[新聞] A-Rod turns mentor for UM ballplayer

看板A-Rod作者Ally1213 (Breakdown)時間18年前 (2008/01/22 11:53)推噓9(9推 0噓 3→)

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http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/385553.html A-Rod turns mentor for UM ballplayer A UM ballplayer meets his idol -- New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez -- and gets to train with him 邁阿密大學的球員跟偶像阿肉見面，而且連續五個星期每天早上六點開始一起作訓練；阿肉還跟他說，以後任何事情都可以打電話給我(@口@ 好羨慕啊..) New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez is used to being followed by fans. But one college-age kid who followed Rodriguez around the University of Miami athletic facilities for days was not after an autograph. Hurricanes first baseman Yonder Alonso, 20, wanted to completely emulate the reigning MVP in his workout regimen -- from the stationary bike and lifting weights to running 120-yard sprints, batting practice and fielding ground balls. What started out as nothing more than a dream has led to a possible lasting friendship. Alonso walked up to the star one morning in December as Rodriguez rode a stationary bike in the UM weight room. ''I told him whatever race he would do, I would beat him,'' Alonso said. ``He found that pretty funny, and after that [he] said all right, lets go run.'' For more than five weeks, Rodriguez and Alonso arrived at UM by 6 a.m. and would finish by noon. Sometimes they would have a light workout in the evening, practicing fielding, hitting and running. ''I'm very private about my workouts, and he's really the first kid in 10 years that has joined me like this,'' said Rodriguez, 32. Alonso, who starred at Coral Gables High, had a stellar sophomore season last year. Baseball America has rated him as one of the top five collegiate players in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft. But he wanted to improve and help UM capture the College World Series. Most of all, he wanted to learn from Rodriguez. The collegiate star put his plan into motion to seek Rodriguez out after seeing him many times on TV. Last winter, he got an up-close look at the slugger by watching him hit at UM, a place where Rodriguez has worked out during the off- season for the past 10 years. ''He might be one of the greatest players of all time,'' Alonso said. ``I said I need to get a hold of this guy somehow.'' Trainer Monica Swasey, who works off-season with Rodriguez and knows Alonso, encouraged the young man to introduce himself to his idol. ''When Yonder finally got the nerve to go over there, his grin was from ear- to-ear,'' Swasey said. ``[Alex] said, `Why don't you come and join me?' 'Yonder just froze. He said to Alex, `I can't do it because I have practice.' Alex said, 'Let's start Monday.' They've been hip-to-hip ever since.'' The two joked around and discussed everything from baseball to movies while working out. Rodriguez, who played at Miami's Westminster Christian High, sees himself as a big brother to the UM standout. ''I want him to use me as a measuring stick,'' he said during a break from working out one morning while sitting in the dugout at UM's Mark Light Field. ``I know when I was his age I would be around major-league players, and it did wonders for me.'' Growing up in Miami, Rodriguez learned that another native son, Andre Dawson, hit at 4 p.m. at Tropical Park during the off-season. Rodriguez would show up to catch a glimpse of Dawson, whose 21-season major- league career ended with the Florida Marlins. Alonso has ''gotten into a circle that's almost impossible to get into,'' said Yankees first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, a Westminster Christian schoolmate who played with Rodriguez. On a recent day, Rodriguez, Alonso and Mientkiewicz -- an occasional participant in the workouts -- were drenched in sweat and catching their breath between sprints when Swasey yelled across the football practice field, ``You've got six more.'' Rodriguez held up four fingers, as if it signaled he wouldn't mind cutting the sprints short. Each time Alonso began closing the gap during the final sprints, Rodriguez would get a burst of energy and take off. Alonso nipped Rodriguez on the final 360-foot sprint. Rodriguez says he's not worried about being bested by a college star. ``I'm sure we all have dreams. He can never beat me. He pushes me.'' Mientkiewicz described the Rodriguez off-season workout plan as ''insanity'' but acknowledged it helped push Rodriguez to hitting 54 home runs and driving in a career-best 156 runs last season. ''How many guys would have the year he had and get back to work and do more than what he did the year before? Yonder keeps up with him pretty well,'' Mientkiewicz said. ``If Al didn't like him he wouldn't be doing it.'' With UM classes resuming and Hurricanes baseball workouts starting, Alonso and Rodriguez can't time their workouts together but still find time to check in on each other. Alonso said he has stopped by the weight room to chat with Rodriguez whenever possible. And he expects the two will keep in touch after Rodriguez leaves for Tampa next month for the Yankees' spring training. For now, Rodriguez has told Alonso to ``call with anything.'' ''He'll come to UM and help me, give me tips,'' Alonso said. So why did Rodriguez take to Alonso, and what he is striving to accomplish? ''He wants this dream of his very badly, and it's refreshing to see,'' Rodriguez said. ''I was honest, and he saw that,'' Alonso said. ``I was willing to work and willing to go all-out and not willing to quit. I was a workaholic. I'm like him.'' 諸位板友,如果能跟阿肉一起作訓練，你能夠每天早上6點以前起床嗎?? -- 宇宙裡的微小塵埃 http://www.wretch.cc/blog/AllyDai -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 203.71.94.31