Why the Astros are the favorites in Puerto Rico.

Image courtesy of MLB Puerto Rico

Cabo Rojo, PR: There are many interesting things about this 2022 World Series. The fact that one of the best baseball teams, the Houston Astros with the second-best record of 106 wins behind the Dodgers who had 111 wins is facing the wild card, Philadelphia Phillies with a record of 87 wins and 75 losses is reason enough to generate mucho attention. As a result, this series has all the makings of a David Vs. Goliath series.

I dare say that many baseball fans who were not following any of these two teams and who are now watching the World Series are probably rooting for the Phillies. I say that because my experience has always been that America as a whole, especially many working class and the poor usually have a soft spot for the underdog. I can relate to that because growing up in the South Bronx I have always been the underdog.

However, here is a new phenomenon. As a Puerto Rican and presently in Puerto Rico I, like many of my friends and neighbors here are rooting for the Astros for a very nationalistic reason. The Astros have the only two Puerto Ricans in this World Series. Puerto Rico is known for producing some of the best catchers in baseball. From Benito Santiago, Javier López, Hall of Famer, Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez, and future Hall of Famer, Yadier Molina. The Houston Astros has two catchers, Martín Benjamin Maldonado Valdés from the small town of Naguabo Puerto Rico and Christian Rafael Vázquez from Bayamón. I can attest that both those towns are rooting for their homeboys.

it was obvious watching the local pregame analysis on Puerto Rican TV that the Astros with the only two Puerto Ricans playing in this series had the Islands fan advantage. Perhaps this is the prelude to the upcoming World Baseball Classic where the Puerto Rican National Team has always brought national excitement to all Puerto Ricans.