Alomar Brothers

Imagine this:

You're a youngster growing up in 1970s Puerto Rico with your older brother, Sandy. Your dad, Sandy Sr., plays professional baseball in the States, and you and big bro want to do that, too. Both of you show great baseball instincts, and over the summer, when school is out, you spend a lot of time in major league locker rooms with dad and all his teammates. You soak it all in. The skills, the way they all talk, the way they all work. And it only makes you better.

The new decade arrives, and dad has made the transition from player to coach, first working with the Puerto Rican national team and then with a minor-league affiliate of MLB's San Diego Padres. Scouts know all about you and your brother, and in 1983, Sandy Jr. is signed by that same Padres organization as an amateur free agent. Two years later they scoop you up, too.

Your first assignment is Class-A ball in Charleston of the South Atlantic League. The transition to pro ball is not easy, but dad is a coach for that same team. Mom also makes the trip to Charleston, and living with your parents helps you excel on the field.

A couple of years pass and things go well for everyone—so much so that by 1988 you, your older brother, and dad are all brought up to the big club. There's enough fanfare and history surrounding the occasion that Bowman makes a card just for the three of you.

 

1989 Bowman #258 Sandy Alomar (coach), ft. Roberto (left) and Sandy Jr. (right)

Your brother only gets into one game that year (Benito Santiago is the man behind the plate in San Diego at the time), but you put in a solid year, and finish 5th in NL Rookie of the Year voting behind some big names like Mark Grace and Ron Gant. The next year you step up your game even more, and you're well on your way to success.

 

Brother Sandy still doesn't get much game action that next year (7 games total), but he'll soon be off to Cleveland where he'll start to shine, winning the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1990 and adding a Gold Glove and an All-Star selection.
 

Soon you'll also be moving along, signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, and that's where you really take off. It's almost a constant stream of Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, and All-Star game selections. And best of all, you help the Blue Jays to two straight World Series championships. In the 1993 finals against Philadelphia you put up especially impressive numbers, going 12-for-25 with 5 runs scored, 6 RBI, and 4 stolen bases.

 

Those championships are things that dad and big bro never experienced, but it's surely a family celebration.

Here are some numbers for the Alomars, including dad:

 

 

CAREER TOTALS

 

	SANDY SR. (15 seasons)	SANDY JR. (20 seasons)	ROBERTO (17 seasons)
GAMES PLAYED	1481	1377	2379
AT-BATS	4760	4530	9073
RUNS	558	520	1508
HITS	1168	1236	2724
DOUBLES	126	249	504
TRIPLES	19	10	80
HOME RUNS	13	112	210
RBI	282	588	1134
STOLEN BASES	227	25	474
WALKS	302	212	1032
STRIKEOUTS	482	499	1140
BATTING AVERAGE	.245	.273	.300
OBP	.290	.309	.371
SLG	.288	.406	.443

 

 

 

BEST SEASON (career highs in bold, italic = led major leagues)

 

	SANDY SR. (1971, CAL)	SANDY JR. (1997, CLE)	ROBERTO (1999, CLE)
GAMES PLAYED	162	125	159
AT-BATS	689	451	563
RUNS	77	63	138
HITS	179	146	182
DOUBLES	24	37	40
TRIPLES	3	0	3
HOME RUNS	4	21	24
RBI	42	83	120
STOLEN BASES	39	0	37
WALKS	41	19	99
STRIKEOUTS	60	48	96
BATTING AVERAGE	.260	.324	.323
OBP	.301	.354	.422
SLG	.321	.545	.533

 

Roberto is a Hall-of-Famer (2011), 10x Gold Glove winner, 4x Silver Slugger, 12x All Star, and 2x World Series champion. Those 10 Gold Gloves came over a span of 11 seasons. During his career he played for the Padres, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians, Mets, White Sox, and Diamondbacks.

 

Sandy Jr. is a 6x All-Star, Rookie of the Year Award winner, and Gold Glove winner. Over his career he suited up for the Padres, Indians, White Sox, Rockies, Rangers, Dodgers, and Mets.

 

So here's to the Alomars. An exceptional baseball family, and a great reunion in those early San Diego days.