This article was edited and updated from an article that appeared in ENDI.com on 10.21.21 By Antolín Maldonado Ríos
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Most of the Puerto Rican players have been protagonists during this postseason and manager Alex Cora highlights it.
Boston. In his first years as a player in the Major Leagues (MLB) since his debut in 1998, Alex Cora coincided in the ‘Gran Circo’ with several of the most important stars that Puerto Rico has given in the history of baseball.
But he also lived later, near his retirement in 2011, a time of transition in which the presence of Puerto Ricans began to diminish.
For this reason, witnessing now as a manager, the brilliant moment that multiple players in the field are starring, and especially in the important postseason scenario in October, excites Cora, who has been a faithful defender of Puerto Rican baseball since before returning to the majors as manager of the Boston Red Sox.
At the time of hanging their hooks in 2011, the vast majority of the most prominent Puerto Rican players, such as Roberto Alomar, Juan “Igor” González, Carlos Baerga, Rubén Sierra, Edgar Martínez, Carlos Delgado, among others, had retired long before he did. Only catcher, Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez lasted in the majors until the same year as Cora, after a career that began in 1991 and lasted 21 seasons.
Of that strain, three reached the Hall of Fame: Alomar (2011), Rodríguez (2017) and Martínez (2019).
After the retirement of Cora and other important figures such as former pitcher Javier Vázquez, receiver Yadier Molina and outfielder Carlos Beltrán took the Puerto Rican flag in their hands in the best baseball in the world.
It was at least those two who were in charge of prolonging the presence of Puerto Ricans in postseason games.
But in the era of Francisco Lindor, Javier Báez, Carlos Correa, Kike Hernández and Christian Vázquez, Edwin Rosario among others, the Puerto Rican fans have once again savored the hot baseball that is played in the playoffs, feeling represented in that showcase.
“They are good players. We lived it as a group in the last Clásico (Baseball World Cup 2017). They are explosive, dynamic players, with a unique desire to play the game, “said Cora when approached last week at Fenway Park in Boston, in the middle of the American League Championship Series between his Red Sox and the Houston Astros.
Six Puerto Rican players, five developed on the island and one of Puerto Rican descent, are active in said series. For Boston are outfielder Kike Hernández, catcher Christian Vázquez and second baseman of Puerto Rican father, Christian Arroyo. For Houston, shortstop Carlos Correa and catcher Martín “Machete” Maldonado. For the Atlanta Braves you have Edwin Rosario, native of Guayama, Puerto Rico.
Boricuas in the post season are helping to add that sofrito to the life and excitement of baseball. Congrats to all of them.
