New York. Francisco Lindor and Edwin ‘Sugar’ Díaz have good news to share with Puerto Rico on Roberto Clemente Day. The duo that will go out to play with the New York Mets tonight wearing the number 21 on their backs wants to make it clear to the country that they and all their Major League teammates will play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic despite the fact that they are very sad for everything that has been experienced on the Island around the making of the novena in the past few days.
“I don’t play for manager or general manager. I play for my family, for the fans. Obviously, when we get there, when we are there at the time of arrival, it will be something beautiful and special. And the union is very important, and I know it will be there”, Lindor assured when talking to this media prior to today’s game between his Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field and which will be the official MLB game for celebrate the 21st edition of Roberto Clemente Day, which will also be celebrated in the other Major League stadiums.
Lindor’s expressions served to make it clear that the whole mess created in Puerto Rico by the differences between Eduardo Pérez and the president of the Baseball Federation, Dr. José Quiles Rosa, regarding the election of a leader for the baseball team Classic and that led to the resignation of the first last Monday, will not affect the preparation of the ninth.
Of course, he assured that he was not happy with everything that has happened and affirmed that he is committed to playing with the leader who is finally appointed to the position.
“Of course, of course, of course, of course,” Lindor repeated to point to his commitment to play.
“It’s sad because at the end of the day this isn’t even about us; this is for the fans. This is so that we, the players, represent Puerto Rico with great pride and that the fans have fun and have the Caribbean fight, with the Americans, with the Asians,” said Lindor.
“I wish we were in a better place. At the end of the day it’s a game and we’re going to have a good time. I know whoever the leader is going to do a good job and the management is going to do a good job too and it fills me with great pride to be Puerto Rican.”
His teammate in New York, Edwin Díaz was more emphatic in explaining why they will play in the tournament despite the discomfort that may exist due to all the administrative mess in Puerto Rico. He pointed out that the real commitment that the players have is not with the Baseball Federation but with the people of Puerto Rico.
Every member of the Mets will wear 21 tonight in honor of Roberto Clemente. pic.twitter.com/bjnobYOhGM
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 15, 2022
“We, those of us who are already there, have a commitment to the entire country, not to the Federation. And we are going to prepare. Those of us who have already confirmed are ready, crazy because March arrives to put on the Puerto Rican uniform and try to win the championship for Puerto Rico,” said Díaz.
The Mets couple, for their part, expressed great pride in going out to play today against the Pirates wearing the number 21 on their backs in honor of the Astro Boricua. They agreed that they will feel a pride as powerful as the one they feel when they play with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
“It is special and it is part of our DNA, of Puerto Ricans. We learned from the Africans, from the Taínos, from the Spanish, and from Roberto Clemente. It’s a nice thing to be able to represent him, his family and to put the number 21 on my back,” Lindor said.
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“We have a commitment to the entire country, it is not to the Federation”