La Jornada: If Major League Baseball wants to grow, it must turn to Mexico: Sergio Romo

Juan Manuel Vazquez

Newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday May 2, 2023, p. a10

A month ago the Mexican Sergio Romo threw the last pitch from the mound. The song was playing in the background the lock, raid piece from which the player got his nickname. There he said goodbye after 15 years in the Major Leagues; eight seasons with the San Francisco Giants, with whom he won the World Series three times and made him the Mexican with the most championship rings. Among the guests at this sort of tribute were the Tigres del Norte, the northern group that so admires the pitcher of the big beard

That memory is very fresh and when evoking it, Romo shows his arms to show that his skin stands on end; he immediately regains his composure and under his abundant beard hides a face that never stops smiling. He is happy to visit Mexico City, the capital of the country left behind by his grandparents Evaristo and Francisca, both from Jalisco. He does not come as a player, but as part of the entourage of the team where he consecrated his career, the Giants, for the games against the San Diego Padres.

solid identity

Romo’s family migrated to Brawley, California–where he was born the lock in 1983– and settled down to work as farmers in that region. That origin provided the player with a solid identity that he exhibits with a mixture of dignity and arrogance, something only achieved by those who have overcome discrimination.

We Mexicans are very proud, not only in baseball, but in everything we do. We are not less than anyone and we can be the best in many things, not only in sportsdice the lock about its origin; Anyone who has dealings with us in the United States knows that we are people of our word, the ones who work the hardest and never give up; we see how, but we always get ahead for our families.

Though recently retired, he is already well integrated into public relations activities with the Giants; he was one of the guests of honor to visit President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Sunday morning.

All this and what happened in the first games of the regular season in Mexico City, which he still calls DF, have him euphoric.

If Major League Baseball wants to grow outside the United States, it has to turn to Mexico; We have a very large country, with a large and passionate population; we are an important influence throughout Latin Americasays the former pitcher.

He does not lose sight of what happened with Mexico in the past World Classic, where the team had a historic performance and finished in third place. He is sensitive to the subject, as he defended the colors of the Tri in the 2013 edition, which is why he spares no praise for his countrymen and colleagues.

After what they did we gained a lot of respect. Many discovered the level of the Mexican baseball player, but those of us involved in this were not surprised; we know the quality we have because we have shared the field of play, we have competed against each othercomments.

Those who were surprised are those of the Major Leagues, surely now they will be more attentive to the Mexican baseball player who must stand out among so many Dominican, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, Cuban players and with the Americans themselves. This tournament showed what we are made of and that we have to respect each other.

Missing to promote players

When there is no season in the United States, players look for other competitions in winter, such as the Mexican Pacific League. It is a way of not losing rhythm and keep working. Romo has played with Cañeros de Los Mochis, Charros de Jalisco and Águilas de Mexicali. In those experiences, he verified the quality of the national game and the need to promote more players to reach the maximum circuit.

“I have asked several players with whom I have shared a team here in Mexico, ‘why haven’t you tried it in the Major Leagues?’ and I realize that the only answer is because they are not known in the United States and no scout He has seen them, but they have the level to be there”, says Romo.

If many Latino baseball players talk about the Caribbean ball as a style that identifies them, Romo assures that there is also a Mexican way of understanding baseball. Not only characterized by spicyas some say.

“The Mexican ball style is more aggressive. A baseball player from our country plays without fear, that is already being seen by many who had not realized it. There is no gray, it is black or white; It’s like that pride that we have, all ‘the race’, and we also put it in baseball or in life”, he says.

“A sport like baseball is important for our community because it sends a message: ‘Mexicans must be respected because they are not afraid, in baseball and in whatever we have in front of us,’ he says before going out onto the pitch, where he has fun talking with Mexican fans and his lifelong countrymen.