Michel Hernandez #41

Full name MICHEL HERNANDEZ...He and his wife, Marta, have one son, Michael (5)...Attended one year of college in Cuba after graduating from high school in 1995...Fled the island in October 1996 at the age of 18...He was a star catcher for the Havana Industriales, the same club that produced Orlando Hernandez, Vladimir Nunez and Rey Ordoñez, in the amateur Cuban National League...While playing a series of games in Tihosuco, Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula, Hernandez and four other teammates fled the stadium...Established residency in Venezuela.

2011

Hernandez, 33, was signed by Cleveland as a free agent on July 1 of last season and split the remainder of the season between AA Akron and AAA Columbus where he hit a combined .320 (39-122) with 10 doubles, 2HR & 26RBI in 39 games...Was released by Baltimore organization in mid-June...Was with Columbus from July 16-29...Rest of stint was w/Akron.

2010

Spent the season with Triple-A Norfolk, batting .263 (50-190) with a .340 OBP, three home runs and 22 RBI in 58 games...Collected season-high three hits three times; June 6 vs. Buffalo, June 19 at Toledo and June 27 vs. Louisville...Had a season-long six-game hit streak to end the year, batting .500 (9-18)...Hit .286 with a .702 OPS vs. RHP and .211 with a .601 OPS vs. LHP...Batted .303 (23-76) with a .768 OPS after the All-Star break...Hit his only grand slam of the year on June 27 vs. Louisville

2009

Split the season between Triple-A Durham and the Tampa Bay Rays...Collected a season-high 2 hits for Durham; August 25 at Syracuse and September 5 vs. Norfolk...Batted .242 in 35 games with the Rays, collecting a season-high 4 hits, April 30 vs. BOS...Hit safely in 8 straight games, May 19-June 17, batting .310 (9-29)...Hit .293 (17-58) in 22 home games and .171 (7-41) in 13 road games

2008

Eleven-year minor league veteran was acquired from the Pirates for cash considerations on Aug 31, joining Triple-A Durham's postseason roster...Had spent the entire season to that point with Triple-A Indianapolis...Was selected from Durham on Sep 9, marking the second big league stint of his career and first in 5 years, and played in 5 games (4 starts) for the Rays... Received the call-up when Shawn Riggans underwent surgery on his right knee (bursa sac)...Made his Rays debut on September 13 vs. NYY as the starting catcher and went 1-for-5 and scored...It was his first major league hit since 2003 on September 13 at Yankee Stadium, the same place he recorded his first ML hit...Did not appear in a postseason game for the Rays, but remained on their roster through all three rounds due to Riggans' injury...Started Games 2 and 3 in the Governor's Cup semifinals against Louisville (Reds), helping the Bulls advance to the finals in 4 games (3-1)...Was called up to the majors between the semifinals and finals...Was a non-roster invite for the Pirates in Bradenton...Served as the starting catcher for Indianapolis during his time there...Tied a career-high with 14 doubles...Was his 7th consecutive season playing primarily at the Triple-A level.

2007

Attended Spring Training as a non-roster invite with St. Louis but was released at the end of camp...After a 2½-month stint with the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League, he signed a minor league pact with the Rays on June 9... Remained with Triple-A Durham the rest of the season...Batted .276 (47-170) over 51 games with the Bulls (49-C, 2-DH)... Compiled a 16-game hitting streak, June 28-July 25...Did not commit an error in 405 total chances behind the plate...Caught 45 percent (24 of 53) of runners attempting to steal.

2006

Played a full season at Triple-A Memphis in his first season in the Cardinals organization...Batted .298 in the season's first two months, but .170 (9-for-53) in June and July combined...Was 18-for-63 (.286) with runners in scoring position and 7-for-22 (.318) w/RISP and two outs...Posted a .358 (29-for-81) batting average when leading off. Had 10 hits in 25 at-bats (.400) when serving as designated hitter...Made three errors in 470 total chances behind the plate for a .994 fielding percentage...Threw out 26-of-70 (.371) attempted base stealers...Began the season with five straight multi-hit games from 4/6-10 (12-for-27, .444)...Finished the year with 22 multi-hit games...Hit safely in 11 of his first 12 starts (.396, 21-for-53)...Went 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles and season-high three RBI on 5/2 vs. New Orleans...Saw his first-ever action at first base in a start there on 5/7 vs. Iowa...Batted .297 (19-for-64) in his final 23 games from 8/1 - 9/3.

2005

Played the entire season at Triple-A Portland and batted .288 with three home runs and 31 RBI in 82 games...Ranked among Pacific Coast League batting leaders for the month of August with a .367 (11-for-30) average...Batted .343 (24-for-70) over his last 22 games spanning the final three months...Reached base by a walk or a hit in 37 of his last 43 games...Totaled more walks than strikeouts for the third consecutive year...Posted a .380 (35-for-92) batting average vs. left-handed pitchers; .238 (41-for- 172) vs. righties...Committed five errors in 602 total chances for a .992 fielding percentage. Allowed two passed balls...Tallied four hits against Tacoma on 6/6...Legged out his fifth career triple 6/28 at Sacramento...Had a pair of home runs on 8/25 vs. LVG, his first home runs since 4/18...Had three six-game hitting streaks, the last from 8/13-26 included four consecutive two-hit games.

2004

Went to spring training with Boston before being claimed off waivers by the Phillies on 3/24...spent the season with the Phillies Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons club...hit .254 in 77 games, all behind the plate...hit safely in 10 of his first 13 games, posting a .300 average...had a seven game hitting streak form April 21-May 5...connected for a grand slam on 6/8 at Indianapolis...had a season high three hits on two occasions, 6/18 vs. Pawtucket and 7/25 vs. Toledo...walked 25 times vs. just 24 strikeouts.

2003

Hit .280 with 14 doubles, four home runs and 30 RBI in 89 games at Triple-A Columbus and made his major league debut, appearing in five September contests for the Yankees...between Columbus and New York, established career highs in runs scored (39), hits (80), total bases (106), home runs (4), walks (37) and on-base percentage (.368) and tied his 2000 personal best with 14 doubles...his major league debut came on 9/6 as a defensive replacement vs. BOS -- drew a walk in his first plate appearance...went 1-for-4 while with NYY, collecting his first hit on 9/26 vs. BAL off Rodrigo Lopez...batted .418 vs. left-handed pitchers while at Columbus...made just four errors in 610 total chances for the Clippers for a .993 fielding percentage.

2002

Started his 3rd straight season at Double-A Norwich, batting .311 with a homer and 12 RBI in 20 games before being promoted to Triple-A Columbus on 6/18...hit .352 in his first 17 games of the season before sustaining a concussion that put him on the D.L. 5/11-6/15...with the Clippers in his first Triple-A action, batted .281 with one homer and 12 RBI in 41 games...his .291 batting average between the two stops was a career best...was added to the Yankees 40-man roster on 11/19.

2001

Appeared in 51 games for Double-A Norwich, batting .227 with two homers and 10 RBI...was twice placed on the D.L., first with a left hamstring strain from 5/9-6/29, then with a right shoulder strain 8/6-23...rehabbed with the Yankees Gulf Coast League entry from 6/21-27 when coming back from the hamstring injury...overall, posted a .982 fielding percentage.

2000

Opened the season with Double-A Norwich, appearing in 21 games, before being sent to Single-A Tampa for the remainder of the year on 5/12...between the two stops, established career bests with 96 games played and 32 RBI...hit .221 with a homer and 28 RBI in 75 games at Tampa...finished with a .985 fielding percentage for the season, committing 11 errors on the year.

1999

Endured a pair of stints on the D.L. in spending the full season with Single-A Tampa...batted .246 with two home runs and 23 RBI in 82 games, making 81 starts behind the plate...was sidelined 5/18-6/1 with a right quadriceps strain and was out 8/14-9/1 with a right ankle sprain...hit .385 (10-for-26) with a homer and two RBI in seven August games before the injury...made seven errors in 81 games behind the plate for a .989 fielding percentage.