In Seattle Elias Dáz informed National League manager Rob Thomson that he was ready to assist his team in any way when he arrived at T-Mobile Park this week for his first All-Star Game.
In the end, his team only required one powerful swing. And then he spoke it.
• Complete coverage of the MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard
The National League defeated the American League 3-2 in the eighth inning, snapping their nine-game winning streak. Dáz was awarded the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award given by Chevrolet for his two-run home run against Orioles reliever Félix Bautista.
Through a translator, Daz added, "I basically just told him that whatever he needs from me, I'm here to help the team." "I didn't necessarily know that I was going to win the game and bring home the victory, but yeah, I told him whatever he needed from me, I was happy to be here," she continued.
Thomson stated, "I spoke to Bud Black about Elias. "This is one of the best guys you will ever meet, he continued. He is an excellent team player. It's amazing that he did it.
Daz became the first Rockies catcher to ever be selected to an All-Star team with his selection to the NL roster. Now that he has done so, Colorado becomes the 26th different team to have a player win MVP honors at the Midsummer Classic.
I took great joy in being the first catcher for the Rockies to be named to the All-Star team, Daz said. "With the MVP, history is continuing to write itself, and I wanted to make the Rockies proud and make a name for myself."
Dáz's route to the prize was everything but typical. Daz's involvement was probably going to be confined to either a pinch-hitting or designated hitter role given that Will Smith had been scheduled to start the game as the backup pitcher and that Sean Murphy had been chosen as the NL starter.
With one runner on base and no one out with the NL behind by one run, Daz came in to pinch-hit for DH Jorge Soler.
Early in the at-bat, Bautista was hammering out fastballs at a 98 mph clip until getting Daz to foul off a splitter. To make the count 2-2, Bautista attempted to put Daz away with a 99.7 mph heater that he missed.
Dáz hit it on the screws, sending it sailing over the fence in left field. The 360-foot bomb gave the NL its first lead, giving the conference a chance to break its protracted drought.
• The Top 11 All-Star Game moments of 2023
I felt like I had a fairly solid plan going in, Daz said. "Just talking with the hitting coach, he kind of gave me the plan and the data. I was able to find the particular pitch I was seeking for and make the connection.
"I was just overcome with emotion as I rounded the bases."
The same could be said for Daz's teammates, some of whom met him outside the dugout and started dousing him in water.
After Daz crossed the plate, Juan Soto, a member of the impromptu welcome committee, remarked, "We were really happy." "You get to witness a player like him, a rookie All-Star who has played in the league for a while. We are aware of his wonderful character. It's amazing that he stepped up and did what he did. He had our support the entire time.
Since 1995, when Jeff Conine's solo home run in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie, Dáz's blast was the first time an NL player hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning or later in an All-Star Game. When his club was behind by that much, who in the National League last did it? Legendary athlete Mike Schmidt in 1981.
Dáz might have understood what was going to happen if he had listened to teammate Orlando Arcia earlier in the game.
"I was talking with my teammates earlier in the dugout, maybe the third or fourth inning," Daz remarked. "Orlando Arcia told me you're going to go up to bat, hit a home run, and you're going to win the MVP,"
Daz became the first catcher to win All-Star MVP honors since Atlanta's Brian McCann, who won the prize in 2010 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. He was the eighth catcher to get the title. He is only the second player born in Venezuela to get the honor after Dave Concepcion in 1982. After wrapping up his postgame press conference, Daz exclaimed "Venezuela!" indicating that he was clearly aware of that last truth.
Daz stated, "It's fantastic; I can't believe my name will be listed next to some of those names. "I never in a million years thought I would be in this situation."
Nhận xét
Đăng nhận xét