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03/03/13 - Newsday - Yankees prospect Ronnier Mustelier misses son after defecting from Cuba 

By ERIK BOLAND  [5]erik.boland@newsday.com

Photo credit: Newsday J. Conrad Williams, Jr. | Yankees' Ronnier Mustelier
hitting a single in the bottom of the 3rd inning against the Toronto Blue
Jays in a pre-season game during spring training at George Steinbrenner
Field, FLa. (Feb. 24, 2013).

TAMPA, Fla. -- Ronnier Mustelier is motivated to make the Yankees, and it's
something far more significant than merely earning a berth on an MLB roster
for the first time.

The 28-year-old defected from Cuba in 2009 in a boat filled with 20 people,
leaving his son and parents behind. Mustelier has not seen his 5-year-old
son, Ronny Jr., since defecting.

"It's a very difficult time, especially because I'm missing out on him
growing up," said Mustelier, signed by the Yankees for $50,000 in 2011.
"But it's part of the sacrifice that I'm doing. And I'm doing all of this
specifically for him."

Young outfielders in the system such as Mustelier, Zoilo Almonte and Melky
Mesa suddenly found themselves with an unexpected chance to make the team
when [6]Curtis Granderson was lost for 10 weeks with a broken right
forearm.

Each of the trio has shown some ability -- Mustelier and Almonte with their
bats and Mesa, who recently decided not to play for the Dominican team in
the [7]World Baseball Classic, with his glove. "You can never be happy
about someone's misery, especially another ballplayer," said Almonte, 23,
who can play all three outfield spots. "But it is something that happens.
And I do know there's an opportunity now."

The 5-10, 210-pound Mustelier has been described as a player without a
position, but don't tell him that. "I don't care about my size or all these
things people are saying about me," he said. "The only thing I care about
is I'm a good player and I can get the job done and I have a place on this
team."

One opposing team scout agrees, comparing the fire plug-like Mustelier to
[8]Ronnie Belliard -- a 5-9, 210-pound utilityman who enjoyed a 13-year
career that ended in 2010 -- but with a better bat. "I can play the field,
I can play the outfield, I can play the infield," Mustelier said. "So if
anyone is saying I have no position, that's not true."

 

Next step for Hughes[9]Phil Hughes, out nearly two weeks with two bulging
discs in his upper back, is scheduled to throw a flat-ground session
Sunday. "It's all-go right now," [10]Joe Girardi said. "Unless something
comes up."

 

The woundedCenterfield prospect Slade Heathcott didn't escape unscathed
from Thursday's outfield collision with Mustelier after all. [11]Girardi
said he suffered a sprained right thumb and will be "re-evaluated in a few
days." [12]Girardi also said [13]Boone Logan, who had been on a slower pace
after working a career-high 80 games last season, was scratched from a
batting-practice session with a "tender" elbow. Girardi said an MRI came
back clean and that the lefthander will rest for a "few days."

 

Daley still positiveThe Yankees reassigned nine players to minor-league
camp, including Garden City High graduate Matt Daley, 30, a righty reliever
trying to make his way back from labrum surgery in 2011. "It was a really
good meeting," Daley said after talking with Girardi and pitching coach
[14]Larry Rothschild. "They want me to go and build my arm strength back to
where it was . . . Both of them said, if you do what you're supposed to do,
there's going to be opportunities for you. That's what I was happy about,
to hear that from them." Daley allowed no runs and a hit with four
strikeouts in three appearances.

References

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5. mailto:erik.boland@newsday.com?subject=Newsday.com%20Article 6.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Curtis_Granderson 7.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//World_Baseball_Classic 8.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Ronnie_Belliard 9.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Phil_Hughes 10.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Joe_Girardi 11.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Joe_Girardi 12.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Joe_Girardi 13.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Boone_Logan 14.
http://www.newsday.com/topics//Larry_Rothschild


Original Source / Fuente Original:
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