Houston Astros: Heavy hearts weigh within Spring Training

While everyone is glad to be back at camp, some Houston Astros players are struggling with things outside of the baseball diamond.

The Houston Astros are back at Spring Training and baseball season is on the horizon. Everyone appears to be in tremendous spirits. At least, for the most part.

Players like Jose Altuve and Robinson Chirinos are natives of Venezuela. Currently, that country is experiencing a political turmoil like nothing that has ever happened there before. That struggle of power is causing Altuve and Chirinos some emotional struggle during Spring Training.

Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle got some thoughts from the both of them in his latest article published just this past Wednesday. Thankfully, Altuve stayed back in Houston with his wife and kids. Here’s some of what he told Rome:

"“I just want everything figured out,” Altuve said. “I want the people back in my country, they’ve been fighting every single day for what they want, so I hope they get what they want and they settle down and we become a better country.”"

On the flip side, Chirinos actually did go back to host one of his charity events that he normally

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does back there. He told Rome the following:

"“They’re good, but they’re not,” Chirinos said of his relatives. “They’re surviving and trying to find medicine and food. Everybody right now, health-wise they’re good, but they’re not OK — like most Venezuelan people.”"

Another well known face of the organization, Marwin Gonzalez, now a free agent, is also a Venezuelan native. Recently, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com wrote a piece on how Altuve was really missing that friendship with Gonzalez in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, it makes the situation in his homeland balloon a bit more.

With Spring Training now in full swing, a lot of us here in America seem to forget that there are a number of players from other parts in the world. Namely, Central and South America. These latest news headlines affect so many teams, not just the Houston Astros.

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Nevertheless, these men are strong. Often, they are a lot stronger than we give them credit for. While most players enjoy the off season, those with ties to Venezuela have had it a little bit rougher on the edges.

Let us all, as fans, continue giving these fellas our support. Both on the diamond, and off!

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