Nieves a Big Hit with Fans
Fans packed into ESPN Zone in downtown Washington D.C. on Wednesday to enjoy a quick lunch while hearing from catcher Wil Nieves.
Just like his manager, Nieves believes in thinking positive and he stressed the importance of being optimistic about this team moving forward. He thanked the fans, again and again, for their patience, energy and support.
As you might expect, fans had a lot of questions for Wil about the young rotation and the struggling bullpen. Nieves praised the rotation, but joked that the team's record would be a lot better if they played seven inning games. Wil also joked about his MASN Defining Moments ad, but took some time to reminisce about his walk off home run against the Cubs last season.
Some of his revelations surprised fans in attendance. For one, his mother is the Executive Director of the Commission of Professional Boxing of Puerto Rico and the first woman ever to preside over a boxing league. Carlos Peña is his best friend. He didn't wanT to be a catcher, but he learned to love it. And in his spare time, he likes to try new restaurants.
To the delight of many, Wil described how he refused to go back to the Yankees in 2008. He wanted a chance to play and found the opportunity here in Washington.
Throughout the event, several lucky fans won tickets to upcoming games for answering trivia questions about Wil's career. After the Q&A, fans hustled up to the stage to get pictures and autographs.
The next event is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21st.
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Wil did a great job of entertaining fans with stories as well as informing them of what his life is like as a big league catcher. He is always smiling and so positive. Wil is definitely the kind of player needed on the team right now. Thanks for being at ESPN Zone yesterday Wil!
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Thanks for sharing your picture, Cheryl. Yes -- Wil did a really nice job. You can really tell that he's a fan-favorite. -Kristen
hehe, well played re. the Yankees, Wil.
I've enjoyed what I've seen of Peña in televised games and in reading his MLB blog. Seems like a great guy (as does Wil).