MIAMI — A baseball from 20 years ago helped shape the career of Miami Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo.
It came from 20-year-old Miguel Cabrera.
Luzardo and his maternal grandfather, Nicolas Alvarez, attended the 2003 World Series between the Marlins and New York Yankees, which the Marlins won in six games. Before one of the games in Miami, Cabrera signed a baseball and tossed it to Luzardo's grandfather in the stands.
"I grew up a Marlins fan," Luzardo said. "Miggy was just shagging (batting practice), and my grandpa had a big Venezuelan flag.