Rómulo Sánchez
Encyclopedia
Rómulo Ignacio Sánchez Oviedo (born April 28, 1984, in Carora
, Venezuela
) is a professional baseball
relief pitcher
for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
of Nippon Professional Baseball. He has also pitched in Major League Baseball
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
and New York Yankees
. He bats and throws right-handed.
by the Los Angeles Dodgers
on March 8, . He played in the Dominican Summer League in 2002 and .
He was released by the Dodgers on March 12, , and was picked up by the Pirates on May 7, 2004. He pitched in the Venezuelan League in 2004 for the Pirates. In , he began to play in the Pirates minor league system beginning in rookie ball and ending the year in Double-A Altoona
. In , Sánchez played in two Single-A levels and also played Double-A ball.
Sánchez began the season with the Altoona Curve
. When Salomon Torres
went on the disabled list
on August 25, 2007, for the big league club, Sánchez was called up. He had gone 6-3 with a 2.81 ERA
in 40 relief appearances for the Curve.
Sánchez was traded to the New York Yankees
for Eric Hacker
on May 16, . Following the 2009 season, Sánchez was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft
. On May 7, 2010, the Yankees recalled Sánchez to the major leagues.
Out of options, the Yankees sold Sánchez to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
after designating him for assignment at the end of 2011 spring training.
Carora
Carora is a town in Lara State, Venezuela, on the Morere River, a branch of the Tocuyo River. It is about 54 miles southwest of Barquisimeto. Carora was founded twice. The first time, in the year 1569 by Juan de Tejo, but due to constant attacks from the indigenous population, it was abandoned,...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
) is a professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,...
of Nippon Professional Baseball. He has also pitched in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Baseball career
Sánchez was signed as an undrafted 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....
by 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...
on March 8, . He played in the Dominican Summer League in 2002 and .
He was released by the Dodgers on March 12, , and was picked up by the Pirates on May 7, 2004. He pitched in the Venezuelan League in 2004 for the Pirates. In , he began to play in the Pirates minor league system beginning in rookie ball and ending the year in Double-A Altoona
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
. In , Sánchez played in two Single-A levels and also played Double-A ball.
Sánchez began the season with the Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
. When Salomon Torres
Salomón Torres
Salomón Torres Ramirez is a former Major League Baseball player. He began his career in with the San Francisco Giants, and also played for the Seattle Mariners, Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Milwaukee Brewers.-San Francisco Giants:Torres is best known for starting the last game of the...
went 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:...
on August 25, 2007, for the big league club, Sánchez was called up. He had gone 6-3 with a 2.81 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 40 relief appearances for the Curve.
Sánchez was traded to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for Eric Hacker
Eric Hacker
Eric Lynn Hacker is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...
on May 16, . Following the 2009 season, Sánchez was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. On May 7, 2010, the Yankees recalled Sánchez to the major leagues.
Out of options, the Yankees sold Sánchez to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,...
after designating him for assignment at the end of 2011 spring training.