Posted on 10/21/2019 12:47:37 PM PDT by DFG
Almost immediately, it was obvious to some that 16-year-old José Altuve was different.
“Sometimes, you just have a feel about a guy,” Al Pedrique said. “With others, you can see it.”
The year was 2007, and Pedrique was one of the Astros' main talent evaluators in Venezuela. In the years since, he has held a variety of jobs in baseball, most recently as third-base coach for the A’s the last two seasons.
Altuve stood out for reasons that had nothing to do with baseball. He made sure guys got to English classes on time, led drills on the field and organized informal extra practices.
He also led by example as the guy who worked the hardest, pushed himself the most and revealed a burning desire to be great. The Astros had twice turned him away from their Venezuelan academy, but Altuve kept showing up and getting put into games. While every scout believed Altuve’s bat speed and instincts were special, they were reluctant to sign a 5-foot-5 infielder.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlb.com ...
Nice story about a guy who embodies the American Spirit!
PS I know nothing about sports, worked all my life since 10 and never had any time for it. Being poor is a great motivator for some but not all.
Love that guy he’s a model human being also an incredible baseball player I do think that this is going to be an epic series with both teams having an incredible pitching staff Washington obviously is the hungry of the two teams having never been in anything and use in having one at all to years ago but I think we’re in for a great series
when he got up to bat the other night, I said to my son, “Altuve can end this right now.”
Boom.
Called that one!
I wouldn’t underestimate the Astros’ hunger......:):):)
My favorite team is the Dodgers, followed by whoever is playing the Yankees.
Great story. And a great human being.
Anyone who truly loves baseball and is able to get past his own partisan feelings for his favorite team has to love this guy. He is a great fielder, a great hitter, and a wonderful role model for young baseball fans.
Altuve is also a very strong Christian who is active in many charities. My friend, a former team announcer, wanted to do a book about him and Jose was reluctant until it was agreed that all the proceeds would go to childrens’ charities.
When he first came through the minors, the Astros were hesitant to promote him until the other teams just couldn’t get him out. Then he’d get promoted and the same thing would happen - through A-ball, then AA. Finally, he was brought up to Houston in 2011 along with another “against all odds” story - J.D. Martinez.
He was just a singles hitter when he arrived but every year he worked on adding to his game. “He doesn’t draw walks,” they said. So, he learned the strike zone. “He can’t hit for extra bases,” they said. So he learned to hit doubles and triples. “Yeah, but he can’t hit home runs,” they said. This year, he hit a career-high 30 home runs.
He is on pace to reach 3000 hits when he turns 38. He has an outside chance of breaking Pete Rose’s all-time hits mark sometime in his early 40s. In the four Hall-of-Fame predictor formulas used on Baseball-Reference.com, he is *already* qualified for Cooperstown on two of them.
Infectious smile. Never seems to have a bad day. Absolutely amazing young man.
Of course, those Venezuelan camps no longer exist because Hugo Chavez tried to nationalize them.
HOORAY Jose!
I did not expect the Dodgers to lose in the playoffs....sorry about that :(
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