Liván Hernández facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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
debut
September 24, 1996, for the Florida Marlins
Last appearance
September 29, 2012, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	178–177
Earned run average	4.44
Strikeouts	1,976
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) Atlanta Braves (2012) Milwaukee Brewers (2012)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (2004, 2005) World Series champion (1997) World Series MVP (1997) NLCS MVP (1997) Silver Slugger Award (2004)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  Cuba Baseball World Cup Gold 1994 Managua Team

Liván Hernández (born February 20, 1975) is a former professional baseball pitcher from Cuba. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 17 years. During his career, he played for nine different teams. He was chosen for two All-Star Games.

Liván is famous for winning the MVP award in the 1997 World Series. He won this award while playing for the Florida Marlins. His half-brother, Orlando "El Duque" Hernández, was also a famous pitcher.

Hernández played for many teams. These included the Florida Marlins (1996–1999) and the San Francisco Giants (1999–2002). He also played for the Montreal Expos (2003–2004) and the Washington Nationals (2005–2006, 2009–2011). Other teams were the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006–2007), Minnesota Twins (2008), Colorado Rockies (2008), New York Mets (2009), Atlanta Braves (2012), and Milwaukee Brewers (2012). He threw with his right hand. He was known for a very slow curveball, sometimes thrown below 60 miles per hour.

Liván Hernández was a two-time All-Star. He was known as a great defensive pitcher. He made only 15 errors in his entire career. People also called him a "workhorse" because he could pitch for many innings in a game. From 1998 to 2007, he pitched at least 199 innings each season. He led the National League in innings pitched for three years in a row (2003-2005). He also led the league in complete games in 2003 and 2004.

Early Life and Journey to MLB

Liván Hernández was born in Villa Clara Province in Cuba. In 1994, he met a baseball recruiter named Joe Cubas in Venezuela. They planned for Liván to leave Cuba. In 1995, at age 20, Hernández left Cuba and came to the United States. His half-brother, Orlando, would also leave Cuba two years later.

Professional Baseball Career

After leaving Cuba, Hernández met with many baseball teams. On January 13, 1996, he signed a four-year contract with the Florida Marlins. He wanted to live in Miami.

Florida Marlins (1996–1999)

Hernández made his first MLB appearance on September 24, 1996. He pitched three innings without allowing any runs for the Marlins. He joined the team full-time in June 1997. In his first full season, he had a record of 9 wins and 3 losses.

The Marlins made it to the 1997 World Series. Hernández started and won two games in the series against the Cleveland Indians. In the 1997 National League Championship Series, he set a postseason record. He struck out 15 batters in one game against the Atlanta Braves. His amazing performance helped him win the World Series MVP award. Before Game 7 of the World Series, Hernández was able to meet his mother. It was the first time they had seen each other in two years.

San Francisco Giants (1999–2002)

On July 25, 1999, the Marlins traded Hernández to the San Francisco Giants. In 2000, he had his best year with 17 wins and 11 losses. He pitched 240 innings that season. He continued to pitch many innings in 2001 and 2002. During his time with the Giants, Hernández played in five postseason games. This included four games in the 2002 postseason.

Montréal Expos / Washington Nationals (2003–2006)

In March 2003, Hernández was traded to the Montréal Expos. From 2003 to 2005, he led the National League in innings pitched. He also led the league in complete games in 2003 and 2004. In 2003, he had a strong season with 15 wins and a low 3.20 ERA. He pitched over 233 innings.

In 2004, Hernández was chosen for the All-Star Game. This was his first All-Star selection. He pitched 255 innings, more than any other pitcher in MLB that year. He also won the National League Silver Slugger Award for pitchers. This award is given to the best hitting pitcher.

After the 2004 season, the Montréal Expos team moved to Washington, D.C. They became the Washington Nationals. Hernández started and won the first MLB game for the new Washington Nationals team on April 14, 2005. In 2005, he again led the National League in innings pitched. He also earned his second All-Star selection.

Arizona Diamondbacks (2006–2007)

On August 7, 2006, Hernández was traded from the Nationals to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He made 10 starts for the Diamondbacks that season. In 2007, he finished the season with 11 wins and 11 losses.

Minnesota Twins (2008)

On February 12, 2008, Hernández signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins. By July 2008, he was leading the Twins' starting pitchers with 10 wins. He was later moved off the team's main roster in August.

Hernández with the Rockies in 2008.

Colorado Rockies (2008)

On August 6, 2008, the Colorado Rockies picked up Hernández. He pitched in eight games for the Rockies.

Hernández with the Mets during 2009 spring training.

New York Mets (2009)

On February 14, 2009, Hernández signed a contract with the New York Mets. He earned a spot as a starting pitcher for the team. In 2009, Hernández was one of only three active players who had played 12 or more seasons without being on the disabled list. On May 26, 2009, he pitched a complete game for the Mets. He was the first pitcher to throw a complete game at Citi Field. He was also the only active player to have thrown a complete game with six different teams. However, after some struggles, the Mets released him in August.

Second Time with the Washington Nationals (2009–2011)

On August 26, 2009, Hernández re-signed with the Washington Nationals. He finished the season with them. In 2010, Hernández had a good season, finishing with 10 wins and 12 losses. He signed a contract to stay with the Nationals for the 2011 season. He was the starting pitcher on Opening Day for the 2011 season. On August 30, 2011, Hernández threw his 50,000th pitch in his MLB career.

Atlanta Braves (2012)

On January 31, 2012, Hernández signed with the Houston Astros but was released in March. Hours later, he signed with the Atlanta Braves as a relief pitcher. On May 5, 2012, he recorded his first career save. He was released by the Braves in June.

Milwaukee Brewers (2012)

On June 22, 2012, Hernández signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. He played for them for the rest of the season. After the season, he became a free agent.

Retirement

Liván Hernández officially retired from professional baseball on March 13, 2014. Today, Hernández runs a youth baseball academy in Miami. He helps young players learn the game.

Pitching Style

When he was younger, Hernández threw a fast fastball, a slider, and a changeup. As he got older, he became a "finesse pitcher." This means he focused on placing his pitches exactly where he wanted them, rather than throwing them very fast. His main pitch was a sinker. He also threw a four-seam fastball. For right-handed batters, he used a cut fastball and a curveball. For left-handed batters, he added a changeup.

Hernández was also a very good fielder. He played seven full seasons without making any errors. He was also a good hitter for a pitcher. He had a .221 batting average with 10 home runs.

See also

In Spanish: Liván Hernández para niños