Bronx, NY: It’s not exactly how we had wanted, but as they say in show business, “The show must go on.” Last week, New York Yankee missile launcher, Aroldis Chapman received his 2019 LatinoMVP American League Closer of the Year award in the Yankee locker room. A member the Yankee media department, Marlon Abreu gave Chapman his award. Chapman was very happy to receive his award a unique illustration art piece by known artist, John Pennisi. Chapman sent us this comment, “Gracias a Latino Sports por la consideración y el premio como cerrador del año 2019. Se le aprecia mucho el apoyo.” (Thanks to Latino Sports for the consideration and award as Closer of the Year 2019. Your support is greatly appreciated.)
As evident from the other LatinoMVP awards handed out this year, the award could not have come at a better time given the total disruption of what a routine baseball season should be and the fact the Yankee were heading to the post season.
Chapman illustration by John Pennisi. Photo John Pennisi)
In the absence of loud cheering fans baseball is not the same. No matter how hard they have tried to make the players feel the comfort of playing in an empty stadium with people cut out’s in the stands, or noise from the sound system, it’s not the same. The excitement of the game for many of the players, like all performers is the feedback they get from those they are performing in front of.
We are proud that we have done what we could to help some of the players feel appreciated and feel that that there is some interaction, some contact outside of a locker room free of reporters and stadium empty of fans.
We want to thank the Jason Zillo, Vice President Communications and Media and Marlon Abreu, for getting the award to Chapman and the previous award to Gleyber Torres and sending us pictures and remarks from them. We also want to thank MLB for their sponsorship and in particular to Pat Courtney, Chief Communications Officer Major League Baseball for his help in getting the 2019 LatinoMVP awards to all of the recipients.
