Player Profile:
Keith Hernandez
| Name: | Keith Hernandez |
|
First baseman; Left-handed batter | |
| Lived: | 1953 - |
| Career span: | 1974 - 1990 |
| Hall of Fame? | No |
| Primary teams: | St. Louis Cardinals (1974-1983) ; New York Mets (1983-1989) |
| Best Year: | 1979 - .344, 11 HR, 105 RBI, 210 hits |
| Major Awards: | NL Most valuable Player - 1979 NL Batting Champion - 1979 Gold Gloves (11) - 1978-1988 |
Player notes: Hernandez was the outstanding defensive first baseman of his era, and perhaps the best of all time. His eleven consecutive gold gloves are a testament to his defensive prowess. He was no slouch with the bat, either, batting over .300 seven times and amassing 2,182 hits (including 426 doubles) in a 17 year career. He didn't have great power for a first baseman (never hitting more than 18 homes in a Major League season), but his other contributions more than made up for it. He was a key player on two World Championship teams (1982 Cardinals, 1986 Mets), and remains the standard by which first basemen are measured defensively.