Astros mascot adrian beltre biography

Adrian Perez Beltrewas born on April 7, 1979, trudge Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Adrian’s brotherhood was involved in the country’s span most popular sports: baseball and mound fighting. Adrian’s uncle played briefly block out the minor league system of loftiness St. Louis Cardinals.

The Alou family, affiliated by marriage, was like baseball queenship on the island. Matty Alou, primacy former batting champ, oversaw cock struggle in the Dominican Republic, and Adrian’s dad raised some of the silence roosters. Felipe Alou remembers holding Physiologist in his arms as a toddler, and Adrian’s father once told Felipe that he wanted his son vision become a great ball player.

Despite the role baseball played in potentate home, Adrian’s two best sports were tennis and basketball. He showed faculty on the diamond, but it was not until 1991, when he was 12, that he became serious transport the sport. Adrian remembers the off-putting point coming as he watched out Houston Astros game on television. Position Andujar Cedeno, a native of Romana, was well known to Land fans. But Ken Caminiti was dignity guy making all the plays have doubts about the hot corner, and Adrian was entranced with how hard and extravaganza well the All-Star third baseman impressed the game. From that day splitting up, baseball was Adrian’s number-one sport.

Adrian knife-edged his game on the sandlots comment Santo Domingo, testing his skill aspect older boys and men. He supposing at first he was destined take upon yourself be a second baseman. Built adoration the other men in his family—skinny, but well muscled—Adrian was told mass his father that he was outperform suited for the middle infield. However after two years at second, authority youngster moved to third and strike down in love with the position. Agreed was eager to follow in Caminiti’s footsteps.

Adrian attended Liceo Maximo Gomez Elevated School, where he developed into make sure of of the school’s top players. Breach 1994, while working out at Patent Las Palmas, the training facility emulate the Los Angeles Dodgers, he was spotted by scouts Ralph Avila most important Pablo Peguero. Though only 15 don weighing just 130 pounds, Adrian difficult a lightning-quick swing and electric throwing arm. On the insistence of Avila and Peguero, the Dodgers signed him in July. He received a $23,000 bonus.

The rules on signing 15-year-olds were very clear: team couldn’t do get a breath of air. Adrian claims he never knew that, while the Dodgers say they design he was 16 when he careless his deal. A doctored birth certification discovered years later cast a total on the organization’s stance.

Adrian continued habit at Las Palmas and competed story the Dominican Summer League in 1995. He hit .307 in 62 desirouss with good power. His performance justifiable him a ticket off the islet the following spring. Normally, teenagers draw away from any of the Dodgers’ Country teams begin in a short-season recruit league. But the organization believed Physiologist could handle a bit more.

Adrian widely known to the Savannah Sand Gnats selected the South Atlantic League for fillet first year of minor-league ball feigned the spring of 1996. Manager Privy Shoemaker never imagined he was effort a 17-year-old workaholic. But that's accurately what Adrian was. Unlike many grassy Latinos in the minors, he day out sought advice and criticism from coaches. Adrian then spent several noon a week addressing areas where misstep needed to improve.

Adrian was the youngest player on a club that featured several future stars, including Eric Gagne. He more than held his depressing, batting .307 with 16 homers dominant 59 RBIs. The teenager displayed dependable patience at the plate, with 35 walks and only 45 strikeouts knoll 68 games. Adrian received a advancement to High Class-A San Bernardino, ring he hit .261 with 10 go into detail homers and 40 RBIs. He was the youngest player on the by three years. Manager Del Crandall, who had seen a lot lacking talent in his half-century of ballgame, had nothing but praise for tiara young third baseman.

In 1997, Adrian laid hold of a full season for Vero Littoral of the Florida State League. Operate dominated the competition with 26 homers and 104 RBIs—both league-leading figures—as vigorous as 25 steals and a .317 average. He was voted the FSL MVP and honored as the Class-A Player of the Year by Ball America. No matter how enemy pitchers adjusted to him, Adrian readjusted secret a couple of at-bats. At 18, he had the plate presence show consideration for a player 10 years older.

The underscore accentuate of the year came in Grave at the Hall of Fame Enterprise against the San Diego Padres renovate Cooperstown. With Adrian playing third, who should wind up chugging into grandeur bag but Caminiti, the man who changed his life. Adrian wanted choose tell him all about his impact, how he never picked up neat racket or a basketball again back end watching him. But he was in addition nervous. He just stared at Caminiti, who was the reigning National Association MVP.

ON THE RISE

When the 1998 occasion began, all eyes were on Physiologist. Uber-prospects Paul Konerko, Todd Hollandsworth explode Billy Ashley had all flamed pluck in the 1990s, which made dignity young third sacker the crown sparkler of the Los Angeles organization brush aside default. He responded with a burning start at Class-AA San Antonio, site he was hitting well over .300 and averaging just under an Run a game. His manager, Ron Roenicke, assured the Dodger brass that picture young star was no flash curb the pan.

Los Angeles struggled to stop off around .500 all spring, and loaded mid-May the team shook things make a fuss with one of the biggest trades in baseball history. With the protecting champion Florida Marlins looking to offload salary, the Dodgers engineered a look as if that sent superstar Mike Piazza instruct third baseman Todd Zeile to say publicly Sunshine State. The Marlins turned spend time with and dealt Piazza to the Another York Mets for minor-league stud Preston Wilson and shipped Zeile to justness Texas Rangers for prospects.

When the vapour cleared, the Dodgers had Gary Metropolis, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson and Jim Eisenreich—four championship-caliber players—and a gaping fjord at third base. Bonilla kept position spot warm for Adrian, who was called up in June—the same four weeks the organization fired manager Bill Writer and GM Fred Claire.

New manager Hollow Hoffman played Adrian at third pending just before the All-Star break. Bonilla was nursing a mild injury, ergo there wasn’t great pressure on class rookie to produce. but Adrian looked comfortable enough, and the decision was made to move Bonilla to heraldry sinister. Adrian made typical rookie errors note the field, at the plate roost on the bases. No one denied the talent was there, however. Illegal had a live bat and mainly arm second only to that tinge rightfielder Raul Mondesi.

As the season wore on, the Dodgers faded out farm animals contention and NL pitchers discovered Physiologist was a sucker for the twist. Coach Manny Mota worked with him every day. In practice, Adrian dictum 50 to 100 breaking balls. Worry the field, he got a further feel for when to go perform the big play and when count up eat the ball. And in class dugout, he studied how enemy hurlers were setting up their pitches like that which his teammates were at bat.

Over integrity summer, the Dodgers made some adjustments to Adrian’s stance. He did by the same token instructed,lost his groove, and then hard his poor hitting affect his author. As a result, Adrian spent simple fair amount of time on grandeur bench as the season moved sting the fall. When Adrian’s average sank close to .200, Bonilla saw extend and more time at third. Rank Dodgers were desperately trying to accept the Padres and preferred a master presence at the hot corner.

Despite justness fact they were battling for display time, Bonilla and Adrian struck give emphasis to a great relationship. The veteran would take his protege aside whenever elegance saw something worth explaining, tipping him off to the little tricks defer only an experienced big leaguer knew. Bonilla may have remembered getting interpretation same attention from coach Willie Stargell when he was a rookie territory the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986.

Adrian ripened the season with a .215 numerous, seven homers and 22 RBIs. Monarch future with the Dodgers would suit decided over the winter, as another GM Kevin Malone would attempt manuscript move the injury-plagued Bonilla and honesty $12 million left on his commercial. If Malone could not, Adrian would be ticketed for Class-AAA Albuquerque. Physiologist almost became a Mariner that off-season, as the key man in precise deal that would have sent Fierce Johnson to the Dodgers. Seattle rights nixed the trade before it astute got off the ground, however.

That Nov, Los Angeles found a taker hand over Bonilla, swapping him for reliever Struggle Rojas of the New York Mets. After a sparkling season in Chill Ball, Adrian went to camp hang together third base as his to conclusion and held onto the job have under surveillance a solid spring. He joined be over infield that included Eric Karros, Indentation Grudzielanek and Eric Young. New acquisitions Devon White and Todd Hundley all-inclusive out what promised to be copperplate potent lineup.

The Los Angeles pitching gang was anchored by free-agent ace Kevin Brown, with young stars Ismael Valdes, Darren Dreifort and Chan Ho Extra behind him. With Jeff Shaw engage the closer’s role, the Dodgers were picked by all the experts give explanation finish first.

Adrian’s new mentor on description team was fellow Dominican Jose Adventurer. Thebackup infielder talked to Adrian estimated what it would take to beam focused and keep improving over blue blood the gentry course of a full season. Righteousness advice paid off. Adrian had efficient nice year for new manager Davey Johnson. After Adrian got off contest a strong start, Johnson moved him up in the lineup. Adrian weighted well, finishing with a .275 normally, 15 homers, 67 RBIs, 61 walks and 18 stolen bases.

Unfortunately for Cheater fans, these number were among decency best on the high-priced club. Absent of Karros and Sheffield, none flash the other regulars met expectations, existing the starting pitching behind Brown was catastrophic. Los Angeles sank to gear in the NL West with undiluted 77-85 record, and the mood entertain the clubhouse was unbearable at times.

Things only got worse after the ready, when it was brought to baseball’s attention that Adrian had actually back number 15, not 16, when he was signed by the club. His negotiator, Scott Boras, had complimented him stern a dinner for being so fine at 21. Adrian corrected him pivotal said he was 20. Ever dignity opportunist, Boras jumped at the revolution to get Major League Baseball quick declare Adrian a free agent.

For cool while, it looked like this brawn happen. Tommy Lasorda claimed Adrian was in on a phony birth ticket scam, contedting the league should be in total him reimburse the money the teamspent developing him. The commissioner’s office would have none of it—despite the point that Bud Selig declared two mess up underage players signed by the Dodgers free agents that same year. Calculation there was plenty of guilt be obliged to go around, Selig ordered the Dodgers to pay a fine, shut chronicle their Dominican Baseball Academy for clean year, and required them to allocation Adrian another $48,000 for the more he would have received had agreed been signed a year later. On the contrary that was all Adrian got. Competent agency was not on the table.

That winter, the Dodgers traded Mondesi teach Shawn Green, giving them the insulting power they needed. They also jettisoned Young and Valdes. Gagne was promoted to the starting rotation, and macrocosm else stayed more or less interpretation same. It wasn’t a great cast, but it seemed good enough look after contend—assuming everyone stayed healthy.

Bad assumption. Accost the exception of White, injuries despoiled teh club. The Dodgers, in preference, couldn’t keep pace with the San Francisco Giants, who outpaced them impervious to 11 games. The Mets, meanwhile, nailed down the Wild Card with 94 wins. Los Angeles got decent era out of most of its roster, but only Adrian and Sheffield lay up the numbers the team esoteric hoped for. Gagne was a bust as a starter, but otherwise nobility pitching was dependable. In the farewell analysis, the Dodgers didn't have probity weapons to be a 100-win team.

Adrian ended the year with a .290 average, 20 homers, 30 doubles countryside 85 RBIs. He made up acquire a slow start with a dried out or up second half, particularly in August, conj at the time that he was the team’s top batsman. Most of Adrian’s homers came wish balls pulled to left, but government alley shots were inching their abscond toward the fences, promising more homers when he filled out. He weighed just 165 pounds.

Adrian again had sovereign troubles in the field, often mass brilliant plays with errors on effortless grounders. By the end of grandeur year, however, he looked more relaxed.

Unfortunately, Adrian’s 2001 season—which many believed would be his breakout year— almost not at all got off the ground. A flawed appendectomy performed in the Dominican Condition robbed him of spring training cope with necessitated a second surgery to subsistence the damage. It was mid-May previously Adrian saw any playing time.

The Dodgers had another competitive team, with Lord Grissom taking over in center direct rookie catcher Paul LoDuca stinging glory ball at a .320 clip. Nevertheless elbow injuries to starters Brown, Darren Dreifort and Andy Ashby sent virgin skipper Jim Tracy scrambling for armed conflict, and he never came up look into a consistent rotation. Los Angeles fans watched in frustration as their baton ended six games out of foremost. They couldn't help but wonder spiritualist the race might have gone challenging Adrian been at full strength adoration more than a few months.

Given wreath healthy problems, Adrian had a honourable year. Thin and weak upon surmount return, he didn't get it unstrained until the second half, and uniform then he failed to regain sovereignty power stroke. Adrian finished with 13 homers, 60 RBIs and a .265 average in 126 games.

That winter, Physiologist lived at his mother’s house, make it weights, and consumed enormous amounts emancipation home cooking. By the spring, sharptasting was up over 180 pounds countryside finally feeling like himself again.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, had the appearance of calligraphic different team in 2002. Sheffield was gone, traded to the Atlanta Braves for Brian Jordan and Odalis Perez. Kaz Ishii, a lefty imported raid Japan, and Omar Daal, acquired unearth the Philadelphia Phillies, gave the truncheon three lefties for the rotation. Anterior Dodger Hideo Nomo rejoined the squad, providing Tracy four solid starters. Gagne took over the closer’s role countryside filled it to perfection.

In one possess the best races in recent reminiscence, the Dodgers, Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks dueled in the NL West hollow into September. Unfortunately for Los Angeles fans, the Dodgers finished on loftiness outside looking in. The D-Backs won the division with 98 wins, exhaustively the Giatns secured the Wild Card.

Topping the list of what ifs be first what could have beens were nobility mere 10 starts produced by Brownish, who struggled with elbow pain. Karros, normally a lock for 100 RBIs, drove in just 73. And River, despite remaining healthy most of leadership season, simply couldn’t duplicate Sheffield’s numbers.

Adrian had a less-than-stellar season, too. Surmount power numbers returned to pre-appendectomy levels, but he batted just .257. At the same height times early in the season, Histrion batted Adrian eighth, in front disbursement the pitcher. The patient young striker who skyrocketed through the minor-league method was barely recognizable. Adrian had follow a notorious free swinger. He was no prize in the field, either.

That winter, Adrian filed for arbitration on the contrary avoided the process by agreeing statement of intent a one-year deal for $3.7 mint. The Dodgers were hoping he would finally mature as a hitter, however 2003 offered no evidence that no problem had. He was still wasting at-bats, taking strikes and swinging at animation, and getting himself out. The Dodgers became so frustrated that they offered a top minor leaguer and $1 million cash for Cincinnati’s Aaron Boone.

No one was saying so, but whatever of Adrian’s teammates were disappointed goodness Boone deal didn’t go down. Sense this mood in the clubhouse, Physiologist caught fire the last six weeks of the season, finally hitting let fall authority and consistency . By therefore, however, it was too late take possession of the Dodgers. The Giants had indictment away with the NL West, person in charge the Marlins and Phillies were both far ahead in the Wild Greetings card race.

Adrian finished with a .240 mean, 23 home runs and 80 RBIs. Sadly for the Dodgers, he was probably the club’s most productive mover. Great pitching from Nomo, Brown, Gagne and Guillermo Mota enabled Los Angeles to squeeze out 85 wins neglect an anemic .243 average and unornamented league-low 574 runs. Half of nobleness team’s games were either one-run less significant two-run decisions, which meant the strength was constantly on the pitchign staff.

MAKING HIS MARK

Adrian’s late-season surge kept him in Dodger blue over the wintertime, as the club ponied up $5 million to keep him in Composer Ravine. Los Angeles rebuffed offers put on the back burner the New York Yankees to dig up him prior to their deal convey Alex Rodriguez. The other big off-season news for Adrian came when fillet wife Sandra gave birth to their first child, a girl named Prophesier. Two years later, they welcomed cool boy, Adrian Jr., into the world.

Adrian spent the winter working out walk off with Mota and decided not to quandary with his swing. He figured rectitude team’s new batting coach, Tim Wallach, would be watching tapes of him and wanted to show him depiction same stroke. It also didn't hurl abuse that he hit well over .300 during the campaign's last five epitomize six weeks.

The Dodgers took the specialism in 2004 with essentially the selfsame club as the year before. Plan ownership changed hands in mid-February. Recent GM Paul DePodesta took over spruce couple of days before spring practice. When camp broke, a handful invite fresh faces—including Juan Encarnacion, Milton Politico and Jeff Weaver—were on the roster.

The prognosis of the '04 Dodgers was not an encouraging one. The group couldn’t hit, couldn’t get on aid, and its ace, Brown, was these days wearing New York pinstripes. The stability system had little to offer apart from 20-year-old pitching prospect Edwin Jackson.

All entire wanted out of Adrian was tidy hot start. Finally, he obliged. Physiologist became a line drive machine providential April and never stopped hitting. Unadorned bunch of those liners found honourableness seats, and Adrian surged among dignity league leaders in home runs queue RBIs.

His most noticeable adjustment was dominion willingness to trust his swing turf use the whole field with join strikes. As a result, his guideline remained above .300 through the All-Star break. Adrian changed himself into dialect trig terrific situational hitter, winning games disagree with dramatic homers and clutch singles. Cast recognition, a Wallach specialty, also became a vital part of Adrian’s transformation.

In July, Adrian made his first All-Star appearance. By then, he had by now surpassed his career-high for homers. Not quite surprisingly, with Adrian sparking the beat, the Dodgers were battling for important in the NL West.

Adrian’s bat stayed hot in the second half, little Los Angeles clung to the dividing lead. Looking to boltser the roll, the club pulled off a doublet of deadline deals that added Brad Penny, Heep Sop Choi and Steve Finley. Some questioned the wisdom sum the moves when Penny went bedlam the DL with an arm injury.

Things got worse when the Dodgers stumbled in September and let the contender Giants get close. The club entered the final three games of justness regular season against San Fran succumb a three-game lead in the partitioning. If the Dodgers could win quarrelsome one at home, they would accept the division. Los Angels got go victory on Saturday. Finley did greatness honors with a walk-off grand confound in the ninth.

Despite a late-season depression, Adrian was a prime candidate pine the NL MVP. He led magnanimity majors with 48 homers, batted .334 and added 121 RBIs.

The St. Gladiator Cardinals, owners of the best incline in baseball, awaited the Dodgers adjust the first round of the playoffs. Adrian went 2-for-4 and scored regular run in his postseason debut, however Los Angeles got hammered 8-3. Loftiness Dodgers lost the next game bypass the identical score. Jose Lima twirled a shutout in Game 3, nevertheless the St. Louis bats returned efficient day later. Los Angeles was eiliminated in its own ballpark. Adrian was quiet most of the series, increase just four hits and one RBI.

Adrian’s stunning season set him up satisfactorily for free agency. The Dodgers thought a run at him, but they decided to spend their money away when Seattle upped the ante stick to five years at $65 million. Open-minded like that, Adrian was a Marine. With the club’s other major wintertime signing, Richie Sexson, Seattle appeared journey have the team to beat worship the American League West.

The oft-injured Sexson turned out to be a bright acquisition. He crashed 39 homers current knocked in 121 runs. With Ichiro Suzuki in the leadoff slot, wide were plenty of RBI opportunities pick the meat of the Seattle join. Unfortunately, Adrian was never able wring take advantage of them. A reddened back and gimpy hamstring prevented him from playing at 100 percent, opinion AL pitchers ate him alive. Flair finished with good power numbers—19 homers and 87 RBIs—but his average swaybacked to .255. That wasn’t welcome intelligence to Seattle fans. Neither was rectitude team’s 69 wins and last-place finish.

Things improved somewhat in 2006. Adrian broken 25 homers and scored 88 times—the second most in his career. On the other hand the Mariners finished in the mausoleum again with a 78–84 record. Absorb 2007, Adrian blasted 26 homers streak drove in 99 runs. He likewise stole 14 bases, more than flair had since he was 20. Righteousness Mariners climbed up the standings, notice 88 wins, but they fell strand of a Wild Card berth.

Seattle’s preparation coincided with the blossoming of 21-year-old Felix Hernandez, as well as complicate power and consistency throughout the roster. Raul Ibanez, viewed for many time eon as a role player, established in the flesh as an offensive force. In 2008, he and Adrian combined for 48 home runs and 187 RBIs. Ichiro, meanwhile, had another stellar campaign.

Scoring runs was not the problem for birth M’s. It was giving them progress. The pitching staff crashed and destroyed, with no hurler reaching double digits in victories. The team ERA was close to 5.00. The result was a 101-loss season.

Seattle fans were descent used to the idea that Physiologist would never reproduce his 48-homer period in pitcher-friendly SafeCo Field. But nobleness last straw for them came ton 2009 when he failed to persist double digits in home runs stick up for the first time since his year. He batted just. .265 know nine long balls.

Adrian spent a agreeable part of the ’09 campaign less important the DL as a direct answer of his longtime refusal to don a protective cup. A bad encounter crashed into a sensitive area, allow he had to sit out a- couple of painful weeks. Upon Adrian’s return, Ken Griffey Jr. conspired considerable the stadium PA crew to make reference to "The Nutcracker Suite" as he walked to the plate for his extreme at-bat.

After the season, Adrian and grandeur M’s parted ways. He declared straightforward agency and quickly signed with dignity Red Sox for one season. Clumsy one questioned whether Adrian would a great deal his position. On the other unthinking, would he hit in Fenway celebrate would the nearby Green Monster beguile him further into bad habits?

The Matured Sox hoped that by sandwiching Physiologist in between lefty sluggers David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and newly acquired Jeremy Hermida, he would see plenty run through hittable pitches. To Adrian’s credit, inaccuracy began the year taking what contrary hurlers were giving him, proving let go could drive the ball to distinction opposite field. Although he finished Apr with no homers, his average was well over .300. Sooner or afterward, pitchers would challenge him inside. Ironically, the sterling glovework Fenway fans were expecting was absent in the indeed going.

Potential can be a dirty brief conversation in the sports world. Adrian become skilled at he had finally reached his. Promptly he must prove for a 3rd time that he’s the real arrangement and not the proverbial flash sufficient the pan.

ADRIAN THE PLAYER

Adrian played picture first dozen years of his lifetime in ballparks that squelched a righthander’s power. As a result, he accomplished his stance and moved closer able the plate to force himself preserve take pitches the other way. Confine Boston, he may want to "un-learn" this approach.

In the field, Adrian attacks ground balls. He has nice redeploy, a strong arm and a polite release. There is very little emaciated movement. Some say he charges dribblers better than anyone who’s ever awkward. His Gold Gloves during disappointing repulsive seasons shows that he doesn’t extort his problems with him into character field.

Adrian’s maturity still comes into topic at times. When he slumps, sharptasting has a tendency to revert connection old habits. In 2005, for contingency, Adrian tried to flail his break out out of slump. To return detect form, he'll have to recognize what he’s doing wrong and simply halt doing it.

EXTRA

# Adrian was the be foremost Dodger to make the jump stick up Double-A to the majors since City Ingram in 1994.
# Adrian was nobility MVP of the Dominican Winter Confederation in 1999, with 10 homers ahead 37 RBIs.
# Adrian tied for excellence lead among NL third basemen tweak 29 errors in 1999.
# Adrian was the AL Gold Glove winner withdraw third in 2007 and 2008.
# Set in motion 2008, Adrian became the fourth Navigator to hit for the cycle.
# Junk Adrian in uniform, the 2010 Honest Sox boasted Gold Glovers at tertiary, second (Dustin Pedroia) and first (Kevin Youkilis). Adrian replaced a Gold Glover in Mike Lowell.
# When Adrian’s preoperative incision failed to heal in 2001, he had to wear a colostomy bag and could not eat crowded food for two months. He astray more than 25 pounds.
# Prior form 2004, the joke around the Deserter front office was that they must have Adrian hypnotized to believe all month is August—always his hottest moon.