Al Reyes
Encyclopedia
Rafael Alberto "Al" Reyes (born April 10, 1970 in San Cristóbal
, Dominican Republic
) is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. A right-handed pitcher and career reliever
, he played for seven teams; debuting on April 27, 1995 with the Milwaukee Brewers
and playing for the Baltimore Orioles
, Los Angeles Dodgers
, Pittsburgh Pirates
, New York Yankees
, St. Louis Cardinals
, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays
, over the years. He was originally drafted by the Montreal Expos
in .
He missed the Cardinals playoff run after tearing a ligament in his right elbow, and required reconstructive surgery.
In , he signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was placed on the Durham Bulls
minor league roster, but did not play a game that season while recovering from Tommy John surgery
. On December 22, 2006, he re-signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, where he became their closer
. Reyes finished the year with 26 saves in 30 chances. Notably, his only blown saves came against the Arizona Diamondbacks
and the Boston Red Sox
.
On April 10, 2008, Reyes got into a fight at a bar in South Tampa
and was taser
ed twice by a police officer
. This had little effect on his ability to throw, as the very next night he got the win
for the Rays against the Orioles
.
Reyes was designated for assignment on August 9, 2008, and became a free agent
on August 18 after refusing an assignment to the minors. He signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets two days later, and was called up to the team when rosters expanded in September. He was released on September 18, 2008, without making any appearances.
San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic
San Cristóbal is a municipality and the capital of the San Cristóbal province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district : Hato Damas.-Sectors:*5 de abril*Canastica*El Pomier...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. A right-handed pitcher and career reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, he played for seven teams; debuting on April 27, 1995 with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and playing for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, over the years. He was originally drafted by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in .
He missed the Cardinals playoff run after tearing a ligament in his right elbow, and required reconstructive surgery.
In , he signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was placed on the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
minor league roster, but did not play a game that season while recovering from Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. On December 22, 2006, he re-signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, where he became their closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
. Reyes finished the year with 26 saves in 30 chances. Notably, his only blown saves came against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
and the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
On April 10, 2008, Reyes got into a fight at a bar in South Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
and was taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
ed twice by a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
. This had little effect on his ability to throw, as the very next night he got the win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
for the Rays against the Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
Reyes was designated for assignment on August 9, 2008, and became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
on August 18 after refusing an assignment to the minors. He signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets two days later, and was called up to the team when rosters expanded in September. He was released on September 18, 2008, without making any appearances.