Posnanski Remembers Andres Blanco As A Kid

Andres Blanco was signed out of Venezuela by the Kansas City Royals. Joe Posnanski had the privilege of seeing him play as a very young kid. After seeing Blanco’s ridiculously good play the other day, he remembers seeing him in the Dominican as a teenager. And that day in the Dominican I watched the greatest young defensive shortstop I had ever seen. I don’t want that to sound like it means more than it does … I haven’t seen that many great young defensive shortstops. Usually by the time I see them, they are established big leaguers. But even compared to Angel Berroa — who would, after all, be the American League Rookie of the year in just a few months — the difference was staggering. He moved beautifully. He had these velcro hands — hands so soft it looked like he could catch the ball with the side of his glove. He moved to his left, to his right, Pena could not hit a ball by him. It was so much fun to watch. It felt like going to a bar and watching a band that you know will someday hit it big. I felt sure, leaving that day, that someday Andres Blanco would win a Gold Glove. Blanco’s play was the best defensive play I’d seen since Reed Johnson’s circus catch in 2008. I don’t know how either play ended up making the play. I have no idea how Andres Blanco was able to throw Fancoeur out at 1st base. Seriously, I don’t even know how it happened. It really doesn’t seem possible, but he did it. It was one of the best plays you’ll ever see. Andres Blanco may not be able to hit, but he’s fun to watch.