Hendrik Clementina opened the Major League Professional Baseball (LMBP) awards season as its 2024 regular round went: as a protagonist. The Caciques de Distrito slugger won the Producer of the Year award, boosted by his historic campaign.
“It means a lot to me,” Clementina told José Ángel Rodríguez, a journalist from LMBP.net, following learning of her distinction. “From day one, I went out to give everything for the team. I feel that all that sacrifice and work has paid off because, thank God, Caciques qualified for a semifinal for the first time.”
The La Raza catcher earned the award defined by mathematical formulas: two points for each RBI and run scored, one for each base reached and one for each walk negotiated, subtracting one for each runner left on base.
Numbers
It is expected that Clementina, the new owner of the record for home runs (21), RBIs (53) and total cushions (119) for a season in the LMBP, would be the most advantaged in the total sum for the prize, with 303 units.
“I never thought I would have a season like this,” the catcher said. “I did envision a great campaign, but not a historic one, as it ended up being.”
Alfonso Saer Gómez, district sports manager, pointed in the same direction, who from the beginning of the contest warned not to take their eyes off Clementina. Almost like an omen.
“I saw in him his preparation, focus, maturity and offensive tools that we knew would explode if he was healthy and had continuity,” said the manager. “None of that made it easy for us to predict that he would be the league’s record player, but since we signed him we were sure that he would be absolutely decisive for Caciques.”
Listen
The right-handed hitter was followed in the sum as Producer of the Year by outfielder Miguel Aparicio, of Líderes de Miranda, who accumulated 295 points; followed by first baseman Yoel Yanqui, of Marineros de Carabobo, who compiled 271.
A little further behind was utility player Edgardo Fermín, also from Carabobo, with 250; and the strong hitter Dariel Álvarez, from Senadores de Caracas, with 241.
Clementina, in turn, added 44 runs to his tally, the most on his team, and received 18 walks, the second highest number among his teammates, only behind Gersel Pitre’s 24.
“After the Caribbean Series, I went to Curacao and practiced a lot on strength, endurance and balance,” he explained. “When I arrived here with Caciques, I met Néstor Smith (hitting coach) and he helped me a lot on the mental side. Mainly, in confidence, and also in the aspect of coming up with a plan when hitting.”
Historical fact
In this way, the 27-year-old player, born in the Dutch Antilles, but who played his first tournament in the circuit as a Creole, being the son of a Venezuelan mother, became the first Aboriginal baseball player to receive the award.
Before him, Juan Infante (Marineros), Fermín (Líderes) and Cheslor Cuthbert (Samanes de Aragua) were the winners in the three previous bullrings.
Of all of them, Clementina is the first to surpass 300 units in the total sum. As it left behind Cuthbert’s previous peak (270), in 2023.
Valencia / Web Editor
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2024-07-12 18:25:40