Jul 21, 2010, 06:47 PM
Peña and Escobar share a bond beyond baseball
By DANIEL PAULLING
The Kansas City Star
JOHN SLEEZER
Royals catcher Brayan Peña (left) hasn’t played much this season, while old friend Yunel Escobar is off to a hot start since being traded to Toronto.
Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar stepped out of the visitors’ dugout at Kauffman Stadium and spotted Royals catcher Brayan Peña.
Escobar, who was traded to Toronto last week from Atlanta, clasped hands with Peña and gave his buddy a half-hug.
Peña and Escobar — longtime friends reunited during the Royals’ series against the Blue Jays — sat on the hot tarp and talked. They had a lot of catching up to do.
The two grew up about a block apart in Havana, Cuba, playing Little League baseball together. Peña admitted the team wasn’t too good, but he and Escobar did their best. When the team played doubleheaders, Peña would pitch and Escobar would catch the first game. They traded positions for the second game. At the plate, Escobar would hit third, Peña fourth. Best friends, always together.
“We were together in school,” Escobar said through a translator. “We grew up together as such close friends.”
They were in Mexico for a game when they watched their first major-league game on TV. The Atlanta Braves were playing, and the two promised each other they were going to become Braves someday.
“It was kind of like first love when we saw the Braves,” Peña said.
Peña and Escobar continued to develop — Peña behind the plate, Escobar a shortstop with an arm that hints at his past as a pitcher.
Their steady improvement eventually raised the question asked of all talented Cuban players. When would they leave Cuba?
Peña was the first. He and Escobar were playing with the Cuban 17-and-under national team in Venezuela in the spring of 1999. Peña developed a plan to defect, but he couldn’t tell anybody. Not his family, not Escobar.
When it was time to leave, Peña jumped into a waiting car and rode away from the friend he had known since they were 8 years old.
“My next step was trying to sign with any major-league club,” Peña said. “We did a lot of tryouts for different clubs. The Braves were the ones who showed more interest in me and my service. I decided it was the perfect match for me because it was a dream come true.”
But Escobar was still in Cuba, and he soon had to deal with some troubles of his own.
“It caused me a little bit of a problem when he left,” Escobar said. “They were just waiting for me. I knew him so well. I was going to be next. They put more security on me.”
Escobar played in Cuba until defecting on a boat with several other players in late 2004. By then, Peña had signed with the Braves and hit .314 in Class AA Greenville (S.C.) that year. Peña and Escobar finally met up again in January 2005.
“It was good to be back together,” Escobar said. “It was like I was missing something.”
Following Peña’s advice, the Braves chose Escobar in the second round of the 2005 draft. He shot through the Braves’ farm system and cracked the majors in 2007. Peña had made it to the majors two years earlier.
They were finally Braves together, just like they had promised.
“It was a dream come true,” Peña said. “We were sitting next to our idols, like Chipper Jones and John Smoltz.”
Only it wouldn’t last.
Stuck behind All-Star Brian McCann, Peña hit just .212 in limited time in 2007. The next year, he hit .286 before being placed on waivers. The Royals selected him, and he has been in a backup role since.
In limited action this year, Peña is hitting .172 in just 29 at-bats. Escobar batted .238 with no homers and 19 RBIs in 75 games with Atlanta this season, and he is hitting .471 (8 for 17) with two home runs and seven RBIs in four games after being dealt to Toronto.
While Escobar’s time with the Braves is over, the deal had a bright side for him on a personal level. It brought him one league closer to playing with his best friend.
To reach Daniel Paulling, send e-mail to dpaulling@kcstar.com
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/20/209...z0uMbV0yUc
By DANIEL PAULLING
The Kansas City Star
JOHN SLEEZER
Royals catcher Brayan Peña (left) hasn’t played much this season, while old friend Yunel Escobar is off to a hot start since being traded to Toronto.
Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar stepped out of the visitors’ dugout at Kauffman Stadium and spotted Royals catcher Brayan Peña.
Escobar, who was traded to Toronto last week from Atlanta, clasped hands with Peña and gave his buddy a half-hug.
Peña and Escobar — longtime friends reunited during the Royals’ series against the Blue Jays — sat on the hot tarp and talked. They had a lot of catching up to do.
The two grew up about a block apart in Havana, Cuba, playing Little League baseball together. Peña admitted the team wasn’t too good, but he and Escobar did their best. When the team played doubleheaders, Peña would pitch and Escobar would catch the first game. They traded positions for the second game. At the plate, Escobar would hit third, Peña fourth. Best friends, always together.
“We were together in school,” Escobar said through a translator. “We grew up together as such close friends.”
They were in Mexico for a game when they watched their first major-league game on TV. The Atlanta Braves were playing, and the two promised each other they were going to become Braves someday.
“It was kind of like first love when we saw the Braves,” Peña said.
Peña and Escobar continued to develop — Peña behind the plate, Escobar a shortstop with an arm that hints at his past as a pitcher.
Their steady improvement eventually raised the question asked of all talented Cuban players. When would they leave Cuba?
Peña was the first. He and Escobar were playing with the Cuban 17-and-under national team in Venezuela in the spring of 1999. Peña developed a plan to defect, but he couldn’t tell anybody. Not his family, not Escobar.
When it was time to leave, Peña jumped into a waiting car and rode away from the friend he had known since they were 8 years old.
“My next step was trying to sign with any major-league club,” Peña said. “We did a lot of tryouts for different clubs. The Braves were the ones who showed more interest in me and my service. I decided it was the perfect match for me because it was a dream come true.”
But Escobar was still in Cuba, and he soon had to deal with some troubles of his own.
“It caused me a little bit of a problem when he left,” Escobar said. “They were just waiting for me. I knew him so well. I was going to be next. They put more security on me.”
Escobar played in Cuba until defecting on a boat with several other players in late 2004. By then, Peña had signed with the Braves and hit .314 in Class AA Greenville (S.C.) that year. Peña and Escobar finally met up again in January 2005.
“It was good to be back together,” Escobar said. “It was like I was missing something.”
Following Peña’s advice, the Braves chose Escobar in the second round of the 2005 draft. He shot through the Braves’ farm system and cracked the majors in 2007. Peña had made it to the majors two years earlier.
They were finally Braves together, just like they had promised.
“It was a dream come true,” Peña said. “We were sitting next to our idols, like Chipper Jones and John Smoltz.”
Only it wouldn’t last.
Stuck behind All-Star Brian McCann, Peña hit just .212 in limited time in 2007. The next year, he hit .286 before being placed on waivers. The Royals selected him, and he has been in a backup role since.
In limited action this year, Peña is hitting .172 in just 29 at-bats. Escobar batted .238 with no homers and 19 RBIs in 75 games with Atlanta this season, and he is hitting .471 (8 for 17) with two home runs and seven RBIs in four games after being dealt to Toronto.
While Escobar’s time with the Braves is over, the deal had a bright side for him on a personal level. It brought him one league closer to playing with his best friend.
To reach Daniel Paulling, send e-mail to dpaulling@kcstar.com
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/20/209...z0uMbV0yUc