HOUSTON -- When the Astros put together a two-on-two basketball shooting tournament to break up the monotony of Spring Training in 2019, ace pitcher Justin Verlander picked a rookie reliever that he didn't know much about to be his teammate. Bryan Abreu was 6-foot-1, but he had broad shoulders and appeared to know his way around the court. That was good enough for Verlander, who, unbeknownst to him, had picked the best basketball player on the roster. Abreu played competitive basketball growing up in the Dominican Republic. In fact, the Verlander/Abreu team was so dominant, the tournament was never completed. "I was too good," Abreu joked. Abreu was eventually steered towards baseball and signed with the Astros as a 16-year-old in 2013. The decision to play baseball was a wise one, considering Abreu has emerged as one of baseball's best relievers over the past couple of years. He posted a 1.94 ERA in 55 games in 2022 and a 1.75 ERA in 72 contests last year, striking out 100 batters in 72 innings. His success on the baseball field is a credit to his work ethic and the family back home in the Dominican Republic that made sure he stayed on the right track. Abreu grew up in the barrios of Simón Bolívar and Las Cañitas in the nation's capital of Santo Domingo, where he saw friends get involved in drugs and crime. "I grew up in kind of like a dangerous neighborhood, but I just grew up in a sport environment," Abreu said. "I've been playing basketball my whole life, and then I just got into baseball because of my friends. They just loved to play baseball. I didn't know people get signed if you have talent. "My mom asked me which sport I would love to play, and as a kid, I chose basketball. I couldn't go to the field with my friends, but if I chose baseball, I [could] sneak into the basketball court and my mom [didn't] even notice. I said, 'OK, I decided to play baseball,' and I started to do really good." |
Abreu grew up watching basketball on TV with his dad, who was a fan of the Lakers. That meant Bryan was also a fan of the Lakers and the team's stars of that era: Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and later LeBron James. "My dad has played basketball his entire life, and he's still playing it," Abreu said. "I just grew up watching my dad. We have small basketball courts around the house and in the school and street. I used to play a lot of basketball with my friends." But it was while playing baseball that a scout was intrigued by what Abreu could do on the mound. He was invited to work out for the Astros at their Dominican Academy, where international scouting director Oz Ocampo, international crosschecker Marc Russo and national supervisor Rafael Belén watched. A skinny Abreu was throwing in the mid-80s, but he quicky made some adjustments, and the Astros were sold. They signed him for $40,000 -- a life-changing amount of money. Abreu's dad, Enrique Abreu, used to be a motorcycle delivery driver for hospitals. His mother, Belkys Simenez, worked customs at a port in Santo Domingo. |
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"When I signed, that was the first time that I knew baseball players could get money," Abreu said. "I was playing in the Dominican Summer League when I got my first paycheck. I just gave my whole check to my mom to pay the rent and stuff." The check was for $275. Now that he's an established big leaguer and has made millions in his career, Abreu, who has a 2-year-old son named Ryan, has purchased a house for his mother and a car for his father. His sister recently got married and he made sure she had a nice apartment. Abreu has remained grounded and humble because of his family and his upbringing. "My mother has always been there, just like my dad, too," he said. "My dad was always trying to get me some cleats and some gloves and stuff. Trying to be there for me every single time. They never asked me for anything economically, and they know it was a hard road, but he and my mom were working trying to help me as much as they can, making sure I have all the food and all the nutrition. They helped me a lot in that aspect." |
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This week marks the 35th anniversary of one of the longest games in baseball history -- the Astros' 5-4 win over the Dodgers in the Astrodome in 22 innings. When Bill Doran slapped home plate with his hand for the winning run, the game was over in seven hours and 14 minutes. It started on June 3 and ended on June 4. As a freshman in college, I was working the scoreboard at the Astrodome (making $20 per night) and had no choice but to be locked in for every pitch -- all 640 of them. The game, which ended at 2:50 a.m. CT, was the longest night game in National League history. Astros shortstop Rafael Ramirez delivered the game-winning hit with a line-drive single to right field that caromed off the glove of Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzeula, who was playing first base. Earlier that day, legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully was in St. Louis working NBC's Game of the Week, which went 10 innings, prior to flying to Houston for the game against the Dodgers. Scully arrived during the national anthem and announced 19 of the 22 innings because broadcast partner Don Drysdale had laryngitis. Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser came on in relief and struck out eight batters in seven scoreless innings. Jeff Hamilton, a third baseman, was on the mound when the game ended. After Doran singled to start the 22nd, Hamilton got Glenn Davis to ground out and struck out Ken Caminiti, who broke his bat over his leg in frustration. Less than 11 hours after the game ended, the two teams were back on the field for a Sunday matinee. The Astros beat the Dodgers, 7-6, in 13 innings in a game that took four hours and 17 minutes, giving Houston 10 wins in a row. "We won two extra-inning games and played 35 innings," Astros manager Art Howe said. "It was unbelievable." |
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