The Many Faces and Sides of Yasiel Puig

I met Yasiel Puig for the first time in late February at the Dodgers’ spring training home in Camelback Ranch–Glendale, Arizona. Every time I meet a ball player, I get nervous because I know that to them I’m just another faceless reporter who wants an interview.

If that wasn’t enough, I’m a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan thanks to my father, Henry Sr., and going to Camelback Ranch was like sneaking into enemy territory. I wore a navy-blue t-shirt — not Pantone 294 — with jeans and running shoes. And on my feet, San Francisco Giants socks.

Puig sat down, clearly not happy that he had to do ANOTHER interview, saying “I don’t want to do this [thing]” and asking to see the questions. Of course, I did not hand over them over, but it clearly wasn’t a good start.

I was expecting short answers and that’s exactly what I got from him until I started asking about Cuba, about his experience of leaving his homeland and ending up in Mexico, and about playing baseball in the United States. And when I asked about Dodgers fans, he gave animated answers.

Then I showed him a jersey of his late friend and countryman, José Fernández, the Miami Marlins pitcher who died in a boating accident last year, and told him that it hangs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. Puig’s attitude and expression changed dramatically. He wasn’t the intimidating Puig that I had just met minutes earlier.

He asked, “This is the Hall of Fame? I want to say thank you to the Commissioner and everyone from the Hall of Fame. I loved him so much and I’m going to miss him for the rest of my life.”

My interactions with Puig didn’t end at Camelback Ranch. We covered the right fielder all season long, especially his social media postings. During the regular season, the Dodgers and Puig hit extreme highs and lows: An 11-game winning streak in July, followed by an 11-game losing streak in September.

Despite the ups and downs, Puig put together his best season in his five-year career, hitting .263 while setting individual highs with 28 home runs and 74 RBI. The Dodgers won 104 games —the best record in Major League Baseball and tied for second-best in team history — giving them home-field advantage during the postseason.

Throughout the past four weeks, I’ve followed the Dodgers and Puig through their NLDS and NLCS victories while watching Puig being, well, Puig. Exuberant, passionate, unpredictable and on top of his game, batting 12-for-29 with six RBI in eight games.

During Game 1 of the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he made social media erupt when he tripled, slid headfirst into third and started wagging his tongue in excitement.

The crowd at Chavez Ravine went crazy with chants of “Let’s go Puig!” and “Puig! Puig! Puig!” Puig loves Dodgers fans and Dodgers fans love him in return. He told La Vida Baseball, “when you see 50,000 people out there every day — that’s everything to me — and I want to say thank you to the fans in Los Angeles.”

Next is a video that I captured of the crowd cheering, “Let’s Go Puig! Let’s Go Puig!” after he hit a single during Game 2 of the NLDS.

Before Game 3 at Arizona, Puig used some time alone in the dugout to stretch and get in the zone. That night, the Dodgers finished off the Diamondbacks and I got a chance to experience my first champagne shower. Puig was the life of the party. He couldn’t stop celebrating and wagging his tongue.

There was talk about the Dodgers jumping into the Diamondbacks’ pool located behind centerfield, perhaps inspired by fans who made signs that read “Pool party.”

Walking past Puig, I asked, “Are you going swimming tonight?” And he said, “Only in my hotel pool.” Puig didn’t want to show the Diamondbacks disrespect. Even though fans wanted to see the Dodgers jump in the pool — he wasn’t going to.

I walked outside into the hallway where family and friends waited for the Dodgers to come out. I don’t know how, but I ended up standing next to the Puig family: his girlfriend, two sons, his mom, brother and sister. He walked over to hug, greet and take pictures with them to savor this moment.

His interplay with his sons was priceless — he was happy to see them and give them love. He took pictures with his family and close friends. I was able to get a few snaps myself, holding my breath with each picture taken, anticipating that Puig would ask who I was and who I worked for.

Then, I walked away. It was a side of Puig that I had never seen before — a mellow father enjoying a triumphant moment with his family. One picture of him that stands out in social media was posted by his girlfriend on Instagram: Puig and his sons with their tongues out. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

As a social media director for La Vida Baseball, this is the type of content that we live for — capturing the many faces — on and off the field and behind the scenes — of baseball’s best players. What I’ve captured this 2017 season is just that. The many faces of Yasiel Puig. Expressions of focus, of silliness, of laughter, of love and even of annoyance.

I will be honest — despite being a Giants fans, I’m looking forward to seeing the many faces of Puig during this year’s World Series. He and the other Latinos — including teammate Kiké Hernández and the Houston Astros’ José Altuve and Carlos Correa — will bring their sabor y pasión to the main stage. The show is about to begin; get ready to enjoy.

Featured Image: Jaime Squire / Getty Images Sport

Inset videos: La Vida Baseball