Kiko Calero

Infobox MLB player


width=200
name=Kiko Calero
position=Relief pitcher
team=Texas Rangers
number=--
bats=Left
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1975|1|9
birthplace=city-state|Santurce|Puerto Rico
debutdate=April 2
debutyear=2003
debutteam=St. Louis Cardinals
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=12-10
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.56
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=255
teams=
*St. Louis Cardinals (by|2003-by|2004)
*Oakland Athletics (by|2005-by|2008)

Enrique Nomar "Kiko" Calero (born January 9, 1975 in Santurce, Puerto Rico) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Texas Rangers organization. He is commonly referred to in baseball circles as "the Walrus" (for short: "Rus", "Rusty", "Russell", "the Wall", or "Wallrusty").

MLB career

Originally, he was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 41st Round (1142nd overall) of by|1994 amateur entry draft, but Calero did not sign with the Tigers. Instead he waited until by|1996, when he was picked in the 27th round draft pick (799th overall) by the Kansas City Royals out of St. Thomas University (Florida).

Mainly a starting pitcher in the Royals minor league organization, he spent 6 years at the Single-A and Double-A levels before finally reaching Triple-A Omaha in by|2002. Calero was subsequently signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals. During his minor league career, Calero excelled for the Royals organization. In 1996, he finished fourth in the Single-A Northwest League in ERA. He was also named to the Texas League All Star team in by|1997. Through by|2000, Calero had 31 wins in a Wrangler uniform and worked as a reliever in by|2001 after 105 starts.

Calero spent all of mlby|2003 and most of mlby|2004 in the majors. He played all but one game as a reliever. He was a member of the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals' team that went on to win the National League title and played in the 2004 World Series. After the 2004 season, Calero was traded from the Cardinals along with starting pitcher Dan Haren and top-hitting prospect Daric Barton to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Mulder. The trade was initially viewed as a win for St. Louis, as Mulder was considered one of the best pitchers in the American League, but based on Calero and Haren's extremely productive mlby|2005 and mlby|2006 seasons, and Mulder's poor 2006 season and shortened mlby|2007 season due to shoulder surgery, the trade is widely seen as a coup in Oakland. After being designated for assignment and released by the Athletics, Calero signed with the Texas Rangers on July 4, by|2008. The Rangers signed Calero to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Oklahoma.

Overseas career

Calero has also played on several other teams. He played from 1996 to 2000 with the Indios de Mayaguez (Mayaguez Indians) in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League. During those years, he went on to win two national titles and three participations on the Serie del Caribe. In 1996, Calero was named Rookie of the Year, and he also was selected to participate on three all-star games, during his playing year with the Indios de Mayaguez. Kiko also played on the MLB team at the Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series played in Japan in 2004. He was also a member of the 2006 Puerto Rico national baseball team at the World Baseball Classic.

Personal life

Still today, Calero is considered in Puerto Rico one of the best pitchers of all time from the island. He has a street named after him, on a little part of Rio Piedras called Fair View, where Calero grew up and played his little leagues and juvenile leagues. In the present, Calero is married to Carola Rodriguez and they have one child. He lives in Caguas, Puerto Rico during the offseason and during the MLB season in Oakland, California.

External links