[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]
Baseball ‘To be nominated for this award is something special’ – Emmanuel Clase, a nominee for 2024 AL LatinoMVP Closer of the Year award by Julio Pabón March 19, 2025 Emmanuel Clase posing with his LatinoMVP shirt for being on the 35th annual ballot – Image Credit: Latino Sports PHOENIX, AZ — Trying to interview sixteen players who are on the 35 th annual ballot of the prestigious LatinoMVP awards throughout Arizona is not that easy, especially when they are scattered throughout ten teams. However, having more than one honoree in a team helps. For example, the Cleveland Guardians had two players that made it to the ballot, José Ramirez in the category of LatinoMVP and Emmanuel Clase in the category of A.L. Reliever/Closer of the year. Image Credit: Latino Sports I had the pleasure of seeing José in the clubhouse early in the day and was able to chat with him after his morning workout. It wasn’t until much later that I finally caught up with Emmanuel. The following is my brief interview with him. Interview with Emmanuel Clase. LS – Emmanuel, I’m here at the Cleveland Guardians’ training facility to interview you. I traveled from New York specifically to speak with you and several other players who have been nominated for this year’s 35th annual LatinoMVP award for your outstanding performance during the 2024 season. You should know that 36 Latino players are on this year’s ballot, and both you and José Ramírez have earned a spot on that prestigious list. If you recall, the LatinoMVP award was created in 1990 after many felt Ruben Sierra was unfairly overlooked for the 1989 A.L. MVP award. Since then, the award has been dedicated exclusively to Latino players, and this year marks its 35th anniversary. The award has grown significantly in popularity, with MLB now serving as a major sponsor to help promote it throughout the season. Many are even calling it the “Latin Grammy of Baseball.” You won this award last year, and now you’ve been nominated again. What are your thoughts on receiving this honor for a second time? EC – I feel good, thank God. I’m very happy that I achieved it. It’s being seen and working hard for this. I truly feel very happy and grateful to God first and foremost, and to you and your organization for taking me into account. LS – What are your thoughts on having an award specifically for you, the Latino baseball players? EC – That’s good. It’s good. It’s something that inspires. It inspires because we work hard preparing ourselves to be better every year to win that award, and I from the Dominican Republic, and we Latinos, and I’m telling you, it’s a very strong emotion that one feels when one wins something like that knowing that there are so many other baseball players. LS – We know how difficult it is to stay on top of your game once you make it to this level. Knowing that you’re on the ballot once again for an award you won last year, does that give you pride and motivation? EC – It really does motivate me, it makes me very proud, to win this prestigious award and to be nominated to possibly winning it again when there are so many other Latinos is something special. To be recognized and take me into account for the work I have done last season makes me very happy. LS – You have received this award in your stadium in front of your fan base and your family in Cleveland, how was that feeling? EC – Like I was telling you very happy. Truly, my family also feels very happy for the achievement, something very special on your part. What you do for us Latinos is something that we are truly, very grateful. LS – If you continue to win this award your will have a museum with the artistic awards we give. You know Mariano had won this award approximately 8, or 9 times and you seem to be going in that direction as well. EC – (Laughing) Truly, yes, yes. I have already won many awards, really, and I have been doing it for several years now, thank God, putting my hard work in, as it should be, and trying to prepare myself to give my best. And as a result, the awards come. When one prepares well, when one has a good season, it shows in our hard work which pays off. LS – It’s always a pleasure for us to come and talk to you about your achievement in making it to the prestigious LatinoMVP ballot. The final votes and winners will be announced the first week of April. We wish you the best and look forward to seeing you in your next visit to New York. In the meantime, Latino Sports will continue to follow you and help promote you to our Latino and non-Latino fan base. EC – Thank you. After the interview I gave Emmanuel his commemorative t-shirt which he appreciated. Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content Instagram: @latinosportsoficial Facebook: Latino Sports Twitter: @latinosports Related Topics 2024 LatinoMVP Awards 35th Annual LatinoMVP Awards Cleveland Guardians Dominican Republic Emmanuel Clase featured Guardians Jose Ramirez Latin Grammy of Baseball Major League Baseball MLB MLB Spring Training Ruben Sierra Spring Training Click to comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website Advertisement Facebook Latest Article Baseball / 1 month ago 35TH ANNUAL LATINO MVP AWARDS – 2024 OFFICIAL BALLOT ANNOUNCED BRONX, NY (February 10th, 2025) — It has been thirty five (35) years since… By Press Release Baseball / 1 hour ago Altuve Will Hit .290; Julio Rodríguez Will Hit .275 – Altuve Bateará Para .290; Julio Rodríguez Para .275 “Respect for baseball and the players is the soul of the show”… Carlos Mendoza…. 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