Shortstop Sutil Special Player, Person

by Matt Rogers

You know you’ve seen him somewhere before.

He looks like the teen at the grocery store the other day, the kid with braces who flashed a grin when you passed him in the candy aisle.

Or maybe he’s the one who couldn’t miss at the last high school basketball game you attended.

Or, just maybe, he’s the rising star you saw on Extra or Entertainment Tonight. What is it he does? Act? Sing? Dance?

Ultimately, you figure it out. You’ve seen him sign autographs for children at Whataburger Field. He’s one of the Hooks. Wladimir Sutil.

The best shortstop in the Texas League.

I was never particularly strong in left-brain courses. Math was my bane. I did alright in Science, but thankful that when my teacher asked the liquid-solid-gas question, she didn’t use Wladimir Sutil as subject.

At times he reminds us of an action hero with special powers. Ethereal. Pliable. Strong. Quicker than a hiccup. In and from the hole. Around the bag. Behind the bag. Ranging into foul territory. The first-base side of second.

Making the difficult routine.

Have you seen him play? Old-timers say he’s worth the price of admission. Young people love his boundless energy. Moms see his smile through a mouth of metal and think of their sons. Most would probably hug him if given the opportunity.

Though youthful in seemingly every way (he takes France against Felix Molina’s Manchester United in a video soccer game), Wladimir Sutil is no child. He looks like a 17-year-old but is actually 24 and out of play (wife Zoa). Some quick perspective: Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called to Say I Love You tracked at No. 1 when Sutil was born on Halloween, 1984, in Guatire, Venezuela. Caribbean Queen by Billy Ocean was in the on-deck circle. Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go… well, let’s not get carried away.

It’s difficult to not get carried away when describing Sutil’s defensive prowess and makeup as a person. These days, it’s understood in the pressbox that Sutil is off-limits when it comes to disparaging words. Genuinely sweet souls get that consideration.

That’s how much he’s admired and respected.

cchooks.com sat down with Sutil during a recent road trip for a little Q&A.

cchooks.com: How did you first become interested in baseball?

Sutil: I started playing when I was four. I just always wanted to play. My cousins and I always went to see ballgames and played together when we had the chance.

(note: cousin Renny Osuna plays second base for Frisco)

cchooks.com: When did you begin playing organized baseball?

Sutil: I started playing in coach-pitch leagues when I was six.

cchooks.com: I understand you love basketball and have played the game extensively. I assume you play guard… point, shooting or both?

Sutil: I was a shooting guard.

cchooks.com: What’s the best part of your game?

Sutil: The dribbling! I think I have good ball-handling skills.

cchooks.com: What are your favorite college and professional basketball teams?

Sutil: The Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. I like to watch LeBron James. I don’t know too much about the college game, but I like North Carolina because of Michael Jordan, and they always seem to have good teams.

cchooks.com: The Hooks have had some outstanding shortstops… Ben Zobrist, Edwin Maysonet, Osvaldo Fernando, Tommy Manzella. Are you aware of the tradition at the position?

Sutil: All those guys were really exciting to watch and I have practiced with them. I try to do whatever I can to get better day-by-day. Zobrist and Maysonet are in the Big Leagues right now, and Manzella’s in Triple-A. I want to be where they are and know that I have to keep trying to get better.

cchooks.com: Was there anything in particular you learned from those players?

Sutil: We’ll, I’ve learned from Manzella that he plays hard every day and you have to give 100 percent all the time. And from Maysonet, when I watch him, he makes sure to handle the routine plays… and he makes them look easy.

cchooks.com: Do you have any hobbies other than basketball?

Sutil: I play volleyball and soccer. I like playing sports. I don’t care what sport it is… ping-pong, you name it. If it involves a ball, I’m there.

cchooks.com: What do you think of playing in Corpus Christi? How do you like Whataburger Field?

Sutil: It’s great and we have great fans. The best part is they know baseball. They know the game and they care about what they’re watching. It’s a great place to play!

cchooks.com: Your offense has improved at every level. Who has helped you the most with your offensive skills?

Sutil: Our hitting coach, Keith Bodie. He works hard with all of us. He’s taught me some things about situational hitting, when to look to go the other way, when to bunt, and what we should be thinking about when we go up to hit. For example, sometimes when runners are in scoring position, you have to be ready to hit that first-pitch fastball. I’ve taken that pitch a lot in the past, but many times the pitchers are looking to get ahead in the count, so you need to be ready to swing right away if you get something good.

cchooks.com: How did baseball become so important to you?

Sutil: Well, it’s my career. When I began playing professional baseball, I thought a lot about my family. I like that my family can point to me and say to people back home, “Wladimir plays in the States and he’s doing very well.” It’s what I’ve chosen to do and I want to do it as best I can.

cchooks.com: Are there any unusual or out-of-the-ordinary drills you use to get better?

Sutil: Not really. I just try to make sure I’m always in position to make the routine play and I practice the same way every day. You don’t have to overdo it… and some days it’s just too hot to be out there for a long time. I make sure I take 15 to 20 ground balls every day, but always do it the right way. I don’t take them just to take them, but make sure that I’m practicing the right technique all the time.

cchooks.com: When do you get your braces off?

Sutil, laughing: I don’t know because I have to have these links on for six months, so I’ll find out after the season when I get back to Venezuela. I’ve been wearing braces for four years, so maybe this off-season, but I still have to find out!

Matt Hicks contributed to this story.