Rubén Rivera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rubén Rivera |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Piratas de Campeche | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 14, 1973 La Chorrera, Panama |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 3, 1995, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 28, 2003, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .216 | ||
| Home runs | 64 | ||
| Runs batted in | 203 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Rubén Rivera Moreno (born November 14, 1973) is a former professional baseball outfielder from Panama. He is currently the first base coach for the Piratas de Campeche team in the Mexican League. Rubén played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2003. He played for teams like the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants. With the Yankees, Rubén won the 1996 World Series. His cousin, Mariano Rivera, was also a very famous player for the Yankees.
Contents
Rubén Rivera's Baseball Journey
Rubén Rivera had an interesting career in baseball. He was known for his strong hitting power. He played for several teams during his time in Major League Baseball.
Starting with the New York Yankees (1990–1997)
The New York Yankees signed Rubén Rivera in 1990. He started playing professionally with the Gulf Coast Yankees in 1992. His first game in Major League Baseball was on September 3, 1995. Many experts thought Rubén would become a huge star. Baseball America magazine ranked him as one of the top young players in baseball for several years.
In 1996, he played in 46 games for the New York Yankees. He was part of the team that won the 1996 World Series. This was a big achievement early in his career.
Moving to the San Diego Padres (1997–2000)
In April 1997, the Yankees traded Rubén Rivera to the San Diego Padres. This trade involved several players and money. The Padres hoped Rubén would become a key player for them. He played for the Padres for four seasons. While he showed great power, he sometimes struggled to get on base consistently. He was released by the Padres before the 2001 season began.
Playing for Other MLB Teams (2001–2003)
After leaving the Padres, Rubén signed with the Cincinnati Reds for the 2001 season. He played in a reserve role, meaning he wasn't a regular starter. After one season, the Reds released him. The San Francisco Giants then picked him up, but he was released a month later without playing a game for them.
In early 2002, the Yankees signed him again. However, he was released during spring training. This happened after an incident involving a teammate's equipment.
Later in 2002, he signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He played for their minor league team, the Tulsa Drillers. He didn't perform as well as hoped and was released after the season.
In 2003, Rubén rejoined the San Francisco Giants. He was involved in a memorable play during a game on May 27. While running the bases, he made a mistake that was widely discussed. He was released by the Giants on June 3, 2003. At that point, he had a batting average of .180 with two home runs in 31 games.
He later played in the minor leagues for the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox.
Playing in the Mexican League (2007–2019)
Rubén Rivera then moved to the Mexican League. He played for the Piratas de Campeche from 2007 to 2012. He also played for other Mexican League teams, including Delfines de Ciudad del Carmen, Rieleros de Aguascalientes, Diablos Rojos del México, Olmecas de Tabasco, and Pericos de Puebla. In 2016, his team, the Pericos de Puebla, won the League Championship. In 2017, he was traded to the Acereros de Monclova. Rubén announced his retirement after the 2019 season, winning a championship with Monclova in his final year as a player.
Representing Panama in the World Baseball Classic (2006, 2009)
Rubén Rivera proudly represented his home country, Panama, in the World Baseball Classic. He played in both the 2006 and 2009 tournaments.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Rubén Rivera became a coach. He served as the hitting coach for the Olmecas de Tabasco in the Mexican League during the 2021 season. He is currently the first base coach for the Piratas de Campeche.
See also
In Spanish: Rubén Rivera Moreno para niños
