Francisco Lindor plays the game of baseball like a kid.
The 22-year old was the runner-up for the American League Rookie of the Year in his debut season. Now, he’s an MVP candidate in his second season. He's got talent, maturity and most of all, he's got humility.
"When they say Cleveland Indians, it means a lot. They're the ones who gave me the opportunity to play professional baseball and I thank them. It's a dream come true to play in the big leagues and I can't thank them enough for it," Lindor said.
Lindor went away to boarding school when he was 12 years old. He left Puerto Rico and went to Orlando to become a better baseball player and to learn English.
"He wants to be great everyday and you think every player wants that, trust me they don't, but he does and that's what separates him from a lot of other players, " ESPN MLB analyst Tim Kurkjian said.
What do Buddy the Elf and Francisco Lindor have in common? Smiling.
The kid with the mega-watt SMILE loves to flash the leather just as much as he loves to flash his pearly whites.
He told me, If he wasn't a professional baseball player, he'd be a dentist.
"My teeth were pretty messed up growing up. I always liked teeth, I was always a happy kid, I always like to smile. I had braces and as soon as I fixed my smile, it was game-changing. I smile even more. I love it. I think a smile makes a person's personality. As soon as you see them smiling, they smile a lot, it means they're enjoying life," Lindor said.
Francisco Lindor is an all-star shortstop who's become the smiling face of the franchise.
