Books and articles about Carlos Baerga

A three-time All-Star second baseman in the American League, Baerga became a mediocre, injury-riddled second baseman in the National League after a 1996 trade brought him to the New York Mets. By the age of 31, Baerga was out of baseball.

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The scouting report on Baerga had always been that he was a solid clutch hitter who was shaky with the glove. Born in Puerto Rico, Baerga spent three years in the minors before joining the Indians in August 1990 and quickly became their most reliable pinch-hitter. He was the Indians' starting third baseman at the start of the next season, then took over at second base from Jerry Browne mid-year.

For the next five seasons, the consistent Baerga was one of the main cogs in the Indians' rise to power in the AL, placing high amongst team and league leaders in batting average, homers and RBI. On April 8, 1993, at Yankee Stadium, the switch-hitter became the only batter in history to hit homers from both sides of the plate in the same inning.

Baerga was also a leader in clubhouse and was well-liked by all his teammates. But he put on some weight over the winter of 1995-96, and management felt he had a lackadaisical attitude; he often could be seen chatting on a cell phone during batting practice. His hitting fell proportionately to his perceived behavior problems.

He was batting just .267 when, on July 30, 1996, he became the Mets' 103rd third baseman, traded to New York with infielder Alvaro Espinoza in exchange for Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino. The trade angered and confused many Cleveland fans, who considered Baerga the cornerstone of their team. The Mets thought Baerga could be a star player once again, but he hit only .193 for New York in 26 games.

Things got worse the following season. Baerga got off to an extremely slow start with the Mets in 1997, then sustained a rib injury that limited his playing time and forced him to bat exclusively left-handed. Meanwhile, Kent, since traded to the Giants, started to emerge as a star player, slugging 29 homers and knocking in 121 runs.

Baerga managed to put in a full season for the Mets in 1998, but still showed no signs of his former self. He started the season slowly, heated up briefly, but faded again to finish at .266 with only seven homers. After the season the Mets showed no interest in renewing his contract.

Baerga tried in vain to find somewhere to play. Cut by St. Louis before playing a game, he was offered a minor-league contract by the Reds and spent three months in Triple-A before San Diego gave him a chance to return to the majors. Baerga batted .250 in various roles with the Padres until, much to his delight, the Indians reacquired him late in the season to play a utility role.

Cleveland fans loved the move, and they gave an emotional Baerga standing ovations. Still, Baerga, only 30, was not the same man who collected averaged .290 and 85 RBI as a member of the Indians earlier in the decade. He finished the year with a .241 average and only three homers in limited playing time. It may have been the last hurrah for the fallen star, as he tore up his knee in winter ball, leaving his future in serious doubt. (SW/AF)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » December 6, 1989: The Mets trade reliever Randy Myers to the Reds for fellow closer John Franco; Joe Carter and Fred Lynn are sent by Cleveland to San Diego for Sandy Alomar, Carlos Baerga. and Chris James; and free-agent relief specialist Jeff Reardon signs with the Red Sox. » April 11, 1992: Cleveland 2B Carlos Baerga is 6-for-9 in the Indians 7–5, 19-inning loss to the Red Sox. » May 7, 1992: The Indians commit around-the-horn errors in a 8–7 victory over the Rangers. 1B Paul Sorrento boots a ground ball, 2B Carlos Baerga misses a pop–up, SS Mark Lewis drops a throw and 3B Brook Jacoby boots another grounder. » April 8, 1993: Indians 2B Carlos Baerga becomes the 1st player in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning, connecting in the 7th inning of Cleveland's 15-5 win over the Yankees. » June 17, 1993: Cleveland 2B Carlos Baerga hits three home runs in the Indians' 9-5 loss to Detroit. The Tigers hit five 4-baggers of their own, including a pair each by Travis Fryman and Dan Gladden. Three players with two or more homers in a game ties an American League mark. » May 9, 1995: The Indians score eight runs before any outs are recorded in the 1st inning, tying a major league record. Paul Sorrento, Kenny Lofton and Carlos Baerga each hit home runs in the stanza, as Cleveland goes on to a 10-0 victory behind Orel Hershiser and Paul Assenmacher. » July 16, 1995: Cleveland defeats Oakland, 5-4 in 12 innings, as Indians' 2B Carlos Baerga lashes out five hits, including a double. The win opens up Cleveland's lead in the American League Central to 14 1/2 games. » July 29, 1996: The Indians trade 2B Carlos Baerga and IF Alvaro Espinoza to the Mets in exchange for 3B Jeff Kent and SS Jose Vizcaino. Baerga, a former All-Star, is last in hitting and fielding among American League second basemen. » April 16, 1997: Brett Butler is 5-for-5, collecting four more hits than the Mets, as the Dodgers win, 5–2. Carlos Baerga has the only New York hit, a 7th-inning double off Pedro Astacio. » January 27, 1999: The Cardinals sign free agent 2B Carlos Baerga to a contract. » July 2, 1999: Phil Nevin and Carlos Baerga hit back-to-back pinch-hitter home runs in the 9th inning, as San Diego defeats Colorado, 15-3. » August 16, 1999: The Indians obtain 2B Carlos Baerga from the Padres in exchange for a player to be named. » July 18, 2001: Quack. Carlos Baerga, who was playing with the Long Island Ducks, in the independent Atlantic League, has his contract sold to the Samsung Ducks, in the Korean Baseball League. » June 8, 2002: In a heralded match of aces at Fenway, Curt Schilling (12-1) and the Diamondbacks beat the Red Sox' Pedro Martinez, 3–2. Pedro, complaining of a sore arm, pitches six innings, gives up three runs on seven hits, and strikes out 10. Schilling allows a solo home run to Carlos Baerga in the 1st, and a run in the 8th in winning his 9th straight.