René Arocha
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René Arocha (born February 24, 1966) is a former MLB baseball player. He is a native of Havana, Cuba.
[edit] Biography
René Arocha studied as a teenager at the Regla high school in Havana. After graduating from high school, Arocha became a member of Cuba's famed national baseball team.
In 1990, and during an international competition, Arocha left his team, opting for a life in the United States and a try at playing in the Major Leagues. His story became known across the States when Hispanic media began talking about him, and Arocha was the subject of many television reports on Telemundo and Univision.
In 1991, Arocha was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, and assigned to the Cardinals farm team in Louisville, Kentucky. As a pitcher in Louisville, Arocha posted 12 wins and 7 losses, with an earned run average of 2.70. These numbers prompted the Cardinals to bring Arocha to the Major Leagues, and he debuted with the Cardinals in 1993, winning 11 games and losing 8, while striking out 96 opponents and accumulating an ERA of 3.78.
The 1994 and 1995 seasons were marred for Arocha by injuries, and he could only win 7 games in those two years combined, while also losing 7. Arocha was then waived by the Cardinals, becoming a free agent.
In 1997, Arocha signed with the San Francisco Giants, and he went to the Giants' Pacific League farm team, the Phoenix Firebirds. He won 7 games with the Firebirds that year, while losing only 3. He was then assigned to the Columbus team of the International League. After winning one game there, Arocha returned to the Major Leagues, pitching ten innings for the Giants before the 1997 season was over. He did not win or lose any games for the Giants.
Arocha finished his professional baseball career with a team in New Orleans in 1998. He was 32 years old already, an indication that his best years as a baseball player had probably passed by.
Arocha had 18 wins and 17 losses in the Major Leagues, with an ERA of 4.11 and 190 strikeouts in four seasons, three with the Cardinals and one with the Giants.
