Tag Archives: Roberto Hernandez

May 19, 2015

Games of the Day

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The Yankees travel to Washington for a two-game series with the Nationals. Nathan Eovaldi faces Gio Gonzalez in game one, but the game also features two hitters with decent streaks. Wilson Ramos hit in 18 straight games with a .371/.400/.429 slash line. His 26 hits are mostly singles, but I’ll take the .400 OBP. If Bryce Harper wasn’t hammering the ball in the same period, I suspect Ramos would be getting more attention. Carlos Beltran owns a nine-game streak with a .364/.389/.636 slash line. After his rough start, it’s nice to see the veteran hitting again.

The Cardinals and Mets offer another fine pitching match-up as Michael Wacha faces Jonathon Niese. Wacha tries to extend his record to 6-0. He owns a 1.85 ERA on the road. Niese owns at 1.35 ERA at Citi Field this year where he allowed one home run in 20 innings.

Sonny Gray tries to bring the Athletics another game closer to Houston as he faces Roberto Hernandez. Gray is simply doing extraordinary things on the mound, with 53 K, 15 walks, and just one home run allowed in 56 innings. The powerful Astros will challenge that low home run rate. Hernandez has not pitched well at home this season, with a 5.40 ERA in Houston.

Finally, the Dodgers and Giants battle for NL West supremacy as Carlos Frias takes on Tim Hudson. The Giants trail the Dodgers by 4 1/2 games. Frias has been tough to hit in limited duty, holding the opposition to a .295 OBP and a .315 slugging percentage. Hudson is giving up long balls at an alarming rate, 8 in 45 1/3 innings. He is still inducing a high number of ground balls, but the ones in the air are leaving the park.

By the way, A. Sanchez is pitching twice tonight, Aaron for Toronto and Anibal for Detroit. Each wants to be THE Sanchez. 🙂

Enjoy!

May 3, 2015

Games of the Day

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The Astros go for their tenth win in a row and 14th in their last 15 games as Roberto Hernandez hosts J.A. Happ and the Mariners in Houston. Happ is off to a good start with a 2.30 ERA. He walked just three batters in his 27 1/3 innings of work. Opponents own a low batting average against Hernandez, just .225, but with nine of their 20 hits going for extra bases, they are slugging .438.

Colorado and San Diego are locked in a battle for second place in the NL West as Tyler Matzek takes on James Shields. Matzek owns a 2.70 ERA despite 13 walks and 13 strikeouts in 20 innings. When walks and strikeouts are in parity, either walks are too high or strikeouts are too low for long term success. In this case, the walks are too high. Matzek was able to balance this by allowing just one home run so far. Shields saw his Ks soar on moving to the NL, with 41 strikeouts in 31 innings. He owns a 1.38 ERA at PETCO Park so far this season.

Enjoy!

September 1, 2014

Games of the Day

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Cole Hamels and Julio Teheran kick off the holiday games as Philadelphia visits Atlanta. Hamels doesn’t have much to show for his outstanding 2.59 ERA, with just a 7-6 record in 24 games. He cut down on his home runs this season, allowing just 11 in 163 1/3 innings. Teheran shut down the Phillies this year, with just three runs allowed in 24 innings, walking none and striking out 19.

The Cardinals are tied for first place in the NL Central with the Brewers, with the Pirates two games back as Pittsburgh visits St. Louis. Gerrit Cole and Lance Lynn battle in the opener. Cole has been hard to hit since returning from his injury, giving up just eight hits in 13 innings while striking out 15. Lynn owns a 1.98 ERA since the All-Star break, allowing just one home run in 50 innings.

The red hot but likely tired Indians host the Tigers in a race between two of the three contenders for the AL Central crown. David Price takes on Corey Kluber. Price tries to rebound off his worst start of the season in which he allowed 12 hits in two innings, including nine in a row. Kluber, with a great start, could come close to even with Felix Hernandez in Cy Young Tracker points.

Finally, the Nationals visit the Dodgers in a possible playoff preview with Gio Gonzalez taking on Roberto Hernandez. Gio is pitching well over all, but gets hammered with runners in scoring position, .300/.371/.500. The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona has not allowed a home run in 23 innings since joining the Dodgers.

Enjoy!

August 8, 2014

Games of the Day

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The Tigers continue their tour through the AL East with a stop in Toronto as Anibal Sanchez takes on R.A. Dickey.

Washington holds a 4 1/2 game lead over the Braves as the teams open a weekend series. Stephen Strasburg faces Ervin Santana.

The Giants take on the Royals, a team that will not fade away, with Madison Bumgarner battling Jason Vargas.

First place teams square off in Milwaukee as the Dodgers send newly acquired Roberto Hernandez (aka Fausto Carmona) against Kyle Lohse.

Enjoy!

March 29, 2013

The Return of Dr. Fausto

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The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, the current Roberto Hernandez, made the Rays rotation:

Last year the Rays had a lot of success shifting Wade Davis from the rotation to the bullpen, as he went from a mediocre starter to a very good reliever (and then they traded him to the Royals).

This year they’re making the same shift with Jeff Niemann, moving him to the bullpen in an effort to ease his comeback from an injury wrecked 2012 that has left his spring velocity lacking. In his place the Rays have chosen Roberto Hernandez (formerly known as Fausto Carmona) for the final spot in the rotation.

Hernandez only made three starts for the Indians last season, pitching poorly. He struck out two in 14 innings. He was never much of a K pitcher, so the key to his success will be the excellent Rays defense and keeping his walk rate down. He is in the perfect place to make use of his strengths.

July 23, 2012 July 22, 2012

The New Roberto Hernandez Apologies

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Roberto Hernandez, the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, apologized to the Indians and their fans:

“I want to say I’m sorry,” Hernandez said through interpreter Charisse Dash. “I thank God I am here and have been given a new chance.”

Hernandez said he was grateful to the organization for supporting him after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic in January outside the U.S. consulate as he tried to renew his visa. That’s when it was discovered his name was Hernandez and he is 31 years old, three years older than listed.

The former All-Star revealed that the real Carmona is actually a “distant cousin,” but that it was Hernandez who hatched the plan to take his name and claim he was only 17 when he signed with the Indians in 2000. He declined to discuss details.

“I want to forget the past,” he said. “I want to work hard and help my team on the field.”

He will serve a three week suspension before being allowed to return to the major league team.

April 1, 2012

Identity Suspension

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One player who committed identity fraud faces a long suspension from Major League Baseball. Juan Carlos Oviedo (formerly known as Leo Nunez) is looking at six weeks off once he returns from his community service.

Oviedo turned himself in at the dying request of his father and is still being given a stiff, six-week punishment by the MLB commissioner’s office. What does that mean for a guy like Roberto Hernandez (formerly known as Fausto Carmona), who was outed by another person?

I’ve been working on the assumption that Hernandez probably won’t pitch this season, as he still not be allowed by US authorities to travel to the United States.

Hat tip, BBTF.

March 26, 2012

Carmona Loses Money

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The Indians reworked the contract of Roberto Hernandez, aka Fausto Carmona due to his using a false identity:

Hernandez, recently cleared of false identity charges in the Dominican Republic, will make $2.5 million as a base salary in 2012 and can earn an additional $2.7 million in performance and roster bonuses. He had been scheduled to make $7 million this season, but the club renegotiated the amount while adding incentives for innings pitched, starts and days on the 25-man roster.

According to contract terms obtained by the AP, Hernandez will receive $200,000 when he reaches 20, 23 and 26 starts and for 150, 170 and 185 innings. In addition, he’ll get $250,000 for 95 days on the roster and then $250,000 for every 15 days up until 165.

The Indians also reduced a $9 million option for 2013 to $6 million, with any bonuses reached in 2012 tacked on. He can earn another $3 million next season in bonuses based on innings pitched.

So if everything works out and he makes all his incentives, Hernandez stands to lose about $1 million versus his original contract. It will be difficult to meet the incentives, however, if the US government decides not to let him in the country.

March 13, 2012

Fausto’s Deal

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Roberto Hernandez, aka Fausto Carmona, reached a deal to drop the false identity charges against him:

Dominican Republic prosecutors say Cleveland Indians pitcher Roberto Hernandez has agreed to a deal to have false identity charges against him dropped in return for completing a work program in his Caribbean homeland.

It’s still not clear if he’ll pitch for the Indians this season.

February 13, 2012