(Neil Miller/Sportsday Wire)
On Wednesday afternoon, the broadcasting stars of the popular ESPN Deportes radio show on 1050 AM, “El Mundo de las Grandes Ligas”, Felix DeJesus and Sadiel Lebron, hosted a luncheon at El Basurero Restaurant on Steinway Street in the Astoria section of Queens honoring Juan Lagares of the Mets.
The original plan was also to honor Wilmer Fores and Dilson Herrera as well as Lagares. Flores was unable to be present and Herrrera on the day before the event was optioned to their Mets’ AAA affiliate in Las Vegas because Daniel Murphy was recalled to the team after spending three weeks on the disabled list.
Lagares, a Gold Glove winner in 2014, has risen in the respect of baseball observers primarily because of his outstanding fielding ability. As a teenager in 2006, Lagares was signed by the Mets as a non-drafted free agent. He made his major league debut during the 2013 season. During his first two seasons in the majors, the native of the Dominican Republic exhibited sufficient skill to play more than 100 games in each season. This year, the 26 year old has played in more games than anyone on the club except Curtis Granderson and Lucas Duda.
The atmosphere in the restaurant, thanks to the personable broadcasting duo, was very warm. The guests and media attendees were individually introduced as a show of respect. Lagares’s background was explained to the attendees, and he was then presented with gifts from the sponsors of the event. The defensive specialist reciprocated with gracious words of thanks for the gifts and for being recognized.
Despite having to leave even before the meal in his honor was served to attend practice before that night’s game with the Chicago Cubs, Lagares considerately posed for photos and signed autographs for those at the restaurant.
The enjoyable luncheon and the opportunity to learn more of the the popular Mets player were sponsored by Alexis Barbershop, Basurero Restaurant, Café La Llave, Centro Dental Estetico, ESPN, 1050 NY, Inca Kola, Merengue Car Service and Ron Barceló.
Credit should be given to the two talented broadcasters for the effort they make in planning and arranging the luncheon celebrations that welcome the Latino players of the Mets and Yankees to New York City and to honor their contributions to the local baseball scene. They also deserve commendation for the broadcasting effort they make in keeping the Spanish speaking fans of baseball fully informed of the latest developments in the sport they support.