2010, for the Washington Nationals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .274 |
| Home runs | 8 |
| Runs batted in | 128 |
| Stolen bases | 195 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Willy Taveras (born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican former professionalbaseballcenter fielder inMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played a total of seven seasons for theHouston Astros,Colorado Rockies,Cincinnati Reds, andWashington Nationals.
As a rookie in 2005, Taveras was instrumental in the Astros' first-everleague pennant win andWorld Series appearances. Behind his hitting, speed, and defense, Taveras won the Players Choice Award forNational League (NL)Outstanding Rookie, theSporting News NL Rookie of the Year, and a selection to theTopps All-Star Rookie Team.
Taveras made his major league debut as a member of theHouston Astros late in the 2004 season, appearing in 10 games, primarily as apinch runner.
In2005, Taveras became the Astros' starting center fielder as a rookie, replacingCarlos Beltrán, who had signed as afree agent with theNew York Mets in the prior offseason. Taverasbatted .291 while leading the majors ininfield hits (71),bunt hits (31), andsingles (152), and was tops among rookies inruns (82), hits (172), andstolen bases (34; 6th in theNational League, NL).
In Game 4 of the2005 National League Championship Series (NLCS) against theSt. Louis Cardinals, Taveras entered in the seventhinning as a pinch runner and scored the winning run on a shortsacrifice fly to center field. In the eighth, Taveras' catch while running upTal's Hill deep in center field atMinute Maid Park ended the inning and preserved a 2–1 lead.
Following the season, Taveras was named in thePlayers Choice Awards as the NLOutstanding Rookie. He also won theSporting News NL Rookie of the Year Award and selection to theTopps All-Star Rookie Team. For theBaseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) awards, Taveras finished second toRyan Howard of thePhiladelphia Phillies for the NLRookie of the Year Award.[1]
In2006, Taveras' batting average regressed to .278, though he again led the majors in bunt hits (21) and had 33stolen bases (10th in the NL), but just 30 RBI. Taveras had a 30-gamehitting streak that ended August 29, 2006, during a game in which he was hit twice byMilwaukee Brewers pitcherTomo Ohka. Taveras' streak is a franchise record, breaking the record of 25 previously held byJeff Kent. The streak made him part of a rare club of less than a hundred to have hit in thirty straight games.[2] Within that streak, Taveras had a streak of singles in 28 consecutive games, tying a National League record set byWillie Davis in 1969. As of 2020[update], Taveras and Davis still hold the league record.[3]
On December 12, 2006, Taveras was traded along withTaylor Buchholz andJason Hirsh by the Astros to theColorado Rockies forpitchersJason Jennings andMiguel Asencio.
During the 2007 regular season, Taveras hit .320, including an MLB-leading 27 bunt singles, 2 home runs, 24 RBIs, 33 stolen bases, and caught stealing 9 times. He was part of theWorld Series roster after making a big play in theNLCS vs theArizona Diamondbacks. In the World Series, the Rockies were swept by theBoston Red Sox.
In a 22-inning game played atPetco Park between April 17–18,2008, Taveras established a Rockies' club record with 10at-bats in the game.
Taveras led MLB with 68 stolen bases during the 2008 season, and led the NL with 24 bunt hits.[4] At the same time, his .296 slugging percentage was the lowest in the majors.[5] Defensively, however, his .976 fielding percentage was the lowest of all qualifying major league center fielders.[6]
On December 12, 2008, the Rockies non-tendered Taveras, making him a free agent.[7]
On December 27, 2008, Taveras signed a two-year deal worth $6.25 million with theCincinnati Reds.[8]In his debut with the Reds, he hit a pinch-hit triple in the 8th inning after being down with the flu for over a week.
In 2009, Taveras had the lowest slugging percentage, .285, and the lowest on-base percentage, .275, of all National League players with at least 350 plate appearances.
On February 1, 2010, Taveras was traded along withAdam Rosales to theOakland Athletics in exchange forAaron Miles and aplayer to be named later.[9] Taveras wasdesignated for assignment later that day alongsideGregorio Petit andDana Eveland, amid a flurry of roster transactions.[10] Taveras declined a Triple-A assignment and elected free agency on February 9.[11]
On February 15, 2010, Taveras signed a minor league contract with theWashington Nationals that included an invitation to spring training.[12] On April 4, the Nationals selected Taveras' contract, adding him to their active roster. He made 27 appearances for Washington, going 7-for-35 (.200) with four RBI and one stolen base. Taveras was designated for assignment by the Nationals on May 15.[13] He was released by the team after clearing waivers on May 21.[14]
On June 3, 2010, Taveras signed a minor league contract with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[15] He was subsequently assigned to the Triple-ALehigh Valley IronPigs, where he slashed .208/.255/.271 with three RBI and nine stolen bases. Taveras was released by the Phillies organization on June 29.[16]
On July 3, 2010, Taveras signed a minor league contract with theAtlanta Braves.[17] In 17 appearances for the Triple-AGwinnett Braves, he batted .119/.213/.143 with one RBI and four stolen bases. Taveras was released by the Braves organization on August 2.[18]
On August 15, 2010, Taveras signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers organization.[19] He made 23 appearances for the Triple-AOklahoma City RedHawks, slashing .275/.323/.396 with two home runs, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases. Taveras elected free agency following the season on November 6.
On January 24, 2011, Taveras signed a minor league contract with theColorado Rockies organization.[20] He spent the season with the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate, theColorado Springs Sky Sox, batting .302/.336/.448 with 10 home runs, 44 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 97 games.[21] Due to problems with the sports agency that formerly represented him Taveras was out of American baseball for the entire 2012 season.[21]
On December 11, 2012, Taveras was signed to a minor league contract by theKansas City Royals that included an invitation to spring training.[21] At the time of the signing Taveras was playing baseball in theMexican Pacific League with theYaquis de Obregón.[21] He made 79 appearances for the Triple-AOmaha Storm Chasers, batting .239/.308/.340 with two home runs, 27 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. Taveras was released by the Royals organization on July 25, 2013.[22]
On April 2, 2014, Taveras signed with thePericos de Puebla of theMexican League. In 103 appearances for Puebla, Taveras slashed .316/.396/.477 with 11 home runs, 57 RBI, and 32 stolen bases.
Taveras signed with theSugar Land Skeeters of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2015 season. This was Taveras' first year playing in an independent baseball league. In 65 games for the Skeeters, he batted .241/.309/.317 with four home runs, 16 RBI, and 21 stolen bases.
On February 6, 2015, Taveras signed with thePericos de Puebla of theMexican League. In five games for the Pericos, he went 8-for-21 (.381) with three RBI and three stolen bases.
Taveras made 81 appearances for Puebla during the 2016 season, slashing .325/.390/.456 with four home runs, 44 RBI, and 16 stolen bases.
On February 21, 2017, Taveras, along withChad Gaudin,Daric Barton,Nyjer Morgan,Manny Rodriguez, and Rodolfo Amador, were traded to theAcereros de Monclova in exchange for RHP Joaquín Lara. In 103 appearances for Monclova, he batted .304/.369/.455 with 12 home runs, 62 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Taveras became a free agent following the season.
On May 13, 2019, after spending all of 2018 out of professional baseball, Taveras signed with theSugar Land Skeeters of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 27 appearances for Sugar Land, he hit .255/.318/.276 with six RBI and seven stolen bases. Taveras was released by the Skeeters on July 22.
Taveras has good skills for slap-hitting; however, he strikes out frequently (103 times in 2005) and rarelywalks. His career-high in walks is 36, resulting in a lowon-base percentage. In addition, Taveras is an exceptionally poor power hitter, producing the lowest slugging percentage among all regular major league outfielders for both the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He has great speed and has been clocked at 3.57 seconds from home to first as a right-handed hitter. Taveras has also led the league in infield singles, and his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was .374 in 2007.
A cousin of Taveras,Leody, is also an outfielder in Major League Baseball who signed with theTexas Rangers as an international free agent in 2015 and made his MLB debut in2020.[23]
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year 2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Players Choice NL Most Outstanding Rookie 2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Houston Astros longesthitting streak 2006—present | Succeeded by Current |
