Baseball: Fuenmayor Grateful For Second Chance

SPRINGDALE -- Balbino Fuenmayor thought his future in professional was over when he was released by the Toronto Blue Jays' organization in 2013.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound, power-hitting first baseman battled his way back, putting up good numbers in independent leagues and he's now tearing up the Texas League for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals this season.

Just call him the grateful Balbino.

He's ranked second in the league in batting average, (.365), tied for first in home runs (10) and second in RBIs (33).

The 25-year-old couldn't stop expressing his gratitude to all the people responsible for helping him get another chance in continuing his professional baseball career. That list is long from people who gave him a shot in indy ball to Naturals personnel to the Kansas City Royals organization itself.

"I'm excited to be in Double-A," Fuenmayor said. "This is my second chance. I've never played at this level before. I just say thank you for the opportunity to play every day."

He also credited his parents and his wife as motivation to keep his dream of play in the major leagues alive.

"When I got my release I'm thinking I'm done," Fuenmayor said. "But they said 'Hey, Balbino, give it another chance. Work hard, if one door closes, maybe another one will open.'"

Northwest Arkansas manager Vance Wilson said he's fielded lots of questions about Fuenmayor, who was signed by the Blue Jays as a 16-year-old and given a $750,000 bonus back in 2006.

"He's very disciplined and he understands timing," Wilson said. "I just think what we're seeing is over the last year he's figured it out. I haven't had many hitters get off to this kind of start. Man, it's pretty to watch."

Fuenmayor's statistics say he's a different hitter. The career .258 hitter in more than 500 games in the minor leagues is now hitting at a .362 clip through 44 games for the Naturals. He has 34 strikeouts in 181 at-bats this season, compared to 32 strikeouts in only 96 at-bats in 2013 before he was released.

Wilson said players are put on a time table and it's difficult when Latin players are signed so young.

"You have him for seven years and he's only 23," Wilson said. "We sign a college kid and we have him one or two years and he's 23. Teams give up on some and things like this can happen. Our scouts deserve credit for seeing him in winter ball.

"He came to spring training and by far had the best spring of any player by far. He put himself in this position with the spring training he had."

Fuenmayor said he's trying to keep his swing short and simple. And Wilson said he's making adjustments well to what opposing pitchers are trying to do to him.

"I'm thinking put the ball in play. I'm not trying to hit the ball 400 feet," Fuenmayor said.

Wilson has watched the big man from Venezuela make those adjustments from at-bat to at-bat.

"He's got a high leg kick and a guy blows a fastball by him," Wilson said. "Next time, the leg kick goes away. He understands timing. When teams try to pound him inside, he understands. Like the other night, they threw one inside for a ball, but came back in there and they missed and got the inside part of the plate. He hit the ball out.

Naturals hitting coach Brandon Moore said he just tries to make sure Fuenmayor's swing stays short.

"He tends to get a little long sometimes, but he understands what pitchers are trying to do to him and he can formulate a plan and go out and execute it. What we're seeing is his maturity as a hitter and a person."

Fuenmayor isn't sure what the future holds for him, but he won't think too far ahead.

"I don't know the future," Fuenmayor said. "I just come out here and work hard every day."

The formula appears to be working just fine at this point.

Paul Boyd can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAPaulb.

Sports on 06/02/2015