By SCOTT RODGERS
When the Pacers begin play on Feb. 1, they will do so with some new faces.
One of those will be the son of one of the most famous and successful players to ever step onto the campus.
Roberto Hernandez Jr., or Robert as he likes to be called, will pitch his home games at the field named after his father. The retired number 35 will also be pulled off the wall to commemorate this occasion, with Robert being able to wear it on the field.
“I talked to Coach Thomas and said ‘Why not?,” Roberto Hernandez Sr. said. “When I talked to Robert, he said that he wanted to do it as well. I think that wearing the number will make him work even harder.”
“I think it’s a great way for him to honor his father even further,” USC Aiken coach Kenny Thomas said.
Hernandez comes to the Pacers from St. Petersburg Catholic High School in St. Petersburg, Fla. He missed his junior year due to a torn ACL.
The Pacers will wait until after fall practice to see where they stand before deciding whether or not he will redshirt his freshman year.
“I think he’s going to be playing catch-up a bit,” his father said. “He worked hard his senior year and has been working even harder here.”
Both Robert’s coach and his father know that things won’t be simply given to him because of his famous father.
“He said that he wanted to come here, and the biggest piece of advice that I gave him was to be himself,” Roberto Sr. said. “I also told him that he needs to earn his way. I think this coaching staff will be great for him.”
“Both he and his father are the same like that,” Thomas said. “They don’t want anything given to them, and Robert wants to earn his stripes. He knows he’s going to be part of a good program and that we’re going to push him.”
Given their close ties to USCA, Thomas has seen Robert grow up to become the young man he is today.
“It’s a situation where I was able to see him grow up from how often they visited,” Thomas said. “I remember when he was 7 or 8 he loved following my wife around for some reason. It was great though, and I loved having Junior around.”
There have also been significant changes to the Aiken area in the time since Roberto was here in 1986.
“Oh it’s great; the gym use to be where the cafeteria is, and a lot of things that are here now weren’t when I was around,” Hernandez said. “Everywhere we walked and saw during the tours was phenomenal. I think that everything has grown up and changed for the better.”
While Roberto Sr. was a seasoned veteran in the big leagues and a very successful player, when his son first steps on to the field he knows that things will be different.
“Oh, I’m getting goosebumps right now,” he said. “But I’m still very excited to see him out there.”
Roberto Hernandez’s name has also been in the media recently. Before the season it was found out that Fausto Carmona had committed identity fraud and that his real name was Roberto Hernandez Heredia and he was actually three years older.
“I was actually a teammate of Fausto’s back in Cleveland. He was a great guy, a funny guy and a great teammate,” Hernandez said. “I can understand why guys do that, though. In the Caribbean you want to do your best to get out and get in the Majors. Being a few years younger can make you more attractive to teams and help get signing bonuses for your family.”
Scott Rodgers is a graduate of Alvernia University and a staff writer at the Aiken Standard.
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When the Pacers begin play on Feb. 1, they will do so with some new faces.
One of those will be the son of one of the most famous and successful players to ever step onto the campus.
Roberto Hernandez Jr., or Robert as he likes to be called, will pitch his home games at the field named after his father. The retired number 35 will also be pulled off the wall to commemorate this occasion, with Robert being able to wear it on the field.
“I talked to Coach Thomas and said ‘Why not?,” Roberto Hernandez Sr. said. “When I talked to Robert, he said that he wanted to do it as well. I think that wearing the number will make him work even harder.”
“I think it’s a great way for him to honor his father even further,” USC Aiken coach Kenny Thomas said.
Hernandez comes to the Pacers from St. Petersburg Catholic High School in St. Petersburg, Fla. He missed his junior year due to a torn ACL.
The Pacers will wait until after fall practice to see where they stand before deciding whether or not he will redshirt his freshman year.
“I think he’s going to be playing catch-up a bit,” his father said. “He worked hard his senior year and has been working even harder here.”
Both Robert’s coach and his father know that things won’t be simply given to him because of his famous father.
“He said that he wanted to come here, and the biggest piece of advice that I gave him was to be himself,” Roberto Sr. said. “I also told him that he needs to earn his way. I think this coaching staff will be great for him.”
“Both he and his father are the same like that,” Thomas said. “They don’t want anything given to them, and Robert wants to earn his stripes. He knows he’s going to be part of a good program and that we’re going to push him.”
Given their close ties to USCA, Thomas has seen Robert grow up to become the young man he is today.
“It’s a situation where I was able to see him grow up from how often they visited,” Thomas said. “I remember when he was 7 or 8 he loved following my wife around for some reason. It was great though, and I loved having Junior around.”
There have also been significant changes to the Aiken area in the time since Roberto was here in 1986.
“Oh it’s great; the gym use to be where the cafeteria is, and a lot of things that are here now weren’t when I was around,” Hernandez said. “Everywhere we walked and saw during the tours was phenomenal. I think that everything has grown up and changed for the better.”
While Roberto Sr. was a seasoned veteran in the big leagues and a very successful player, when his son first steps on to the field he knows that things will be different.
“Oh, I’m getting goosebumps right now,” he said. “But I’m still very excited to see him out there.”
Roberto Hernandez’s name has also been in the media recently. Before the season it was found out that Fausto Carmona had committed identity fraud and that his real name was Roberto Hernandez Heredia and he was actually three years older.
“I was actually a teammate of Fausto’s back in Cleveland. He was a great guy, a funny guy and a great teammate,” Hernandez said. “I can understand why guys do that, though. In the Caribbean you want to do your best to get out and get in the Majors. Being a few years younger can make you more attractive to teams and help get signing bonuses for your family.”
Scott Rodgers is a graduate of Alvernia University and a staff writer at the Aiken Standard.