Bonifacio Takes On New Role With Licey, Aims to Lead by Example
Licey captain Emilio Bonifacio is taking on a new role and explains why he doesn't plan to retire with a big ceremony.
Key points
- Bonifacio says leadership is shown through conduct, even when he isn't in the lineup.
- He says his documentary on clubhouse life is not an announcement of his retirement.
- He is nearing 500 hits in Dominican winter baseball.
- He is interested in management and sees young talent in the league, such as Madé and Kelvin Alcántara.
Licey Tigers captain Emilio Bonifacio has started a new stage in his career, with a role different from the one he held for years as the team's main player. In an interview with Luis Tomás Rae for *Grandes en los Deportes* on Panorama 96.9 FM, published by Lidom.com, he said leadership does not depend on being in the lineup, but on maintaining conduct that sets an example for others.
Bonifacio said that from his new position, he must keep the same discipline he demanded from his teammates. He warned that if he doesn't act the same way, players could question him and lose respect for him. He says his leadership is not a strategy, but a reflection of who he is on and off the field.
The player also clarified that the documentary he has been developing about the daily lives of players is not an announcement of his retirement. He said it aims to show fans what happens in a clubhouse and a side of baseball that rarely reaches the public.
On retirement, Bonifacio said he would prefer to step away without a big ceremony. "Because of the love I have for the game, I don't want to play with that pressure, that fanfare of a retirement," he said.
Bonifacio is close to reaching 500 hits in Dominican winter baseball, an achievement he acknowledges, though he says his main motivation remains winning. He is also thinking about a future in management, where he believes he can contribute to the league beyond a single team.
Meanwhile, he praised the young talent entering the league, mentioning Madé, Kelvin Alcántara, and Jorge of the Gigantes, whose style reminds him of his own. "The league is overflowing with talent, and that's good, because it tells you it will keep up its level," he said.