2024-04-06 15:28:48
Text: Raúl del Pino
Photos: Courtesy of the interviewee
The Toronto Blue Jays stand out among the MLB organizations that in recent years have opted for Cuban talent. Many still remember the four seasons that Lourdes Gurriel Jr. spent with that franchise between 2018 and 2022 before heading to Arizona, but this offseason the Canadians decided to re-sign two Antillean players.
The first of them was pitcher Yariel Rodríguez, ace of the Cuban team in the V World Classic and perhaps one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. The case of the right-hander from Camagüey turned out to be one of the most followed in the winter market after the delay in his visa to be able to join spring training with his new team.
That situation was happily resolved and Yariel managed to travel to Tampa a few weeks ago, where the Blue Jays are preparing for Opening Day. However, another name of an Antillean player who was probably off the radar of most of the specialists who closely follow the world of signings was also being considered in the Toronto offices.
This is the catcher Luis Enrique Gómez, who for several seasons was Yariel’s own teammate in the Toros de Camagüey, in the National Baseball Series. The mask from Camagüey signed this Wednesday for a bonus of 100 thousand dollars, an extraordinary figure considering his 29 years of age, according to the information published by Francys Romero.
Precisely, Gómez spoke exclusively with Cuba Noticias 360 about his signature: “Perhaps it seems a little late now, but it never is if the happiness is good. I am well prepared physically and mentally, and I do believe that the challenge is double, since I am going to be surrounded by several younger athletes, but we are all equal and the only thing left to do is prepare and do things well in the play”.
Every year dozens of Cuban players leave the island through different routes with the hope of making an agreement with a Major League franchise, a dream that now “Lusito”, as he was baptized at the Cándido González stadium in his homeland, You can say that it came true, even if you still have a hard time believing it.
“This opportunity is the greatest satisfaction that a baseball athlete can have in any country in the world. It is a new stage in my life, which I am going to face with a lot of discipline, a lot of dedication and above all a great desire to improve myself every day, which is something that is always in me. I feel very proud of my work for this dream come true, the only thing left to do is give yourself every day in the field and let it say the last word.”
In his signing for Toronto two people played an important role: his friend Yariel, with whom in addition to playing several seasons in Cuba, he also shared several try outs and months of preparation in the Dominican Republic, and the representative of both, Edgar Mercedes, from the Born To Play agency.
Regarding the former member of the Chunichi Dragons, he did not hide the fraternal relationship that unites them: “For us it was always a pride to fall on the same team since we have been together for a long time, in addition to spending a year here training and working hard to achieve the objective. We always did events together and we really did always see the possibility of both of us ending up in the same organization… Our representative along with the agency team had a lot to do with this reality that we are experiencing today.”
Once this moment of euphoria after the signing is over, for Luis Gómez comes the greatest challenge of joining the most demanding baseball on the planet and trying to maintain and prevail, something that the vast majority cannot achieve. “The team has kept in touch with me. The next step is the visa that they are already making for me to arrive at the Toronto complex in Tampa as soon as possible and in that way start training with the team in the minor league,” he revealed to us before the farewell.
Gómez wore the Camagüeyan Toros suit for nine Series, but it was in the last ones that he enjoyed true prominence, mainly thanks to his excellent manners behind the plate. Specifically, his work in Series 60 earned him a call to the Cuba team that participated in the 2021 Caribbean Cup.
Before leaving the country for the Dominican Republic in the first half of last year, he had an offensive average of .246, the product of 114 hits in 464 at-bats, with eight homers, 54 RBIs and an on-base percentage (OBP) of .317. On defense, his stealing caught rate of .469% stands out, the product of 43 caught in 81 attempts.