Rockies keep Torrealba in thoughtsFellow Venezuelan Bellorin knows severity of situationBy Thomas Harding / MLB.com
06/05/09 12:52 AM ET
HOUSTON --
The Rockies were delighted at the news that catcher Yorvit Torrealba has his son back from kidnappers in Venezuela.
Edwin Bellorin, who played in his place in Thursday night's 10-3 victory over the Astros, has a strong understanding of what Torrealba is going through.
Bellorin was behind the plate as catcher and went 1-for-4 with a walk in his first Major League start of the season. A native of Bolivar, Venezuela, Bellorin had Torrealba on his mind.
"I am so glad for Yorvit, because things can go badly with this kind of thing," Bellorin said. "It's very scary, because things are bad right now in my country."The fear was palpable in the Rockies' clubhouse Thursday afternoon, even though multiple news reports said Torrealba's son, whose name MLB.com is electing not to disclose and who turns 12 next month, and other family members that were affected were safe.
One player respectfully declined to discuss the matter, saying he thought he was putting Torrealba in danger if he spoke before knowing Torrealba and family members were on U.S. soil.But baseball players and anyone on the upper end of what has become a two-tiered class structure in Venezuela have fear.Bellorin noted that a friend has a father who is a wealthy farm owner, but the family essentially sold the farm to retrieve him from kidnappers. Bellorin, who hasn't established a big league presence and therefore hasn't had a huge salary that makes him a target once it hits the news, said he cautions his mother not to let many people know what he does for a living.
But most were breathing easier in the wake of the positive news.
"I can't even begin to tell you, having children of my own, how gratified you are that it worked out," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "Knowing how much he loves his son, and knowing what he was going through when I talked to him, it goes without saying you're pleased when you get a phone call last night."
When Torrealba is due in the U.S. is unclear. Torrealba's agent, Melvin Roman, said he has talked to Torrealba several times throughout the ordeal. He said Torrealba was talking with law enforcement investigators on Thursday. It was possible he and members of his family could head to the U.S. on Friday, but Roman said that wasn't official. He planned to talk with Torrealba again Thursday night.
"I am very relieved and very happy that something has worked out, and his family is safe," Roman said.
Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook said, "Yorvit is not only a great guy in the clubhouse and a great friend to a lot of people. Our biggest concern is for him, his family, the safety of his son and other family members.
"We've known about it since the night it happened. There hasn't been a day gone by that I haven't thought about it quite a bit."
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.