Reznet

A Major Adjustment

By Victoria Jackson-Dick

DES MOINES, Iowa – He was a Major League superstar, an American League Golden Glove and the American League’s Rookie of the Year in 1990, a six-time All-Star and the All-Star Game’s MVP in 1997. Why is a man with so many credentials playing baseball in the minor leagues?

Santos “Sandy” Alomar Jr., originally from Salinas, Puerto Rico, said he showed up late for spring training in the majors and the league had no room for him. After 19 major league seasons playing with the Padres, Indians, White Sox, Rockies and Rangers, he has temporarily settled in the minor leagues with the New Orleans Zephyrs, the Mets’ farm team, as catcher.

Although he’s not in the majors, Alomar is still a star. He walked into Principal Park on a seven-game hitting streak, including a grand slam in April, and three hits and a home run in the previous game.

Against the Iowa Cubs on June 10, Alomar added to his hitting streak. In the fifth inning, his home run cleared the right center-field wall and added two RBIs to his statistics.

Alomar last appeared in the minor leagues in 1989. He turns 41 on June 18, and he believes that playing in the minors is just part of the game.

As sweat rolled down his forehead to his neck, Alomar said the minors are “preparation.” He’s not planning to stay in the minors forever; he’s just another guy on the major league waiting list.

But he does feel at home with the Zephyrs, he said, because the team is a kind of family. He’s having a great time teaching pitchers, which helps him learn more and prepare in case he decides to coach someday.

But the minor leagues are different from the major leagues.

Traveling is different. The ballparks are different. As in changing careers, changing leagues takes adjustment.

“There are more mistakes in this league,” Alomar said. The umpires try very hard, he said. They are young and they hustle. When the umps ask his opinion on the calls, he said, he works hard to treat them with respect and honesty. If they ask, he will give them honest answers “to be fair.” There are so many different pitchers with different styles, umps sometimes make controversial decisions.

He expects minor league umpires to make questionable calls.

Chip Ambres, left fielder for the Zephyrs describes Alomar as a laid-back guy, someone you could ask anything. He also says that Alomar is a veteran of the game and that an advantage is being able to pick his brain, which can “lead the team into the right direction.”

Victoria Jackson-Dick, Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone, is a student at Great Basin College.