Second generation Alomar was destined for greatness
By Adrian Burgos
Greatness can perhaps be expected when your father names you in honor of the Great One, Roberto Clemente. Even more, Roberto Alomar had a baseball family pedigree in his favor.
The Alomar family had been an established name in baseball well before the 20-year old rookie suited up on April 22, 1988, to perform in his first game in Major League Baseball. In fact, both families on his paternal side, the Alomar and Conde families, had ballplayers in their lineage who had previously performed in the majors.
When Alomar walked into San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium for his debut with the Padres that April afternoon, it was neither his first time in a major league clubhouse nor would it be the first time he stepped onto a big league ballfield. Those things were familiar to the Padres’ rookie due to his baseball roots.
The young second baseman that Padres manager Larry Bowa penciled into the starting lineup would face a daunting challenge when he stepped into the batter’s box, however. The Houston Astros’ starter on the mound that day was Nolan Ryan, the greatest strikeout artist of all-time.
Baseball Roots
The Padres’ new second baseman had grown up in baseball. His father Santos “Sandy” Alomar was a 15-year major leaguer and has been a long-time coach working in Major League Baseball. During the mid-1970s and the early-1980s Alomar often had his sons Sandy Jr. and “Robbie” accompany him to the ballpark. The Alomar boys could be found flitting about clubhouses, fielding balls around the field, and hanging out with big leaguers from the time they could put on a fielding glove and cleats.
Roberto and Sandy Jr. signed with San Diego as teenagers. Big brother Sandy Jr., two years older, signed in October 1983. Roberto followed suit when he signed in February 1985, 11 days after turning 17 years old.
Although he started playing professionally two years after his big brother, Roberto made his way to the big leagues first. His path to the major league squad was a bit clearer. For starters, he did not have a talent like Benito Santiago standing in his way like Sandy Jr. did at the catcher position. Instead, the Padres decided early in the 1988 season that Tim Flannery was no reason to keep their talented Puerto Rican prospect at its top minor league affiliate in Las Vegas.
Taking His Cuts
The Padres scuffled through their first 13 games in 1988, winning four and dropping nine. Once the decision was made to call up Alomar from Las Vegas, Bowa placed in him the starting lineup and in the number two slot in the batting order, right behind star right fielder Tony Gwynn.
The Friday evening game against the Astros drew a crowd of 35,695. The pitching matchup didn’t seem to favor the Padres, who had right hander Jimmy Jones making his sixth career start opposite veteran flamethrower Ryan.
Jones worked his way out of the first inning without giving up a run after Billy Hatcher singled and stole second.
The Padres mounted a bigger threat in the bottom of the first.
Gwynn opened with a single to center. Alomar stepped to the plate against Ryan and promptly fell behind 0-2. The rookie managed to single into the hole between the Astros shortstop and third baseman, moving Gwynn into scoring position. That’s when Ryan showed why he was a future Hall of Famer. He retired the Padres next three hitters, getting a popup to the catcher and two strikeouts.
Singling in his first career at-bat against Ryan, Alomar’s next turn at the plate saw him become one of Ryan’s 5,714 strikeout victims. The rookie got the “good morning, good afternoon, and good night” treatment, striking out on three pitches.
Alomar would end the day 1 for 4. In the field, he handled nine chances without making an error. The Padres scored three times against Ryan to claim a 3-1 victory.
Destined for Greatness
The young Puerto Rican showed he was in the big leagues to stay in 1988. He played 143 games and batted .266 with nine home runs. He led the Padres in runs scored (84) and doubles (24). Among the season highlights was being joined by his brother. On Sept. 30, Sandy Jr. made his debut as a pinch-hitter versus Houston, marking the first time the two appeared in the same game as major leaguers.
Alomar would end up fifth in the 1988 National League Rookie of the Year voting, which was won by Reds third baseman Chris Sabo. Two seasons later Alomar made his first All-Star team, the first of 12 consecutive All-Star berths. That would be the sole time he would represent the Padres in the All-Star game, though.
The Padres traded Alomar and Joe Carter to the Toronto Blue Jays for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernández in the 1990 off-season. Alomar truly established his Hall of Fame credentials in the American League.
In Toronto he batted .307 over the five seasons, twice stole more than 50 bases and scored more than 100 runs. He made the All-Star team and earned a Gold Glove every season as a Blue Jay.
His time in Baltimore and Cleveland (1996-2001) further elevated his status among the game’s elite. He was a run producer who batted .318 over that span, averaging 107 runs scored with 36 doubles, 19 home runs and 86 RBI a season. This, of course, was accompanied by his Gold Glove fielding as he continued to make highlight-reel defensive plays.
Alomar would retire during spring training in 2005. His 17-year playing career demonstrated that he had lived up to the name Roberto as a ballplayer.
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