Willy Taveras
| Willy Taveras | |
|---|---|
 Taveras during the2007 World Series | |
| Center fielder | |
| Born:December 25, 1981 Tenares,Dominican Republic | |
Batted:Right Threw:Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 6, 2004, for the Houston Astros | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 15, 2010, for the Washington Nationals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .274 |
| Home runs | 8 |
| Runs batted in | 128 |
| Stolen bases | 195 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Willy Taveras(born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican formerprofessional baseballcenter fielderinMajor League Baseball(MLB). He played a total of seven seasons for theHouston Astros,Colorado Rockies,Cincinnati Reds,andWashington Nationals.
As a rookie in 2005, Taveras was instrumental in the Astros' first-everleague pennantwin andWorld Seriesappearances. Behind his hitting, speed, and defense, Taveras won the Players Choice Award forNational League(NL)Outstanding Rookie,theSporting NewsNL Rookie of the Year,and a selection to theTopps All-Star Rookie Team.
Professional career
[edit]Houston Astros
[edit]
Taveras made his major league debut as a member of theHouston Astroslate in the 2004 season, appearing in 10 games, primarily as apinch runner.
In2005,Taveras became the Astros' starting center fielder as a rookie, replacingCarlos Beltrán,who had signed as afree agentwith theNew York Metsin the prior offseason. Taverasbatted.291 while leading the majors ininfield hits(71),bunthits (31), andsingles(152), and was tops among rookies inruns(82), hits (172), andstolen bases(34; 6th in theNational League,NL).
In Game 4 of the2005 National League Championship Series(NLCS) against theSt. Louis Cardinals,Taveras entered in the seventhinningas a pinch runner and scored the winning run on a shortsacrifice flyto center field. In the eighth, Taveras' catch while running upTal's Hilldeep in center field atMinute Maid Parkended the inning and preserved a 2–1 lead.
Following the season, Taveras was named in thePlayers Choice Awardsas the NLOutstanding Rookie.He also won theSporting NewsNL Rookie of the Year Awardand selection to theTopps All-Star Rookie Team.For theBaseball Writers' Association of America(BBWAA) awards, Taveras finished second toRyan Howardof thePhiladelphia Philliesfor the NLRookie of the Year Award.[1]
In2006,Taveras' batting average regressed to.278, though he again led the majors in bunt hits (21) and had 33stolen bases(10th in the NL), but just 30 RBI. Taveras had a 30-gamehitting streakthat ended August 29, 2006, during a game in which he was hit twice byMilwaukee BrewerspitcherTomo Ohka.Taveras' streak is a franchise record, breaking the record of 25 previously held byJeff Kent.The streak made him part of a rare club of less than a hundred to have hit in thirty straight games.[2]Within that streak, Taveras had a streak of singles in 28 consecutive games, tying a National League record set byWillie Davisin 1969. As of 2020[update],Taveras and Davis still hold the league record.[3]
Colorado Rockies
[edit]On December 12, 2006, Taveras was traded along withTaylor BuchholzandJason Hirshby the Astros to theColorado RockiesforpitchersJason JenningsandMiguel Asencio.
During the 2007 regular season, Taveras hit.320, including an MLB-leading 27 bunt singles, 2 home runs, 24 RBIs, 33 stolen bases, and caught stealing 9 times. He was part of theWorld Seriesroster after making a big play in theNLCSvs theArizona Diamondbacks.In the World Series, the Rockies were swept by theBoston Red Sox.
In a 22-inning game played atPetco Parkbetween April 17–18,2008,Taveras established a Rockies' club record with 10at-batsin the game.
Taveras led MLB with 68 stolen bases during the 2008 season, and led the NL with 24 bunt hits.[4]At the same time, his.296 slugging percentage was the lowest in the majors.[5]Defensively, however, his.976 fielding percentage was the lowest of all qualifying major league center fielders.[6]
On December 12, 2008, the Rockies non-tendered Taveras, making him a free agent.[7]
Cincinnati Reds
[edit]On December 27, 2008, Taveras signed a two-year deal worth $6.25 million with theCincinnati Reds.[8] In his debut with the Reds, he hit a pinch-hit triple in the 8th inning after being down with the flu for over a week.
In 2009, Taveras had the lowest slugging percentage,.285, and the lowest on-base percentage,.275, of all National League players with at least 350 plate appearances. On February 1, 2010, Taveras was traded along withAdam Rosalesto theOakland AthleticsforAaron Milesand a player to be named later. He was later designated for assignment by Oakland. Taveras declined a Triple-A assignment and was granted free agency.
Washington Nationals
[edit]On February 15, 2010, Taveras signed a minor league contract with theWashington Nationalswith an invite to spring training. He played 27 games, and on May 21, 2010 he was granted his unconditional release.
Philadelphia Phillies
[edit]On June 3, 2010, he signed a minor league contract with thePhillies.[9]He was assigned to the Triple-ALehigh Valley.
On June 29, 2010, he was released after playing 23 games for the IronPigs, batting.208 in 96 AB's, with nine stolen bases.
On August 15, 2010, Taveras signed a minor league deal with theTexas Rangers.
Return to the Rockies
[edit]
On January 25, 2011, Taveras signed a minor league contract with theColorado Rockies.He spent the 2011 season with the Rockies Triple-A affiliateColorado Springs Sky Sox,batting.308 in 97 games with a.336 on-base percentage.[10]Due to problems with the sports agency that formerly represented him Taveras was out of American baseball for the entire 2012 season.[10]
Kansas City Royals
[edit]On December 11, 2012, Taveras was signed to a minor league contract by theKansas City Royalswith an invitation to spring training.[10]At the time of the signing Taveras was playing baseball in theMexican Pacific Leaguewith the Yaquis de Obregón.[10]
Sugar Land Skeeters
[edit]Taveras signed with theSugar Land Skeetersof theAtlantic League of Professional Baseballfor the 2015 season. This was Taveras' first year playing in an independent baseball league.
Pericos de Puebla
[edit]On April 11, 2016, Taveras signed with thePericos de Pueblaof theMexican Baseball League.
Acereros de Monclova
[edit]On February 21, 2017, Taveras, along withChad Gaudin,Daric Barton,Nyjer Morgan,Manny Rodriguez,and Rodolfo Amador, were traded to theAcereros de Monclovain exchange for RHP Joaquín Lara. Taveras became a free agent following the 2017 season.
Sugar Land Skeeters (second stint)
[edit]On May 13, 2019, after spending all of 2018 out of professional baseball, Taveras re-signed with theSugar Land Skeeters.He was released on July 22.
Scouting report
[edit]Taveras has good skills for slap-hitting; however, he strikes out frequently (103 times in 2005) and rarelywalks.His career-high in walks is 36, resulting in a lowon-base percentage.In addition, Taveras is an exceptionally poor power hitter, producing the lowest slugging percentage among all regular major league outfielders for both the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He has great speed and has been clocked at 3.57 seconds from home to first as a right-handed hitter. Taveras has also led the league in infield singles, and his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was.374 in 2007.
Career highlights
[edit]- 2005Player's Choice Rookie of the Year.
- 2005Sporting News Rookie of the Year
- Named to2006 Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team.
- 30 gamehitting streak(Astrosfranchise record).
Personal life
[edit]A cousin of Taveras,Leody,is also an outfielder in Major League Baseball who signed with theTexas Rangersas an international free agent in 2015 and made his MLB debut in2020.[11]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^"2005 awards voting".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedApril 8,2023.
- ^"Longest hitting streaks in MLB history".MLB.
- ^"Batting Streak Finder".Stathead.Sports Reference.RetrievedJune 30,2020.
- ^"Major League Leaderboards » 2008 » Batters » Batted Ball Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball".fangraphs.
- ^"2008 Major League Baseball Advanced Batting".
- ^"2021 Regular Season MLB Baseball 1B Fielding Statistics - Major League Baseball - ESPN".
- ^"Rockies non-tender Willy Taveras".
- ^"Reds ink Taveras to two-year deal".
- ^"Phillies sign OF Taveras to minor league deal".Seattle PI.June 3, 2010.
- ^abcdDrellich, Evan (December 11, 2012)."Royals sign speedy outfielder Taveras".MLB via Royals team website.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.
- ^"Leody Taveras stats".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedApril 17,2023.
External links
[edit]
- Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors),orRetrosheet
- 1981 births
- Living people
- Acereros de Monclova players
- Águilas Cibaeñas players
- Burlington Indians players (1986–2006)
- Cincinnati Reds players
- Colorado Rockies players
- Columbus RedStixx players
- Colorado Springs Sky Sox players
- Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico
- Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Gwinnett Braves players
- Houston Astros players
- Kinston Indians players
- Lehigh Valley IronPigs players
- Major League Baseball center fielders
- Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
- Mexican League baseball center fielders
- Mexican League baseball right fielders
- National League stolen base champions
- Oklahoma City RedHawks players
- Omaha Storm Chasers players
- People from Hermanas Mirabal Province
- Pericos de Puebla players
- Round Rock Express players
- Scottsdale Scorpions players
- Sugar Land Skeeters players
- Washington Nationals players
- Yaquis de Obregón players
- World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic
- 2006 World Baseball Classic players
- 2009 World Baseball Classic players