Jorge Posada, once an unknown player in the United States Minor Leagues, dreamed of making it to the Major Leagues. However, his position—second baseman—was extremely competitive, filled with many outstanding players, and he had no space to squeeze in. Seeing this, his father, who was well aware of the realities of the baseball world, advised him to try switching to the catcher position instead.
However, being a catcher came with drawbacks: it was not a position that easily stood out, and he would have to constantly be ready to get hit by the balls thrown by pitchers. Moreover, changing his position meant he might not be able to stay on his current team. Nevertheless, Posada decided to follow his father’s advice and became a catcher.
Later on, his father gave him another piece of advice: if he truly wanted to play in the Major Leagues, he should start practicing batting left-handed. As a right-handed hitter, switching to hit with his left hand required grueling practice and effort. But again, Posada persistently followed his father’s advice.
As a result, Jorge Posada entered the Major Leagues as a catcher and switch-hitter and went on to become a legendary player for the New York Yankees. During his career, he was selected for the MLB All-Star Game five times and won the Silver Slugger Award, which is given to the best hitter at each position, five times as well, displaying a brilliant performance.
His strong determination not to betray his father’s support and belief became the foundation that helped him rise as a great player.