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Willy Taveras
Willy Taveras (born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican former professional baseball center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played a total of seven seasons for the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals.
As a rookie in 2005, Taveras was instrumental in the Astros' first-ever league pennant win and World Series appearances. Behind his hitting, speed, and defense, Taveras won the Players Choice Award for National League (NL) Outstanding Rookie, the Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year, and a selection to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
Taveras made his major league debut as a member of the Houston Astros late in the 2004 season, appearing in 10 games, primarily as a pinch runner.
In 2005, Taveras became the Astros' starting center fielder as a rookie, replacing Carlos Beltrán, who had signed as a free agent with the New York Mets in the prior offseason. Taveras batted .291 while leading the majors in infield hits (71), bunt hits (31), and singles (152), and was tops among rookies in runs (82), hits (172), and stolen bases (34; 6th in the National League, NL).
In Game 4 of the 2005 National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the St. Louis Cardinals, Taveras entered in the seventh inning as a pinch runner and scored the winning run on a short sacrifice fly to center field. In the eighth, Taveras' catch while running up Tal's Hill deep in center field at Minute Maid Park ended the inning and preserved a 2–1 lead.
Following the season, Taveras was named in the Players Choice Awards as the NL Outstanding Rookie. He also won the Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year Award and selection to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team. For the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) awards, Taveras finished second to Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2006, Taveras' batting average regressed to .278, though he again led the majors in bunt hits (21) and had 33 stolen bases (10th in the NL), but just 30 RBI. Taveras had a 30-game hitting streak that ended August 29, 2006, during a game in which he was hit twice by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Tomo Ohka. Taveras' streak is a franchise record, breaking the record of 25 previously held by Jeff Kent. The streak made him part of a rare club of less than a hundred to have hit in thirty straight games. Within that streak, Taveras had a streak of singles in 28 consecutive games, tying a National League record set by Willie Davis in 1969. As of 2020[update], Taveras and Davis still hold the league record.
On December 12, 2006, Taveras was traded along with Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh by the Astros to the Colorado Rockies for pitchers Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio.
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Willy Taveras
Willy Taveras (born December 25, 1981) is a Dominican former professional baseball center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played a total of seven seasons for the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals.
As a rookie in 2005, Taveras was instrumental in the Astros' first-ever league pennant win and World Series appearances. Behind his hitting, speed, and defense, Taveras won the Players Choice Award for National League (NL) Outstanding Rookie, the Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year, and a selection to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
Taveras made his major league debut as a member of the Houston Astros late in the 2004 season, appearing in 10 games, primarily as a pinch runner.
In 2005, Taveras became the Astros' starting center fielder as a rookie, replacing Carlos Beltrán, who had signed as a free agent with the New York Mets in the prior offseason. Taveras batted .291 while leading the majors in infield hits (71), bunt hits (31), and singles (152), and was tops among rookies in runs (82), hits (172), and stolen bases (34; 6th in the National League, NL).
In Game 4 of the 2005 National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the St. Louis Cardinals, Taveras entered in the seventh inning as a pinch runner and scored the winning run on a short sacrifice fly to center field. In the eighth, Taveras' catch while running up Tal's Hill deep in center field at Minute Maid Park ended the inning and preserved a 2–1 lead.
Following the season, Taveras was named in the Players Choice Awards as the NL Outstanding Rookie. He also won the Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year Award and selection to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team. For the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) awards, Taveras finished second to Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2006, Taveras' batting average regressed to .278, though he again led the majors in bunt hits (21) and had 33 stolen bases (10th in the NL), but just 30 RBI. Taveras had a 30-game hitting streak that ended August 29, 2006, during a game in which he was hit twice by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Tomo Ohka. Taveras' streak is a franchise record, breaking the record of 25 previously held by Jeff Kent. The streak made him part of a rare club of less than a hundred to have hit in thirty straight games. Within that streak, Taveras had a streak of singles in 28 consecutive games, tying a National League record set by Willie Davis in 1969. As of 2020[update], Taveras and Davis still hold the league record.
On December 12, 2006, Taveras was traded along with Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh by the Astros to the Colorado Rockies for pitchers Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio.