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sports Tuesday 28 June 2022
Junior Circuit: Big league sons making own names in majors

By JIMMY GOLEN avoid comparisons.
AP Sports Writer "I'm trying to create my own
BOSTON (AP) — Growing career path here," said Cle-
up as the son of a major mens, whose only pitching
league ballplayer, Terry appearance was a mop-
Francona knew the rules: up role in a blowout. "We
"Talk only when spoken to, always say that I'm glad
or I'd be spanked." I'm a hitter, not a pitcher,
When Francona became a so I don't have to live up to
big league manager and what he did. Half a career
his players would bring their as his is unbelievable."
kids around, he ran a more The sons of Red Sox play-
hospitable clubhouse. ers Pedro Martinez, David
"There used to be a big sign Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and
that said 'No kids,' or what- Keith Foulke — all members
ever," said Francona, who of the team that won the
followed his father, Tito, to World Series in 2004 — are
the majors and is now the playing together on a sum-
Cleveland Guardians' man- mer league team outside
ager. "My rule was: You can of Boston. (Jaden Sheffield,
come in, but you've got to whose father, Gary, played
come in and say 'Hello' to on the rival Yankees that
me." American League's Vladimir Guerrero Jr., of the Toronto Blue Jays, holds the MVP trophy after the year, is also on the team of
Major league clubhouses MLB All-Star baseball game, Tuesday, July 13, 2021, in Denver. college players hoping to
are more welcoming to the Associated Press attract the attention of pro
children of players these scouts.)
days — and not just to tod- Kody, who made his debut drew Wiggins. Young Awards; three gen- Francona managed the
dlers raiding the bubble with the Tigers last month. For all of them, being a erations of Bells wore No. Red Sox to their first cham-
gum bin. Some of those Along the way have been second-generation profes- 25. pionship in 86 years that
tykes turn out to big league superstar fathers with for- sional athlete has its perks. But mostly, the kids try to season. q
ballplayers themselves. gettable sons — no offense, After Kody Clemens was
In all, more than two dozen Pete Rose Jr., aka "The Hit called up for the first time,
major league offspring are Prince" — and kids who sur- dad's old teammates Der-
on AL or NL rosters this year. passed their dads' careers, ek Jeter and Jeff Bagwell
The Blue Jays alone have including Barry Bonds and texted to offer advice.
three, the sons of Hall of Ken Griffey Jr. Francona said he would
Famers Craig Biggio (Ca- "I was certainly proud of my ride home from the ball-
van) and Vladimir Guerrero family, and what my broth- park in the backseat of the
(Vlad Jr.) and Bo Bichette, ers or dad or grandpa were car while his father and
whose father, Dante, was able to do in their careers," Expos reliever Claude Ray-
a four-time All-Star with the said former infielder and mond would talk pitching.
Rockies. current Yankees manager "I think I was like the only
"Everything I know about Aaron Boone. "But the pres- 10-year-old who knew you
baseball, I learned from sure I had was the guy 60 pitched up and in, down
him," said the younger Bi- feet, 6 inches away, and and away," Francona said.
chette, whose dad was the that's how I always ap- "I just listened to everything.
Blue Jays' hitting coach be- proached it. Nothing was Probably too much."
fore he stepped down so going to get in the way of Cavan Biggio said he in-
he could work with his son that." herited a passion for the
during the lockout. Boone and his brother Bret game from his father. But
"I was super grateful for my are the sons and grandsons for the most part, just being
dad," he said. "But at the of major leaguers; Bret's around professional ath-
same time, just wanting to son Jake was drafted but letes was an education.
be myself out there. Play hasn't yet made it as the "Seeing how they go about
as hard as I can. Not nec- first fourth-generation big their business and whatnot,
essarily make a name for leaguer. (Gus Bell's great- I was able to see that as a
myself, but just be my own grandson Luke, the neph- young kid," he said. "Grow-
player." ew of Reds manager David ing up and being able to
With a boost from genetics, Bell, is also in the running.) see at the highest level
access to good coaching And it's not just baseball: what it's supposed to look
and equipment — and cer- Arch Manning, the grand- like, I feel that gave me a
tainly a little name recogni- son of Hall of Famer Ar- little bit of an advantage."
tion, too — major league chie and the nephew of Teams seem to relish the
players' offspring have long Peyton and Eli, is the top- connection, with the Blue
followed in their dads' spike ranked college football Jays scheduling a "Vlad Top, Toronto Blue Jays' Cavan Biggio at bat against the Kansas
marks. recruit coming out of high and Dad" bobblehead lat- City Royals during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednes-
According to the Baseball school. The NBA champion er this season that has both day, June 8, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. Bottom, former Major
Almanac, 252 sons of ma- Golden State Warriors had Guerreros on one pedestal. League Baseball player Craig Biggio throws out the ceremonial
first pitch before Game 1 in baseball's World Series between the
jor leaguers have made four players whose fathers Clemens was given the No. Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in
it on their own, from Cubs played in the league: Ste- 21 that his father wore for Houston. In all, more than two dozen major league offspring are
left-hander Jack Doscher in phen Curry, Klay Thomp- most of a career in which on AL or NL rosters this year.
1903 to Roger Clemens' son son, Gary Payton II and An- he won a record seven Cy Associated Press