Luis Robert Jr. crushed a third-inning pitch to heart discipline Tuesday towards the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the ball touring greater than 410 toes.
But because it didn’t clear the excessive wall, Robert needed to cease at second with a double.
“That’s a bomb,” Chicago White Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol mentioned of the middle fielder’s hit the following day.
The Sox had been again at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday, this time going through the Colorado Rockies. But they had been with out Robert and third baseman Yoán Moncada, who had been touring to Taichung, Taiwan, to take part within the World Baseball Classic for Team Cuba.
“I’m pretty sure it’s going to be an incredible experience,” Robert mentioned Wednesday by an interpreter. “It was something I was dreaming about since I was a kid when I watched the Cuban national team. It was special just seeing the team playing and now playing in it will be special for me.”
Moncada anticipates the chance will probably be “a surreal experience”.
“It’s going to be one of the best experiences I’m going to have in my life,” Moncada mentioned Wednesday by an interpreter, “and I’m just ready to take full advantage of it.”
Grifol has preferred what he’s seen from the duo this spring, praising Moncada for “the way he goes about his business and attention to detail and his work with (infield coach) Eddie (Rodríguez) and his work in the cages.”
Grifol mentioned he’s additionally been “really impressed” with Robert.
“I told him (Wednesday) the last time I saw somebody work like that in the outfield was a nine-time Gold Glover in Alex Gordon (with the Kansas City Royals), the way he prepares, the way he gets after it,” Grifol mentioned.
“This guy loves to work. When you have that type of work ethic and that kind of talent, there’s no telling what can come out of that.”
Echoing the same assertion from earlier this spring, Grifol added of Robert, “I think he’s an MVP candidate.”
“When I ask our coaches how was the sliding today? And the first name that pops up is Luis Robert,” Grifol mentioned. “He actually accelerates, he accelerates by the slide.
“This guy has got incredible talent and his attention to detail is off the chart. That combination is a recipe for greatness. He’s still young, too, so I think we’re going to see some great things coming out of him.”
Robert and Moncada are two of eight Sox gamers on WBC rosters, with Cuba’s portion of pool play working Wednesday by March 13. Pool play for Team USA (Lance Lynn, Kendall Graveman and Tim Anderson) is March 11-15 in Phoenix. Players representing the Dominican Republic (Eloy Jiménez), Puerto Rico (Nicholas Padilla) and Venezuela (José Ruiz) have pool play March 11-15 in Miami.
If Team Cuba advances, its quarterfinals in Tokyo would happen March 15-16.
Robert mentioned trash speaking within the Sox clubhouse has been saved to a minimal.
“Eloy is always messing around with people,” Robert joked. “He’s been trashing speaking with the blokes who’re enjoying with Team USA however for us no, we’re going to be within the different a part of the world, not competing towards one another except we advance.
“I feel pretty good. I’m ready to play nine innings, doing my best, 100%. The results? We’ll see what happens.”
This is the primary time major-leaguers are enjoying on Team Cuba within the occasion. Robert and Moncada are thrilled to have the prospect to characterize their nation collectively.
“That’s one of the things that’s going to make this experience even more special,” Moncada mentioned of teaming with Robert.
The two had been collectively in 2016 for the Pan American U-18 Cuban National Team in Taipei, Taiwan. And now they’ll share a world stage once more.
“There’s a lot of people from my hometown (Cienfuegos) really happy and excited to see me play and represent the Cuban national team,” Moncada mentioned. “This wasn’t just a dream for me, but for those people too. I’m pretty sure I’m going to make a bunch of people happy and they’re going to be supporting us and supporting me.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com