Tigres del Licey’s new manager, Tony Díaz, was a good candidate for the short stop. He played children’s and youth baseball with the Manuel Mota League and later received a scholarship to the United States.
In 1997 he was selected in the draft by the Anaheim Angels, but he was never able to play pro. An injury to his right shoulder blocked his path, diverting his dreams of success in the sport. Díaz, 44, tells his story in an interview with Héctor J. Cruz, in Listín Diario’s Sports News, which is available on the newspaper’s full digital platform.
Diaz talks about how he came to Minnesota from the Colorado Rockies, where he developed in 2017 and 2018 as a first base coach under manager Buddy Black. He also talks about the details of being a third-rate coach in mask times, as the signaling system had to be changed.
He also outlines his goals with the Tigres del Licey for the next winter tournament. “That was my first team at Lidom, my father was a harrier, but my mother Rosa was a high school student, so I preferred to follow my mother,” says Díaz. He also says he comes to the country regularly.
For the position of the Licey’s manager, he was contacted by Carlos José Lugo and Daniel Rufenach, with whom he had previously shared, and he also named Plácido Polanco as his lifelong friend. “We play in the small leagues and follow them closely,” said Díaz. Since 2019, he has been a third-class coach for Minnesota, headed by manager Rocco Baldelli.