Carlos Baerga
Born: 11/4/1968 in Santurce, P.R.
MLB Debut: 1990-04-14 | Final Game: 2005-09-30
Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Carlos Obed Baerga
Biography
Carlos Baerga was a prominent infielder in Major League Baseball, known for his offensive prowess and dynamic playing style. Born in 1968, Baerga had a professional career that spanned from 1990 to 2005. Over 1,630 games, he compiled an impressive .291 batting average, tallying 1,583 hits, 134 home runs, and 774 RBIs. Baerga was particularly recognized for his ability to hit for average and his clutch performances, which earned him three All-Star selections during his career.
Playing primarily for the Cleveland Indians during the 1990s, Baerga emerged as a key player in an era marked by offensive explosion and shifting player dynamics. His contributions helped lead the Indians to multiple playoff appearances, and he became a fan favorite for his engaging personality and spirited play. In addition to his hitting skills, Baerga showcased his speed on the bases, finishing his career with 59 stolen bases, a valuable asset for a player of his era. His legacy remains influential, as he helped pave the way for future generations of Latin American players in the league.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1630 | 5439 | 731 | 1583 | 279 | 17 | 134 | 774 | 59 | 291 | 580 | 0.291 | 0.332 | 0.423 | 0.754 | 1533.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | CLE | AL | 108 | 312 | 46 | 81 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 47 | 0 | 16 | 57 | 0.260 | -239.7 |
| 1991 | CLE | AL | 158 | 593 | 80 | 171 | 28 | 2 | 11 | 69 | 3 | 48 | 74 | 0.288 | 673.6 |
| 1992 | CLE | AL | 161 | 657 | 92 | 205 | 32 | 1 | 20 | 105 | 10 | 35 | 76 | 0.312 | 1971.3 |
| 1993 | CLE | AL | 154 | 624 | 105 | 200 | 28 | 6 | 21 | 114 | 15 | 34 | 68 | 0.321 | 1620.0 |
| 1994 | CLE | AL | 103 | 442 | 81 | 139 | 32 | 2 | 19 | 80 | 8 | 10 | 45 | 0.314 | 849.0 |
| 1995 | CLE | AL | 135 | 557 | 87 | 175 | 28 | 2 | 15 | 90 | 11 | 35 | 31 | 0.314 | 737.6 |
| 1996 | CLE | AL | 100 | 424 | 54 | 113 | 25 | 0 | 10 | 55 | 1 | 16 | 25 | 0.267 | -849.3 |
| 1996 | NYN | NL | 26 | 83 | 5 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0.193 | -849.3 |
| 1997 | NYN | NL | 133 | 467 | 53 | 131 | 25 | 1 | 9 | 52 | 2 | 20 | 54 | 0.281 | -724.4 |
| 1998 | NYN | NL | 147 | 511 | 46 | 136 | 27 | 1 | 7 | 53 | 0 | 24 | 55 | 0.266 | -1350.3 |
| 1999 | CLE | AL | 22 | 57 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0.228 | -292.8 |
| 1999 | SDP | NL | 33 | 80 | 6 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 0.250 | -292.8 |
| 2002 | BOS | AL | 73 | 182 | 17 | 52 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 20 | 0.286 | -261.4 |
| 2003 | AZ | NL | 105 | 207 | 31 | 71 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 39 | 1 | 18 | 20 | 0.343 | 606.6 |
| 2004 | AZ | NL | 79 | 85 | 6 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0.235 | -241.6 |
| 2005 | WAS | NL | 93 | 158 | 18 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 0.253 | -339.8 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 65 | 6 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 0.292 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | ALCS | CLE | 6 | 25 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0.400 |
| 1995 | ALDS1 | CLE | 3 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.286 |
| 1995 | WS | CLE | 6 | 26 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0.192 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 54 | 42 | 318 | 19 | 4 | 24 |
| 2B | 1063 | 1022 | 2177 | 3101 | 130 | 759 |
| 3B | 199 | 157 | 115 | 340 | 30 | 27 |
| SS | 50 | 14 | 24 | 41 | 5 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | CLE | 2B | 8 | 8 | 22 | 22 | 5 | 8 |
| 1990 | CLE | 3B | 50 | 45 | 33 | 101 | 8 | 9 |
| 1990 | CLE | SS | 48 | 13 | 24 | 41 | 4 | 10 |
| 1991 | CLE | 2B | 75 | 73 | 163 | 238 | 12 | 59 |
| 1991 | CLE | 3B | 89 | 77 | 54 | 183 | 14 | 14 |
| 1991 | CLE | SS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | CLE | 2B | 160 | 160 | 400 | 475 | 19 | 138 |
| 1993 | CLE | 2B | 150 | 148 | 347 | 445 | 17 | 108 |
| 1994 | CLE | 2B | 102 | 102 | 205 | 335 | 15 | 70 |
| 1995 | CLE | 2B | 134 | 133 | 231 | 444 | 19 | 99 |
| 1996 | CLE | 2B | 100 | 99 | 191 | 308 | 15 | 63 |
| 1996 | NYN | 1B | 16 | 16 | 98 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 1996 | NYN | 2B | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 | NYN | 3B | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | NYN | 2B | 131 | 122 | 244 | 371 | 14 | 88 |
| 1998 | NYN | 2B | 144 | 135 | 289 | 340 | 9 | 97 |
| 1999 | CLE | 2B | 6 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| 1999 | CLE | 3B | 15 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 | SDN | 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | SDN | 2B | 13 | 9 | 16 | 20 | 0 | 7 |
| 1999 | SDN | 3B | 13 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
| 2002 | BOS | 2B | 17 | 10 | 25 | 32 | 1 | 4 |
| 2002 | BOS | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | ARI | 1B | 19 | 13 | 123 | 8 | 2 | 12 |
| 2003 | ARI | 2B | 15 | 15 | 21 | 40 | 1 | 11 |
| 2003 | ARI | 3B | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | ARI | 1B | 6 | 4 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 | WAS | 1B | 11 | 9 | 65 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2005 | WAS | 2B | 7 | 5 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 3 |
| 2005 | WAS | 3B | 20 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 54 |
| Second Base | 1063 |
| Third Base | 199 |
| Shortstop | 50 |
| Designated Hitter | 50 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | TSN All-Star | 2B |
| 1994 | Silver Slugger | 2B |
| 1993 | Player of the Week | Week of 1993-07-24 |
| 1993 | Player of the Week | Week of 1993-04-10 |
| 1993 | Silver Slugger | 2B |
| 1993 | TSN All-Star | 2B |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | ARI | NL | $1,000,000 |
| 2003 | ARI | NL | $500,000 |
| 2002 | BOS | AL | $700,000 |
| 1999 | CLE | AL | $500,000 |
| 1998 | NYN | NL | $4,749,999 |
| 1997 | NYN | NL | $4,750,000 |
| 1996 | CLE | AL | $4,750,000 |
| 1995 | CLE | AL | $3,633,333 |
| 1994 | CLE | AL | $2,358,333 |
| 1993 | CLE | AL | $1,383,333 |
| 1992 | CLE | AL | $525,000 |
| 1991 | CLE | AL | $205,000 |
| 1990 | CLE | AL | $100,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $25,154,998 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 10th | 50.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1992 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 31.0 | 392 | 0 |