Rubén Sierra
Encyclopedia
Rubén Angel Sierra García (born October 6, 1965 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio.
In a 20-season career, Sierra has played for the Texas Rangers
(1986–92, 2000–01, 2003), Oakland Athletics
(1992–95), New York Yankees
(1995–96, 2003–05), Detroit Tigers
(1996), Cincinnati Reds
(1997), Toronto Blue Jays
(1997), Chicago White Sox
(1998), Seattle Mariners
(2002), Minnesota Twins
(2006).
Sierra graduated from Liceo Interamericano Castro High School in Puerto Rico
in 1983, where he played baseball
, basketball
and volleyball
.
signed 20-year old Sierra out of Puerto Rico
. Sierra made his major league debut on June 1, 1986 as an outfielder
and hit a home run
in just his second MLB at bat
becoming the first Texas Rangers
player to accomplish this feat. Sierra had a decent rookie year hitting .264 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs.
In 1989, Sierra hit 29 home runs, and led the league in RBI (119), slugging (.543), and extra bases (78). Despite superior numbers, he finished second in MVP voting to Robin Yount
. He went on to have 3 years with 100+ RBIs with the Rangers. In August 1992, the Rangers traded Sierra to the Oakland Athletics
for José Canseco
. He later played more years with both the Rangers and A's.
In 1995, the A's traded Sierra to the New York Yankees
for Danny Tartabull
. After helping the Yankees reach the playoffs for the first time in 14 years in 1995, Sierra was traded to the Detroit Tigers
with Matt Drews
for Cecil Fielder
. Sierra was considered a journeyman because of playing for numerous teams during the late-1990s, including the Reds, Blue Jays, White Sox, Mets, and Indians. In 2003, during Sierra's third stint with the Rangers, he was traded back to the Yankees, who were looking for a power-hitter off the bench. Sierra was an important part of the 2004 Yankees, a team that hit over 240 home run
s. Sierra himself slugged 17 of those homers as the usual designated hitter.
In Game 4 of the 2004 American League Division Series
, with the Yankees down to the Minnesota Twins
5-2, Sierra hit a 3-run home run to tie the game at 5-5 off of reliever Juan Rincón
. His clutch home run helped the Yankees rally to win the game and the series. Sierra had an injury plagued 2005 season and was let go by the Yankees after hitting just 4 home runs. In 2006, Sierra signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins
, but was released on July 10. In August, Sierra was offered a chance to sign on with the New York Mets
for the September run and playoffs. However, due to family issues (illness to his mother), he opted not to play again in 2006.
In January 2007, Sierra signed a minor league contract with the Mets, who invited him to Spring Training. However, on March 20, he requested, and was granted, his release by the team after being reassigned the previous Thursday http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/sierra-released-sanchez-on-the-mend/.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
) 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...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio.
In a 20-season career, Sierra has played for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1986–92, 2000–01, 2003), Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1992–95), 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...
(1995–96, 2003–05), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1996), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1997), Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1997), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1998), Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(2002), Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(2006).
Sierra graduated from Liceo Interamericano Castro High School in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 1983, where he played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
.
MLB career
In November 1985, the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
signed 20-year old Sierra out of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Sierra made his major league debut on June 1, 1986 as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and hit a 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...
in just his second MLB at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
becoming the first Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
player to accomplish this feat. Sierra had a decent rookie year hitting .264 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs.
In 1989, Sierra hit 29 home runs, and led the league in RBI (119), slugging (.543), and extra bases (78). Despite superior numbers, he finished second in MVP voting to Robin Yount
Robin Yount
Robin R. Yount is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and center fielder. He spent his entire 20-year baseball career with the Milwaukee Brewers . In 1999, Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.-Early years:Yount was born in Danville, Illinois...
. He went on to have 3 years with 100+ RBIs with the Rangers. In August 1992, the Rangers traded Sierra to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
for José Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
. He later played more years with both the Rangers and A's.
In 1995, the A's traded Sierra to the 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...
for Danny Tartabull
Danny Tartabull
Danilo Tartabull Mora , also known as Danny Tartabull, is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. Born to Cuban parents in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he is the son of José Tartabull, who played in the major leagues from 1962 to 1970.-Playing career:Danny played for the Seattle Mariners ,...
. After helping the Yankees reach the playoffs for the first time in 14 years in 1995, Sierra was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
with Matt Drews
Matt Drews
Matthew Ross Drews is a former a minor league baseball pitcher.-Career:Drews played high school baseball at Sarasota High School, where he had a 10-2 win-loss record with a 1.27 earned run average his senior high year, with 125 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched...
for Cecil Fielder
Cecil Fielder
Cecil Grant Fielder is a former professional baseball player who was a noted power hitter in the 1980s and 1990s. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . He played with the Toronto Blue Jays , Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , Anaheim Angels and Cleveland Indians...
. Sierra was considered a journeyman because of playing for numerous teams during the late-1990s, including the Reds, Blue Jays, White Sox, Mets, and Indians. In 2003, during Sierra's third stint with the Rangers, he was traded back to the Yankees, who were looking for a power-hitter off the bench. Sierra was an important part of the 2004 Yankees, a team that hit over 240 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. Sierra himself slugged 17 of those homers as the usual designated hitter.
In Game 4 of the 2004 American League Division Series
2004 American League Division Series
-Anaheim Angels vs. Boston Red Sox:-Game 1, October 5:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkPitching dominated in Game 1 as Mike Mussina faced Johan Santana. The Twins got on the board first when Shannon Stewart singled home Michael Cuddyer. Then in the sixth, Jacque Jones hit a solo home run to make...
, with the Yankees down to the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
5-2, Sierra hit a 3-run home run to tie the game at 5-5 off of reliever Juan Rincón
Juan Rincón
Juan Manuel Rincón is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is with the Bridgeport Bluefish in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Rincón bats and throws right-handed. He throws a low 90s fastball and a mid low 80s slider...
. His clutch home run helped the Yankees rally to win the game and the series. Sierra had an injury plagued 2005 season and was let go by the Yankees after hitting just 4 home runs. In 2006, Sierra signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, but was released on July 10. In August, Sierra was offered a chance to sign on with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for the September run and playoffs. However, due to family issues (illness to his mother), he opted not to play again in 2006.
In January 2007, Sierra signed a minor league contract with the Mets, who invited him to Spring Training. However, on March 20, he requested, and was granted, his release by the team after being reassigned the previous Thursday http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/sierra-released-sanchez-on-the-mend/.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of AL Silver Slugger Winners at Outfield
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions