Mexico City, Mexico,- Randy Arozarena is constantly being searched by the camera and asked to pose. The Cuban is very histrionic and agrees: he crosses his arms, tilts his head and smiles into the lens. His photos are on the cover of almost all the Mexican media, and the main sports specialized sites are also talking about him. He is not in vain the man of the moment within the Mexican payroll in the World Baseball Classic.
From the grades they chant: “Ran-dy, Ran-dy!” before each of his appearances. The public is looking for him to sign baseballs, caps, gloves. When Mexico plays, the narrators don’t stop talking about him and how the most popular of all Mexican players was actually born in Cuba.
Mexico managed to qualify for the semifinals for the first time in history last night, beating Puerto Rico (5-4) and as expected, Arozarena was an active part of that victory.
Why is Randy playing for Mexico?
The man from Pinar del Río, a native of Mantua, arrived on Aztec land in 2016 with nothing, aboard a fishing boat. Little by little he was inserted in the local leagues until he integrated, thanks to his promising results, the Mexican Baseball League with the Tijuana Bulls. He currently plays for Tampa Bay, United States.
“For me, representing Mexico is a source of pride because when I left Cuba they welcomed me with open arms. I always said that I wanted to represent Mexico in a World Classic, ”she said in an interview for Excelsior.
With a daughter born in Mexico, Randy Arozarena was able to become a national and play the tournament with the Aztecs. Even Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador himself intervened to expedite the procedures.
“Look at me, I am another Mexican and I feel that way. Everyone has received me well and this coexistence can only be found in a team that is going for great things, ”he insisted in the aforementioned article. Randy wears a charro hat in interviews and has been seen several times with brown cowboy boots, typical of the north of the country. A Mexican friend gave them to him before 2020 and since then he has used them because he feels they bring him luck.
As Cuba adds major league players to its roster for the first time, some have asked Randy why he doesn’t compete for his home country. “Nobody approached me, but anyway I already had it clear, I wanted to play with Mexico,” was his response.
“My decision was already made as a symbol of gratitude to receive me with open arms, people always gave me their love and the opportunity, so now the only thing left for me is to respond as I know how, playing ball.”
Randy Arozarena is not human!
?? just three outs from victory.#WorldBaseballClassic #ILoveTheBeis pic.twitter.com/B8JHWtXXRH— MLB Mexico (@MLB_Mexico) March 18, 2023
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