Shortstops Share Native Spotlight
Renteria, Cabrera a hit in Colombia
By Jim Street / MLB.com
October 25, 2004
ST. LOUIS -- A World Series being played thousands of miles away has residents of a small Latin American country tuned in like never before.
"It's front-page news every day," Red Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera said. "They start the news with the World Series and that's never happened. Soccer is the big sport there."
But even soccer has been booted to secondary status in Colombia, which has two of its native sons playing shortstop in the 100th World Series -- Cabrera for the Red Sox and Edgar Renteria for the National League champion Cardinals.
Not bad for a country that has produced just seven Major League players.
"The entire country is watching and we are really proud," Cabrera said. "People (in Colombia) don't know much about baseball, but they're all getting the games on TV live. With two shortstops in the World Series, it's really big right now and we want to represent our country in a good way."
Imagine, two shortstops from the same tiny country playing starring roles in the World Series, which resumes Tuesday night at Busch Stadium with the Red Sox holding a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Series.
If only Cabrera's dad, Jolbert, was still alive to see this.
Jolbert Cabrera died of a lung infection nearly four years ago at age 50, but he definitely left his mark on MLB. As a scout for the Marlins, Jolbert signed his son, Jolbert (who now plays for the Mariners), and Renteria to professional contracts.
"My dad tried to sign me, but the Marlins didn't think I was the prototype player they were looking for, so they wouldn't let him," Orlando said. "They were looking for Renteria-type players in Colombia. He was taller, stronger and better than me."
Cabrera, born and raised in Cartagena, a walled Spanish-colonial city, went to college, honed his baseball skills, and signed with the Expos in 1993, earning his first promotion to the big leagues in 1997. Renteria, who is from Barrenquilla, which also is the home to pop star Shakira, is one year younger than Cabrera, two inches taller and almost 20 pounds heavier.
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