'HAWKS ALL-STAR IS A QUICK STUDY YOUNG PLAYER FINDS SUCCESS FAR FROM HOME.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer LANCASTER - Danny Richar Danny Adam Richar (born June 9, 1983 in La Romana, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball second baseman who plays for the Chicago White Sox. Richar originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 9, 2001. made his professional debut with the JetHawks in 2002 when he was 18 and spoke no English. He was less than two months removed from leaving impoverished circumstances in his native Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (dəmĭn`ĭkən), republic (2005 est. pop. 8,950,000), 18,700 sq mi (48,442 sq km), West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo. when he led off and played shortstop in the first of a four-game series against Lake Elsinore. Before the weekend was done, he would beat out current Arizona Diamondbacks This article is about the baseball team. For other uses, see Diamondback. The Arizona Diamondbacks (also referred to as the D-backs) are a Major League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the West Division of the National League. shortstop Jerry Gil Jerry Bienbenido Gil (born October 14, 1982 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball player in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Gil made his MLB debut in 2004 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. for the starting job. Richar, who was known then as Joandry Berroa before changing his name due to the discovery of a sixth-month age discrepancy, still remembers the date. ``April 25,'' Richar said with a smile. ``I was really nervous ... there were a lot of people there, too.'' Richar has quietly blossomed into a steady and durable shortstop who has been a factor in the JetHawks winning regular season titles in both halves. The JetHawks are currently involved in a hotly contested best-of-five Southern Division championship series against Inland Empire In·land Empire A region of the northwest United States between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains, comprising eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northern Idaho, and western Montana. Farming, lumbering, and mining are important to the area. . The two teams play Game 4 at 7:11 tonight at Arrowhead Credit Union Park Arrowhead Credit Union Park is a stadium in San Bernardino, California. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino minor league baseball team. It was built in 1996. It holds 5,000 people. . The series was tied 1-1 going into Monday. Richar was one of three JetHawks who represented the team in this year's California/Carolina League All-Star game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games and batted .282 (108 for 383) with six homers and 44 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in during the regular season. Since his first season at Lancaster, when Richar was about the age of most area high school starting shortstops, he has wowed scouts with soft hands, excellent range, a powerful throwing arm and above average speed. ``He has the mechanics to play shortstop in the big leagues,'' JetHawks manager Wally Backman He developed those tools amid primitive conditions in his Dominican hometown of La Romana La Romana (lä rōmän`ä), city (1993 pop. 132,834), SE Dominican Republic, on the Caribbean Sea. It is the capital and major port of La Romana province. The site of several resorts, the city has an international airport. , where he played using sock-wrapped rocks for baseballs, sticks for a bats, and gloves made from cardboard. The game was literally played in the streets of La Romana, where he said players had to yell ``time!'' when they'd hear an approaching vehicle. Some of his tools, however, are still a bit raw. Although his left-handed swing produces surprising power, he hasn't been as consistent at the plate as he would like, and his propensity for getting picked off has hurt the JetHawks in several close games. Backman would like to see Richar bunt more often, as he did in Sunday's Game 2 6-4 victory over the 66ers, when he started a run-scoring fifth inning with a drag bunt drag bunt n. Baseball A bunt executed while taking the first steps toward first base. single. ``He has the speed,'' Backman said, ``he just has to learn to use it a little bit more.'' Fortunately for Richar, time is still on his side at age 21, and he has proved to be a quick study. He learned to speak English without any formal education. He said he owes that to his girlfriend, Palmdale resident Melissa Rodriguez, whom he met in Antelope Valley early last season. His development as a player and a person has impressed several teammates, including second baseman Dan Uggla, who played with Richar when he made his professional debut. ``He was young, but he wasn't scared,'' Uggla said. ``He just came in and did his thing and went about his business. ``I wouldn't have been able to come out of high school and play pro ball as an 18-year-old. It was pretty impressive.'' Being thousands of miles away from home at such a young age hasn't been easy for Richar, who admits he gets homesick at times. ``I wanted to see my mom and I wanted to see my friends, but I can't think about what happens over there, I have to focus on my game,'' he said. ``If I think about missing my family I'm not going to do good. I came here to play baseball. It's like in the war; you have to fight. I'm here and I have to fight.'' Gideon Rubin, (818) 713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Shortstop Danny Richar was one of three JetHawks in this year's California/Carolina League All-Star game. David Sprague/Staff Photographer |
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