Danys Báez
Encyclopedia
Danys Báez González (ˈdaniz ˈβa.eθ, ˈdæni ˈbaɪ.ɛz; born September 10, 1977, in Pinar del Río
, Cuba
) is a Cuba
n professional baseball
pitcher
who is a free agent. Báez has previously played for the Cleveland Indians
(2001–2003), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2004–2005), Los Angeles Dodgers
(2006), Atlanta Braves
(2006), Baltimore Orioles
(2007–2009), and Philadelphia Phillies
(2010-2011).
in 1999. In his second season, he played for both the Indians and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
. In his debut, he went a scoreless inning against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
. Over the rest of the year, he went 5–3 with a 2.91 ERA
.
In 2002, Báez was moved into the starting rotation of the Indians. He won his first start
on April 5 of that year facing the Detroit Tigers
. In 26 starts, he went 9–10 with a 4.44 ERA. He was given the role of closer
in August, where he finished off the season.
Báez pitched for the Indians as a reliever in 2003. He was both a setup man and a closer that season. He had 25 saves and 10 blown saves, which was tied for the most in the Major Leagues.
with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was their full-time closer in 2004. He was 30 for 33 in save chances, which was a career high and seventh best in the Major Leagues. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
January 14, 2006 along with Lance Carter
for Edwin Jackson
and Chuck Tiffany. The Dodgers intended Báez to serve as a closer until the injured Éric Gagné
was healthy, but he was removed from the role in May after blowing four saves in four chances.
Willy Aybar
in exchange for shortstop
/third baseman
Wilson Betemit
. While in Atlanta, he was the set-up man for the Braves' newly-acquired closer Bob Wickman
.
, but became the closer after Ray suffered a season ending injury in late July. On March 29, 2008, Baez was placed on the disabled list
after having elbow surgery and missed the entire 2008 season.
Báez returned from elbow surgery with a good start to the season. On May 22, 2009 Báez got his first major league hit against the Nationals against reliever Kip Wells
.
, which was officially announced on Tuesday, January 5, 2010. In 2010, Baez made 51 appearances for the Phillies, recording a 5.48 ERA.
Baez made 29 appearances for Philadelphia in 2011, recording a 6.25 ERA before being designated for assignment on July 22. On August 1, he was released.
in Winnipeg
, Canada
. His parents followed him to the United States
five years later.
He studied physics in Cuba. Báez loves animals and has a boxer
named Lennox in honor of professional boxer Lennox Lewis
.
Pinar del Río
Pinar del Río is a city in Cuba. It is the capital of Pinar del Río Province.Inhabitants of the area are called Pinareños.Neighborhoods in the city include La Conchita, La Coloma, Briones Montoto and Las Ovas.-History:...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
) is a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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...
who is a free agent. Báez has previously played for the 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...
(2001–2003), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2004–2005), Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(2006), 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....
(2006), Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(2007–2009), and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(2010-2011).
Cleveland Indians
Báez was signed by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland 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...
in 1999. In his second season, he played for both the Indians and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
. In his debut, he went a scoreless inning against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. Over the rest of the year, he went 5–3 with a 2.91 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
In 2002, Báez was moved into the starting rotation of the Indians. He won his first start
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
on April 5 of that year facing the 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...
. In 26 starts, he went 9–10 with a 4.44 ERA. He was given the role of 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...
in August, where he finished off the season.
Báez pitched for the Indians as a reliever in 2003. He was both a setup man and a closer that season. He had 25 saves and 10 blown saves, which was tied for the most in the Major Leagues.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Báez signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was their full-time closer in 2004. He was 30 for 33 in save chances, which was a career high and seventh best in the Major Leagues. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
January 14, 2006 along with Lance Carter
Lance Carter
Lance David Carter is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He has pitched in Major League Baseball with the Kansas City Royals Tampa Bay Devil Rays , and Los Angeles Dodgers . He bats and throws right-handed...
for Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
and Chuck Tiffany. The Dodgers intended Báez to serve as a closer until the injured Éric Gagné
Éric Gagné
Éric Serge Gagné is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in 1995, Gagné began his career as a starting pitcher...
was healthy, but he was removed from the role in May after blowing four saves in four chances.
Atlanta Braves
Báez was traded to the Braves on July 28, 2006, along with infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Willy Aybar
Willy Aybar
Willy Del Jesus Aybar is an infielder who currently plays for the Yuma Scorpions in the North American League. Aybar has previously played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Tampa Bay Rays...
in exchange for shortstop
Shortstop
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...
/third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Wilson Betemit
Wilson Betemit
Wilson Betemit is a Dominican professional baseball infielder. He is 6'2" and weighs 220 pounds...
. While in Atlanta, he was the set-up man for the Braves' newly-acquired closer Bob Wickman
Bob Wickman
Robert Joe Wickman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wickman played for the New York Yankees , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves , and Arizona Diamondbacks . He batted and threw right-handed...
.
Baltimore Orioles
Báez signed a three-year deal with the Orioles on November 26, 2006. He served as the set-up man for Orioles' closing pitcher Chris RayChris Ray
Christopher Thomas Ray is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life and career:...
, but became the closer after Ray suffered a season ending injury in late July. On March 29, 2008, Baez was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
after having elbow surgery and missed the entire 2008 season.
Báez returned from elbow surgery with a good start to the season. On May 22, 2009 Báez got his first major league hit against the Nationals against reliever Kip Wells
Kip Wells
Robert "Kip" Wells is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.-High school career:...
.
Philadelphia Phillies
On December 31, 2009, Baez agreed in principle to a contract with the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, which was officially announced on Tuesday, January 5, 2010. In 2010, Baez made 51 appearances for the Phillies, recording a 5.48 ERA.
Baez made 29 appearances for Philadelphia in 2011, recording a 6.25 ERA before being designated for assignment on July 22. On August 1, he was released.
Personal
Báez defected from the Cuban national team at the 1999 Pan American Games1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. His parents followed him to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
five years later.
He studied physics in Cuba. Báez loves animals and has a boxer
Boxer (dog)
Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic , and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism , very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to...
named Lennox in honor of professional boxer Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
.