Roberto Hernandez, aka Fausto Carmona, is telling Dominican prospects to tell the truth

Roberto Hernandez, the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, is touring baseball camps in the Dominican Republic to warn young players about the dangers of changing their age and identity.

Manuel Diaz, Associated Press Roberto Hernandez, the Indians pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, with Dominican authorites following his arrest in January.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "In Truth, There is Triumph."

That is the message, written in Spanish, on the front of the T-shirts that Roberto Hernandez Heredia is handing out to young prospects at the many independent baseball academies in the Dominican Republic that he's been visiting since Feb. 7.

Hernandez is the Indians pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona. He was arrested on Jan. 19 outside the U.S. Consulate in Santo Domingo, D.R. for using a false identification to try and obtain a visa to join the Indians in spring training in Goodyear, Ariz.

"Roberto is telling the young players about what he's experienced and gone through," his agent, Jorge Brito, told The Plain Dealer. "He's telling them that if you're 18 or 19 not to let anyone convince you that you have to change your identity or age so that you can realize your dream of becoming a major league player.

"He tells them you don't have to lie. He's telling them not to listen to the people who are trying to convince you to do that. Those people are trying to take advantage of you."

Brito would not say if this is part of the process Hernandez must go through to regain a waiver that would allow him to join the Indians sometime this year in the United States. As of now he can't leave the Dominican Republic and has been placed on the restricted list by the Indians. That means he can't receive his $7 million contract.

"This is Roberto's campaign," said Brito. "He tells the kids about the dangers of being victimized twice by this process. First, you have to change your name and your age to sign. Then you can get caught. Roberto has paid a large and costly price for that. I would think all parties involved in this would welcome that message with open arms."

When Dominican authorities arrested Carmona they reported that he was really Roberto Hernandez Heredia and that he was 31 instead of 28.

The Indians were officially informed recently that indeed Fausto Carmona is Roberto Hernandez. On the back of the T-shirts Hernandez has been handing out is his real name: Roberto Hernandez with his No. 55.

"Roberto makes it clear to the kids that the door is open," said Brito. "He's willing to help anyone of them who want it if they want to talk about this."

Hernandez, meanwhile, has been working out daily at the academies he speaks at.

"He's throwing a bullpen right now," said Brito, as he talked to The Plain Dealer.

When they Indians signed Hernandez on Dec. 28, 2000, they believed he was 17. He was actually 20.

In five years with the Indians, he's 53-66 with a 4.59 ERA. His best season was 2007 when he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/02/roberto_hernandez_aka_fausto_c.html

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