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Mets’ star has deep roots in Queens
Young fi rst baseman Alonso was born in our borough decades after grandpa emigrated here
BY STEPHEN LEPORE
The New York Mets’ new
star slugger has roots not
far from where he now plies
his trade.
First baseman Pete Alonso
has taken Queens and the
National League by storm. The
24-year-old has hit .328 with
six home runs and 17 RBI in
just 17 games. His oft-criticized
defense hasn’t cost the team
much yet (he has committed
just one error so far) and has
brought a sense of anticipation
and excitement to Citi Field
every time he steps up to
the plate.
Turns out that Alonso’s
connection to Queens goes
beyond work. In an interview
with Newsday earlier in the
season, the slugger said that his
grandfather and father lived
in The World’s Borough before
moving to Ohio when Pete was
one year old. His grandfather
emigrated to Queens in the
1930s and attended Jamaica
High School.
It’s clear that this and
Alonso’s status as a Met drafted
and developed by the franchise
should make fans proud.
There’s an unflappability
to Alonso that has made his
transition to the majors appear
seemless. Despite his immense
power and ability, he makes
little noise that you often forget
about him before he heads to
the plate. But quite often, you
don’t forget the outcome of his
at bats.
Pete Alonso’s roots in Queens run deeper than the long balls he’s
hit out of the park this year. Courtesy of the New York Mets
Perhaps this is more worth
noting because the Mets are
often seemingly amidst chaos.
However, despite some of the
problems that have plagued a
mostly positive start -- often
ineffective starting pitching,
a dreadful bullpen and some
of manager Mickey Callaway’s
choices from the bench -- New
York has seemed to just go
about their business so far this
season, especially on offense.
Rather than consistently going
for the long ball or striking
out, there appear to be several
of what baseball fans often
term “professional hitters”
on the team. Players like Jeff
McNeil, Wilson Ramos and
even sluggers like Michael
Conforto and Alonso aren’t
merely concerned with hitting
for power, but getting on base.
The man born in Queens
has been responsible for a
second consecutive positive
April for the Mets. The hitters
around him continuing their
quest for consistency will
determine whether it leads to a
better season than 2018.
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TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM APR. 19-25, 2019 41
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