After inheriting Oakland’s starting catcher’s job from the disappointing A.J. Hinch in 1999, Hernandez committed a league-high 13 errors in 2000. (Adding to his woes, he threw out just 19 of 87 baserunners that season.) But unlike Hinch, a solid defender with a light bat, Hernandez could hit for power. The Venezuelan swatted 14 homers in his first full season with the team, even though his batting average lingered at .241.
