{"id":14508,"date":"2011-06-15T09:19:43","date_gmt":"2011-06-15T16:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.seamheads.com\/?p=14508"},"modified":"2011-06-15T09:19:43","modified_gmt":"2011-06-15T16:19:43","slug":"presencia-de-un-torpedero-presence-of-a-short-stop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2011\/06\/15\/presencia-de-un-torpedero-presence-of-a-short-stop\/","title":{"rendered":"Presencia de un torpedero. (Presence of a short stop)"},"content":{"rendered":"

El joven campocorto jugaba un poco cargado hacia su izquierda, el roletazo sali\u00c3\u00b3 incandescente con todas las caracter\u00c3\u00adsticas de un imparable. Los reflejos lanzaron el guante y toda la humanidad del muchacho hacia las profundidades del hueco, all\u00c3\u00a1 donde las telara\u00c3\u00b1as se mezclan con la arena que limita con los primeros matices verdes de la grama. Los dos primeros pasos lo pusieron en paralelo con la esf\u00c3\u00a9rica. Cuando el joven de profuso afro not\u00c3\u00b3 que la pelota amenazaba con peinar la grama se lanz\u00c3\u00b3 sobre el pecho y con el guante estirado por encima de la cabeza alcanz\u00c3\u00b3 la pelota en la malla. Mientras ve\u00c3\u00ada que el corredor se aproximaba a la primera base se incorpor\u00c3\u00b3 y lanz\u00c3\u00b3 desde las rodillas. Su disparo impact\u00c3\u00b3 el mascot\u00c3\u00adn del inicialista cuando el pie del corredor flotaba sobre la base. El narrador de la televisi\u00c3\u00b3n describi\u00c3\u00b3 la jugada como si transmitiera por radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00a1Que b\u00c3\u00a1rbara jugada de David Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n! As\u00c3\u00ad se motiva a un equipo\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Se jugaba un partido de play off de la temporada 1971-72.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0En 1970 apareci\u00c3\u00b3 por primera vez en una serie de campeonato y una Serie Mundial con los Rojos de Cincinnati. Todas las intervenciones que hizo a la defensiva obligaron a Sparky Anderson a\u00c2\u00a0 alternarlo con Woody Woodward en la posici\u00c3\u00b3n. Que a\u00c3\u00ban su bate deber\u00c3\u00ada adaptarse a las Grandes Ligas no fue obst\u00c3\u00a1culo para que el manager lo tuviera presente cada vez que escrib\u00c3\u00ada la alineaci\u00c3\u00b3n. El gran alcance de Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n tanto hacia el hueco como hacia la segunda base empez\u00c3\u00b3 a modificar las bases de la l\u00c3\u00adnea central de la Gran Maquinaria Roja. Su poderoso brazo le permit\u00c3\u00ada llegar casi hasta la grama y desde all\u00c3\u00a1 manufacturar destellantes outs que levantaban de sus asientos al manager y a los aficionados. En 1972 Cincinnati regres\u00c3\u00b3 al Cl\u00c3\u00a1sico de Octubre y tambi\u00c3\u00a9n Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n, esta vez alternado con Darrell Chaney en la paradas cortas y en la segunda base estaba Joe Morgan.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0En una p\u00c3\u00a1gina de internet denominada Rankopedia, en la cual aparece una puntuaci\u00c3\u00b3n, aparentemente basada en votos de los miembros del sitio, el tandem de Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n y Joe Morgan aparece como la combinaci\u00c3\u00b3n m\u00c3\u00a1s efectiva de dobleplays\u00c2\u00a0 solo segunda de Nellie Fox y Luis Aparicio\u00c2\u00a0 49.26 puntos por 54.17. Luego est\u00c3\u00a1n\u00c2\u00a0 Marty Marion y Red Schoendienst (36.25), Ozzie Smith y Tom Herr (34.58), Cal Ripken y Roberto Alomar (30.45).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0A partir de 1973 empez\u00c3\u00b3 a mejorar su profundidad como pelotero a raiz de sus conversaciones con Tany P\u00c3\u00a9rez su compa\u00c3\u00b1ero de habitaci\u00c3\u00b3n en los Rojos de Cincinnati. Escuchar las sugerencias de P\u00c3\u00a9rez le permiti\u00c3\u00b3 a David asentarse como pelotero al evitar presionarse cuando se iba en blanco en uno o m\u00c3\u00a1s juegos. Entendi\u00c3\u00b3 que eso era parte del juego. Que siempre hab\u00c3\u00ada un ma\u00c3\u00b1ana y all\u00c3\u00ad era donde hab\u00c3\u00ada que trabajar para mejorar su actuaci\u00c3\u00b3n. Entonces llegaron los guantes de oro y los reconocimientos de los periodistas y de los peloteros establecidos. Cuando le consultaron a P\u00c3\u00a9rez que significaba Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n para la Gran Maquinaria Roja, respir\u00c3\u00b3 profundo: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153La forma como nos ayudaba a cada uno, la forma como jugaba, con el bate y con el guante. Le llegaba a todos los batazos desde el hueco hasta detr\u00c3\u00a1s de segunda base; y corr\u00c3\u00ada muy bien. Vi muchos shortstops en mi carrera. David fue uno de los mejores. Est\u00c3\u00a1 clasificado en el mismo nivel de los mejores. No se puede separar a David Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n de Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tany Perez, Joe Morgan o George Foster. David significaba tanto como cualquiera de nosotros\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0La cima de su actuaci\u00c3\u00b3n\u00c2\u00a0 lleg\u00c3\u00b3 en 1975 y 1976 cuando form\u00c3\u00b3 parte de aquellos Rojos de Cincinnati ganadores de las Series Mundiales. En 1975 bate\u00c3\u00b3 para .274, 62 carreras anotadas, 49 empujadas, 139 hits, 33 bases robadas, .326 de porcentaje de embasado. A la defensiva hizo 238 outs, 445 asistencias, 102 dobleplays, .977 promedio defensivo. En 1976 bate\u00c3\u00b3 para .281, 74 carreras anotadas, 69 empujadas, 162 hits, 21 bases robadas, .335 porcentaje de embasado. A la defensiva: 304 outs (lider), 506 asistencias (lider), 93 dobleplays, .968 promedio defensivo.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0En la Serie del Caribe de 1983 David Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n reforz\u00c3\u00b3 a los Tiburones de La Guaira. Durante un juego ante Rep\u00c3\u00bablica Dominicana\u00c2\u00a0 batearon un roletazo invisible sobre la almohadilla de segunda. Pedro Guerrero corr\u00c3\u00ada en tercera y empez\u00c3\u00b3 a caminar hacia el plato. Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n vol\u00c3\u00b3 hasta\u00c2\u00a0 el l\u00c3\u00admite del abanico con la grama del jard\u00c3\u00adn central y alcanz\u00c3\u00b3 la pelota con la punta del guante luego gir\u00c3\u00b3 sobre su cuerpo y lanz\u00c3\u00b3 al plato. Guerrero intent\u00c3\u00b3 correr con todo pero la pelota lo esperaba incrustada en la mascota de Baudilio D\u00c3\u00adaz. El rostro de Guerrero mostraba unos ojos m\u00c3\u00a1s grandes que los de un ladr\u00c3\u00b3n sorprendido con las joyas en la mano.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Alfonso L. Tusa C.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

English translation<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0The young short stop played a little charged to his left hand, the grounder moved as a lightning with all the signals of a base hit. His reflexes sent his glove and his whole body to the deepest place of the hole. Where the spiderweb mixes with the clay in the borderline with the left field grass. His first two steps put him in parallel with the ball. When the boy noticed that the ball menaced to slide over the grass in route to left field, he jumped on his chest and with the glove extended over his head, reached the ball with the glove\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s web. As he saw how the runner got closer to first base, he got up on his knees and threw the ball. His delivery hit first baseman mitt when the runner\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s foot floated over the base. The TV announcer described the play as if he was telling the game for radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What a great play by David Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s how you motivate a team.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It was a play off game of the 1971-72 season in the venezuelan winter league.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0He appeared for the first time in a National League Championship Series and a World Series in 1970 with the Cincinnati Reds. All of Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s great plays made Sparky Anderson to platoon him with Woody Woodward at short stop. His still weak bat wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t an obstacle for Anderson to write Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s name in the line up. His great reach both to the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153hole\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and to second base began to modify the structure of the Cincinnati Reds defensive core. His powerful arm allowed him to take grounders in the borderline between left field grass and the infield and from there he threw the ball to complete magnificent plays. He returned to the October Classic in 1972, that time he shared the short stop with Darrell Chaney. By that time Joe Morgan was the Reds second baseman.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0In a web page named Rankopedia, there is a ranking of the best double play combinations in MLB history. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s apparently based on the ballots of the members of the site. The tandem Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Morgan appears as one of the most effective double play combinations, only second to Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio 49.26 points to 54.17. The list continues with Marty Marion and Red Schoendienst (36.25), Ozzie Smith and Tom Herr (34.58), Cal Ripken and Roberto Alomar (30.45).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In 1973 Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n began to improve as an all around player. It had to do mainly to the advices of Tony P\u00c3\u00a9rez, his roommate in the Cincinnati Reds. When he finally reflected on P\u00c3\u00a9rez\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s suggestions he stopped on stressing himself when he had a bad day or he had a slump. He understood it was part of the game. That there will always be a tomorrow and a chance to improve his game. Then it came the gold gloves and the acknowledgement of the journalists and the players. When P\u00c3\u00a9rez was asked about what did David Concepcion\u00c2\u00a0 mean for the Big Red Machine, he took a deep breath: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The way he helped each one of us in the team, the way he played, with the bat and the glove. He reached any kind of shot from the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153hole\u00e2\u20ac\u009d through his left hand \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbehind second base. He ran very well. I saw many short stops in my career. David was one of the best. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s qualified in the same level as the best ones. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t separate David Concepcion from Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tany Perez, Joe Morgan or George Foster. He was as important as any of us\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0The top of his game arrived in 1975 and 1976 when he was an essential part for those Cincinnati Reds winners of World Series. In 1975 he batted for .274, 62 runs, 49 RBI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, 139 hits, 33 stolen bases, .326 OBP. In defense he made 238 outs, 445 assists, 102 double plays, .977 defensive average. In 1976 he batted for .281, 74 runs, 69 RBI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, 162 hits, 21 stolen bases, .335 OBP. In defense he made 304 outs (leader), 506 assists (leader), 93 double plays, .968 defensive average.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0In the 1983 Caribbean Series David Concepcion was took by the La Guaira Sharks as a reinforcement player. During a game before the Dominican Republic an invisible grounder was hit over the second base. Pedro Guerrero ran in third base and started to walk to home plate because it was an obvious single. Concepci\u00c3\u00b3n flew to the limit of the horn with shallow centerfield grass, reached the ball on the tip of of his glove, spun over his body and threw the ball to home plate. Guerrero attempted to run with all his cylinders but the ball was waiting for him in the mitt of catcher Baudilio (Bo) D\u00c3\u00adaz. Guerrero\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes looked bigger than those of a thief caught with the jewels in his hands.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Alfonso L. Tusa C.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alfonso\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work has been featured in Venezuela\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s daily newspaper, El Nacional and in the magazine Gente en Ambiente, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s collaborated on several articles for newspapers, including the daily paper Tal Cual. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also written three books and biographies for SABR\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s BioProject.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

El joven campocorto jugaba un poco cargado hacia su izquierda, el roletazo sali\u00c3\u00b3 incandescente con todas las caracter\u00c3\u00adsticas de un imparable. Los reflejos lanzaron el guante y toda la humanidad del muchacho hacia las profundidades del hueco, all\u00c3\u00a1 donde las telara\u00c3\u00b1as se mezclan con la arena que limita con los primeros matices verdes de la […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[14883,14884,14885,5269,13920,13584,9548,14880,1902,905,14881,6671,14879,14882,5011,915,1928,14878],"class_list":["post-14508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-afro","tag-alcance","tag-campocorto","tag-cincinnati","tag-grandes-ligas","tag-imparable","tag-joe-morgan","tag-los-reflejos","tag-presence","tag-primera-base","tag-primeros-pasos","tag-radio","tag-rankopedia","tag-rodillas","tag-segunda-base","tag-serie-mundial","tag-sparky-anderson","tag-woody-woodward"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t