Jose Altuve Makes the List of MLB’s Best Smiles

Since his debut in 2011, Jose Altuve has become a powerhouse hitter for the Houston Astros. But his recent honorary ranking among the best smiles in MLBshows that he’s a powerhouse in the smile department, too.

A Little Kid from a Big City

Altuve hails from the large Venezuélan city of Maracay, with a population of about 1.3 million people, about two-thirds the size of Houston, and the fifth largest city in Venezuela. He had long wanted to be a professional baseball player in the US, so he attended the Houston Astros tryout camp in Maracay.

Although Altuve has a big smile, he’s a little guy, the shortest active MLB player at 5’ 6”. His small stature may help his batting by giving him a tiny strike zone, but it didn’t serve him well that day. The Houston Astros’ scouts wouldn’t give him an evaluation because they thought his height meant he had lied about his age (he was 16). Although he was discouraged, his father encouraged him to return with his birth certificate. When scouts evaluated his performance, they found that he did indeed have what it took to be a baseball star one day, so they called him up to the Rookie Level in the US. After a few seasons in the Minor League, he got called up to the Major Leagues midseason, without ever playing in the AAA leagues. He was not a disappointment.

A Big Hitter with a Big Heart

Since debuting with the Houston Astros in 2011, Altuve’s batting record has been truly impressive. Overall, he’s batted .317 in the Majors, and he’s made the All-Star team five of his six full years in the Major League. In addition, he was named the AL MVP last year when he helped lead the Astros to their World Series championship.

But he’s not just a ball player. In 2017 he was named Co-Sportsperson of the Year with J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans for putting a public face on relief efforts in Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. It’s clear that Altuve loves and supports his adopted hometown.

A Great Smile Never Hurts

There’s really nothing at stake over the title of Best Smiles in Major League Baseball, but when you look at the names and faces on the list, you see that these people aren’t just known for their handsome smiles. They’re great players, too. And maybe that’s not a coincidence.

There are many potential links between baseball greatness and having a beautiful smile. Maybe it’s that maintaining your oral health provides a healthy foundation for overall health so you can develop your strength and skills with more time practicing and playing and less time on the bench.

Or maybe it’s the great neuromuscular benefits that come from having well-proportioned teeth that fit together properly to help provide core stability, strength, and balance.

Maybe it’s something as simple as loving the game and not being afraid to show it because you have confidence in your manly smile.

Or maybe it’s just that MLB success depends in part on showmanship, and that smiling baseball players make the fans happy and excited, too.

No matter what the possible link may be–or if there even is one–we know that getting a great smile doesn’t hurt, and, in fact, can open many doors for you.

If you want to learn how a great smile might be able to help you, please call 832-610-3123 today for an appointment with Houston area cosmetic dentist Dr. Scott Young, Purveyor of Fine Dentistry in The Woodlands.

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