There are two years and a few days left before the Dominican presidential elections, on May 19, 2024. But it is now that we have to plant roots, and that is why you see mobility of all kinds in the political parties, although there has been no open what they call “electoral campaign”.
Athletes are on the move and this past Wednesday Leonel Fernández and his Fuerza del Pueblo “swore in” a small number of athletes, especially people retired from sports.
Everything is the result of an enormous recruitment effort by Felipe Payano (Jey), who was Minister of Sports for 8 years precisely with Leonel, period 2004-2012. During that long time, Payano did many positive things for the sport, he sowed well among the athletes, reaping notable friendships and much gratitude.
This is noticeable now when renowned people from the most recent past support their activity, even though these athletes are not going to carry out any political work. They go to these acts, raise their hands, and then they disappear.
Read these names, from the last litter captured by Payano: from baseball, Bernardo-Pupo-Brito, who hit a lot of sticks in Lidom and some in MLB, former pitchers Melkys Valdez and Yhency Brazobán, and previously Tony Batista, who shone for the Cibaeñas Eagles and Toronto Blue Jays.
From other sports, people known as Gioriver Arias (volleyball), Norma Díaz (little league), Ivan Tejeda) immortal of tae kwon do), of boxing Ubaldo Cabrera, Felix –Mangú –Valera and Dahiana Santana, of volleyball Emil Ferreras, Mirian García and the federated leader Gerardo Suero Correa. Weightlifting, Santa Santana.
Also, Amaury Cordero, gold medalist in the Twelve Games for weights, boxing Leo Cruz, basketball Victor Hansen, Victor Chacón and Matilde Guerrero were sworn in months ago.
THE BOSSES: And who are the sports chiefs of the majority Dominican political parties? Payano is head of the People’s Force, Soterio Ramírez in the PLD, and Francisco Camacho in the PRM, since he was in charge of sports in the current president Luis Abinader’s project.
The PRD once had a sports chief, but they say that game is already a nice memory, and in the others there are no figures in sight.
Of all the sports ministers that the country has had, as a result of politics, they have been top-level athletes Camacho, Juan Marichal and Payano.
DETROIT: Miguel Cabrera had a pair of hits in his first two at-bats last night, in the Detroit vs. Detroit game. Houston. That allowed him to tie Al Kaline for the all-time franchise record with 3,007, and also 31st all-time. Kaline’s family congratulated him in a statement…Kaline played 22 years alone with the Tigers, between 1953-1974.
MOST LOSSES: The Cincinnati Reds have 9 straight losses and their season record is 3-22… right? That’s right… Milwaukee beat them 10-5 on Thursday, based on a couple of home runs by Willy Adames, who is super hot… Milwaukee is 18-8, leading the Central Division. They have won 5 of the last 6 and 8 of 10…Adames has 8 home runs with 21 RBIs, and is batting third.
ONE MORE: Juan Soto is heating up. Yesterday he hit his 6th. home run and improved his average to .271… Colorado, however, beat Washington 9-7, and the Nationals have a lousy 9-18 record… Washington’s Maikel Franco, in a good first month, went 3-5, batting .282, with 2 home runs, 13 drives…
THE PHENOMENON: Shohei Ohtani went to Boston to hit home runs and throw well. In yesterday’s game, he pitched 7 innings of 6 hits, zero runs and 11 strikeouts… His record for the year is 3-2 and 3.08… Will he be MVP again this year?
Note from Luichy Sánchez: On Wednesday, the Oakland Athletics attended 4,838, while Dodger Stadium had 52,203… And then?…
CAUTION: These days I hear comments from former executives or directors of the Dominican ball out of tune. To Lidom that he stalks, because he cannot allow the league to be externally swept away, not even many youthful comments that do a lot of damage… As a song by José José says, Care, Much Care.