10/29/2014
Why my kids will be baseball fans:
The workday ended as many before...
Grab the kids from daycare with my bride, and muster the energy to feed, bathe, and control "chaos central" until the babies are in bed, along with my little princess, my 4-year old daughter.
However, I get home, get out of the truck, start to unload kids, and realize both my knees are numb, weirdly numb, around the knee cap.
So I get inside, drop my pants, check it out, and both knees are purple, yellow, bruised looking. Strange right? I'm 34, perfectly healthy, and no other symptoms... (Spoiler alert, I'm perfectly fine). But, for safety sake, I used a service provided by my employer, that allows me to connect with a doctor via phone 24/7, for free.
Amongst the chaos, I connect with the doc. He assures me after careful questioning and analysis that I likely had a pinched nerve, restricted capillary, or something like that. Harmless. I was ready to get back to feeding, bathing, and a basic zone defense.
But, the way we end the call was cool. I said "thanks doc." He followed with, "sounds like you've got your hands full... I hear a baby in the background calling your name." By his voice, I could tell he was my age. It was weird to hear "good bed-side manner" from a young doc who didn't know me, and was likely a thousand miles away. After a brief dad-to-dad connection, he said "yeah, me too, I'm about to clock-out, and watch the World Series with my kids."
I'm glad he said that. I would have missed Game 6. As a die-hard Tigers fan, I checked-out after the Orioles swept the ALDS.
So, I put the game on in the background, but I finally start watching in the top of the 7th...kids asleep. Royals up 8 or 9 runs, which was good reason to switch over to something else, but significantly irrelevant in hindsight.
As many may know, during the 7th inning stretch, MLB ballparks have elected to honor our military veterans and active duty soldiers with a rendition of "God Bless America."
HR specialist, Tech Sargent, Angie Johnson, Air National Guard, earned the honors. If you don't know her story -- like I didn't -- look it up. A true story of serving your country, following your passion, and making it big following your dream.
She was incredible. Visibly nervous at introduction, but by "my home sweet hoooooome" she had the ballpark's attention, including Royals 1st-baseman, Eric Hosmer, who [via lip-reading] shouted "you nailed it!" from the dugout, while KC catcher, Salvador Perez (Venezuela), was singing along, the entire song.
Bottom of the 7th resumes. Yordano Ventura, rookie, Dominican Republic, is pitching a shutout. He's possessed. By what? Who knows, but on his cap, in sharpie, reads "RIP OT #18" .... his friend, major league super-prospect, Oscar Taveras, had recently been killed in car accident in the Dominican Republic.
Thank you MLB. Thank you Bud Selig. Thank you for allowing Yolando to modify his uniform in respect of his friend. Is it against the rules? Yes. Especially for a pitcher. And, Giants' Manager, Bruce Bochy, could have easily objected, saying its a distraction. But he didn't. Thank you Bruce Bochy. Thank you for teaching my kids respect, sportsmanship, and true leadership.
Furthermore, what may have gone completely unnoticed, was manager Bochy replacing catcher Buster Posy, with rookie Andrew Susac in the top of the 8th. Why? Why bench a $167 million dollar All-Star? Posey was on-deck! Due to hit. Sure its a long-shot, but he could start a rally!
Susac is a rookie. He has never been in the post-season, and has only seen the World Series from the stands, or his couch at home. Who knows if he will ever have this opportunity again.
Bruce Bochy put him in the game to fulfill a dream. He realized the game is bigger than winning or losing, even in Game 6 of the World Series. Andrew Susac, can -- for the rest of his life -- say he played in the World Series.
Who knows what Game 7 will bring, and I'm guessing most viewers lost interest in this game after KC took a commanding lead. But I saw something great tonight. I tuned into a 145 year-old American tradition, because I live in a country that has doctors available 24/7 to help me, care enough to get to know me, and who love the game of baseball just like I do.
Because of that, I saw a Venezuelan sing along -- word-for-word -- with an American soldier to "God Bless America." I saw two rookie kids realize their dreams. And, I witnessed an opposing coach, a league, and a country respect a Dominican man's request to honor and morn his lost friend, even though it broke the rules.
We need more of that, and I'm glad it exists. Define "it"?
Simple, it's character.
Joe Buck ended the broadcast with, "They say in baseball, momentum is only as good as your next day's starter." I disagree, its bigger than that.
Wes,
