"You're not playing for yourself anymore": Astros' Mauricio Dubon reflects on how fatherhood transformed his personality
Image Source: Getty
Everything changed for Astros utility man Mauricio Dubón the second he found out he was going to be a father. The 30-year-old has gained new purpose on and off the pitch since the birth of his son Luciano on November 30.
No longer is the focus on a tough night at the plate – instead, it's Luciano smiling back at him at home and telling him what's important. Throughout an entire season, Dubón said,
'You're not playing for yourself anymore'
. So, imagine a person saying,
"You are playing for somebody else."
Mauricio Dubón's first Father's Day will be one to remember
That is a milestone Dubón is celebrating in a big way. He will wear custom gear for Sunday's game against the Twins at Daikin Park, including a belt and a pair of Air Jordan cleats honoring his family. The belt even has the names of his wife, Nancy, his son Luciano, and his dogs Marcelo and Cash on it. Inside, it's affixed with Luciano's birth certificate footprints, and a sweet Spanish inscription –
'El mejor papi! Te amamos.
' ('The best daddy. We love you.')
The right toe of each cleat displays the name of Luciano, the family's dog who died recently, while the left cleat lists the names of Marcelo and Cash. To add some personality, Dubón included a cigar and a glass of Scotch, both of which are part of his off-the-field guilty pleasures on each cleat.
Mauricio Dubón says being a dad changed how he plays and how he thinks
Fatherhood has brought more than just stylish cleats for Dubón — it's shifted his mindset into playing. He says
, "You're not just playing for yourself anymore'.
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'When you play for someone else,'
Everything that you are doing is going to have a bearing on them later on in life.
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What Houston Astros' struggles in AL West reveal about shifting power in division
The player, now 30, says the emotional burden of fatherhood has him more present, more focused, and more at peace with the crests and troughs of life. What gives him happiness, he says, is the latter, when he walks in and Luciano lights up when he sees his dad, whether it be going hitless or contributing to the Astros' victory.
'It's different, man,'
Dubón smiled.
'I'm just trying to be good for him.'
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