Former batting champ Freddy Sanchez comes to town to promote clubfoot awareness

CEDAR RAPIDS — He doesn't pull out his World Series rings very often.

'I'll wear them to a nice dinner or a special occasion,' Freddy Sanchez said with a smile. 'But not too much. That's packed away.'

The longtime former major league infielder made an appearance Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium to promote upcoming World Clubfoot Awareness Day. Sanchez was born with a severely pigeon-toed left foot and a club right foot, yet went on to play 904 big-league games.

He finished with a career .297 batting average, the 2006 National League batting title and World Series championships in 2010 and 2012 with the San Francisco Giants.

'I hope that people can look at my situation and realize that nothing is going to hold them down, and they're not going to give up, not going to quit,' said Sanchez, 39. 'You've just got to fight harder.'

Sanchez has become good friends with Todd Becker, Managing Director of non-profit Clubfoot Solutions of Cedar Rapids. It was founded by University of Iowa physicans, one of which developed the Iowa Brace, which is used as part of the Poneseti Method, a non-surgical technique used to correct clubfeet.

World Clubfoot Awareness Day is Saturday. This was the first time Sanchez — who lives in the Phoenix area — has been to Iowa since he was in Triple-A ball for Nashville in the Pittsburgh Pirates system and played at Des Moines against the Iowa Cubs. He was impressed by the playing facility here.

'You know, this is something, especially with the Ponseti Method and the Iowa Brace that is an affordable thing, as opposed to surgery that is expensive and things like that,' he said. 'With this, you can reach your dreams, whatever they are.'

After struggles in the previous two games of this series, the Kernels (31-23) broke out offensively to the tune of 13 hits, rolling to an 8-0 lead after four innings. Perhaps it was the much-later-than-normal report time to the ballpark of 4:30 p.m., instituted by Manager Tommy Watkins.

Travis Blankenhorn was placed into the leadoff spot and had a two-run triple and solo home run, and Aaron Whitefield also homered. Starting pitcher Sean Poppen pitched into the seventh for his ninth quality start in 10 tries this season.

Cedar Rapids has a pair of three-game commuter series to Burlington and Clinton before returning home to host Burlington on Friday, June 9. It has 17 games remaining in the first half.

The Kernels remained tied for first place in the Midwest League's Western Division, pulling four ahead of Quad Cities. Beloit is 3.5 games behind the leaders.

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