Lindor carries out busy schedule on little sleep
Francisco Lindor is smiling on less than two hours of sleep.
The Cleveland Indians and their 23-year-old shortstop finished a stretch of nine games in nine days with a 5-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers that ended just before midnight Sunday in Cleveland, so Lindor’s journey to the second All- Star Game of his young career required a flight that landed in Miami about 5 a.m. Monday. He spent a few minutes with the family members who are in town to see him play, then napped for about 90 minutes.
By noon, he’s at MLB’s temporary “Play Ball Park” downtown, a corner of a city park converted for All-Star Week into a sort of baseball amusement zone of batting tunnels and pitching targets. On a small turf baseball diamond, Lindor takes questions from young fans, poses for photos and signs autographs. A few minutes later, he lobs rubber balls to a lineup of children in a game of “bounce ball,” chuckling at the big swingers and snickering compassionately when a tiny shortstop boots a hard-hit grounder and just sort of generally beaming.
The game is a mess. The field is wet from a rain shower, and kids are slipping and sliding all over the place. It’s nearly 90 degrees outside with soul-shaking humidity, the sun’s beating through the steamy haze from straight overhead, and Lindor’s here on one of the precious few off days on his calendar between April and the end of September. But he’s still smiling.
“It’s all the kids,” he says when asked about his enthusiasm. “It’s all about embracing every single second of this experience and giving back to the kids, because at the end of the day the kids are our future.”
More of Lindor’s family mem- bers were on their way into town, including his father, who lives in the Orlando area and rarely gets to see him play in person. Miguel Angel Lindor suffers from panic attacks and does not travel on airplanes. So he watched the Indians’ 2016 World Series run from home and normally only gets to attend Francisco’s games when the club is on the road in Tampa. Miguel’s presence at the All-Star Game “means everything,” the younger Lindor says, so one might excuse the infielder if he had too much on his mind to enjoy himself Monday morning. But Lindor loves this. “I’m just trying to help and give back,” he says. “A lot of people have helped me throughout my life, and they’re still helping me. I don’t see why I can’t go out and help others.
“Whenever I get the chance to talk to kids and interact with them, it’s the best. It takes me back to where everything started. It grounds me.”
Donkey for All-Star:
Cincinnati Reds All-Star Joey Votto is down to two donkeys for Zack Cozart, and Cozart soon will have his prize for being named to the 2017 All-Star Game.
Votto, who this season promised Cozart a donkey if he made the All-Star team, has been doing his research on Cozart’s new pet.
“More than anything, we’re checking their personalities, their temperament, to see if they can handle Cincinnati fans,” Votto said. “That’s a variable, bringing that sucker onto the field and having him kick or spit or act out. I don’t know if donkeys are called puppies, but I think we’re trying to get a really small one. It’s a donkey for Cozart’s life. This is a lifetime donkey.”
Votto said he expected to deliver the foal to Cozart as early as the team’s opening homestand.
“I think when we return to Cincinnati, we’ll deliver it to him on the field so the fans get to share it with him and hopefully come up with a name for it,” Votto said.
Cozart said he was asked at least 20 donkey-related questions during his media session Monday. Votto got his fair share, as well.
The most common questions were about if it was really going to happen (yes), whether Cozart really likes donkeys (he does) and where the donkey would live.
“In Cincinnati, I’m going to have some trouble with it, because I have a townhouse,” Cozart said. “My mom has land outside of Nashville. I have people in Cincinnati that have already told me they can take care of it. It’s happening, so I have to figure it out.”