Beltré: first Dominican-born player to reach 3,000 hits

3,000 hits.

It’s more than a number, more than a confirmation that you played long enough to reach this coveted milestone.

Adrián Beltré has demonstrated over the course of his 20-year career that perseverance and tenacity are elemental traits for those hitters aspiring to attain 3,000. When you consider the Hall of Famers and other all-time greats who did not achieve 3,000 — including Babe Ruth, Frank Robinson, Barry Bonds and Manny Ramírez, loved by many back home at the best Dominican hitter ever — then you might reflect on the arc of Beltré’s major league career, which began in 1998 and is still going strong. The Dominican arguably possesses the most improbable story, and one that wields great influence.

Clemente Stands Guard

The path toward baseball immortality runs through an exclusive neighborhood. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Roberto Clemente serves as the gatekeeper, in more ways than one.

Seemingly determined by some greater power, Clemente’s career came to a close at exactly 3,000 hits, connecting a double against left-handed Jon Matlack of the New York Mets on Sept. 30, 1972, in the last at-bat ever in the regular season.

While the Puerto Rican was the 11th major league player to 3,000, in total only 30 major leaguers had passed that mark prior to Beltré’s double off the Orioles’ lefty Wade Miley on Sunday that granted him entry into hallowed ground.

A closer look at these ballplayers and an even more select group appears: Clemente, Rod Carew, Rafael Palmeiro, Álex Rodríguez and now Beltré.

That’s the entirety of the list of Latinos in the 3,000-hit club after the Texas Rangers’ third baseman made his mark on Sunday: a boricua, Panamanian, Cuban, a New Yorker born to Dominican parents and a quisqueyano.

This is a big deal. Beltré, 38, is one of the youngest to achieve this milestone. And one of 10 with 3,000 hits and 400 home runs.

Getting to 3,000 hits is difficult, noted Hall of Famer Carew in an interview with La Vida Baseball during Hall of Fame Induction weekend.

“It’s very hard,” he said. “You have to be consistent, day in and day out.”

Carew added that there is also a mental part of the pursuit.

“You can’t think about it, especially when you start to get close,” Carew said.

The One Who Got Away

Signed as an amateur free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1994, Beltré departed the Dominican Republic at 16. Leaving his home city of Santo Domingo without yet mastering English, the teenager was full of promise, inspired by a dream familiar to many Dominicans who sign each summer — to become a big leaguer.

Leaving behind one’s home is a story often told among Latino ballplayers. In Beltré’s case, it’s also about being seen by the right set of eyes. It was legendary scout Ralph Ávila, the same guy who discovered Pedro Martínez, who saw in the 130-pound 15-year-old what he had seen in so many Dominican prospects over the decades — a potential major leaguer.

Beltré quickly worked his way through the Dodgers’ farm system. He made his debut on June 24, 1998, against the Angels, still a teenager at 19.

His rookie campaign — in which he hit .215/.278/.369 — did not indicate he would reach the summit for which Clemente serves as guardian, let alone play many more seasons.

Yet he persisted, working on developing the skills that would make him a big leaguer, skills that would help him stand out where so many others fall. He had several solid campaigns in his initial six seasons as a Dodger, hitting as high as .290 and reaching 85 RBI in 2000, and blasting 23 home runs in 2003.

Then came his walk year — not as in drawing walks, but the year in which he became eligible for free agency — and the possibility of drawing a multimillion dollar contract, whether with the Dodgers or elsewhere.

By then 25, he had a breakout year in 2004, leading the majors with a career-high 48 home runs, scoring 104 runs and driving in 121 runs — the first time he eclipsed triple digits in those two categories.

His slash line made him an instant superstar — .334/.388/.629 — more than enough to earn him a Silver Slugger Award and propel him to second place in the National League MVP voting, losing out to Barry Bonds.

And then the Dodgers let him get away.

Best glove around

Beltré signed as a free agent with the Seattle Mariners, but nothing came easy. During his five years in the Northwest, Beltré proved a solid yet unspectacular contributor at the plate, hitting no higher than .276 and reverting to his pre-2004 offensive numbers.

Oh, but that glove. He could definitely man la esquina caliente with smoothness, range and an arm, winning two Gold Gloves with the Mariners.

Then Seattle decided Beltré did not fit into their plans, allowing him to flee East to the land of Manny being Manny, Pedro El Grande, and Big Papi. Surrounded by Ramírez, Martínez and Ortiz, surely Boston would be the fix.

As a veteran in his 13th major league season, Beltré had his best season yet in 2010. He made his first All-Star team, hitting .321 as he drove in 102 runs and earned another Silver Slugger award.

It was truly the turning point of his career. Until then, Beltré had accumulated more 100-strikeout seasons than 100-RBI seasons, a ratio of futility at 5:1.

But after that one magical season, Boston did as the other two organizations who had Beltré before them had done. Despite his timely hitting and newfound plate discipline, the Red Sox decided to let him walk.

A Dominican in Texas

Since signing a six-year, $96 million contract as a free agent with the Rangers in 2011, Beltré has truly found a home in Texas, a place to be the leader he was meant to be and shine with the bat and glove. He became the heart and soul of an organization that develops young Latino players like Venezuelans Elvis Andrus and Rougned Odor and fellow Dominican Nomar Mazara, among others.

And the risk that the Rangers’ young general manager Jon Daniels took in signing Beltré has paid off. Three All-Star seasons, four 30-plus home run seasons and three 100-plus RBI campaigns later, Beltré is in the midst of his fifth season batting .300 or better with the Rangers.

As much as his three Gold Gloves and Silver Slugger Awards, his career 454 home runs, 605 doubles, 1,607 RBI and 92.4 WAR acknowledge his on-field contributions, it is in the clubhouse — as well as between pitches on the field — that Beltré shines.

Showing a love for the game with antics that entertain the crowd as well as opposing team players, it seems that umpire Gerry Davis might be the only one who doesn’t quite get Beltré. Even the Fort Worth Zoo showed him love, naming a baby giraffe “Beltré” on Sunday afternoon after the big feat.

Bienvenido a 3,000

What does Beltré mean to the Texas Rangers family? On the eve on his induction, Rangers catching legend Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez encouraged Adrian to wait, to get that 3,000th hit on Sunday so Pudge could give him a shout-out onstage in the midst of his induction speech. Beltré waited just a smidge too long, making history less than an hour after Pudge finished up the most moving speech of the day.

Others Hall of Famers are keeping track. Watching Beltré’s pursuit of 3,000 has been part of Rod Carew’s regimen as he recovers from receiving a heart transplant.

“He has had such a great career, and is such a good person. When you see a player like that you follow him,” Carew told La Vida.

Joining a select group of players with 3,000 hits takes on additional meaning for Latinos, Carew observed.

“I think it’s very significant,” he said. “Because I think we all play not just for ourselves, but for our countries. To let kids see that a Latin player is able to achieve something like that, it’s something that is carrying a lot of weight in the different Latin American countries.”

Bienvenido, Adrián. Dominicans and Latinos celebrate your accomplishment.

Featured Image: Rick Yeatts / Getty Images Sport