This Sunday, from 1:30 in the afternoon, Adrián Beltré receives his exaltation to the Cooperstown Hall of Famean event that will start at 1:30 pm.
In addition to ours, former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton also enters the HOF. Also, former Colorado Rockies catcher Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer and Jim Leyland, former Major League manager. The latter received the news in December 2023 from the Veterans Committee.
Beltré will be the fifth immortal born in the Dominican Republic, joining Juan Marichal, Pedro Martínez, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and David Ortíz.
What kind of hat will Adrián Beltré wear to enter the Cooperstown Hall of Fame?
The native of Café de Herrera spoke with the sports press covering this induction and when he was asked about the cap he will wear to enter the Hall of Fame, he said without hesitation that it would be the Texas Rangers cap.
When asked why Texas, the Dominican gave credit to the treatment he received within the Rangers organization.
“Because I felt more comfortable with that team,” Beltre said of Texas. “They gave me a little more freedom to be who Adrian Beltre was, as a player and as a person.
He also added that they always fulfilled their duty of having a competitive team.
“They always kept the promise of having a team built with a chance to win a World Series, and they kept that promise.”
He also said that part of what helped him make that decision is that he played more seasons (8) with Texas in his 21-year career in Major League Baseball.
He concluded by saying that he reached the World Series with Texas and that his fans have treated him and his family with affection.
His Major League History
“So I feel committed and there is no second option, it’s Texas number one,” he concluded.
Adrián Beltré played in the Major Leagues with four teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Seattle Mariners, the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers.
He was signed by the Dodgers, made his major league debut in 1998 and played for the Dodgers from 1998 to 2004, the latter of which he hit 48 home runs, leading the National League and finished second for the Most Valuable Player award. For this team he won a silver bat and hit .274 with 147 home runs and 510 RBIs in seven seasons.
From 2005 to 2009 he played for the Seattle Mariners, compiling in those five seasons a batting average of .266, 103 home runs and 396 RBIs.
He then played one season with Boston in 2010. He hit .321 that year, hit 28 home runs and drove in 102 runs.
The last eight years of his 21-championship MLB career, he played for the Texas Rangers, with whom he hit .304 with 109 home runs and drove in 699 runs. Adrian Beltre hit .286 with 477 home runs and drove in 1,707 runs.
