Danny Almonte

Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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As I looked for articles about NYC high school baseball I ran across an article that mentioned Danny Almonte has left Monroe High School and is not playing his senior year of high school. Does anyone know why or if he returned to the DR to get scouted there?

Tom F.
 

Chris_NJ

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Dec 17, 2003
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I saw a NY Post article recently about the Monroe team and I think it said he moved to Florida. I don't know why or with who - maybe others have more details.
 

jruane44

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Tom F. said:
As I looked for articles about NYC high school baseball I ran across an article that mentioned Danny Almonte has left Monroe High School and is not playing his senior year of high school. Does anyone know why or if he returned to the DR to get scouted there?

Tom F.
I read an article on him too. He moved to Florida with his father. It's amazing how the father enters this kids life after all these years. You think the father believes Danny will make the pros and take care of him?
 

toneloc24

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Chris_NJ said:
I saw a NY Post article recently about the Monroe team and I think it said he moved to Florida. I don't know why or with who - maybe others have more details.

He moved to Florida to play in a 18-yo-&-under league.

http://www.nydailynews.com/04-27-2005/sports/story/304047p-260237c.html

Almonte joins Fla. Bombers
KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE

MIAMI - Danny Almonte is officially a Bomber. Okay, it's not the ones who play in the Bronx, rather the pitcher involved in a Little League World Series scandal four years ago is now a member of the Florida Bombers, a summer-league team made up of 18-and-under elite high school players - mostly from South Florida.

"I know he's excited and we're excited," said Bombers coach Emilio Fernandez, whose team became the first Florida club to reach the Connie Mack World Series, which boasts alumni such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Manny Ramirez.

Hialeah coach Carlos Marti, the Bombers' pitching coach, said the lefty Almonte, who moved out of the Bronx three months ago, hit between 88 and 91mph on the radar gun during an intrasquad scrimmage at American High last week.

"In my opinion, this guy could be a first-round pick. Lefties like him are hard to come by."

At the 2001 Little League World Series, Almonte, pitching for the Rolando Paulino All-Stars from the Bronx, was as dominant as anyone had seen. Then it was discovered he was two years older than the 12-year-olds he dominated.

Almonte, now 17, will have his first practice with Bombers on May 14 at Sunset High. Fernandez said there's a chance Almonte could start for the Bombers when they open the season at Barry University on May 29.

"We didn't just ask him to join the team because his name is Danny Almonte," Fernandez said. "We took him because he can pitch. This is a good thing for us. He can probably get us back to the World Series. And he can also show people he's a normal teenager whose really a good kid."

Originally published on April 27, 2005
 

nystateofmind

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Enough of the Almonte soap opera

Almonte did in fact move to Florida but not with designs to only play for the 18 year and under team. Yeah right coach....you did not pick him up because his name is Danny Almonte...wink..wink ;) ;) . He moved there in attempt to play for a Florida High School team.

He tried to enroll in school and play for one of the best High School teams in Florida. I am sure that was purely coincidental. I am sure he wanted to enroll there for their high academic standards. That attempt was denied because he did not meet the necessary residency requirements. Just another attempt by this young man and his handlers to try and beat the system. There was some rumblings about him returning to NYC to play for Monroe but he decided to stay in Florida. Not only has his father got involved but also his coach from the Little League team that he played on - when he was 14 competing against 12 year olds - also played a major role in getting him down south. He is down in Florida with other members of the infamous Little League team and the Monroe High School team.

I for one, am sick and tired reading about him. He is someone who got famous for breaking all of the rules. He was rewarded with semi celebrity status for what he did. I do not want to hear that he, his coach, his father and everyone else did know what they were doing. They knew damn well what they were attempting to get away with. Who honestly cares about where he is or what he is doing? Why should he be treated any differently than any other other High School ballplayer/student?

The whole purpose of this young mans existence is try and become a pro ballplayer. How sad that he is being directed in that fashion. What will happen when he possibly blows his arm out? What happens when he begins to play on a level playing field - playing against those his own age. Remember that even as a High School player he was 2 years older that most of those in his class and as a 17 year old soon to be 18 he would have completed High School as a 19 year old. The other sad part about this whole episode is that even with all of the schooling he has gotten here in the states he still requires an interpreter and does not have a solid grasp of the english language yet.

Just another sad story of an athlete being directed by those who only have the $$$ in their eyes. Just like the High School senior or the underclassman in college who are directed to the NBA and never make it. There are too many examples of those who never make it and their sad life stories. Another sad part about this story is that is does not have any racial boundaries. It can happen with the white kid for French Lick Indiana, the black kid from Compton California or the dominican kid from NYC.

Tell me about the two sport High school athlete who is gets good grades and is going to a solid academic College. One who has to learn to manage his/her time - learn true life lessons.Those are the ones we should hold in semi celebrity status - not a cheater like Almonte.
 
Apr 26, 2002
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nystateofmind said:
The other sad part about this whole episode is that even with all of the schooling he has gotten here in the states he still requires an interpreter and does not have a solid grasp of the english language yet.
I'm told I'm distantly related to Danny (by marriage). I really have no moral objection to his handlers manuevering - playing the "gray area" - to make him a pro ballplayer. He has a shot, and he has celebrity, and he's in America. How much money do you think he would make working at a meat packing plant in the Bronx?

But the Little League matter was scandalous and wrong. They (his father and coach) were cheating the other kids, after all (though the Taiwanese did it for years). And that he doesn't speak English after so many years is unusual even for kids in the Bronx. In that regard I agree, there is something not quite right about the way he is being handled.
 

Tom F.

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Jan 1, 2002
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Billy Joel, I also like the Jim Croce, NY's not my kind of town.

I used to coach high school baseball in NYC and know the Monroe coach. My interest in the matter is to get an update on where he is at and I have also wondered if he really will be able to compete at the higher levels of the sport. People that know him say he is a nice kid.

The little league scandel made me sick, and the adults only received a slap on the wrist. Most get deported for putting false information on immigration documents.

In order to play PSAL sports in NYC you can not be 19 years old on the first day of school. You are only allowed to play your first four years of high school. Then there are the grade requirements. There are a number of native born kids you end up playing high schools sports at 19 as long as it is after Sept ?. This gives them a one year advantage. The best players play year around on outside teams and the scouts probably look at them at these games because the level of competition is higher.

I do appreciate the information you provided. It's good stuff. I'm not much of a captialist but it seems like the pursuit of money is a big part of being in the US for most of us.

Tom F.
 

Ricardo900

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Jul 12, 2004
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Hipocrito Mejia said:
Ricardo, I saw that article early this morning. What a moron that kid is!
I know, they said that the major leagues are looking at him, he could have a great future and if the majors don't pick him up, he'll get a free ride in college. Not bad at all
 

miguel

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Oh nooo!

Hipocrito Mejia said:
Ricardo, I saw that article early this morning. What a moron that kid is!
Moron is the right word. Immature is the other.

This kid have been manipulated by grown-ups most of his life.

How can this kid make any right decision when just about every single adult that comes into his life, find a way to tell him what to do and what not to do. That "old" woman will not be the exception.

This kid has the potential to make a difference but I think that he is too much of a dummy to see it. I don't think he knows what's best for him.

Talent or not, this kid is NOT a leader. He is nothing more than a follower!.

Very sad.
 

deelt

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Mar 23, 2004
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I don't think ya'll get the picture....he's still playing tricks:

Almonte was not wearing a wedding ring yesterday, but his wife said that might change now that their marriage has been made public.

Almonte also has a full scholarship waiting for him at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs in case he doesn't get drafted.

His coach, Mike Turo, said U.S. citizenship is a requirement for the scholarship and that Almonte was planning to get a Social Security card this week.
 

miguel

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Don't think so!

deelt said:
I don't think ya'll get the picture....he's still playing tricks:

Almonte was not wearing a wedding ring yesterday, but his wife said that might change now that their marriage has been made public.

Almonte also has a full scholarship waiting for him at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs in case he doesn't get drafted.

His coach, Mike Turo, said U.S. citizenship is a requirement for the scholarship and that Almonte was planning to get a Social Security card this week.
Well, if he is playing tricks, trust me, HE is NOT the one that is planning the "tricks. SOMEONE is telling him which tricks to play, and when.

Again, he, in my book, is not a leader, rather a follower.

Social Security Card?. Isn't he a LEGAL resident?. Don't you need a SS Card in order to be enrolled in school?.

I really do not know how he is going to make it in college. If you have heard this kid speak and if you listen to his teachers, the kid is not too bright.

Btw, kids his age should be playing, if not AAA, at least AA ball.
 
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M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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miguel said:
Well, if he is playing tricks, trust me, HE is NOT the one that is planning the "tricks. SOMEONE is telling him which tricks to play, and when.

Again, he, in my book, is not a leader, rather a follower.

Social Security Card?. Isn't he a LEGAL alien?. Don't you need a SS Card in order to be enrolled in school?.


No u don't need a ss card, ilegal aliens go to school. he's looking for love, married a 30 year old, poor kid, he should focus more on his career and his future.
 

something_of_the_night

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Feb 7, 2006
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Hold your horses, older people...

He is a 19-year-old kid, for crying out loud, and not some college-educated primadonna.

He has made mistakes, via his handlers. Yes, he cheated when he was 14, but a moron 'cause he's marrying an older woman?

Deelt, you know better, you work with folks. Please do not succumb to echoing diatribe of this nature. Besides, college is not for everybody.

-The Kid
 
Jan 5, 2006
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Miguel is right on! Since it became obvious that this kid has a special talent and the possibility to be a pro baseball pitcher, he has been manipulated by every adult that can find his/her way into his inner circle because they see a big $ sign on him, and are all looking for a piece of the pie. It's a shame that he didn't have a normal family upbringing with parents that could have taught him good values and character.
 

miguel

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Indeed!

Hipocrito Mejia said:
Miguel is right on! Since it became obvious that this kid has a special talent and the possibility to be a pro baseball pitcher, he has been manipulated by every adult that can find his/her way into his inner circle because they see a big $ sign on him, and are all looking for a piece of the pie. It's a shame that he didn't have a normal family upbringing with parents that could have taught him good values and character.
Listen, I used to drive a whole bunch of miles to see him pitch in the Little League games where he got caught cheating and I saw 3 things about this kid that "raised my eyebrows":

1- He was very shy. It was like everybody was telling him how to play and what to do, from his coaches to the people at the stand to his teamates.

2- He was older than what they were saying. I mentioned this to my buddy many times while we watched him play.

3- The kid had/has AMAZING TALENT. I know that back them he was pitching to younger kids but one could see that he had talent.

The kid can still go very far since he still has the talent. But he needs to get rid of those people that are just looking at him as a meal ticket.

I mean, get a real adviser and not someone who probably owns a fricking bodega who peobalby knows nothing about baseball. He needs to surround himself with people that have HIS best interest at heart.

I think that MOST adults have failed this kid. But in the same token, he is 19 and should start to know a little better already.

I hate to see happen to him the same thing that happened to a Dominican kid that I used to coach in Brooklyn. This kid used to have 20 times more talent than Almonte but was a victim of his surroundings!. Very sad story.
 

deelt

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Mar 23, 2004
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Kid,

Boo, I got you. But it's not diatribe. He needs US Citizenship. Pronto. This is real. This is why folks are arguing right now on Capital Hill. His family is poor (translates to can't afford or care about a good college) and handlers are clearly money hungry...Danny is their ticket to mo' money. They found a young lady in need of some financial assistance (who happens to be a grown arse woman working as a hairstylist in a low wage community) that the family felt comfortable with and did not consider a threat to the young man's future prospects.

Please note, I am not questionning the legality of his status in the US. As a clarification, to MAR, etc. apparently he is a permanent resident not a US Citizen. The full scholarship ride Almonte awarded by the Junior College (JC) in New Mexico requires US Citizenship. The attempt to get on the road to becoming naturalized may suffice for the sponsors.

It's not far fetched for him to MARRY a US Citizen as a route of least resistence. It's an ends to a means. The other route is just too long a wait and he will just lose the opportunity without Congressional intervention. And with his track record, thank you handlers, no Congressional rep will back him. That is the true danger and consequence of not doing things above board. Plus, why should any of these Congressional reps care? These folks don't vote and Danny is not Cuban. Being Cuban grants him several political benefits.

So Kid, to prove me wrong all you need to do is show that the hairstylist is not a US Citizen. If I'm wrong I'll jump ship, support you, and create The Kid/thickneck-PAC. lol

-Deelt ;) :glasses: :cheeky:

For the record: I just can't get out of my head the morning I heard his dad pleading to Hipolito on El Vacilon (La Mega FM 97.9FM) to give his child a birth certificate to "prove" Danny was born when his dad said he was. He just left himself, Dominicans, and poor Luis Jimenez (the host) looking stupid. I never said he was a moron for marrying. I do agree that he isn't the sharpest knife in the bunch. Also recognize that his parents have also set the tone to his learning capability. His father may be a hustler, but he is clearly not a learned and well educated man. The apple does not fall far from the tree.

And Miguel, indians are just as important as the chiefs. In order to be a leader you must first learn how to follow. Maybe one day Danny may learn to be a man and think independently. We can all dream, right?

something_of_the_night said:
He is a 19-year-old kid, for crying out loud, and not some college-educated primadonna.

He has made mistakes, via his handlers. Yes, he cheated when he was 14, but a moron 'cause he's marrying an older woman?

Deelt, you know better, you work with folks. Please do not succumb to echoing diatribe of this nature. Besides, college is not for everybody.

-The Kid
 

miguel

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I know!

deelt said:
And Miguel, indians are just as important as the chiefs. In order to be a leader you must first learn how to follow. Maybe one day Danny may learn to be a man and think independently. We can all dream, right?.
I see your valid point but let's not forget that he is already 19 and should, at least, start to take control of his life. If he thinks that he is mature enough to marry, then he should be mature enough to start acting like an adult.

With his track record (people taking advantage and controlling his life), I WILL NOT be surprise if his wife become the new "you will do everything I say" person in his life.

Anybody care to bet that she will try to me his manager, agent, advisor or something of the sort?.

This kid has been so manipulated by adults that I remember that even after being caught, and when blowing his birthday cake's candles, someone asked him how old he was, he was STILL saying that he was the same age that he told before he got caught.

Again, he is just a victim of his surroundings!.

I truly wish him the best and I also wish for him to grow some ball and start taking control of his life!. He is 19, it's time already!
 
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Chris_NJ

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Dec 17, 2003
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deelt said:
Kid,
Please note, I am not questionning the legality of his status in the US. As a clarification, to MAR, etc. apparently he is a permanent resident not a US Citizen. The full scholarship ride Almonte awarded by the Junior College (JC) in New Mexico requires US Citizenship. The attempt to get on the road to becoming naturalized may suffice for the sponsors.

I thought that once you have permanent residence it takes 5 years before you can apply for citizenship. If he already had legal permanent residence then what would getting married do to expedite citizenship?