Famous Birthdays·August 30·Roberto Hernández (starting pitcher)
Roberto Hernández (starting pitcher)

Roberto Hernández (starting pitcher)

A flame-throwing right-hander from the Dominican Republic who logged over a decade in the majors as a durable and intimidating relief pitcher.

Born 1980 (age 46)·Dominican baseball player·Birthday: August 30·Generation X

Photo: Keith Allison on Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0

Biography

Roberto Hernández, who for much of his career pitched under the name Fausto Carmona, possessed an arm that could silence major league lineups. Signed by the Cleveland Indians as a teenager, he initially struggled as a starter before a transformation in the bullpen unlocked his potential. With a heavy, sinking fastball that routinely touched the upper 90s, he became a nightmare for right-handed hitters. His most remarkable season came in 2007 under the Carmona identity, when he transitioned to the rotation and won 19 games, finishing fourth in Cy Young Award voting and helping lead Cleveland to the brink of the World Series. While his later years saw him return to a relief role, his power arm remained a valuable commodity. He pitched for seven different MLB clubs, a testament to his enduring ability to get outs. His journey, marked by a notable name change and a successful reinvention, is a classic baseball tale of adaptation and raw talent finding its niche.

Generation X

1965–1980

The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.

Roberto was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.

#1 When Roberto Was Born

The biggest hits of 1980

#1 Movie

The Empire Strikes Back

Best Picture

Ordinary People

#1 TV Show

Dallas

Roberto's Life & Times

The world at every milestone

1980Born

John Lennon shot and killed in New York

Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school

Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine

Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager

European Union officially established

Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive

Dolly the sheep cloned

Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote

Google founded; Clinton impeachment

Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21

September 11 attacks transform the world

Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30

Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched

Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40

COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world

Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump

Key Achievements

  • Finished 4th in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2007 after posting a 19-8 record and a 3.06 ERA for Cleveland.
  • Pitched in 11 Major League seasons, appearing in 589 games and accumulating 729 strikeouts.
  • Recorded a career-high 77 strikeouts in relief for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013.
  • Was a key member of the 2007 Cleveland Indians team that came within one game of the World Series.

Did You Know?

He pitched in the majors under the name Fausto Carmona from 2006 until 2012, after which he played under his real name, Roberto Hernández.

His 19 wins in 2007 were the most by an Indians pitcher since 1974.

He led the American League with four shutouts during his breakout 2007 campaign.

He was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent in 2000 for a modest $7,000 bonus.

“I just want the ball in the big moment.”

— Roberto Hernández (starting pitcher)

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