For Puerto Rican players, no bigger stage than home

When Twins starting pitcher José Berríos takes the mound at Estadio Hiram Bithorn on Wednesday in San Juan for the second and last game of the Puerto Rico Series between Minnesota and the Cleveland Indians, practically a whole island will be watching.

“I have 150 people going, between family and friends,” Berrios said. “From my family, everyone is going. Mom. Dad. Brothers and sisters. Nephews. Aunts and uncles. Cousins.”

At least Berríos, born a couple of miles away from the stadium in Bayamón, has already pitched in front of a sellout crowd at Hiram Bithorn: He threw 1.2 innings in relief for Team Puerto Rico against Venezuela in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

When the series opens today, it will be Indians All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor’s first game back home at any level since he moved from his hometown of Caguas to Florida at age 12.

“The Puerto Rico series is going be the best series of my life. I can’t wait to be in front of the crowd. I can’t wait to see everybody out there and just listen to the crowd,” Lindor said.

“Expect it to be loud the whole, entire game. Loud, crazy music all game long, nonstop, so it’ll be fun.”

‘It will bring joy’

For Berríos and Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario as well as Lindor and the other boricuas on the Indians — catcher Roberto Pérez, first base coach Santos “Sandy” Alomar Jr. and hitting coach Víctor Rodríguez — it’s almost beyond words what it means to go home this week. And here’s one reason why: Despite all of his accomplishments, even Roberto Clemente never played a regular season major league game in Puerto Rico.

“To play in your own country, in your homeland, in front of your family, it goes without saying that it’s something very moving for me, for the Puerto Rican ballplayer, it really is,” Rosario said.

While Rosario will not have as many family and friends attending the games as Berríos, he’s confident that he can still one-up his teammate.

“From my family, 30 to 40. But from my town, my whole town will be there. All of Guayama is going. I’m certain of that,” Rosario said with a smile.

“All of Guayama is going. I’m certain of that.” — Eddie Rosario

Rosario might not be exaggerating. Major League Baseball announced last week that the two games at the 20,000-seat stadium were sold out, a noteworthy achievement amid the painfully slow recovery seven months after Hurricane María.

The Puerto Rico Series might not quite be a coming out party for the island, but it will be a chance to celebrate a new generation of stars in a sport that is once again thriving, offering the country newfound pride and hope.

“It will bring joy. The joy that has been missing since María,” Rosario said. “There’s been a lot of sadness. No peace. People didn’t feel happy. [We] are looking to make people feel happy.”

“There’s nothing like the fans in the Caribbean, who live the game inning by inning,” Berríos added.

Exclusive roll call

Looking to capture some of that passion, MLB started scheduling regular season games in Puerto Rico in 2001, when the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 8-1 in the season opener.

In 2003 and 2004, the Expos used Puerto Rico as a secondary home during their last two seasons in Montreal, playing a total of 43 games.

And in 2010, the Florida Marlins and the New York Mets played a three-game set. It was in the home team dugout that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria removed the interim tag and anointed Edwin Rodríguez the first Puerto Rican manager in history.

Now Berríos, Lindor and Rosario have the chance to join an exclusive roll call of fellow boricuas who have played an MLB game at home that includes Hall of Famer Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez, two-time All-Star Carlos Delgado, 165-game winner Javier Vázquez and Álex Cora, the Boston Red Sox’s new manager.

“You feel the passion of the game,” Rosario said. “The fans make it a spectacle. We [also] call it ‘The Show’ in Puerto Rico. But ‘The Show’ in Puerto Rico is different. It’s another [type] of ‘Show.’ Everyone is part of it.

“It’s going to be a spectacular show,” Rosario added.

The pre-series hype has revolved around Lindor’s homecoming. When Lindor and his mother visited his former grade school on Monday as part of an MLB initiative called “Players Going Home,” the students came out of their classrooms to chant his name. Still hanging on the walls is a photo of the Class of 2004-05, with an 11-year-old Lindor styling an afro and his customary smile.

Along with Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, “Mr. Smile” is considered the future of Puerto Rican baseball. Lindor, 24, is charismatic, bilingual and accessible, an all-around player with a game and a brand. In three seasons, he has already earned two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove and a Sliver Slugger Award.

Berríos bloodlines

But Berríos, a slender 23-year-old righty with moxie and a killer curveball, has overshadowed most of his fellow countrymen this month by enjoying the best start of his young career. He opened the season by notching his first shutout ever in a 7-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles and is coming off another 7.0 shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox last week.

In three games and 20.2 innings, Berríos has struck out 24 and given up only one walk. In other words, he has pitched as well or better than Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani.

Knowing how important the Puerto Rico series was to both the island and his players, manager Paul Molitor arranged the Twins rotation during spring training to ensure that Berríos got the honor of starting one of the two games.

“To go to Puerto Rico and pitch as a major leaguer makes it more special,” Berríos said. “I’m a big leaguer now, proud of my parents and family. And to have the opportunity to pitch in front of them is great, for which I thank God.

Like many on the island, Berríos got indoctrinated in baseball from birth. He grew up across the street from a ballpark and said that his parents signed him up for his first organized league at age 3.

Truth be told, he was already a grizzled veteran by then.

“My father was a ballplayer. My brother is a ballplayer. He’s 10 years older than me. I started going to ballparks when I was in my mother’s womb,” Berríos said.

“It’s in my blood,” Berríos added. “That’s when my story as a ballplayer began.”

“I started going to ballparks when I was in my mother’s womb.” — José Berríos

Passion and intensity

Berríos’ nickname is “La Máquina” or “The Machine.” Suffice it to say, he’s passionate and intense about the game. Though he grew up idolizing Pudge and manning all the infield positions, he knew at age 13 that he wanted to play in the major leagues and become a pitcher, just like his father and brother.

“I’ve always played hard since I was young,” Berríos said. “I was so intense that sometimes I would get frustrated. But as I got older, I realized that is part of sports and competition.”

Most players remember with clarity and precision their first game. Berríos starts first by recalling draft day in 2012, the year Correa became the first Puerto Rican picked No. 1 overall. Berríos went close behind, going No. 32 to the Twins as a supplemental first-rounder.

“It was great, in front of family and friends, with the people who have always supported me,” Berríos said.

First game

It took Berríos four years to make to The Show. He knows, without prompting, the date of his first major league game — April 27, 2016 — at Target Field in Minneapolis.

“My family was there. My mom and dad. My brother and sister. My wife and three children. It was something wonderful. I was starting a new journey in the major leagues,” Berríos said.

Pitching against the Cleveland Indians, Berríos gave up a hit to his first batter, DH Carlos Santana. Berríos remembers exactly what happened with the next hitter.

“My first strikeout was Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians. It was a curve. He swung at it,” Berríos said.

“I felt lit up. It was something I had dreamt of since I was a kid, to reach this level and be in the major leagues. Something very beautiful. Something that took a lot of sacrifice, but something that we’re passionate about.”

Berríos got Lindor and Michael Brantley out on ground balls to end the inning. The second time around, Lindor got even, blasting a two-run double in the third inning. Berríos ended up pitching 4.0 innings and giving up five runs while striking out five in a 6-5 loss.

As fate will have it, he will pitch on Wednesday against the same team, but on a bigger stage with more at stake.

“Puerto Rico is where I was born and raised,” Berríos said.

He doesn’t have to say anything more.

Featured Image: Adam Hunger / Getty Images Sport