Geez....Tejada two years older than Astros thought

[KFDM COOP]

Tejada two years older than Astros thought

Shortstop, actually 33, lied about age when he signed in 1993

PHILADELPHIA — Saying he wanted to unburden himself, Miguel Tejada approached general manager Ed Wade and asked to correct misinformation he gave the Oakland A’s when he signed in 1993. The Astros’ new shortstop is actually 33, two years older than he’s listed in the club’s media guide and other baseball records.

Tejada was actually 19 when he signed as a kid out of poverty-stricken Bani, Dominican Republic. At the time, he says, a local coach encouraged him to say he was 17.

"I'm a poor kid that wanted to sign," he said. "I’m feeling free now,†he said. “It’s something that I had in my mind.â€

Tejada was signed out of the Dominican Republic by Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, but he was clear that Marichal had no part in the deception. Moreover, Wade and Tejada both said the shortstop’s green card, driver's license and other legal papers in the United States reflect his actual birthday, May 25, 1974.

The Astros’ media guide lists his birthday as May 25, 1976.

“The thing is I didn’t want Houston to find out from somebody else,†he said. “I wanted to find out just from my face. I’m a man and I’m responsible for everything. That’s why I prefer to come to them and say, ‘You know what? That’s the way it is and we’re moving forward.’

“I was feeling like I had something to say in the last three days. That’s why I waited for today to do it.â€

Tejada, a former American League Most Valuable Player, has been well chronicled since before he reached the majors with the Oakland A’s. A book was even written about him, but his actual age is barely coming out now.

“Fact of the matter is that he plays like he's 25, so I don't think it really matters a whole lot,†said Wade, who indicated the age discrepancy first came out during the course of a media interview. “We're still trying to figure out Jose Cruz Sr's age.â€

[bullets13]

No worries... if he gets on the same training regimen as Barry Bonds, his best years are still 4 or 5 years away!

[Interested Observer]

personally, I think his best years were 4-5 yrs BEHIND him. If you believe the Mitchell report, he's already on the same training regimen as Bonds lol

[AJ25]

No worries... if he gets on the same training regimen as Barry Bonds, his best years are still 4 or 5 years away!

hahaha