Luis Rivera

Luis Antonio (Pedraza) Rivera (born January 3, 1964 in Cidra, Puerto Rico) is a former infielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a shortstop for five teams from 1986 through 1998. Rivera batted and threw right-handed. He is currently the first base/infield coach of the Cleveland Indians since the 2006 season.

Rivera was a wide-ranging, slick-fielding middle infielder who had quick hands and was above average at turning the double play. He reached the majors in 1986 with the Montreal Expos, spending three years with them before moving to the Boston Red Sox (1989–93), New York Mets (1994), Houston Astros (1997) and Kansas City Royals (1998). His most productive season came in 1991 with Boston, when he hit .258 with 40 RBI, including career-highs in home runs (8), runs (64), hits (107), doubles (22), and games played (129).

In an 11-season career, Rivera was a .233 hitter with 28 home runs and 209 RBI in 781 games.

Following his playing retirement, Rivera spent six seasons (2000–05) coaching and managing in the Cleveland Indians player development system. He started as a coach for the Class-A Kinston Indians from 2000–02, and managed the Lake County Captains in 2003–04, winning South Atlantic League Manager of the Year honors in 2003 after his team compiled a minor league-best record of 97-43 (.693). In 2005 he guided Kinston to the finals of the Carolina League Championship Series. In his three seasons as manager at Lake County and Kinston, his teams posted a record of 246-173 (.587). He also coached in the Arizona Fall League in 2005, being promoted to the big team in 2006.

Highlight

*Rivera was responsible for spoiling a no-hitter against Kansas City Royals pitcher Hipólito Pichardo with a sixth-inning double. His hit was the only safety in a 8–0 shutout by Pichardo over the Boston Red Sox (July 21, 1992, at Royals Stadium).

ee also

*Boston Red Sox all-time roster
*Players from Puerto Rico in MLB
*Montreal Expos all-time roster

External links

* [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/R/luis-rivera-1.shtml The Baseball Cube]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/R/Rivera_Luis.stm Baseball Library]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/riverlu01.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=cle&coachorstaffid=121248 MLB entry]
* [http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/R/PX_rivel001.htm Top performances]