Danny Almonte hopes for MLB Draft

[allstarsplus]

Glove-struck
Pitcher, 19, shamed in Little League flap,
is now married to an older woman - 30!
BY NICOLE BODE, JULIAN GARCIA, OREN YANIV,
TRACY CONNOR and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Nineteen-year-old hurler Danny Almonte, famous for playing in Little League while ineligible due to age, now has 30-year-old wife. Little League scandal star Danny Almonte is really grown-up now - he's secretly married to a 30-year-old woman.
The 19-year-old pitcher, who hasn't even graduated from high school yet, reluctantly confirmed yesterday that he tied the knot with cradle-robbing Rosy Perdomo months ago.
"She's special," Almonte told the Daily News with a shy smile near the Bronx apartment he shares with Perdomo. "My family is happy for me."
The strapping young man wouldn't say much more about his bride, a former baseball league official who now works as a hairstylist in lower Manhattan.
"I don't want to talk about my personal life," he said politely, moments after he burst out of a barbershop when the question of his marriage came up.
But Perdomo told the Daily News she and Danny tied the knot at City Hall last Oct. 14 after both families showed "we have a lot of support from them."
She said she's known Almonte since his infamous Little League days.
"He always used to tell me things and I was like, 'You're a minor . . . we'd get in trouble," the pretty, freckle-faced bride said with a smile from a couch in the Bronx apartment she shares with Almonte.
"I really waited for the right person to come along," she explained, "so I wasn't going to just fool around, especially not with someone younger than me."
Perdomo said she and Almonte got closer last year and they began living together in June.
What makes it work?
"We share a lot," she said. "It's a family here. We have the same friends. We just have a lot in common."
Almonte's mom, Sonia Rojas, told The News from her home in the Dominican Republic that the May-December union has her blessing.
"Love has no age," Rojas said, bemoaning the fact that she couldn't obtain a visa to attend the nuptials in New York.
Five years ago, Almonte was being groomed as the greatest Little League star ever to emerge from the ballfields of New York. But his phenomenal run ended in disgrace when it was revealed he faked his age - subtracting two years - to play in the Little League World Series.
Still, he went on to become the ace pitcher on the Monroe High School team, was just chosen to play in a nationwide tournament, and is expected to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team next month.
In years past, Perdomo has been quoted in news accounts as Almonte's translator and as a parent in the Rolando Paulino All-Stars, the league Almonte played in.
More recently she was described as a founder or director of the FNHA, a Bronx-based youth league that replaced the All-Stars after it was disbanded amid the scandal.
Her cousin Johira Taveras, 19, said Almonte was a fixture at family gatherings before he married Perdomo.
"It was weird," Taveras said of the nuptials. "\[But\] you have to accept it. Everybody was happy for them. He's a nice boy."
Almonte was not wearing a wedding ring yesterday, but his wife said that might change now that their marriage has been made public.
Almonte also has a full scholarship waiting for him at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs in case he doesn't get drafted.
His coach, Mike Turo, said U.S. citizenship is a requirement for the scholarship and that Almonte was planning to get a Social Security card this week.

Originally published on May 18, 2006

[trsent]

I had a 19 year old girlfriend when I was 30.

Would they have written an article about it if I married her?

Wait a second, I had a 19 year old girlfriend about three years ago when I was 34, and then another two years ago. The latter I am still talking to, she is 21 now.

Should you call the press?

[blackbeard]

Has he learned to speak english yet?

[norristrophy]

I had a 19 year old girlfriend when I was 30.

Would they have written an article about it if I married her?

Wait a second, I had a 19 year old girlfriend about three years ago when I was 34, and then another two years ago. The latter I am still talking to, she is 21 now.

Should you call the press?

DN sends his regards:

Yes I know Joel. I used to play with him at the Bellagio years ago. Funny story:

Joel is a metro-sexual and many people questioned whether or not he was actually gay. One day, Joel is in the game singing that song, "I think I want Jesse's girl... I think I want Jesse's girl."

Anyway, someone looked right at him and said, "C'mon already, you want Jesse and you know it." LOL.


--------------------

God Bless,
Daniel Negreanu

[suave1477]

CAN ANYONE SAY GOLD DIGGER????????????

I am sure when she looks at him she doesnt see dollar signs floating around his head. Funny how she played a role in the scandal.

I am sure the parents are happy that he is in love, OH YEAH THERE NOT IN THIS COUNTRY AND PROBABLY HAVE NO CLUE OF WHATS REALLY GOING ON!!!!

You got to give her credit she has been working this kid since he was little most women dont put that much hard work into there men that are there own age for a day lmao lmao

[trsent]

DN sends his regards:

Yes I know Joel. I used to play with him at the Bellagio years ago. Funny story:

Joel is a metro-sexual and many people questioned whether or not he was actually gay. One day, Joel is in the game singing that song, "I think I want Jesse's girl... I think I want Jesse's girl."

Anyway, someone looked right at him and said, "C'mon already, you want Jesse and you know it." LOL.


--------------------

God Bless,
Daniel Negreanu

Kid, are you following me all around now?

You weren't there the day young Benny and Sam Grizzle decided I was gay at The Horseshoe because I tried to sit on Old Neal's lap. The rumor never was left to rest after that. I liked the image, tourists seemed to like to attack the homosexual in the 30-60 and 80-160 games.

Are you finally collecting vintage and game hockey jerseys as I tried to get you to do so many years ago?

I'm in Chicago for the summer, but I will be back for the main event, see you then.

[norristrophy]

I am not him, though he has made himself available to answer questions from players via his site so I posted your initial story regarding playing him to him to see if he had any recollection. I figured this was a good spot for the anecdote he relayed. I will also be playing the WSOP ME and some other bracelet events.

Regards

[trsent]

Ok, I tried calling him after the post, but he changed his cell phone number on me. Go figure.

[sportscentury]

Joel,

Just catching up on some threads here ... this one is an example of some of your finer work - very funny (though I can't say that I have figured out what this has to do with the hobby ... though that is true with many of your posts .

Please say high to the real DN for me.

I'm working on the article about you and your young lady-friends as we speak. How come I never see them with you at the big tournaments? Also, how much for a Joel A. game used WSOP chair?

Your friend,
Phil H.

---------------------------------------

My real response to this thread is that issues of age seem to follow Danny A. everywhere. His age, the age of his new wife, etc. If he is really 19 now, then should we guess that his wife is actually 38 years old, based on her reported age of 30? I almost feel bad for him ... seems as though his adult influences were not always guided in the direction of his best interests. Unfortunately, rather than a successful career in MLB, he may be more likely to have a future in appearances on bad talk shows.

My best to everyone,
Reid

[trsent]

Phil H. owes me a bottle of chocolate milk from four years ago!