JUPITER, Fla. -- When veteran Christopher Morel isn’t comparing learning first base to dancing bachata, he’s going around the Marlins’ Jupiter Academy with a big smile on his face.
With the return of Spring Training, what better way for fans to get to know the newcomers both on and off the field than through a fun Q&A? In this installment, we catch up with Morel.
MLB.com: Let’s start with a difficult one. Are you a good dancer, and what’s your go-to move?
Morel: I’m a dancer, and I would dance to the Jerry Rivera song “Amores Como el Nuestro.”
MLB.com: Why emojis on the glove?
Morel: It's just a reminder about enjoying life. So every time I look at it, it just reminds me to do that, because we're here now. You don't know if you're here tomorrow.
MLB.com: Even the necklace says “Amor y paz” (“Love and peace” in Spanish). Is that your motto?
Morel: It's actually the logo of the foundation that I started [called the Cruz Morel Foundation]. It's a foundation I used to help the kids of the area that I grew up [in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic].
MLB.com: What’s your most-used emoji?
Morel: The heart [hands] and the peace sign. The heart is amor, and paz [for peace].
MLB.com: Do you have a secret talent? Eury [Pérez] can do magic.
Morel: I haven’t found that ability.
MLB.com: Do you have any hobbies? What would you do on a day off?
Morel: I’m a simple guy: just trying to rest and see Netflix, [drink] hot chocolate.
MLB.com: What’re you watching on Netflix?
Morel: Comedy. I don't like anything about scary movies.
MLB.com: In English? Spanish?
Morel: Both, if I’ve seen [them] before. I like to watch “Shrek.” If I see that movie too much, I can put it in English. I know what they’re going to say.
MLB.com: Who's your favorite character in Shrek?
Morel: Burro [donkey in Spanish]. For everybody.
MLB.com: What’s your favorite thing about the D.R., or what do you miss the most?
Morel: I miss my family. I just think about my grandma [María]. She's older, so I just think much about her.
MLB.com: What does baseball mean to you?
Morel: Everything.
MLB.com: What would you be doing if you weren’t a baseball player?
Morel: Architect. I grew up seeing my mom. She was more of a supervisor of the actual construction of houses. She’s still doing that.
Of note: Luis Dorante Jr. helped interpret Morel’s answers.