

A flame-throwing right-hander from the Dominican Republic who logged over a decade in the majors as a durable and intimidating relief pitcher.
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.
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.
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
The world at every milestone
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
European Union officially established
Dolly the sheep cloned
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
September 11 attacks transform the world
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
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.”