Liván Hernández Responds to Comparisons with Pedro Luis Lazo
The debate surrounding the legacies of Cuban baseball pitchers Liván Hernández and Pedro Luis Lazo recently resurfaced, prompting a direct response from Hernández himself. While both are celebrated figures in Cuban baseball history, their careers took distinctly different paths – Hernández excelling in Major League Baseball (MLB) and Lazo dominating the amateur circuit, particularly in international competition.
Hernández is best known for being the MVP of the 1997 World Series with the florida Marlins, and also earned MVP honors in the 1997 National League Championship Series. He was a two-time All-Star (2004,2005) and won a Silver Bat,leading the National League in Innings Pitched for three consecutive years (2003-2005).
In contrast,Pedro Luis lazo is revered as an Olympic legend,uniquely participating in four Olympic finals,securing two gold and two silver medals. He also played a crucial role in Cuba’s second-place finish at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006. Throughout his amateur career, Lazo amassed over 200 victories, exceeding 2,000 strikeouts, and maintained an ERA of 3.50 or less.
When directly asked about the comparison, Liván Hernández stated, “one has to respect the rankings,” and asserted that his success in MLB positions him at a higher level than Lazo, who never played in the major leagues. In an interview, Hernández underscored his own professional baseball legacy, confidently declaring himself as one of the best Cuban pitchers in history.
Orlando “El Duque” Hernández, also a prominent Cuban pitcher, contributed to three World Series championships with the New York Yankees (1998, 1999, 2000) and was named MVP of the American League Championship Series in 1999. He later won another World Series with the Chicago white Sox in 2005, finishing his MLB career with 90 wins.