Tony Bernazard
Encyclopedia
Antonio Bernazard Garcia (born August 24, 1956 in Caguas, Puerto Rico
) is a former Major League Baseball
player and former executive in the New York Mets
organization. Bernazard served as an assistant to Mets general manager
Omar Minaya
before being dismissed on July 27, 2009.
, and designated hitter
for the Montreal Expos
, Chicago White Sox
, Seattle Mariners
, Cleveland Indians
, Oakland Athletics
, and Detroit Tigers
. He hit 75 home run
s in 3700 at-bats. His career hitting line (BA/OBP/SLG) stands at .262/.339/.387.
Bernazard missed out on the Chicago White Sox
divisional pennant run of when he was traded to the Mariners for second baseman Julio Cruz on June 15 of that year. The speedier Cruz helped spur the Sox to win the division by 20 games.
In with the Indians, he went through an 0 for 44 stretch at the plate, tying a major league hitless streak for non-pitcher
s in the last 50 years. He hit
only .221 that year. He rebounded to have two productive seasons with the Indians batting .274 in and a career high .301 in while also hitting 17 home runs. Bernazard was also famous for his habit of eating nothing but chicken during hitting streaks.
From -, he played for the Nankai / Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
in the Japan
ese Pacific League
. After a brief major league comeback in with the Tigers, in which he went 2-for-12 in 6 games, his career was over.
During the 2004 off-season, then-free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado
was offended when Bernazard—a fellow Puerto Rican—attempted to gain an advantage in wooing Delgado to the Mets by utilizing what Delgado termed "street Spanish." Delgado was heavily critical in public of the Mets' negotiating tactics. He reportedly referred to Bernazard as "the highest-paid translator on the planet" after meeting him and Minaya for a face-to-face negotiating session at baseball's Winter Meetings. Bernazard, who was known for his flamboyant antics around the Mets offices and Shea Stadium, downplayed the incident.
Bernazard came under scrutiny again during the season, when it was reported that he was allegedly the person who orchestrated the firing of then Mets manager
Willie Randolph
. Bernazard came under renewed scrutiny in late July during the season after removing his shirt and challenging several Binghamton Mets
players to fights. The same week Bernazard had another tirade at Citi Field when a Diamondbacks scout occupied a seat that he wanted and one of his deputies suggested to him that he wait until the end of the half inning, prompting Bernazard to become angry. In addition, Bernazard had an angry confrontation with Mets closer
Francisco Rodriguez on the team bus, while returning to the team's hotel after an 11-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves
.
The Mets organization issued a statement by General Manager Omar Minaya saying, in part, "I spoke with Tony [Bernazard] this morning and informed him of my decision to terminate his employment with the Mets," confirming an earlier report. At the press conference announcing the firing, Minaya angrily challenged the accuracy of past news reports, claiming that New York Daily News
reporter Adam Rubin, who initially broke the story about Bernazard challenging Binghamton Mets players to a fight, was angling for a position in the Mets organization. Omar Minaya fired Bernazard from the Mets on Monday July 27, 2009.
. Bernazard later denied this in an interview with FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal
. In the interview (dated April 27, 2010), Bernazard claimed that the media reports about his behavior were untrue. He also claimed that the Mets organization did not support him because the team needed a scapegoat for the 2009 season. As far as his career was concerned, Bernazard was not employed by a baseball team at that time, despite the fact that Bernazard claims he "had some calls" from unspecified sources at the end of December 2009. He additionally claimed that he "[hasn't] been looking for a job."
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...
) 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...
player and former executive in 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...
organization. Bernazard served as an assistant to Mets general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
before being dismissed on July 27, 2009.
Playing career
During his ten year major league career, Bernazard played second base, shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
for 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, 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....
, and 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...
. He hit 75 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 in 3700 at-bats. His career hitting line (BA/OBP/SLG) stands at .262/.339/.387.
Bernazard missed out on the 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...
divisional pennant run of when he was traded to the Mariners for second baseman Julio Cruz on June 15 of that year. The speedier Cruz helped spur the Sox to win the division by 20 games.
In with the Indians, he went through an 0 for 44 stretch at the plate, tying a major league hitless streak for non-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...
s in the last 50 years. He hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
only .221 that year. He rebounded to have two productive seasons with the Indians batting .274 in and a career high .301 in while also hitting 17 home runs. Bernazard was also famous for his habit of eating nothing but chicken during hitting streaks.
From -, he played for the Nankai / Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
in the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
. After a brief major league comeback in with the Tigers, in which he went 2-for-12 in 6 games, his career was over.
Front office career
Bernazard became the Vice President of Development for the New York Mets in December 2004 after serving as a Special Assistant to General Manager Omar Minaya.During the 2004 off-season, then-free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players....
was offended when Bernazard—a fellow Puerto Rican—attempted to gain an advantage in wooing Delgado to the Mets by utilizing what Delgado termed "street Spanish." Delgado was heavily critical in public of the Mets' negotiating tactics. He reportedly referred to Bernazard as "the highest-paid translator on the planet" after meeting him and Minaya for a face-to-face negotiating session at baseball's Winter Meetings. Bernazard, who was known for his flamboyant antics around the Mets offices and Shea Stadium, downplayed the incident.
Bernazard came under scrutiny again during the season, when it was reported that he was allegedly the person who orchestrated the firing of then Mets manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Willie Randolph
Willie Randolph
Willie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...
. Bernazard came under renewed scrutiny in late July during the season after removing his shirt and challenging several Binghamton Mets
Binghamton Mets
The Binghamton Mets are a U.S. minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club...
players to fights. The same week Bernazard had another tirade at Citi Field when a Diamondbacks scout occupied a seat that he wanted and one of his deputies suggested to him that he wait until the end of the half inning, prompting Bernazard to become angry. In addition, Bernazard had an angry confrontation with Mets 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...
Francisco Rodriguez on the team bus, while returning to the team's hotel after an 11-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
.
The Mets organization issued a statement by General Manager Omar Minaya saying, in part, "I spoke with Tony [Bernazard] this morning and informed him of my decision to terminate his employment with the Mets," confirming an earlier report. At the press conference announcing the firing, Minaya angrily challenged the accuracy of past news reports, claiming that New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
reporter Adam Rubin, who initially broke the story about Bernazard challenging Binghamton Mets players to a fight, was angling for a position in the Mets organization. Omar Minaya fired Bernazard from the Mets on Monday July 27, 2009.
Post-Mets career
In October 2009, Adam Rubin reported in his blog that Bernazard was close to joining the renowned sports agency Boras Corp., led by baseball super agent Scott BorasScott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
. Bernazard later denied this in an interview with FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal
Ken Rosenthal
Kenneth H. Rosenthal is an American sportswriter and reporter.Rosenthal has served as lead field reporter for Major League Baseball on Fox since 2005...
. In the interview (dated April 27, 2010), Bernazard claimed that the media reports about his behavior were untrue. He also claimed that the Mets organization did not support him because the team needed a scapegoat for the 2009 season. As far as his career was concerned, Bernazard was not employed by a baseball team at that time, despite the fact that Bernazard claims he "had some calls" from unspecified sources at the end of December 2009. He additionally claimed that he "[hasn't] been looking for a job."