El Duque, just what the Yankees needed (4-0 since returning!)

[Journeyman]

Just when it looked like the Cuban defector was done, Orlando Hernandez may be leading the Yanks to another World Series Title..

Isn't it ironic last year Henranadez hanging on with Montreal, now back in the saddle in NYC and thiving!

Last week the talking heads penciled him as the odd man out after NY aquired Loaiza lol...He may be the #1 starter if he keeps this up...

WOW!

 

[5teamparlay]

http://mvn.com/aroundthemajors/2009/07/looking-back-at-el-duques-career.html

July 18, 2009
Looking Back At El Duque's Career


By Tyler Hissey<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> favorite_cb_callbacks.push(function (s_hash) { if ((s_hash['139375'] && s_hash['139375'].scored)) { var span = document.getElementById('scored_139375'); var score = document.getElementById('139375_score'); score.innerHTML = s_hash['139375'].sum; } else { var span = document.getElementById('scored_139375_else'); span.innerHTML = 'Recommend this'; anchor('scored_139375_else', '139375', null, '139375_score'); } }); </SCRIPT>

• <SCRIPT>function fbs_click() {u=location.href;t=document.title;window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');return false;}</SCRIPT>Orando Hernandez, or simply El Duque, appears to have reached the end of his career. Hernandez, best known for his funky delivery and success in Pinstripes at the end of last decade, was attempting a comeback this season in the Texas Rangers organization. After making eight relief appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma, though, the Rangers released him on Friday.
  
  Hernandez is old--he was born in 1965, which considering that there are products of the 1990s in the minors, seems likes generations ago by baseball standards--and hasn't pitched in the majors since 2007. He was fairly effective for a 41-year-old with the New York Mets in '07, posting a 115 ERA+ in 147.2 innings pitched. After injuries limited him to four minor league appearances in 2008, though, the odds of him turning into the Julio Franco of pitching were pretty low. Plus, pitchers who throw in the mid-80s don't have a whole lot of room for error; never a flamethrower, his average fastball velocity was down to a career-low 86.6 MPH and his curve ball was almost amusingly slow at 67.7 MPH.
  
  Assuming that this is indeed the end for Hernandez, though, it's a good time to honor a pretty nice career. Any Hall of Fame talk would be silly, of course, as he didn't even pitch for more than a decade after breaking into the majors at 32 (granted, most people thought that he was younger than that). In fact, he wouldn't even garner serious consideration for the clichéd Hall of Very Good (or perhaps even Hall of just Good), as anybody who would bring up his name in a conversation about dominant pitchers of this generation needs to lay off the crack pipe.
  
  That said, El Duque left his own mark on the game, producing some impressive campaigns while pitching in the dangerous American League East at the height of the steroid era. I'll always remember how popular he was at his hey day with the New York Yankees. One of my favorite players when I was in middle school, I loved his leg kick and get a quality laugh when watching the commercial that he was in with David Cone (from the Yankees' previous TV network, MSG) on YouTube.
  
  Over nine seasons overall, Hernandez went 90-65 with a 110 ERA+ and rates of 7.43 K/9, 3.28 BB/9 and 1.21 HR/9 in 1,314.2 innings pitched. His Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) of 4.45 was a bit higher than his 4.13 ERA and he only produced only 9.2 Wins Above Replacement since 2002 (as far as the data goes back), but he was an effective major league starting pitcher who had his fair share of signature moments.
  
  As well, El Duque posted a league-average ERA+ or better six times, compiling a 116 total in six seasons in New York:
  
  1998: 141
  1999: 115
  2000: 107
  2002: 122
  2004: 136
  2007: 115
  
  I hate when writers use postseason credentials to argue for and against a Hall of Fame case for certain candidates. Not all players have the chance to shine in October, of course, so it's unfair to put too much stock into playoff performances. While El Duque was afforded the luxury of pitching on a dynasty and thus was able to make many appearances in the playoffs, though, it would be hard to ignore his success on the big stage. He truly made the most of his opportunities, going 9-3 with a 2.55 ERA, 9.08 K/9 and 3.98 FIP in 106.0 postseason innings.*
  
  Looking at his batted ball data from October, it's interesting to see that he had fortune on his side, for the most part. His .259 BABIP and 85.3 strand rate were considerably better than his career averages.
  
  Perhaps Hernandez has another act, but it's doubtful. Thus, we should take the time to reflect on what he was able to do on the mound and do "The El Duque" out of respect for his career..
  
  <EMBED src=http://www.youtube.com/v/vRMJQvSJyQg&hl=en&fs=1& width=425 height=344 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true">
  
  Tyler Hissey is the editor of Around the Majors and host of Minor League Notebook Weekly, FirstInning.com's online radio show. Tyler was a recent guest of Sid Rosenberg's baseball show on OpenSports.com. To reach him, send an email to TylerHissey@gmail.com.