Bernie Williams
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- For other persons named Bernard Williams, see Bernard Williams (disambiguation).
| New York Yankees — No. 51 | |
| Center field | |
| Bats: Switch | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
|---|---|
| July 7, 1991 for the New York Yankees | |
Bernabé "Bernie" Williams Figueroa (born September 13, 1968 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an outfielder for the New York Yankees and guitar-playing jazz recording artist. A switch hitter, Williams has played his entire career (1991-present) with the New York Yankees. He is Major League Baseball's all-time leader in postseason home runs (22) and runs batted in (80). With 446, he trails only Lou Gehrig's 534 for lifetime doubles as a Yankee. Currently a free agent<ref>http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/freeagents</ref>, he has played all outfield positions for the Yankees and acted as the team's designated hitter. In 2006, Williams saw a good amount of playing time in the corner outfield spots with both Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield out with wrist injuries and did spot duty in center field on days when starting center fielder Johnny Damon was given off for rest. Because of the injuries to Matsui and Sheffield, Williams played more than was expected when he signed his one-year extension with the Yankees in 2006.
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[edit] Background
As a young man growing up in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, the athletic Williams developed strong interests in baseball and classical guitar. He was also active in track and field, winning four gold medals at an international meet at the age of 15. He was one of the world's best 400-meter runners for his age and had a wonderful friendship with his friend Jeff Pontebbi. On his seventeenth birthday, September 13 1985, he signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees organization.
Playing for the Yankees' Double-A team in Albany, he continued to develop his athletic skills — particularly in the coveted area of switch hitting. Although viewed as a great prospect by the Yankees' management, his rise to the majors was delayed by the solid outfield that the team had developed in the early 1990s.
Nevertheless, he managed to break into the majors in 1991 to replace the injured Roberto Kelly for the second half of that season. He batted .238 in some 300 at bats. He was demoted to the minors until Danny Tartabull was injured, and Williams earned his stay at center by putting up solid numbers.
Williams, along with Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera, is one of four core players who came up through the Yankees organization and have played their entire professional careers in the Yankee organization.
[edit] Career
Williams had become the regular Yankees center fielder by 1993. The management of Buck Showalter helped keep him with the Yankees through 1995, when George Steinbrenner sought to trade him. Steinbrenner was frustrated by the team's difficulty in placing him in any of the traditional baseball player molds. He had good speed, but rarely stole bases. In center, he was highly capable at tracking down fly balls and line drives, but had a weak throwing arm. He was a consistent hitter, but lacked home run power. Throughout the early 1990s he hit in the middle of the order as management tried to figure out where he fit in.
1995 was a breakout season for Williams. He hit 18 home runs and led the team in runs, hits, total bases and stolen bases. In the 1996 American League Championship Series, Williams hit a memorable home run in Game 1 and went on to win the ALCS MVP award, and the Yankees subsequently won the World Series that year.
During the 1998 season, Williams finished with a .339 average, becoming the first player to win a batting title, Gold Glove award, and World Series ring in the same year.
After that season, Williams inked a seven-year, $85-million contract with the Yankees — the largest contract ever recorded for a Yankee center fielder.
The last year covered by his contract, 2005, proved to be a difficult one. He started 99 games in center field and 22 games as a designated hitter, but his already weak arm was highlighted as his fielding and batting abilities considerably weakened. As expected, the Yankees announced on August 2, 2005 that they would not pick up the $15 million option on Williams' contract for the 2006 season, opting to pay a $3.5 million buyout instead. In December Williams was offered arbitration by team general manager Brian Cashman to allow an additional month for negotiation. On December 22, the Yankees re-signed Williams to a 1 year, $1.5 million contract.
Bernie Williams was one of the Puerto Rican players to agree to play for Puerto Rico in the 2006 MLB World Baseball Classic, joining Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Mike Lowell, Javier Vazquez and Jose Vidro amongst others representing the US Territory Island Nation in a team managed by Saint Louis Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo.
On July 26, 2006, Williams got his 2300th career hit, becoming the 11th active player in the Majors with 2300 or more career hits. Bernie continues to climb the NY Yankees record books by hitting his 443rd career double on August 16, 2006. This surpasses his bench coach Don Mattingly for second-most as a Yankee.
[edit] Career highlights
- Made his major league debut on July 7, 1990
- 5-time All-Star (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
- 1996 ALCS MVP
- 4-time Gold Glove Winner (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
- 1998 AL Batting Champion (.339 AVG)
- 4-time World Series Champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)
- In 1999 led American League in IBB (Intentional walks) with 17
[edit] Yankee team records
- Second on the all-time doubles list for a Yankee behind Lou Gehrig.
- Second on the all-time singles list for a Yankee behind (current teammate) Derek Jeter.
[edit] Music career
In addition to his accolades on the baseball field, Williams is also a critically-acclaimed musician. He was forced to choose between music and baseball. Growing up, Bernie wanted to be a professional musician. A classically trained guitarist, playing and composing music is Bernie’s first true passion with influences that include jazz, classical, pop, Brazilian, and Latin sounds.
His major label debut, The Journey Within, was released in 2003. In addition to playing lead and rhythm guitar, Williams composed seven songs for the album. Tracks like “La Salsa En Mi” and “Desvelado” mix Bernie’s love of jazz with the sophisticated Latin rhythms of his Puerto Rican heritage. The first single was a remix of his “Just Because”, featuring David Benoit. Other highlights include Williams’ heartfelt tribute to his father, “Para Don Berna”, a reworking of the Baden Powell song, “Samba Novo”, and “La Salsa En Mi”, featuring background vocals from 2003 Grammy Winner Ruben Blades and salsa legend Gilberto Santa Rosa. Also joining Williams is an all-star ensemble of musicians including multiple Grammy-winning banjo player Bela Fleck, keyboardist David Sancious, percussionist Luis Conte, bassist Leland Sklar, guitarist Tim Pierce, and drummers Kenny Aronoff and Shawn Pelton, among others.
He has played in the clubhouse with retired Yankee outfielder Paul O'Neill, who plays the drums.
[edit] Trivia
- Married Waleska on February 23, 1990
- Has worn #51 since his rookie season
- Helped Yankees win 5 pennents and 4 World Series, including the 2000 world series which he caught a popfly for the final out.
- From 1997 to 2000, Williams won the Gold Glove Award for his center field play.
- He has played in five All-Star Games.
- He released an album of instrumental classical and jazz recordings titled The Journey Within, which debuted in July 2003.
- He is the first player in MLB history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate ("switch hitter", one who is equally comfortable batting left or right) in a post season game.
- He is referenced in the third season of the TV show The West Wing. The fictional president, Josiah Bartlet, mentions 'the center fielder for the New York Yankees
- Owns "Corner Locker" in Yankee Stadium Clubhouse, given to the longest tenured player on the team. According to pitching coach Ron Guidry, a former owner of the locker, "He doesn't keep it clean."
- Has 3 children, Bernie Jr. (Bernie Alexander) born September 23, 1990, Beatriz Noemi, born April 1994, and Bianca September 14
- One song on his CD is named after his son Bernie Jr.
[edit] Career statistics
| Games | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BA | SLG% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 2076 | 7869 | 1366 | 2336 | 449 | 55 | 286 | 1257 | 147 | .297 | .477 |
He has the most post season RBIs in baseball history at 80 as of 2005.
He has the most post season homeruns in baseball history with 22.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Player Information from Yankees.com
- Bernie Williams at ESPN.com
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Bernie Williams Information and Tribute Page
| Preceded by: Tim Salmon | American League Player of the Month August 1997 | Succeeded by: Juan González |
| Preceded by: Iván Rodríguez | American League Player of the Month May 1998 | Succeeded by: Rafael Palmeiro |
| Preceded by: Frank Thomas | American League Batting Champion 1998 | Succeeded by: Nomar Garciaparra |
