Francisco Lindor: focusing on baseball and hurricane victims
By César Augusto Márquez
They call Francisco Lindor “Mr. Smile” for obvious reasons. The Cleveland Indians’ All-Star shortstop grins nonstop — except when you ask about his home island of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane María.
He’ll look up at you, change expressions and reveal a somber look.
“These have been stressful times. I worry a lot about what’s happening in Puerto Rico,” Lindor said this week during an interview in Spanish at Yankee Stadium with La Vida Baseball. “My girlfriend’s family lives there, my uncles and cousins live there. But once I cross the foul lines, I have to concentrate. Because if I don’t do my job well, I’m not going to be able to help my family or anyone else.”
Lindor understands that sports rarely pause for real-life complications. This has been the quiet challenge he and every other Puerto Rican major leaguer has faced during the run up to playoffs, and it continues for those still playing. As of Monday, 88 percent of the island lacked electricity and 43 percent lacked running water, incremental improvements since Category 4 María ravaged the island on Sept. 20.
Asking Beltrán for help
While Lindor and his immediate family left Caguas, his hometown in the center of the island, for Florida 11 years ago, he has plenty of relatives in Puerto Rico. Lindor said it took five days before he was able to communicate with some of them.
The uncertainty and spotty communication with the island forced some Puerto Rican major leaguers to take the unusual step of asking players and owners on other teams for help.
Lindor said that his girlfriend, Nilmarie Huertas, contacted Jessica Lugo, the wife of Carlos Beltrán, the Houston Astros’ designated hitter and the elder statesman among Puerto Rican major leaguers, asking for help to fly her parents and other relatives out of Puerto Rico.
Beltrán went straight to Jim Crane, the Houston Astros’ owner and chairman of Crane Worldwide Logistics, a global supply company. According to news reports, Crane — in partnership with FedEx, the Houston mayor’s office and other parties — has sent at least three planes to Puerto Rico loaded with food, water and other necessities.
The planes have also returned with passengers — including relatives and friends of the Astros’ players and coaches, as well as those of players from other teams, and people in need of dialysis and treatment for cancer and other illnesses.
Besides flying back members of Beltrán’s family and the family of Lindor’s girlfriend, Crane also brought back the family of Enrique “Kiké” Hernández, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfielder who started his pro career with the Astros’ organization.
Lindor’s burden has been temporarily lifted as his Indians head back to Cleveland to face the Yankees on Wednesday in the last game of the best-of-five ALDS.
“I truly am thankful to Carlos Beltrán, Álex Cintrón, Carlos Correa and the whole Houston Astros organization for lending a helping hand in such a difficult time,” said Lindor, mentioning three fellow Puerto Ricans on the Astros, including Cintrón, the team interpreter and a former major leaguer.
Correa, the Astros’ shortstop and a good friend of Lindor’s, told MLB.com that he tried to have his family return on one of the flights, but that his grandmother refused, saying, “I’ve got more grandsons I’ve got to take care of.”
“Even if your family has experienced a hurricane before, you are never sufficiently prepared for a natural disaster of such magnitude.”— Francisco Lindor
Supporting each other
Lindor has lived through ferocious hurricanes. He was barely 5 when Category 4 Georges raked the island in 1998.
“I was very young, but I remember Hurricane Georges,” Lindor said. “My family in Caguas prepared themselves for the aftermath, and we all helped each other in the community. Sometimes the neighbors would come over to eat and sometimes we would go over to a neighbor’s to eat. We all supported each other.”
“Even if your family has experienced a hurricane before, you are never sufficiently prepared for a natural disaster of such magnitude,” Lindor said.
On the field, Lindor remains the same energetic and bubbly personality he’s always been, and is the first one out on the field before batting practices and stretching exercises. Everybody wants to talk to him: teammates, rival players, reporters, fans, stadium workers.
Only 23, he’s among Major League Baseball’s most popular players, finishing ninth in the 2017 rankings for MLB jerseys sales.
“It all has come together very quickly and nicely for me,” Lindor said. “I’ve enjoyed everything very much since I got to the major leagues, but I consider myself a normal person. I stick to my everyday routines. I get up in the morning, get ready for the game, go to the stadium, practice and play, the same as any other players.”
And lately, he’s enjoying a little classical rap.
“Before games, I like to listen to music, anything but rock or country. For example, I can’t stop listening to rapper Daddy Yankee’s new song, “Yo contra ti” (Me Against You), recorded with the Puerto Rico Symphonic Orchestra.” The song is about a woman’s empowerment during a battle against breast cancer.
The Indians, thanks to an historic 22-game winning streak, finished with 102 victories and the best record in the American League. Lindor was one of the team’s catalysts, hitting .273 while establishing career highs with 33 home runs and 89 RBI.
“My favorite moment of the season? It’s hard to answer,” Lindor said. “Up to now, everything has been magical, especially the winning streak.”
Now only one game stands in the way of that magic continuing. Lindor has already suffered one heartbreak this season. In a marvelous run, Puerto Rico advanced undefeated through the World Baseball Classic, only to lose to Team USA in the championship final.
But Lindor seems unfazed. After all, in Game 2 of this series, with the Indians down 8-3, he hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to set the stage for a comeback win in extras. Not all storms get Mr. Smile down. He’ll be ready for this one on Wednesday.
Featured Image: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport