DETROIT — Gabriel Moreno twirled his bat in the on-deck circle as he readied himself for his fourth at-bat of the game.
The stadium announcer belted Moreno’s name over the speakers, and, this time, Blue Jays fans in the Comerica Park bleachers remained quiet. Moreno got a hearty applause from the traveling Toronto faithful before his first MLB plate appearance earlier in the game, but not this time.
It was the ninth inning and Detroit Tigers closer Gregory Soto toed the slab. With two outs, he blazed a 98-m.p.h fastball down in the zone, and Moreno sent it right back where it came from.
The 105.2-m.p.h. liner skipped neatly into centre field, and as Moreno rounded first, he kissed his hand and pointed to the sky. The Blue Jays eventually lost Saturday’s game 3-1, but the 22-year-old got on the board with a knock.
“I wanted to get [my first hit] out of the way,” Moreno said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “Thank God it happened in my last at-bat. I really wanted it.”
Gabriel Moreno notched a hit and scored a run in his Blue Jays debut. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
The Blue Jays haven’t seen a prospect of this magnitude debut since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette both arrived in the big leagues in 2019 to rescue a jaded Jays fanbase that had experienced losing baseball for a few years.
Moreno doesn’t boast the pedigree or famous last name of a Guerrero or a Bichette, but his rise to the top of prospect leaderboards was just as impressive. Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016 for a mere $25,000, Moreno wasn’t ever expected to drive such a powerful hype train. Now, he’s the consensus fourth-best prospect in baseball — and on Saturday he finally joined a competitive Blue Jays squad that has playoff baseball on its mind.
Lauded on offence for his quick hands and above-average contact ability, Moreno flashed some hitting talent with a 1-for-4 day. His defence, however, was arguably more impactful.
Generously listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Moreno doesn’t carry the typical frame of a major-league catcher — he was originally scouted as a middle infielder before the Blue Jays moved him behind the plate.
If you watch Moreno catch, you’ll see his infield background creep through. Everything he does is fluid, almost dance-like. His God-given athleticism, dashing footwork, sound transfer and cannon for an arm arguably make him the best-throwing catcher on the Blue Jays.
He put all those tools on display when a runner broke to steal second in the first inning. Moreno stabbed at a diving splitter and fired a bullet to Bichette covering second, who slapped the tag down in time but dropped the ball.
The best catchers in history blend their physical skills with even greater mental prowess. Good catchers develop deep relationships with their pitchers, guide them through games, help sequence their pitches, and comfort or challenge them when things go awry.
Those intangibles are the hardest for young backstops to get a grip on, and oftentimes catchers develop those traits on-the-fly in the majors.
On Saturday, Moreno was tasked with catching Kevin Gausman, an early AL Cy Young candidate coming off his shortest start of the season. It was no small task for Moreno to debut with Gausman, the owner of a devastating splitter and a 10-year major-league track record.
Instead of fearing the challenge of catching Gausman, Moreno looked composed. He blocked and framed well during the starting pitcher’s six innings of work.
“That’s kind of my big question mark anytime I have a first-time catcher is how are they going to block this split,” said Gausman, who took the loss. “And so there’s a couple of times, guys on third, he had no hesitation calling it, and did a hell of a job blocking it today.”
And, to add even more emotional stimulation to his debut, Moreno played his first game against one of his baseball heroes, Miguel Cabrera. The aging Tigers legend is an icon in Venezuela and one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all-time, so when he requested a meet-and-greet with Moreno, it was an easy decision.
“Meeting Miguel was unbelievable,” said Moreno, adding that he and Cabrera chatted about where their families were from back in Venezuela.
The quick but intimate moment with Cabrera offered a heartfelt bit of perspective to the youngster’s MLB debut. To the outside world, Moreno’s story is about an up-and-comer with wicked potential. To those who know Moreno best, it’s a story of a happy-go-lucky kid overcoming the odds and fulfilling a dream.
“You always see something special in him,” said Luis Hurtado, one of Toronto’s bullpen catchers, as he thought back to when he first laid eyes on Moreno years ago.
Hurtado, also from Venezuela, first managed Moreno in the Florida Coast League in 2018. The pair have remained close since, first bonding as compatriots and now sharing in each other’s successes as Moreno climbed the minor-league ranks.
“It’s a tough question,” Hurtado said, fighting back tears, after being asked how much it means to see Moreno succeed. “Especially because how hard it is for us, for Venezuelan people. For everything that happens in our country, for all the barriers that we have to [overcome].”
The Venezuelan flag is one of many flags that cloak the walls around the entrance to the visiting dugout at Comerica Park. (Photo by Ethan Diamandas)
Moreno’s family couldn’t travel to the United States due to passport issues, but Hurtado was there for him, as was Francisco Plasencia, the Venezuelan-born Blue Jays scout who first discovered a 14-year-old Moreno and eventually signed him.
When Hurtado arrived at Comerica Park Friday, he snapped a photo of a Venezuelan flag hanging in the hallway, ensuring he’d never forget the gravity of this weekend.
“I love my country,” he said. “I was born, I was raised there, and I’m always going to be proud of where I come from. And that’s everyone that makes it to the big leagues. Every Venezuelan player is proud of their country, of our country.”
It’s been a wild journey, in baseball and in life, for Moreno. With one game and one hit under his belt, he can now officially call himself a big leaguer.
“Very emotional,” Moreno said. “I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
