Ruben Tejada Is What The Mets Needed

Ruben Tejada, the New York Mets shortstop, was born and raised in Panama, just like Mariano Rivera. Tejada’s favorite player when was growing was not the Yankee, but a man with 3000 career hits.

Derek Jeter was Tejada’s inspiration when he was growing up: “ Every Friday or Saturday,” he said, “the Yankees’ games would be on, and I would watch every single game, it was my favorite thing when I was a little kid.”

Tejada is also a great fan of Venezuela 11-time Gold Glove award winner Omar Vizquel. Of course it would seem unrealistic to think that Tejada could have the same longevity as Vizquel or same impact as Jeter, however, with dreams like these, he could definitely go a long way.

Chance had it that Jose Reyes was lured to follow the $106 million path leading to Miami and so the Mets needed a shortstop urgently, and in came Tejada, just off the plane. He ran into visa problems upon his arrival from Panama, but since then has been on a high and higher; less than two weeks into the season and he is already winning converts and spreading good impact on a daily basis.

Four hits against Atlanta in the third game of the season, and a drive in 3 runs scoring the game-winner on a throwing error of Buster Posey in a 5-4 victory over San Francisco on Saturday. Tejada is sharing the lead of the league with 7 doubles and has demonstrated a lot of skills for making the pitchers work.

Tejada is tied for 11^th in MLB and an average of 4.18 pitches per plate appearance. According to the Statistics and information of ESPN, he is placed 3^rd in all the majors this season with 15 full counts. Thanks to his taste for eyeballing pitches off the corner his game is more like that of Edgardo Alfonso than Reyes.

Apart from the fact that his bat is always getting better, Tejada also has a good steady glove with a steady position. Whether he is fielding an in-between hop in the 9^th inning with the tying run on 3^rd base with 40,000 fans in the stands, or he is talking ground balls at five o’clock, his disposition and poise never change.

Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey says of him: “The amazing thing about Ruben is that he is so comfortable in his own skin, and for his age that is remarkable. He does not care if people want him to be like Jose Reyes, or like another. He stays true to himself, and that is always good enough! This attitude is really refreshing.” He adds: ”Ruben has a great aptitude, he listens to people who are older than him, he learns. He doesn’t have a big ego. I think that he is the real deal.”

Michael Hill is an avid sports fan and a sports writer who has been in the betting and price per head industry for years. Michael writes about his experience and offers tips for other aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to make a living with sports bookmaking.

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