The New York Yankees’ top rookie last year was pitching sensation Luis Severino. Born in the Dominican Republic, the question regarding Severino had always been how soon before he got to the big leagues.
Last year he went to AA Trenton and AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre and just mowed all minor league hitters away. At the major league level he was a very impressive 5-3 with outstanding 2.89 earned run average in eleven starts.
If there was any sign of intimidation, it only came from the hitters that faced him. Topps is celebrating 65 years of Topps baseball and this past week, Topps Baseball cards rewarded Severino with his new 2016 rookie baseball card as part of their Series 1 release available in hobby shops and your local retailer on Wednesday.
Severino looked at his card with the enthusiasm of a kid during my era opening up a pack of baseball cards, eating the gum and finding a Mickey Mantle card inside.
Severino said,” I can’t wait to get back to the Dominican Republic to hand out the cards to the area kids. The adults will be just as excited so I had better have enough for them also.”
Being a part of the Yankee family for over parts of 40 years, it is so nice to be able to see the young rookies that are just starting out have that initial innocence that they are willing to share with the world. In the case of Luis Severino, let’s hope it lasts a long time.
Ray Negron is a sports executive with over 40 years of experience in baseball. His first job came from a chance encounter with George Steinbrenner as a youth. He has become an American film producer, a best-selling author, and a philanthropist. His memoir is entitled, “Yankee Miracles: Life with the Boss and the Bronx Bombers.” For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
