Happy Birthday former Ranger-Met-Brave-Escogido player Julio Franco, feliz cumpleaños Dominicano Julio Franco

The Big League Stew rightfully gave big ups to one of the Dominican Baseball Guy's favorite players of all time this week, as Julio Franco turned 53 years old today.  The Dominican Baseball Guy first became a fan of Julio Franco during his early years with the Texas Rangers.  He pushed .400 one year, and was considered one of the top five players in the game during these years from 1989-1991.

He had 2,586 career hits in MLB, but had over 4,000 in his career while playing in several leagues.  He obviously spent some time in the minors as everyone does, but also played in Japan, Mexico, and in the best winter league around-the Dominican League of Winter Baseball (LIDOM) for Escogido.

Franco may be best know for his crazy over the head batting stance.  Kindred spirit of The Dominican Baseball Guy, The Batting Stance Guy, does perhaps one of his best impressions of Franco here.

After 2500 MLB games and God knows how many total games, Julio still has the hunger to be involved in the game.  Since his retirement in 2008, he has managed in the Mets minor league system as well as managing in the Venezuelan winter league.  He hopes to eventually get a big league gig as a manager for an MLB team.

Franco is from San Pedro de Macoris, the cradle of shortstops.  The Dominican Baseball Guy comments on San Pedro seemingly weekly, because the talent never stops flowing out of this baseball capital in the Dominican Republic.  See the tag for more on San Pedro de Macoris, the hometown of Alfredo Griffin, Robinson Cano, and Franco, among many more.

Happy Birthday Julio!

Julio Franco with the Atlanta Braves in 2006

Raul Gonzalez interview: assistant general manager of the Estrellas Orientales

The Dominican Baseball Guy recently had the chance to interview Raul Gonzalez, assistant general manager of the Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Winter Baseball League.  The Estrellas had a great year this year, making it to the final series of the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) before being eliminated.

The Estrellas are located in San Pedro de Macoris, the town that many consider to have the best baseball talent in the world.  It has been called the Mecca of Baseball and the Craddle of shortstops, due to all the shortstops that come from the city.  Alfredo Griffin, Alfonso Soriano, and Robinson Cano are some of the most famous players to come out of the city recently.

Raul is a great addition to the Estrellas staff.  He is highly knowledgeable and has experience working in the Major League Baseball office in the Dominican Republic, as well as in the Nationals organization in Washington D.C.   Raul has also worked with Licey Baseball Club in Santo Domingo.  He will be in the States for several weeks during spring training.  

See the full interview at the Dominican Baseball Examiner and at Baseball de World, where the Dominican Baseball Guy is a contributor.

Raul Gonzalez in his Estrellas gear, by Raul Gonzalez

Manny Acta builds baseball facilities in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris

ImpACTA Kids Foundation is a charitable organization Indians manager Manny Acta founded in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris.  This off season the organization constructed several ball fields in San Pedro.  The foundation dedicated two fields to San Pedro natives Rico Carty and Sammy Sosa.  They also built a facility that was dedicated to local hero Alfredo Griffin.  Another field is in the works that will also be donated to a local baseball hero, Julio Franco.

The Alfredo Griffin baseball facility features classrooms, computers, a library, and kitchen, along with the ballfields and training facilities.  Through the ImpACTA website, Acta said he is proud to be from the city and happy at the large number of kids that will come to the new facility and practice and learn daily.

Acta is one of many Dominican players that do charity work in their home country.  The Dominican Baseball guy recently blogged about the David Ortiz charity golf tournament that supports children's healthcare in Boston and the Dominican Republic.  The fact is the Dominican Republic is a poverty stricken nation, so projects such as this are greatly beneficial for young ball players and everyone in the country.

Acta played for six years in the Astros minor league organization, but never reached the big leagues.  He is on his second managerial job with the Indians after three years with the Nationals.

Acta will be managing Cleveland for the second year, by  Cathy T on Flickr