SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander walked into the clubhouse this morning wearing a gray sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head and a pair of shades covering his eyes. The smile was unmistakable, though. It gave away his identity.
So did the teammates who rushed over to hug Santander and ask how it felt to play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. He had stories to share, usually starting with how incredible it was for him.
“Like a dream,” he said, as the media gathered at his locker. “Oh my God, unbelievable experience. I’m very grateful and happy for the opportunity. That’s something that I’ll never forget, being there, playing like a kid in big situations. It’s amazing. Something really, really good.
“Feel really proud to be able to wear that jersey, representing the whole country, family, my hometown. That’s something that, as a player you never forget that big moment. The most important thing is we bring some happiness to our people back there. Even though we didn’t get to the final, I feel so proud of the team, the chemistry that we got. That was awesome. To be able to share the clubhouse with big names like Miggy (Miguel Cabrera), (José) Altuva, Salvador (Pérez) and learn from them. That was also a great experience.”
Santander was 6-for-17 with two home runs and five RBIs before Team USA eliminated Venezuela in the quarterfinals.