The Astros shine bright in the baseball sky
By César Augusto Márquez
The World Series is over, but not baseball. The awards season is about to begin, and don’t forget: The Yankees are still searching for a manager. There are some big-name free agents who may be looking for change, including Carlos González, who may or may not return to the Rockies, his team for the past nine years. Meanwhile, the Astros celebrated their first world championship with a parade in Houston, trips to Disney World and New York, a marriage proposal and Justin Verlander’s wedding to Kate Upton in Italy.
A fête fit for Texas
The Astros are the first team from Texas to win the World Series. Center fielder George Springer, who is Panamanian on his father’s side and Puerto Rican on his mother’s, was voted MVP after hitting .379/.471/1.000. He tied the record held by Reggie Jackson and Chase Utley for five home runs in a Series, and set three more records: four consecutive games with a homer, most extra-base hits (8), and most total bases (29).
Springer’s output was Ruthian. But isn’t everything bigger in Texas?
Nine weeks after Hurricane Harvey, the citizens of Houston gave the Astros a parade to remember on Friday. So many people showed up — 1 million according to some estimates — that the parade route was extended by two blocks.
The next day, a trio of Astros got a second parade. Springer, José Altuve and Carlos Correa rode on a float down Disney’s Main Street. We never thought that Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy would look so good in pinstripes.
Lone Star superstar
Altuve has become a bona fide celebrity. Besides being one of the game’s best hitters, he is widely loved by players, fans and seemingly everyone else. After winning the World Series on Wednesday in Los Angeles, he flew to New York on Thursday to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where the cast of the Netflix drama Stranger Things asked for a picture with him. On Friday, he was back in Houston for the team’s parade, and then on Saturday morning, flew to Orlando for the Disney World parade, where he gave an unsuspecting fan the thrill of a lifetime.
That should be enough to tire anyone out, but not Mighty Altuve. After Disney World, he flew back to New York, where he made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live with Springer and third baseman Alex Bregman. And, randomly, even ’90s boy band, the Backstreet Boys, shared their love.
Jimmy Fallon
Stranger Things
Saturday Night Live
Backstreet boys
Take a Knee
In the midst of the Astros’ joyful celebration at the end of Game 7, while he was being interviewed on national TV, Correa took time to surprise his girlfriend Daniella Rodríguez with a marriage proposal, presenting her with a giant diamond ring. Yes, you can say it: Rodríguez has more rings than the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig.
Yadier’s Next Career?
At 35, Yadier Molina is still one of the best catchers around. But he’s clearly thinking about what his baseball future may hold. He was just named manager of Puerto Rico’s national team, as it prepares to compete later this month at the Pan American U-23 Baseball Championship in Panama, a qualifier for the U-23 Baseball World Cup in 2018. Knowing Yadi, his team will play hard and will play smart. Molina was the captain of Puerto Rico’s 2017 World Baseball Classic silver medal squad.
Pedro Comes Through
On Friday, Pedro Martínez held his annual charity gala in Boston. Many current and former Latin American players joined him to raise funds for victims of the hurricanes in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Florida, including Vladimir Guerrero, David Ortiz, Marcell Ozuna and Nelson Cruz.
An adiós from Álex Cora
Álex Cora ended his job as bench coach of the Astros with a World Series championship ring. Before he left for his new role as manager of the Red Sox, Cora posted a thank you to the Astros’ organization and players, especially Correa and Carlos Beltrán. “Stay the course; nothing and no one will stop you,” he told Correa; “Thanks for everything. You are a world champion, my brother,” was his message for Beltrán.
Farewell, Álex, and good luck in Boston.
The Simpsons Stand By Puerto Rico
Even television heavyweights are pulling for Puerto Rico. In an animated short posted Friday, cranky bartender Moe Szyslak of The Simpsons showed solidarity with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz by trolling President Trump and announcing that the show’s viewers had donated $25,000 dollars for relief efforts. Gracias mil, Moe — every dollar helps.
Featured Image: Bill Hofheimer Twitter