DUNEDIN, Fla. - The cliche, Ricky Romero says during a stern voiceover while shots of hardscrabble streets and rough-looking characters whiz by, is that people can't escape the gangs and violence of East Los Angeles.
The statement is made in the Toronto Blue Jays left-hander's new Nike ad, called "Los Fearless," a 94-second spot that is the latest sign that the 26-year-old has not only left the dangers of his old neighbourhood far behind, but arrived as a big-league star.
Yet for Romero, it's not the status the ad bestows as much as the message that it delivers that really matters. He made the right choices, pursued a goal relentlessly and carved out a better life, and if he can do it, he wants others to believe they can, too.
"I wanted for people to realize that there is someone out of there and that if you work hard, you put your mind to something, anything is possible," Romero said Wednesday morning ahead of another round of spring training workouts. "I'm hoping that a lot of kids from out there get to see this commercial, and I can serve as an influence.
"I always wondered what it would be like to be a role model. I always had my role models and athletes I looked up to, and to be in this position, an athlete little kids and even young adults look up to, it's something you embrace. For me, I love it."
Fewer and fewer athletes these days feel the same way, which is why, in a Blue Jays clubhouse trending younger and stripped of its longtime leadership pillars, Romero is such an important presence.
The sixth overall pick in 2005, Romero had anything but a smooth ride to the majors. His development was stalled by injuries, as recently as 2008 he was considered a bust draft pick, and the selection of star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki by the Colorado Rockies one spot later long haunted the franchise.
Romero, however, never stopped working, righted himself late in the 2008 season and broke camp with the Blue Jays the next year. With Shaun Marcum dealt over the winter, he's now set to take over as staff ace.
The comparables used in negotiations for the US$30.1-million, five-year contract extension he signed last summer were aces Jon Lester of Boston and Yovani Gallardo of Milwaukee, and they establish what the team sees as his potential.
Nike sees it too, since the sportswear giant doesn't feature just anybody in its ads.
"He had that stint in double-A where he was struggling and everyone was doubting him and he worked his butt off," said catcher J.P. Arencibia, close friends with Romero. "When I see that commercial, I'm happy because he finally got the respect and finally got to the status he's been working toward his entire career.
"He works harder than just about anyone, so for me, it's cool to see him get there."
The work ethic comes from his parents.
Ricardo, a truck driver, and Sandra, a school bus driver, "can be sicker than anything and they still get up and go to work," according to their son. And they still work now, while raising Romero's three younger siblings, despite the accomplishments of their eldest.
"People always ask them, 'Why are you working? Ricky's done this, Ricky's done that,"' said Romero. "To them, that's my life, that's my money, my stuff, they still have three kids they have to take care of.
"That's the attitude they take, they've always worked for what they have, always worked hard and for me, my goal as a son is to one day be able to retire them and make sure they're taken care of. Everything I know, everything I've learned, the person I am today is thanks to them."
He started the process of retiring his folks last summer by buying them a new home, something he called one of his biggest dreams. It was a small measure of the gratitude he feels toward them for teaching him to avoid trouble.
Growing up in a neighbourhood filled with gangs and crime, Romero said that he never "even sniffed going toward that direction." Instead, he just heard tale after tale of violence felling those around him.
"Not anyone super close, but you're like, 'Him? He died? That's crazy,"' said Romero. "People you knew, people you went to school with, guys you played against getting killed, unfortunately. You feel blessed and lucky at times that I'm where I'm at, for me, I'll never, ever take this for granted."
Romero's dad coaches a local Little League team and when he gets home, he visits with players from the league, talking about his experiences.
He hopes the Nike ad -- which he believes is to be aired during this weekend's NBA all-star game in Los Angeles -- will take his positive message even further.
And, he gets a kick out of having his own spot, too.
"I still can't even believe it," said Romero. "It's still kind of surreal, but at the same time, I've worked hard and hopefully this is just the beginning of something good."
