NewsCantu promoting playoffs to Latin America
Marlins infielder coming off impressive 100-RBI season
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
10/21/09 3:54 PM ET
MIAMI -- Not being in the playoffs isn't preventing Jorge Cantu from doing his part in promoting them.Coming off a 100 RBI season with the Marlins, Cantu is taking part in a team and MLB initiative to encourage people in Latin America to tune into the playoffs, especially the World Series.
On Wednesday, Cantu traveled from his home in Texas to Mexico City for a two-day promotional tour.
The main rights holder for televising the playoffs in Latin America is the Televisa network.
"It will be a lot of promos that I'm doing, encouraging people to watch the World Series," Cantu said on Wednesday. "I'll be doing interviews, commercials, a lot of things talking about the playoffs."
Talking up the game internationally is nothing new for Cantu. He represented Mexico this past spring in the World Baseball Classic, and he was featured in commercials for the event.
One of the steadiest Marlins the past two seasons, Cantu batted .289 with 16 home runs and 100 RBIs. The veteran opened the season at first base, and he switched to third after Nick Johnson was acquired from the Nationals for prospect Aaron Thompson.
All season, Cantu secured the cleanup position, batting behind All-Star Hanley Ramirez.
Ramirez finished with a career-high 106 RBIs.
Cantu and Ramirez became the third pair of Marlins to collect 100 RBIs in a season.
The first pair to reach the benchmark was Cliff Floyd (103) and Mike Lowell (100) in 2001. Miguel Cabrera (116) and Carlos Delgado (115) also did it in '05.
RBI No. 100 for Cantu came in the Marlins' second to last game of the season. On Oct. 3 at Philadelphia, he drove home Ramirez on a sacrifice fly to right field.
However, in the sixth inning of that game, Cantu sprained his right ankle. While X-rays came back negative, he has been in a walking cast ever since.
"Right now [the ankle] is good. I'm still in a cast boot, though," he said. "The inflammation went down, big time.
"As soon as I get back, I'm going to go to therapy. I'm wearing the boot as a precaution. I don't want to put any pressure on it. I'll be ready to go by next month. I'll be ready to get going, doing some jogging."
Cantu expects to be fine by Spring Training.
There still is some uncertainty as to whether his future will be with the Marlins.
Entering Cantu's final season before he is eligible for arbitration, the Marlins must first decide if they want to retain him. He earned $3.5 million this season, and will get a pay raise in the $5 million range.
As of Wednesday, he hadn't heard if the Marlins have interest in signing him.
"Like I've said before, I'd love to be in Miami for a long time," Cantu said. "I don't know. I haven't heard anything."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
