By Juan Páez
- The Astros hope to have Yordan Álvarez back for the doubleheader on Thursday, July 21 against the Yankees in Houston, right after the All-Star Game. According to the Astros’ insiders, the Cuban giant’s injury (inflammation in his right hand) is not a reason to worry. The sun will rise and we shall see!
- What started as right forearm discomfort ended in the worst way for Vladimir Gutiérrez. The Reds righty will have to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season plus a large portion of next season. “The doctor told me that if I kept pitching like that, I was never going to be OK. He recommended surgery,” said Gutierrez, who began the year as Cincinnati’s starter.
- Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso’s widow, Sharon Rice-Miñoso, will deliver the speech at Cooperstown for the Cuban legend’s induction into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame on July 24. Rice-Miñoso will have 10 minutes to talk about Minnie’s life, his legacy and his baseball career. “I have eight minutes and 58 seconds, but that doesn’t include crying,” he said facetiously. Between 50 and 60 thousand attendees are expected at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, New York.
- PureHistory.com: With the home run and the double he hit on Sunday, Randy Arozarena became the first Cuban in Major League history with at least 20 doubles, 10 homers and 15 stolen bases before the All-Star break. He is also just the third Rays player with those numbers before the traditional matchup, in addition to Desmond Jennings (2013) and Carl Crawford (2010).
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Top performers July 10, 2022
- Randy Arozarena vs Reds: 2 for 3, 2B (20), HR (10), RBI (40), R, K
- Yandy Díaz vs Reds: 3 for 4, 2B (16), 2 RBI (20)
- Johan Oviedo vs Phillies: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K
On this date
1967: Tony Pérez hits a home run off Catfish Hunter in the 15th inning to give the National League a 2×1 victory over the American League in the All-Star Game at Anaheim Stadium.
2014: Pitching for the Reds, Aroldis Chapman sets a new record by recording a strikeout in his 40th consecutive relief appearance, a streak that began on August 21, 2013. Chapman thus breaks Bruce Sutter’s mark (1977). On that day, the Cuban Missile fanned three Pirates’ opponents to save his 20th game.
Trivia:
Speaking of Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso, the late Cuban is one of just seven ballplayers in Major League history with 11+ seasons getting hit by pithces 10 or more times. Minnie, who got plunked up at least a dozen times in 11 different campaigns, ranks in that group along with Frank Robinson (11), Ron Hunt (11), Craig Biggio (12), Jason Kendall (12), Tommy Tucker (13) and Don Baylor (14).
Quote of the day
“There are three types of baseball players: Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happens.”
— Tommy Lasorda
