Kiko Calero #50

Enrique Nomar Calero...graduated from University Gardens (PR) High in 1993...attended Miami Dade Kendall Junior College and St.Thomas University in Miami, FL...was scouted and signed by the Royals' Cliff Pastornicky and Albert Gonzalez...wife's name is Carola.

2007

Appeared in just 46 games as shoulder problems led to a stint on the disabled list in late June and caused him to miss the final month of the season...was 1-5 with a save and a 5.75 ERA...the games pitched were the fewest in his three seasons with the A's and the ERA was more than two runs above his previous career high of 3.41 from 2006...his .293 opponents batting average was more than 60 points above his previous high of .231 from last year...now has a .226 (197 for 871) opponents average in his career...his .373 opponents on-base percentage and .446 opponents slugging percentage were also career highs...his five losses tied for sixth among American League relievers and were also a career high...had just five career losses in 195 games entering 2007...struck out 31 batters in 40.2 innings, just the second time in his five seasons in the Majors that he has finished with fewer strikeouts than innings pitched...has 248 career strikeouts in 238.0 innings (9.38 per nine innings)...his opponents batting average broke down to .245 (12 for 49) against left-handed hitters and .315 (34 for 108) against right-handers...entered the season with a .208 career mark against right-handers...allowed a .354 average with runners in scoring position and all three of the home runs he allowed came with runners on base...allowed 9 of 28 (32.1%) inherited runners to score, first batters faced were 15 for 42 (357) with two walks and a hit by pitch and he had three blown saves...his opponents average against first batters faced ranked third highest among AL relievers...had a .173 (31 for 179) career average against first batters faced entering the season...opponents were successful in all eight stolen base attempts off him and are now 25 for 29 (86.2%) in his career...did not allow a hit against the opponents number four hitters who were a combined 0 for 11 with four walks and a hit by pitch...was charged with the loss in his first outing on April 3 at Seattle when he allowed three runs in 0.1 innings in the A's 8-4 loss...lost each of his first four decisions through June 1, giving him a career high five-game losing streak dating back to September 25, 2006...allowed four runs over his first two games (1.1 ip) but then did not allow a run over his next seven games and 6.2 innings from April 8 to 21...that dropped his ERA to 4.91, which was the lowest it would be all year...made the 200th appearance of his career on April 11 against Chicago (1.1 ip) and retired all four batters that he faced...did not allow a run in two outings against Chicago in 2007 (2.0 ip) and has not allowed a run in eight career outings against the White Sox (8.2 ip)...tossed a season high 2.0 shutout innings on April 13 against New York...also tossed 2.0 innings on May 5 at Tampa Bay and August 17 against Kansas City...did not allow a run in six of his eight outings in June, but posted an 8.44 ERA in the month...picked up his lone win of the season on June 8 at San Francisco when he retired both batters that he faced in a the A's 5-3, 10-inning win...allowed three runs in 0.2 innings on June 16 against St. Louis and went seven games without pitching before he was placed on the disabled list on June 25, retroactive to June 17, with an inflamed right shoulder...had a 6.39 ERA and .263 opponents batting average in 31 outings when he was placed on the DL...was reinstated on July 6 and compiled a 4.70 ERA while yielding a .345 opponents batting average over his final 15 games...walked 12 and struck out 10 in 15.1 innings over that span and first batters faced were 8 for 15 (.533)...including 5 for 6 with two triples over his final six games...picked up his lone save of the season on August 6 at Texas when he tossed a scoreless 13th inning in the A's 9-7 win...pitched in just four of the A's next 18 games through August 25 (5.0 ip, 8 h, 3 r, 3 er, 4 bb, 2 so)...his final outing came on August 25 at Tampa Bay (0.2 ip, 2 h, 1 so)...was sidelined with shoulder problems for the remainder of the season.

2006

He led the A's and tied for eighth in the American League with a career-high 70 appearances. Calero was the only member of the A's Opening Day bullpen to spend the entire season in the 'pen, as four players spent time on the disabled list (Justin Duchscherer, Joe Kennedy, Huston Street, and Jay Witasick). Calero allowed a career-low four home runs in 2006, but his opponents batting average of .231 was a career high. His 3.41 ERA was also a career high. He allowed 12 of 45 (26.7 percent) inherited runners to score and converted two of five save opportunities. When Duchscherer and Kennedy went on the DL, Calero stepped into the setup role and flourished. From May 28-July 28, he allowed just one run over 25 outings for a .038 ERA in 24 innings.

2005

Made 58 relief appearances with the A's and was 4-1 with a save, a blown save and a 3.23 ERA...allowed a .216 opponents batting average but that was the highest of his career as opponents now have a .203 (101 for 498) career batting average against him...had career highs in wins, games, innings (55.2) and strikeouts (52)...first batters faced hit .170 (9 for 53) which ranked sixth lowest among American League relievers...first batters now have a .175 (20 for 114) career average against him...allowed 8 of 33 (24.2%) inherited runners to score...struck out 52 in 55.2 innings and walked just 18 for a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.9 to 1...now has 150 strikeouts in 139.1 career innings, an average of 9.69 per nine innings...has walked just 48 for a career strikeout to walk ratio of 3.1 to 1...his .216 opponents batting average broke down to .162 (22 for 136) against right-handers and .319 (23 for 72) against left-handers...allowed four home runs in 72 at bats against lefties and two home runs in 136 at bats against righties...now has a .178 (56 for 315) career average against righthanders and .246 (45 for 183) against left-handers...allowed a .193 (11 for 57) average with runners in scoring position, including .042 (1 for 24) with RISP and two outs which was the lowest mark in the Majors...has allowed a .202 (25 for 124) career average with RISP, including .150 (9 for 60) with RISP and two outs...right elbow tendinitis led to early ERA problems as he missed 11 games from April 17 to 28 with the injury...allowed a career high five runs on four hits and a walk in 0.1 innings on May 4 against Texas and yielded four runs on three hits and a walk without recording an out two games later on May 8 at New York...went on the Disabled List on May 10 retroactive to May 9 with right elbow tendinitis...allowed nine runs in those two games against Texas and New York and 11 in his other 56 outings for a 1.79 ERA (11 er in 55.1 ip)...had an 8.68 ERA and .310 opponents batting average when he was reinstated from the DL on June 5 but did not allow a run in 39 of his final 48 outings for a 2.14 ERA (11 er in 46.1 ip) and .193 (32 for 166) opponents batting average... overall, did not allow a run in 47 of his 58 outings...had a 1.85 ERA (8 er in 39.0 ip) in 40 outings at night and a 6.48 ERA (12 er in 16.2 ip) in 18 outings during the day...had a 0.93 ERA (2 er in 19.1 ip) in 16 outings when pitching on two days rest and a 4.46 ERA (18 er in 36.1 ip) in all other outings...did not commit an error in seven chances and has not made an error in 125 career games and 23 chances...did not allow a run in seven outings in April (8.1 ip, 6 h, 2 bb, 11 so), his longest scoreless streak of the season...that gave him a career best 18.1 inning scoreless streak dating back to September 12, 2004...had an ERA under 2.50 in every month except May when he appeared in just three games and posted an 81.00 ERA (9 er in 1.0 ip)...picked up the win in consecutive outings on April 13 against Toronto and April 16 against Los Angeles to extend his winning streak to a career high four games...recorded his only save of the season on May 6 at New York when he got the final two outs of the A's 6-3, 10 inning win...struck out in his only at bat on June 10 at Atlanta...tossed a season high 2.1 innings on July 1 against Chicago and retired all seven hitters that he faced...was charged with his only blown save of the season on August 3 at Minnesota in the 100th appearance of his career...had his career high four-game winning streak snapped when he was charged with his only loss of the season on August 21 against Kansas City...allowed the game winning RBI single to Emil Brown in the 12th inning...picked up the win in consecutive games on August 29 at Baltimore and August 30 at Los Angeles...allowed a .095 (4 for 42) opponents batting average in September.

2004

Appeared in 41 games for St. Louis and was 3-1 with a 2.78 ERA...had 12 holds and allowed just two of his 15 (13.3%) inherited runners to score...struck out 47 and walked just 10 in his 45.1 innings pitched...retired 35 of the 41 first batters faced...held the opposition to a .176 batting average, including .175 (10 for 57) against left-handed hitters and .177 (17 for 96) against right-handers...posted a 2.11 ERA (9 er in 38.1 ip) over his last 35 games after recording a 6.43 ERA over his first six contests...began the season with Triple-A Memphis and was recalled on May 7...was 0-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 12 games for Memphis with one save and 33 so in 25.1 innings...pitched a scoreless eighth inning the night of his recall, May 7 at Montreal, putting down the side in order...threw a perfect inning on May 20 at New York for his first hold and retired three batters faced in the seventh inning on May 29 at Houston for his second hold of the season...faced the minimum nine batters in 3.0 innings on June 5 vs. Houston, his longest relief outing in 2004...blanked the A's for the final 2.0 innings on June 16 and earned his second career save...gave up a lead-off double in the seventh vs. Cincinnati on June 20, but then struck out the next three batters...earned his second career win on July 16 at Cincinnati, his first since April 13, 2003 at Houston...appeared in all three games, July 26-28 at Cincinnati, striking out four in 2.1 innings, with one walk...allowed back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning on August 6 vs. New York, his first home runs allowed since June 23...placed on the 15-day disabled list on August 7, with right shoulder tendinitis...was 0-0 with a 1.42 ERA in four games at Memphis during injury rehab, striking out 13 batters in 6.1 innings...was activated from the 15-day DL prior to the September 4 game...suffered his first loss on September 10 at Los Angeles allowing two runs on a home run in 1.0 innings...was credited with his second win on September 15 vs. Houston after entering a tie ballgame...went 1.1 inning on September 22 at Milwaukee, fanning three while stranding a pair to earn his 11th hold...recorded the final two outs on September 24 at Colorado for his second save of the season (third career save)...was credited with a win in the season finale on October 3 vs. Milwaukee...made eight postseason appearances for St. Louis, including five in the NLCS against Houston, and posted a combined 4.82 ERA...played in the Japan All-Star Series following the season and had a win in three relief appearances (1.2 ip, 1 h, 2 so).

2003

Made the team as a non-roster invitee out of spring training and was one of the team's most consistent relievers before undergoing season-ending knee surgery in late June...recorded strikeouts in 21 of his 26 appearances, fanning 51 in 38.1 innings...made his final appearance on June 28 at Kansas City and left the game after facing one batter in the fifth inning when he suffered a torn right patella tendon after delivering a pitch...made his Major League debut on April 2 vs. Milwaukee (0.2 ip, 2 h, 1 bb, 1 so) and was credited with his first win on April 13 at Houston (2.0 ip, 2 so)...fanned five batters and walked four in 2.0 scoreless innings on April 27 at Florida...allowed a two-run pinch-hit home run to Barry Larkin on May 6 at Cincinnati for his first career loss...notched his first career save when he preserved a 3-1 win vs. Montreal on May 3 with a scoreless ninth...it marked his first appearance without recording a strikeout...earned his first career hold on June 4 vs. Toronto with a scoreless sixth inning...worked 4.0 innings in relief on June 11 at Boston, allowing one run while striking out four...made his first Major League start on June 16 at Milwaukee and allowed just one run in 5.0 innings...struck out a career high nine...posted a 2.16 ERA in June and fanned 24 batters in 16.2 innings that month before suffering his knee injury.

2002

Was traded to Philadelphia on March 20 for Brian Harris but was returned two days later as he was unable to perform...was on the disabled list from April 4 to May 2 with right shoulder tendinitis...began the season at Double-A Wichita and was 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five games, two starts, when he transferred to Triple-A Omaha on May 21...went 7-7 with a 3.44 ERA in 20 games, 18 starts, at Triple-A...ranked fifth in the Pacific Coast League in ERA...was a combined 8-7 with a 3.30 ERA in 25 games, 20 starts...allowed a .236 opponents batting average which included a .232 (56 for 241) mark against left-handers and .239 (66 for 276) against right-handers.

2001

Spent the entire season at Double-A Wichita for the third consecutive season and was 14-5 with a 3.33 ERA in 27 games, 19 starts...ranked second in wins and third in ERA in the Texas League...the wins were a career high...allowed a .237 opponents batting average, including .273 (48 for 176) against left-handers and .215 (62 for 288) against right-handers...opponents average dropped to .183 (21 for 115) with runners in scoring position...was on the disabled list from May 17 to June 1 with a strained hip flexor.

2000

Went 10-7 with a 3.63 ERA in 28 games, 25 starts, in his second consecutive season at Double-A Wichita...ranked seventh in the Texas League in ERA...struck out a career high 130 batters...opponents hit .251 which broke down to .328 (63 for 192) against left-handers and .211 (78 for 370) against right-handers.

1999

Went 9-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 26 games, 23 starts, at Double-A Wichita...ranked sixth in the Texas League in ERA and Wichita won the Texas League Championship...allowed a .279 opponents batting average, including .308 against left-handers and .260 against right-handers...was on the disabled list from June 30 to July 19 with right shoulder tendinitis.

1998

Was a combined 9-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 24 games, all starts, at Single-A Lansing, Double-A Wichita and Single-A Wilmington...began the season on the Wichita disabled list from April 2 to 26 with a strained right shoulder...transferred to Lansing when he was activated from the DL, returned to Wichita on May 15 and was sent to Wilmington, where he finished the season on June 1.

1997

Named to the Texas League All-Star team after going 11-9 with a 4.44 ERA in 23 games, 22 starts, at Double-A Wichita...allowed a .248 (120 for 483) opponents batting average.

1996

Made his professional debut at Spokane and was 4-2 with a 2.52 ERA and a save in 17 games, 11 starts...finished 4th in the Northwest League in ERA...was named Rookie of the Year in the Puerto Rican Winter League going 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 12 games, 11 starts...pitched 45.2 innings allowing 42 hits while striking out 33.