CHICAGO -- Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, who is much better known as the Latin music global icon, Daddy Yankee, walked with his group toward the White Sox bullpen approximately one hour before first pitch of Sunday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field.
He took the mound and threw some pitches, although neither general manager Rick Hahn nor pitching coach Ethan Katz were present, so it’s unlikely he was auditioning for an on-field job with the White Sox. Instead, Daddy Yankee, whose La Última Vuelta World Tour made a stop in Rosemont Sunday night, was enjoying the sport he loves.
“I grew up playing baseball and it helped me a lot to really develop my leadership in music,” Daddy Yankee said when asked what baseball means to him. “The White Sox have big baseball culture.
“I grew up watching the names right here, following Frank Thomas, Carlton Fisk. I’m watching all the names I grew up with as a child and it’s a big moment for me, very personal. It means a lot to a little kid watching this, personally.”
Daddy Yankee played third base as a young talent and had a tryout with the Seattle Mariners before an accident derailed his career. He has seemed to do pretty darn well in the change to a career in music.
On Sunday, he met with numerous members of the White Sox and their coaching staff, while also talking with Carlos Correa, Jose Miranda, Jovani Moran and Jorge López in the Puerto Rican contingent with the Twins. He brought out the lineup card for the White Sox and took in the series finale before making the journey to Allstate Arena for his performance.
He will continue ownership of Cangrejeros de Santurce, a top baseball team in Puerto Rico. But he also intends to get even further involved with his baseball passion.
“I’m part of the baseball culture,” Daddy Yankee said. “And we are trying to help those kids in Puerto Rico and try to develop their skills in baseball.”