El Dramático
I felt so good after last night’s game that I decided to write two posts. This begins my official campaign to nickname Jordany Valdespin.
It’s a great feeling to hit your first home run of the season. That’s not enough for Valdespin though. He has to hit a walk-off home run. Yeah, that should be good enough for ‘Spin, right?
Wrong.
His first home run of the season has to be a walk-off grand slam because that’s just who he is. He’s flamboyant. He’s eccentric. You love and hate him in the same breath, but you can’t deny his flair for dramatics. With that being said, I hear by dub him (in my best Spanish accent): El Dramático.
Just look at him. Whenever he walks into the batter’s box, you know there’s a chance of him launching a ball about 500 feet. The way he shuffles his feet like an experienced salsa dancer to escape a pitch, the way he kicks his back leg out behind home plate on his aggressive swing—it’s all so dramatic, wouldn’t you say?
He makes shoestring catches and sliding grabs, almost as if he envisions himself being replayed in slow motion over a televised broadcast. Some call his demeanor “showboating.” Others, like me, call it personality. It’s something the Mets have lacked or had it be detrimental and alienating in the past.
El Dramático has a more human side too. He cares for his teammates. I’m not sure if anyone caught it, but at one point during the game, Matt Harvey walked into the dugout and was greeted by ‘Spin, who was waiting for him with a Gatorade cup and a pat of the back. It was a small moment, but he isn’t sulking in the corner wondering why Terry Collins refuses to give him playing time. He’s more involved and engaged. When his number was called, he was ready.
His night started on the bench, but El Dramático finished it under a sea of blue pinstripes.
It’s time we started embracing ‘Spin as one of our own. He will have his off games, as even the greatest players do. When he is on stage, you can’t help but watch and see what the next act has in store. So let this campaign go forth with the moniker: El Dramático.
What are your thoughts on El Dramático so far?
