courtesy of thestar.com
Barring any last minute disaster, Yan Gomes will be starting tonight at 3rd base for the Toronto Blue Jays against the New York Yankees, making him the first Brazilian-born player in MLB.
It’s been a long road traveled for Gomes, who learned baseball in Brazil but then moved with his parents to Miami in his teens, played high school and college ball here (U. of Tennessee, then Barry U.) and bided his time in the minors behind higher draft pick prospects at catcher.
One real hot spring in the big league camp this year and some unusual circumstances on the Blue Jays roster have given Gomes an opportunity millions of kids around the world only dream about: making it to The Show.
Parabens Yan, e Boa Sorte!
photo credit - Chris Lockard
C-IF Yan Gomes of the Triple A Las Vegas 51’s (TOR) is destroying the Pacific Coast League at the moment. In 32 games this season, Gomes is hitting .362 with 17 runs scored, 11 doubles, 5 home runs, 22 RBI, and an OPS of .962. The native of São Paulo, Brazil has not slowed down from the hot hitting he displayed in Toronto’s big league spring training camp.
Originally a catcher, Gomes has also played a lot of third base and first base this season, given the glut of experienced catchers ahead of him in the Blue Jays organization. Gomes’ versatility should increase his chances of being called up if there is an injury on the Blue Jays big league roster. Be on the lookout for Gomes to make it to Toronto soon, because injuries happen all the time.
image courtesy of Bocas del Toro Tortugueros Facebook page
The Panamanian Major League baseball season is quickly coming to a close, with Bocas del Toro taking a 2-0 advantage over Panama Metro back to their home stadium, Calvin Bryon, otherwise known as the “Turtle’s Nest”, or in the case of this season, the “House of Pain”, given the home field advantage that Bocas has enjoyed this season. The first two games were played in Metro’s home stadium, Rod Carew, in Panama City.
Bocas and Metro will play game 3 tonight, and Bocas could wrap up the championship by tomorrow evening with wins the next two days. Outfielder Jhadiel Santamaria, a former Yankee and Braves farmhand, has been leading the Bocas hit parade this series by going 5 for 9 with 2 RBI’s.
