Mound coversations with Rondon

[Grand Tiger]

An article eluded that Rondon is using a Spanish translator in Lakeland. I'm excited about Rondon being the potential closer, but out of curiosity, does he speak English very well? If not, could make for some interesting mound conversations.

[Smith]

Leyland and the staff speak spanish. Enough to get by. They can allude to the rest.

[ben9753]

The kind of language Leyland uses on the mound is universal.

[holygoat]

Does Avila speak Spanish?

[hueytaxi]

Much of the Tigers staff had a good control of Spanish, especially Belliard and Rojas. Lakeland has two traveling cultural specialists on staff year round to acclimate Latino players and provide English classes. Rondon participated in those last season. b

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Leyland and the staff speak spanish. Enough to get by. They can allude to the rest.

Nice use of "allude". You have "eluded" the grammar police.

[Charles Liston]

Jimmy speaks a bit of Spanish, "Dos cervezas por favor". He says it every time he goes to the mound (even to Verlander) but his meaning gets through thanks to facial expressions and body language.

[slim pickens]

welcome to america. we speak english here. learn it.

[alwaysthrowheat]

welcome to america. we speak english here. learn it.

Really? Come on.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Although I have strong opinions on the language topic, c'mon hombres let's stick to beisbol please.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Very tickled at the prospect of my former AAT doing his thing in Detroit come this April !! :-)

[Yoda]

welcome to america. we speak english here. learn it.

Welcome to American. We use capital letters here. Learn them.

[plantcitytigersfan]

Between the ballpark and the English conversational classes, I have spoken with Bruce numerous times. As with many Spanish players, you talk a little slower to them. A big part of the problem is that the Spanish players lack the confidence to answer questions out of fear they will make a mistake and be laughed at. I don't see this being a problem at all.

Larry
2013 AAT Aaron Westlake

[Dunkin Darvin]

Between the ballpark and the English conversational classes, I have spoken with Bruce numerous times. As with many Spanish players, you talk a little slower to them. A big part of the problem is that the Spanish players lack the confidence to answer questions out of fear they will make a mistake and be laughed at. I don't see this being a problem at all.

Larry
2013 AAT Aaron Westlake

To add to that, since we are talking about mound visits, if Jones or Leyland struggle with Spanish another player from the infield just goes to the mound to translate like you see with many pitchers. Infante, Peralta and Cabrera all speak Spanish and I'm not 100% sure but I thought I heard at one time Avila does too. Like Larry said, I don't see this being an issue at all.

[Shorthop]

Jimmy speaks a bit of Spanish, "Dos cervezas por favor". He says it every time he goes to the mound (even to Verlander) but his meaning gets through thanks to facial expressions and body language.

It is not unusual, during the later innings of the game, he will ask: "Donde es el mingitorio?"

[slim pickens]

Welcome to American. We use capital letters here. Learn them.

welcom to motownsports. conversation not valid until yoda chimes in. we all learned it.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

welcom to motownsports. conversation not valid until yoda chimes in. we all learned it.

Don't be sore because you got called out on a crappy thing you expressed.

[Walt]

Don't be sore because you got called out on a crappy thing you expressed.

Are you referring to the ignorant language bit, or the lack of composition skills? Now that I think of it, as a combination they are a bit funny, in an ironic sort of way.

[Yoda]

welcom to motownsports. conversation not valid until yoda chimes in. we all learned it.

Dude I was just picking on you. Even you have to appreciate the hypocrisy of ripping another for not knowing our language, while completely butchering it yourself. It was a joke........

[Chopper]

Dude I was just picking on you. Even you have to appreciate the hypocrisy of ripping another for not knowing our language, while completely butchering it yourself. It was a joke........

No joking allowed on the Internet unless it is only about yourself.

[PuNk42AE]

I thought cats or color's had to be involved?

[Keepleyland2]

baseball is looking at a new rule this year that allows teams to bring a translator to mound visits.

"The new rule, first reported by ESPN.com, is one of many expected to be ratified by the players association before the 2013 regular season. It would even the field for players who do not speak English fluently. After all, nothing in the rule book establishes English as the league’s official language."


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/sp...ound.html?_r=0

[shauntacular]

Welcome to Durpistan. We speak Durrrrrr here. Learn it.

Mah countree raht or rong. deez colorz dun run. the south will rize agin.


Shut. Up.

[slim pickens]

Dude I was just picking on you. Even you have to appreciate the hypocrisy of ripping another for not knowing our language, while completely butchering it yourself. It was a joke........

I am just playing as well man. everything here is taken way to serious.

[holygoat]

I am just playing as well man. everything here is taken way to serious.

You mean, way too seriously.

[CaliforniaDreaming]

You mean, way too seriously.

Very nicely played!

[slim pickens]

lol. I am 0-2

[tiger337]

It's the American league its not called the Spanish league everyone needs to learn to speak American

[Walt]

It's the American league its not called the Spanish league everyone needs to learn to speak American

'Merica!

[Shinzaki]

baseball is looking at a new rule this year that allows teams to bring a translator to mound visits.

"The new rule, first reported by ESPN.com, is one of many expected to be ratified by the players association before the 2013 regular season. It would even the field for players who do not speak English fluently. After all, nothing in the rule book establishes English as the league’s official language."


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/sp...ound.html?_r=0

Yogi Berra could have used that for English...

[TigersSlappy]

It's the American league its not called the Spanish league everyone needs to learn to speak American

And when they get traded to the National league?

[Auburndale Ray]

Just tell Rondon this when you go out to the mound...

Lance el béisbol muy rápido...
That should do it...

[diaspora04]

baseball is looking at a new rule this year that allows teams to bring a translator to mound visits.

"The new rule, first reported by ESPN.com, is one of many expected to be ratified by the players association before the 2013 regular season. It would even the field for players who do not speak English fluently. After all, nothing in the rule book establishes English as the league’s official language."


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/sp...ound.html?_r=0

That seems crazy. The coaches should learn Spanish.

[Yoda]

Really? Come on.

That seems crazy. The coaches should learn Spanish.

Honest question: if you were to move to a foreign-speaking country, would you put in the effort to learn their language or just expect the people you work for to learn your language?

The whole "this is american lern english" thing is tiring but why should the Tigers coaches have to learn Spanish? With all of the long plane rides, spending 3+ months of the year in hotels, being surrounded by English-speaking players/coaches, having a couple months off in the off-season, with all of the down time why can't they learn English? It can't be that difficult. Or is it?

[catswithbats]

I heard somewhere it becomes harder to pick up a second language after a certain age (I forget what age, but still rather young). It might be pretty difficult for non-native English speakers to easily pick up English, especially if they don't get immersion training at a young age, or much exposure to it until they're high-school aged.

[Tim Mitchell]

Honest question: if you were to move to a foreign-speaking country, would you put in the effort to learn their language or just expect the people you work for to learn your language?

The whole "this is american lern english" thing is tiring but why should the Tigers coaches have to learn Spanish? With all of the long plane rides, spending 3+ months of the year in hotels, being surrounded by English-speaking players/coaches, having a couple months off in the off-season, with all of the down time why can't they learn English? It can't be that difficult. Or is it?

If I moved to Mexico, Id learn the language. If I moved to France, I'd learn the language. If I came to the US, played Major League Baseball there, and made a Fantastic living, Id learn the language.
Language helps identify a country. This is STILL the United States of America. Learn how to speak our language.

[Casimir]

Honest question: if you were to move to a foreign-speaking country, would you put in the effort to learn their language or just expect the people you work for to learn your language?

The whole "this is american lern english" thing is tiring but why should the Tigers coaches have to learn Spanish? With all of the long plane rides, spending 3+ months of the year in hotels, being surrounded by English-speaking players/coaches, having a couple months off in the off-season, with all of the down time why can't they learn English? It can't be that difficult. Or is it?

It would make sense to do so for your own sake.

I guess I wonder if teams can get labeled over time as being Spanish friendly/unfriendly due to the language translation efforts they put in to foreign talent and if that can be a measurable determinant in a guy considering or ignoring signing with some teams? American English speaking baseball talent is not finite, so it does behoove teams to make the language transition as comfortable as possible for its players.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

As someone who has lived and worked in a foreign country where virtually all exchanges (home and at work) were done in a foreign language, I'd guess it is only about 143,324 times easier to say learn to speak a language than it is to actually learn to speak said language at anything above a third grade level once you are an adult. It takes years and it takes a ****-ton of effort. And that says nothing about trying to clean up your accent, which people like to rip on as well, as if an accent were a sign of ignorance or laziness.

I can't speak for others, but I was mentally tired by evening time just processing conversations in my head every day when I worked overseas. You reach a point where you have to force yourself to actively pay attention to conversations because it is so much work. And I personally found it insanely frustrating to express simple things or interations that you wouldn't give a second thought to in your native language. And this coming from a guy who had studied the language before move, actively studied the language when I lived there, and probably would be considered functionally fluent even now.

[TigersSlappy]

I can't speak for others, but I was mentally tired by evening time just processing conversations in my head every day when I worked overseas. You reach a point where you have to force yourself to actively pay attention to conversations because it is so much work. And I personally found it insanely frustrating to express simple things or interations that you wouldn't give a second thought to in your native language. And this coming from a guy who had studied the language before move, actively studied the language when I lived there, and probably would be considered functionally fluent even now.

Were you functional enough to order quality Gagh? If so, that's good enough.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Were you functional enough to order quality Gagh? If so, that's good enough.

I'm afraid I am missing the reference.