In a month, Abraham Toro will have donned two uniforms for the very first time in his career: that of Canada and that of the Milwaukee Brewers. And he is eager to plant the first stakes.
But before leaving Quebec to start all these adventures, Toro stopped at the Grand Chelem Ball Center in Hochelaga to chat with Quebec baseball fans and take pictures with young and old.
“It’s fun to see all the support. Baseball in Quebec is a small community, so to see people who encourage Quebec players, I always find it very pleasant. It’s important for me to take time with them,” he says with a broad smile.
A smile he hopes he can keep for the duration of this decisive season.
This new cycle in the career of the Longueuillois is coming at the right time. After a rollercoaster season with the Seattle Mariners, where he enjoyed a brief stint in the minors, Toro feels ready to build on something new with the Brewers.
“Each year, whether I have a good or not so good season, I turn the page,” he says. What’s nice is that everyone starts from zero, so I can prove myself and show that I deserve to stay there. »
The versatile outfield player was traded in December, after the last campaign. The 26-year-old Toro has yet to reach his full potential in the majors, but he believes next season will be the one.
PHOTO TED S. WARREN, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Abraham Toro
The rule changes, especially the positioning on defense, will help a lot for left-handed hitters like me. I can’t wait to see how it will turn out.
Abraham Toro
Said changes are that from now on, there must be no more than two defensive players on each side of the second base and that they must be in front of the outfield lawn. A beneficial change, certainly, for left-handed hitters, but also for everyone’s offensive game.
Toro has always been able to do well in the minor leagues, but has yet to replicate that success in major league baseball. In his career in the minors, he maintained an OPS – the average of appearances on bases plus the average of batting power – of .835. In the majors, it’s .621. There is some shortfall.
Nevertheless, everything is in place to see the blossoming of Toro with the new regulations and a new club. The ambidextrous hitter added “I’m more excited than ever” to start the Brewers’ spring camp which begins this week in Phoenix. Note that he will miss a portion of the camp given his presence at the World Baseball Classic.
Finally the maple leaf!
Toro will lead a delegation of four Quebecers in the Canadian selection at the World Classic, also featuring Édouard Julien, Otto Lopez and Phillippe Aumont. In fact, he will be wearing Canadian colors for the first time.
The man who also defended the colors of the Houston Astros could also represent Venezuela on the international scene, a nation that excels in baseball. However, when he received the call from Canadian leaders, he did not have to think long and hard.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Abraham Toro
I said yes right away. I had never made the junior team, so this will be my first time representing Canada. I’m really proud. I spent all my minor baseball here, so I didn’t hesitate for a second.
Abraham Toro
Canada, 14e world power, will open the tournament against the United Kingdom on Sunday 12 March. He will then cross swords against formations better ranked than him. He was measured respectively against the United States, reigning champions, Colombia and Mexico. That said, the country of Ryan Reynolds should not be left out of the equation.
“We can surprise. We have good players. Compared to the last years, we are a younger group. We remain in a good group, but it will be nice to see another tournament. I have never experienced this. It’s going to be a great challenge,” notes Toro.
If he never had the chance to participate in this event, it is because the 2021 edition of the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. Without a win since 2013, Toro hopes to help Canada restore its image.