Liván Hernández

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Liván Hernández
Arizona Diamondbacks — No. 61
Starting Pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
September 24, 1996 for the Florida Marlins
Selected MLB statistics
(through 2006)
Wins     123-117
ERA     4.18
SO     1456
Teams

    Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera (born February 20, 1975 in Villa Clara, Cuba), known as Liván Hernández ([liˈβan ɛrˈnandɛs]), is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-present). He is the half brother of pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernández.

    Hernández defected to the United States from Cuba in 1995. From 1996 through 2004, Hernández played with the Florida Marlins (1996-99), San Francisco Giants (1999-2002), Montreal Expos (2003–2004) the Washington Nationals (formally Montreal Expos) (2005-2006) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-present). He bats and throws right handed. He 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. 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. Hernández also is a dangerous hitter, helping his own cause with the bat.

    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.

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    Preceded by:
    Javy Lopez
    National League Championship Series MVP
    1997
    Succeeded by:
    Sterling Hitchcock
    Preceded by:
    John Wetteland
    World Series MVP
    1997
    Succeeded by:
    Scott Brosius