{"id":62413,"date":"2018-04-06T07:50:11","date_gmt":"2018-04-06T07:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=62413"},"modified":"2018-04-06T07:50:11","modified_gmt":"2018-04-06T07:50:11","slug":"adrian-beltre-now-alone-atop-latin-american-hit-list-makes-21st-season-historic-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/adrian-beltre-now-alone-atop-latin-american-hit-list-makes-21st-season-historic-one.html","title":{"rendered":"Adrian Beltre, now alone atop Latin American hit list, makes 21st season a historic one"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adrian Beltre, now alone atop Latin American hit list, makes 21st season a historic one<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

That\u2019s how Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels describes his franchise player and All-Star third baseman \u2014 and he means that as a compliment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beltre\u2019s been playing Major League Baseball more years (21) than he hasn\u2019t (17). Two decades after his debut as a 19-year-old with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Beltre has few peers in the game’s history as a third baseman \u2014 and the Dominican Republic native stands alone in the rich lineage of players from Latin America.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beltre’s double off Daniel Mengden of the Oakland Athletics on Thursday was his 3,054th hit, eclipsing Panama-born Rod Carew among Latino ballplayers. His next hit will put him shoulder to shoulder with Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson for 23rd on baseball’s all-time list.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I would be playing baseball this long,\u201d said Beltre before his 21st season. \u201cAnd not only because it\u2019s a long time, but because the competition of always trying to stay alive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\nBeltre, 38, has long been a multi-tooled player who can hit for average, power and play brilliant defense.<\/span><\/p>\n

His staying power is emerging as perhaps his strongest asset.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how he does it,\u201d said longtime teammate and shortstop Elvis Andrus. \u201cI don\u2019t know how he has that much energy. He loves to play the game. Even through hard injuries, he finds a way to make it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe shows that as long as he can stand out there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beltre brings consistency, passion, respect and laughter to the diamond \u2014 all attributes noticed by others in the league.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s every part of the package,\u201d said former major-league third baseman and current Seattle Mariners third base coach Matt Williams. \u201cHe does everything on the baseball field that you would want from your leader, from a Hall of Famer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beltre’s hit total and other accolades \u2014 462 home runs, four All-Star appearances, four Silver Slugger and five Gold Glove awards \u2014 ensure his path to Cooperstown will be smooth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never put personal goals in my career in front of me,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve put personal goals before every season, yes, but not on my career.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not into numbers a lot. That does not drive me. I\u2019ve been able to collect some numbers and play a long time and stay healthy for the most part.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniels, who wants Beltre to finish his career with the Rangers, has put great stock into Beltre\u2019s accomplishments, but said he\u2019s put the team first every season since joining Texas in 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not a guy who will hang around to compile numbers,\u201d said Daniels. \u201cHe\u2019s not wired that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beltre, whose two-year, $36 million contract expires after the 2018 season, knows someday his time will come, but he\u2019s not ready for it yet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know I have been playing a long time,\u201d he said, \u201cthis is not going to be forever. So I try to stay in shape physically and mentally to be the best that I can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite an injury-riddled season in 2017 that limited him to 94 games \u2014 the fewest of his career since his rookie season \u2014 Beltre has showed no signs of slowing down. He hit .312 with a .915 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over 389 plate appearances.<\/span><\/p>\n

He missed most of the first two months of the season with a calf strain, but returned and collected his 3,000th career hit in July before suffering another injury in late August.<\/span><\/p>\n

This season will be different. In order to stay healthy, Daniels and manager Jeff Banister want to use him as a designated hitter more often than in years past \u2014 at least that\u2019s the plan. But Daniels realizes that will come with challenges because \u201che\u2019s some kind of stubborn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried to lay a little bit of ground work with him this offseason,\u201d said Daniels. \u201cWe are not transitioning him to DH, but just a little bit more before he needs it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Beltre, who prefers to play every day at third, is willing to concede, but not without a fight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had conversations about that,\u201d said Beltre, who served as a DH 28 times in 2017 and once already this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t like days off, but as my age progresses, I understand that there\u2019s a need. I would rather have more DH days than days off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a testament to his offseason workouts and work ethic. Daniels and his teammates marvel at what he can do physically and mentally on an everyday basis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Andrus says he is lucky to have Beltre, his best friend, as a teammate. Their camaraderie is well-documented, with Andrus tormenting Beltre with head taps and pokes at his age.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe hates it,\u201d said Andrus, who constantly reminds Beltre he was 8 years old when Beltre made his big-league debut. \u201cIt makes him feel a lot older.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the beauty of this game. He was playing even before guys on this team were born.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/mlb\/2018\/04\/05\/adrian-beltre-rangers-hits-latin-american-player\/491563002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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