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Texas Rangers: Texas -- When Adrian Beltre slugged the Rangers into the American League Championship Series and himself into baseball lore Tuesday, he validated the franchise's $80 million winter commitment to him.
But it also was his way of saying thank you -- not only for the money, but the opportunity, made largely by a unique friendship.
At first glance, few would associate the muscular 32-year-old Dominican Republic native Beltre and 69-year-old Rangers scout Don Welke. But their relationship dates to 1999 and is a big reason Beltre became a Ranger.
"He's a really great baseball guy," Beltre said Friday. "He asked me if I had any interest in coming to Texas and I said, 'Yes.' So the process started."
Unless you are a hard-core Rangers fan, you're probably thinking, "Welke who?" His name and title, senior special assistant to the GM and scouting, is difficult to find in the Rangers media guide, on Page 300.
Team president Nolan Ryan, general manager Jon Daniels and manager Ron Washington are the names most fans associate with fielding the reigning American League champion Rangers, but the franchise's scouting and player development staff numbers more than 50.
Welke is in his fifth Rangers season and his 47th as a major league scout. It was during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1999-2004) that Welke forged a relationship with budding-star third baseman Beltre, whom LA had called up in 1998 at age 19.
Last December, shortly after free agent pitcher Cliff Lee signed with Philadelphia rather than return to Texas, Rangers officials decided that the next-best way to fortify the team was to improve its defense. Free-agent Beltre had been in consideration even before Lee bolted, but now Welke was adamant that the franchise land him.
"Don knew the makeup really well, knew the person really well," Daniels said. "I remember the one thing Don kept saying was, 'He (Beltre) went to the playoffs once, in '04, but he's never truly won.' He felt like that would be a really big driving force for him, an internal motivator."
In early January, a meeting was arranged in Las Vegas with Beltre and his agent, Scott Boras. Flying from Texas to make perhaps the most pivotal recruiting pitch of the offseason were Daniels, Washington and Welke.
At the time, the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A's also were strongly courting Beltre, who in 2010, his only season in Boston, had batted .321, hit 28 homers and driven in 102 runs.
"I was very encouraged to have the meeting because I had pressed so hard to get him," Welke said. "Then I was really encouraged when Adrian and Ron Washington hit it off right away."
Now, Beltre is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his 14-year career, despite a hamstring injury that sidelined him for nearly six weeks. He batted .296, hit 32 homers, drove in 105 runs and might have been in the Most Valuable Player discussion had he not been limited to 124 games.
And four days ago, he celebrated his first playoff series victory in St. Petersburg, Fla., on a day in which he also made baseball history by hitting three home runs in Texas' 4-3 Game 4 victory.
Only five other players have hit three homers in a playoff game. Among them are Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (1926 and '28), Reggie Jackson (1977) and George Brett (1978).
"Of course, I'm really humbled to be mentioned among those guys, to accomplish something like that," Beltre said. "But that's in the past."
But it also was his way of saying thank you -- not only for the money, but the opportunity, made largely by a unique friendship.
At first glance, few would associate the muscular 32-year-old Dominican Republic native Beltre and 69-year-old Rangers scout Don Welke. But their relationship dates to 1999 and is a big reason Beltre became a Ranger.
"He's a really great baseball guy," Beltre said Friday. "He asked me if I had any interest in coming to Texas and I said, 'Yes.' So the process started."
Unless you are a hard-core Rangers fan, you're probably thinking, "Welke who?" His name and title, senior special assistant to the GM and scouting, is difficult to find in the Rangers media guide, on Page 300.
Team president Nolan Ryan, general manager Jon Daniels and manager Ron Washington are the names most fans associate with fielding the reigning American League champion Rangers, but the franchise's scouting and player development staff numbers more than 50.
Welke is in his fifth Rangers season and his 47th as a major league scout. It was during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1999-2004) that Welke forged a relationship with budding-star third baseman Beltre, whom LA had called up in 1998 at age 19.
Last December, shortly after free agent pitcher Cliff Lee signed with Philadelphia rather than return to Texas, Rangers officials decided that the next-best way to fortify the team was to improve its defense. Free-agent Beltre had been in consideration even before Lee bolted, but now Welke was adamant that the franchise land him.
"Don knew the makeup really well, knew the person really well," Daniels said. "I remember the one thing Don kept saying was, 'He (Beltre) went to the playoffs once, in '04, but he's never truly won.' He felt like that would be a really big driving force for him, an internal motivator."
In early January, a meeting was arranged in Las Vegas with Beltre and his agent, Scott Boras. Flying from Texas to make perhaps the most pivotal recruiting pitch of the offseason were Daniels, Washington and Welke.
At the time, the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A's also were strongly courting Beltre, who in 2010, his only season in Boston, had batted .321, hit 28 homers and driven in 102 runs.
"I was very encouraged to have the meeting because I had pressed so hard to get him," Welke said. "Then I was really encouraged when Adrian and Ron Washington hit it off right away."
Now, Beltre is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his 14-year career, despite a hamstring injury that sidelined him for nearly six weeks. He batted .296, hit 32 homers, drove in 105 runs and might have been in the Most Valuable Player discussion had he not been limited to 124 games.
And four days ago, he celebrated his first playoff series victory in St. Petersburg, Fla., on a day in which he also made baseball history by hitting three home runs in Texas' 4-3 Game 4 victory.
Only five other players have hit three homers in a playoff game. Among them are Hall of Famers Babe Ruth (1926 and '28), Reggie Jackson (1977) and George Brett (1978).
"Of course, I'm really humbled to be mentioned among those guys, to accomplish something like that," Beltre said. "But that's in the past."
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