Alfredo Aceves
New York Yankees — No. 91
Starting pitcher
Born: December 8, 1982 (1982-12-08) (age 26) San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 31, 2008 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics (through October 17, 2009)
Win-Loss	11-1
Earned run average	3.24
Strikeouts	85
Saves	1
Teams
New York Yankees (2008-present)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2009)

Alfredo Aceves Martínez (born December 8, 1982, in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees. He uses a fastball, which can reach the mid 90s, a curveball, a changeup, and a cut fastball. He is known for his control and his ability to throw any pitch in any count.^[1]

[edit] Career

Aceves was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an amateur free agent in 2001. He made ten starts in the Dominican Summer League that year. However, Aceves felt isolated, and when the Blue Jays assigned him to stay in the DSL for 2002, Aceves stayed in Mexico, and his contract was purchased by the Yucatán Leones of the Mexican League.^[2] Aceves pitched for Yucatán and Sultanes de Monterrey for the next six seasons.

Yankees scout Lee Sigman followed Aceves in the Mexican League, feeling he could achieve similar success as Teddy Higuera, who Sigman had signed for the Milwaukee Brewers.^[2] Feeling that he had developed well in the Mexican League, the Yankees purchased Aceves, along with other players, for $450,000 during the 2007-08 offseason.^[2] He began 2008 with the Single-A Advanced Tampa Yankees. He was quickly promoted to the Double-A Trenton Thunder and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. He was named Eastern League pitcher of the week for the week ending May 25, 2008.^[3]

After going a combined 8-6 with a 2.62 ERA on the three Yankee farm teams, Aceves was called up to the Yankees on August 28, 2008. On August 31, Aceves made his Yankee and major league debut, becoming the 106th major-league player to have been born in México, pitching two scoreless innings in relief.

After pitching effectively through his first few relief appearances, Aceves was moved to the rotation in replacement of Darrell Rasner.^[4] In his first career start, he pitched seven innings of one-run ball with two strikeouts against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, earning the win.

After starting the 2009 season in the minors, Aceves rejoined the Yankees on May 4.^[5]

Due to his ability to pitch effectively in any situation, Aceves has drawn comparisons to former Yankee reliever and spot starter Ramiro Mendoza.^[6] Combined with Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and the legendary Mariano Rivera, Aceves has been a key member of the 2009 New York Yankees Season out of the bullpen.

Aceves before a game against the Chicago White Sox in 2009

[edit] Personal life

He married his wife Arley in November, 2008.^[7] He proposed to her during a Trenton Thunder game during the 2008 season.^[2]

Aceves' father, Alfredo Aceves, was a first baseman in the Mexican League^[8] and his older brother, Jon Aceves, was a catcher in the Chicago White Sox organization, currently playing for the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League.^[9]

Aceves wears #91 to honor Dennis Rodman, whom Aceves admires for his antics and championships.^[2] He is the second player in Yankees history to wear a number in the 90's (Charlie Keller wore #99 in 1952, while Brian Bruney changed to #99 in 2009).

His nickname amongst his Yankee teammates is "Ace."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball players from Mexico

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)