Actualmente José Valverde es uno de los mejores lanzadores de relevo en el béisbol, con grandes logros en su carrera . . . como haber participado en el Juego de las Estrellas, recibido premios, y ganado millones de dólares. Tuvo una temporada regular perfecta en el año 2011. Sin embargo, su camino al éxito en las Grandes Ligas fue uno muy largo, habiendo tenido que trabajar muy duro para llegar a donde está hoy. Lea sobre los comienzos de Valverde en el béisbol, de como se inició en el juego gracias a su tío--el ex-lanzador de las Grandes Ligas, José Mercedes--y de su éxito en las Ligas Menores. Aprenda la historia que este beisbolista pasó de soñar de las Grandes Ligas . . . a ser uno de los mejores lanzadores del mundo.
Miguel Batista is a pitcher who can enter a game at a moment's notice. He's spent a long time on the field and knows baseball inside and out. He's also an interesting person outside of baseball. Batista spends his time reading, doing charity, and publishing poems and novels. Follow Batista as he makes his way through the game. He's had a long journey--one that isn't over yet!
Bartolo Colón is an amazing pitcher. His arm has earned him awards and millions of dollars. At the same time, he's started his own family and helped his homeland, the Dominican Republic. Colón may be a superstar, but he's never forgotten his roots, and he's always stayed true to himself. Discover how he went from living in a house without electricity . . . all the way to the Big Leagues!
Carlos Beltrán was a boy who wanted to be a baseball star. He worked hard in Puerto Rico to achieve his dream. Today, he's a professional baseball player with impressive accomplishments. As a batter and centerfielder, Beltrán lights up the game. Follow Beltrán's journey from amateur to minor leaguer to professional player. Beltrán has played for four different major league teams--and he has shown them all just what he can do on the field. Fans everywhere can't get enough of Carlos Beltrán!
Yadier Molina is part of a trio of brothers that are taking the baseball world by storm. Yadier, the youngest, might also be the best player. He's one of the best catchers in baseball today. During his decade with the St. Louis Cardinals, Molina has had an impressive career. Base stealers rarely have a chance when Molina is behind the plate! He can catch every ball thrown to him, and he's helped the Cardinals win game after game. Discover how Yadier Molina got so good!
José Bautista has only been in the Major Leagues a few years. But he's already had an amazing career in baseball. He's played in the All-Star Game, he's won awards, and he's made millions of dollars. Bautista even hit more than 50 home runs in one season! Fans love to see him knock a ball out of the park! Learn how Bautista spent years in the minor leagues before making it to the Majors. Discover the story of how Bautista never gave up on his dream of playing in the Major Leagues, even when things were tough.
Jhonny Peralta has had an amazing baseball career. He's played in playoff series and in the All-Star Game. He's won awards and made millions of dollars. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Peralta dreamed of playing under stadium lights wearing an MLB uniform. Today, Peralta has lived those dreams. Read about Peralta's path from the Dominican Republic to the Major Leagues. Discover how Peralta worked hard to reach his goals while staying true to himself.
Hanley Ramírez has become one of baseball's biggest stars. The young player has only been in the Majors since 2005, but he's already done many things other players only dream of doing. He was named Rookie of the Year, he's played in the All-Star Game three times, he has won awards, and he's made millions playing in the Major Leagues. Read about Ramírez's journey from the Dominican Republic to the MLB. Learn how Ramírez became the player fans love to watch today!
Today, José Valverde is one of baseball's best relief pitchers. Valverde has pitched in the All-Star game. He's won awards and made millions of dollars. Valverde even had a perfect regular season in 2011! Valverde's path to finding success in the MLB was a long one, though. He had to work hard to make it to where he is today. Read how Valverde started playing baseball thanks to his uncle, former MLB pitcher José Mercedes. Learn about Valverde's success in the minor leagues and find out how he became one of baseball's best pitchers.
Carlos González is a baseball star that crosses borders. He appears in games in Venezuela and in the United States, winning fans everywhere. "Cargo," as he's known to fans, has made an impression on the baseball world. Singles, doubles, homeruns--González keeps the other team on their toes. González is still at the beginning of his career, so who knows what he'll do next. His awards are adding up, and he's sure to win more awards and honors in the future.
Francisco Cordero--or "Coco", as his fans and teammates know him--is a top-notch pitcher. He strikes out batters with his fastballs and sliders. He's racked up a lot of saves over the years as a closing pitcher for teams like the Rangers, the Brewers, and the Reds. Although when Cordero was a child, his family struggled with poverty, Cordero now does his part to help others who are struggling. He's a Big League player with character!
Francisco Liriano is a powerful Major League pitcher. Fans have watched him overcome injury after injury. He always comes back! His amazing stats and strong pitching arm have earned him awards, as well as millions of dollars. Ever since he was a young baseball player in the Dominican Republic, Liriano has been one of a kind. Find out more about his road to the Big Leagues--and discover what it takes to be a baseball superstar!
Adrián Beltré has had an amazing career in baseball. Since starting in the Majors in 1998, he has become one of baseball's best players. He's won many awards for fielding and batting, he's played in the All-Star Game, and he even won the Babe Ruth Home Run Award. Beltré is an amazing baseball star! Find out how Beltré became the player fans know today. Discover the story of how Beltré became one of baseball's best players!
In the past ten years, Albert Pujols has become one of the brightest stars in the baseball world. He's broken records and won awards--and all the while he achieved his dreams, he held on tight to his faith and his family. He became the player he is today by working hard and always doing his best. Get a glimpse of Albert's life, from his childhood in the Dominican Republic all the way through his amazing career in Major League Baseball. Find out what it takes to be a superstar!
Ubaldo Jiménez has become one of the most popular pitchers in Major League Baseball. Many fans believe he could become one of the all-time great pitchers. Jiménez hasn't been in baseball long, but he's already had an amazing career. He's played in the All-Star Game, pitched in the playoffs, won awards, and even pitched a no-hitter. Learn about Jiménez's journey from the Dominican Republic to the Major Leagues. Find out how his family played a part in making Jiménez the man he is today.
Miguel Tejada is a Big League baseball player who has been part of teams like the Oakland As, the Baltimore Orioles, the Houston Astros, the San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants. He grew up far away from these teams, however, in a poor nation in the Caribbean Sea. Today, he's a superstar in the baseball world, a fast and powerful player who never lets his teammates down. Find out how he traveled so far . . . from the Dominican Republic all the way to the Major Leagues!
Juan Uribe has come a long way from his roots in the Dominican Republic. He's played in two World Series, and he earns millions of dollars every year. But it's his roots that still make him strong. Uribe is proud of his homeland--and his homeland is proud of him! Read about Juan Uribe's life. Find out what it takes to be a baseball superstar!
Vladimir Guerrero has had a great career in baseball. He's played in the All-Star Game. He's won awards and made millions. He won the Home Run Derby--and he's even been on the cover of a video game! Learn about Guerrero's life growing up in the Dominican Republic, and then read about his path through the minor leagues to the Majors. Discover the story of how a Dominican boy went from dreaming about playing baseball . . . to playing in the Major Leagues.
Alfonso Soriano has had a great career in baseball. He has won two World Series and played in the All-Star Game seven times. He's even part of the 40-40 club for hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in one season. Not many baseball players can say they've done the things that Soriano has! Learn about Soriano's path from playing baseball in the Dominican Republic to making it in the Major Leagues. Explore the life story of one of baseball's most successful players!
Not many baseball players are as famous as Alex Rodriguez. All around the world, baseball fans know the name "A Rod." He has been playing baseball in the Major Leagues for more than fifteen years, and in that time, he's played in the All-Star Game fourteen times. He's been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, and he's won a World Series. Rodriguez has done just about everything in baseball! Learn about one of baseball's biggest stars. Find out how A Rod became the player fans know today.
Hanley Ramírez se ha convertido en una de las más grandes estrellas del béisbol. El joven jugador solo ha pertenecido a las Mayores desde el 2005, pero ya ha hecho muchas cosas que otros jugadores sueñan con hacer. Ramírez fue nombrado el Novato del Año, ha jugado en el Juego de las Estrellas tres veces, ha recibido premios, y ha ganado millones. Lea sobre la travesía de Ramírez desde la República Dominicana hasta llegar a las Ligas Mayores. Conozca cómo Ramírez se convirtió en el jugador que a los fans les encanta ver jugar hoy por hoy. Aprenda la historia de como un chico dominicano se convirtió en una de las nuevas estrellas del béisbol.
Plácido Polanco has worked hard to reach his dreams in baseball. He's played in the World Series and in the All-Star Game. He's known for his amazing glove and great defense. Learn about Polanco's journey from playing baseball in the Dominican Republic to making it in the Major Leagues. Discover the life story of one of baseball's hardest-working players!
Robinson Canó has had an amazing life in baseball. He's won the World Series. He's played in All-Star Games, won awards, and made millions of dollars. He's played for one of baseball's most popular teams, the New York Yankees. He's even won the Home Run Derby. Read how Canó learned to love baseball from his father, José. Follow Canó's journey from playing baseball in a Dominican high school to playing in the Major Leagues. Explore the life of one of baseball's biggest stars--and find out how he went from big dreams to the big leagues.
Baseball fans around the world know "Big Papi." David Ortiz is one of the greatest baseball players in the world. He's broken records and won awards, and his face is seen in magazines and on television. At the same time, he's built both a family and a charitable foundation. David is living out the dreams he had when he was growing up in the Dominican Republic. Read David's story--and find out how he traveled from the Dominican Republic all the way to the Big Leagues. Discover how he came to be the Big Papi that fans adore!
Using the graphics, students can activate prior knowledge--bridge what they already know with what they have yet to learn. Graphically illustrated biographies also teach inference skills, character development, dialogue, transitions, and drawing conclusions. Graphic biographies in the classroom provide an intervention with proven success for the struggling reader.
