Leo Hernández
Encyclopedia
Leonardo Jesús Hernández (born November 6, 1959), commonly known as Leo Hernandez (er-NAN-dez), is a former Major League Baseball
third baseman
and right-handed batter who played for the Baltimore Orioles
(1982–83, 1985) and New York Yankees
(1986).
A native of Santa Lucía, Miranda State, Venezuela
, Hernández was signed as an amateur free agent
by the Los Angeles Dodgers
in 1978 and made his debut with Baltimore on September 19, 1982.
Hernández was a talented player capable to field and run well, and bat with power and for average, but he never reached a better status probably for one reason: he played much of his career for a team that rarely made headlines above him, and if it was the case, only was looking comparisons between departed superstar Brooks Robinson
and him. The permanent Robinson's shadow affected the Hernandez defensive abilities and cost him power numbers that may have given him notoriety. Finally, assorted leg and shoulder injuries and attitude problems cost him playing time.
In four-season career, Hernández hit .226 with seven home run
s and 30 RBI
in 85 games.
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...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and right-handed batter who played 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...
(1982–83, 1985) and 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...
(1986).
A native of Santa Lucía, Miranda State, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Hernández was signed as an amateur 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....
by the 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...
in 1978 and made his debut with Baltimore on September 19, 1982.
Hernández was a talented player capable to field and run well, and bat with power and for average, but he never reached a better status probably for one reason: he played much of his career for a team that rarely made headlines above him, and if it was the case, only was looking comparisons between departed superstar Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
and him. The permanent Robinson's shadow affected the Hernandez defensive abilities and cost him power numbers that may have given him notoriety. Finally, assorted leg and shoulder injuries and attitude problems cost him playing time.
In four-season career, Hernández hit .226 with seven home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 30 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 85 games.