Scottsdale, AZ: Germán Márquez was more than surprised to hear that there was an award exclusively for Latino baseball players and happy to hear that he is on the ballot for 2021 LatinoMVP awards.
We caught up with German at the Colorado Rockies Spring Training facility in Scottsdale the same day that we were there to award the 2020 AL LatinoMVP Closer, Alex Colomé (that article appears here on the site). German had heard that we were there to award German, but he was more than surprised to hear that I also wanted to interview him because he was on the ballot for the 2021 awards.
As usual, we like to explain the history of the award. We explained the details of how this award was started in 1990 when Ruben Sierra then playing for the Texas Rangers was overlooked by the BBWAA for the 1989 American League Most Valuable Player Award. I explained how several of us in the community decided to award Ruben Sierra in 1990 and that the award has been given every year since and now considered the most prestigious award given to Latino players, now commemorating its 32nd anniversary.
My first question to German was, how do you feel being on the ballot for the 2021 NL LatinoMVP Pitcher of the year award?
He stated that he did not know about the award, but that he was proud to be among the best Latinos on that list. He understood the value of the award and said, “I’m going to continue to do what I must do for my name to always be on top of all future ballots. For me this is a moment of pride.”
That type of fortitude comes from his background. German was born in the town of San Felix, in the State of Bolivar in the South of Venezuela. He started playing baseball at the young age of five. By the age 14 he began to excel and at the age of 16 he was signed by Tampa Bay. He was then traded to Colorado and by the age of 21 he was in the majors after going through AA, AAA, and the big leagues all in that one year. In 2017 they used him as a closer, then was sent back to AAA for a month. He returned as a starter and been there since.
When I asked him what he thought of an award exclusively for Latino baseball players he responded, “I think that having an award exclusively for Latino baseball players is great. We (Latinos) have been here for a long time I don’t like inequality and I believe if a player deserves an award, he should get it. I am very happy and grateful to all of you who have initiated this award for Latinos.”
