Remembering Luis Rivera

April 7, 2008   ·   Patrick Hickey, Jr.   ·   Jump to comments

Nothing against Matt Bouchard, the Cyclones All-Star shortstop from last season, but former Cyclone Luis Rivera will always rank near the top of my list as far as well-rounded middle infielders who have played in Brooklyn go. Last year the Cyclones offense was solid throughout the season, as guys like Jason Jacobs, J.R. Voyles, Jake Eigsti, Lucas Duda and Brandon Kawal all seemed to come up big when the team needed them to.

In 2006 however, Luis Rivera and Dustin Martin were the only Brooklyn starters to hit over .270. Simply put, they were a team that relied on great pitching and solid defense. If they got a few runs, they usually came out on top. While Rivera had only 14 RBI in 69 games that year, his seven stolen bases and 61 hits were second on the team to Martin, making him one of the only dependable players the team could count on.

However, despite his solid offensive ability in Brooklyn, the guy saved runs every night by playing tremendous defense. Combined with Jonathan Schemmel, who was also a solid hitter for most of the season until a leg injury cost him his season, Rivera formed a pretty solid double play combination. While I remember cringing occasionally at how unpolished the Brooklyn bats were in 2006 [the free-swinging Sanchez immediately comes to mind], watching these guys turn double plays and watching Rivera especially make plays that most shortstops wouldn’t even dare attempt, my first season in Brooklyn featured many more smiles than frowns.

While his play on the field was one reason to be a fan of Rivera, his laid-back and honest nature was a reason to like him even more. I still remember the first time I interviewed him and how honest he was about how he came to the Mets organization and why he played the way he did. For some reason, the Chicago Cubs gave up on him in 2005 and for a short while, the youngster was left without a team, despite hitting over .300 with 21 RBI, 12 SB and 53 hits after two stops in the organization.

Most minor leaguers wouldn’t have too much confidence at that time, but Rivera was unshakably content with himself and left everything he had on the field. Far from being cocky, Rivera knew he had to work hard every night. That’s exactly what he did.

“Last year, I did well with them,” said Rivera, who left Florida International University after his junior year and is still working on his Bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy. “This year, I started off there [in the Cubs Single-A Affiliate, Peoria] and I wasn’t playing everyday, I hit 2 for 25 and they released me. Then the Mets gave me an opportunity. I knew I was going to find another team because I work hard and play hard every game.”

Now that I look back at it, maybe I could see where the Cubs were coming from. Rivera still has yet to hit a homer in the pros, despite hitting a combined .271 in the minors. Simply put, Rivera would have been a star in the majors 20 years ago but with guys like Michael Young, Jimmy Rollins and Jose Reyes, shortstops like Phil Rizzuto just can’t cut it anymore. However, if this was 1980, Rivera would definitely be guy that every team would want just because he played great defense and could hold his own at the plate. He kind of reminds of former Met Lance Johnson at the plate, simply because he’s a singles machine and finds ways of getting to second via the stolen base and smart base running. That to me is stuff you can’t teach.

On defense, he reminds me a bit of Rey Sanchez. Not very big or armed with a laser of an arm, he’s very quick and has great range, which easily make up for his lack of pop at the plate. Did I also mention that Rivera can plat second base as well? Why any team would not want a player like that on their team, who is as comfortable hitting in the eighth spot as he is being a table setter and plays the kind of defense that keeps you in games is beyond crazy to me.

Nonetheless, one man’s loss is another man’s gain and in the end, the Mets definitely got a good player in Rivera. Playing a part of last season in Binghamton, where he hit .348 in 18 games with 18 hits and a steal, Rivera may find himself back there at sometime this season, depending on how well he plays at St. Lucie, where he is right now.

Not bad for a guy that was looking for a job a few years ago, eh?

Photos by Conroy Walker