Elvis Andrus leading by example

OAKLAND – Even when Elvis Andrus’ close friend and mentor Adrian Beltré was still playing, one did not need to be inside the Texas Rangers’ clubhouse very long to notice the impact was making on his teammates.

Leading is in his blood. Andrus was always the one with the salsa music blaring on his large radio in the clubhouse.

He was the one who made everyone laugh with his jokes across the clubhouse. He was often helping someone avoid a bad day with his infectious good nature and boyish smile.

That’s the way his father Emilio and aunt Patricia always were back home in Venezuela.

There are great leadership qualities in Elvis Andrus, not only those provided by the Texas Rangers fabulous Venezuelan shortstop’s ability to play baseball at its highest level

It’s not something that happens overnight. It’s not a fruit of anyone’s imagination. It’s in his own bloodline.

Emilio Andrus was an outstanding decathlete and respected leader in every sport he played. He excelled in the decathlon, the most exhausting of the track and field events.

Andrus’ aunt Patricia was an international shot-put and discus thrower who always had an energetic way of speaking her mind in every setting.

Therefore, it’s not a surprise that the Elvis Andrus, 30, has the right tools to be the Rangers’ new leader now that Beltré has retired from a playing career that might eventually land him in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“He’s a leader,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said of Andrus. “One thing I stressed to him from Day 1 was, ‘I want you to lead like Elvis Andrus. I don’t need you to be Adrián Beltré.’

“Beltré had a lot of presence about him. Andrus brings enthusiasm. The exuberance that he plays with. The smile on his face in the clubhouse. He enjoys the game.”

Beltré, a four-time All-Star third baseman from the Dominican Republic, was the face of the Rangers organization.

Beltré finished his 21-year career with 3,166 hits, 477 home runs, five Rawlings Gold Gloves, four Silver Slugger Awards and two Platinum Gloves.

Beltré was a beloved figure in the clubhouse and on the field, so he left a definite void when he announced his retirement during the offseason.

Beltré’s departure leaves Andrus with a leadership void to fill.

“There are certain things (Andrus) cares about in this clubhouse. Be on time, all those things he wants guys to be doing.

“He’s got all the [leadership] qualities for sure. He wants this team to be great. Just getting everybody else to play into that is his biggest challenge. He does it [with his work] every day.”

Hunter Pence, a former San Francisco Giants outfielder and a great leader himself, is new to the Rangers clubhouse. He did not need much time to like the positive atmosphere in the Rangers’ clubhouse, and believes great part of the reason for that is Andrus’s leadership.

“There is a tremendous amount of great leadership throughout the whole team, and Elvis and [outfielder Shin-soo] Choo work together a lot,” Pence said. “Elvis is definitely an incredible leader, very good at communication.

“Everyone is on the same page. Everyone is connected. Everyone is looking out for each other.”

Pence’s group meetings were famous with his Giants teammates. His firm words awakened their spirit as he attempted to keep them going together. His leadership was praised as major reasons for two of San Francisco’s three World Series titles in 2012 and 2014.

“It requires sacrifice and kind of a servant mentality,” Pence said of leadership. “[Andrus] puts in a lot of work and a lot of time and effort behind the scenes. That helps the collective. And I think that’s very inspiring.”

Andrus isn’t likely to be seen yelling at a teammate or walking around with an angry expression on his face. He believes in leadership by his own actions.

“To play hard, every single day, is the most important thing,” Andrus said. “What I love the most about leadership is being a leader by example. It’s not about that I’m the leader. It’s not about another player to be the leader.

“We’re going to be better if we can have as many leaders as possible in our team. But it has to be a daily thing. It can’t be something fleeting.”

The Rangers are one of the American League teams that are able to combine a rich blend of different cultures in their roster, especially those coming from Latin American countries. It’s not hard to understand how Beltré then, and Andrus now, embraced leadership in the best international sense of the word.

“We’ve got a good mix of Latino players, and also of young and more experienced players,” Andrus said. “It’s also great that we have the same core of players. We know each other. We’ve been playing together for a few years now and that makes it a lot easier.”

A much younger Andrus was a very important part of those 2010 and 2011 teams that won American League pennants. His talent, experience and leadership could now help take the Rangers to another level.

“Individual accolades are nice and obtaining those means a lot to a player, but my mentality has always been directed to winning a World Series,” Andrus said. “Thinking about achieving that goal does not allow me to sleep.”

Featured Image: Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport