Well today was opening day of my baseball season and we got to play at Dutchess Stadium the the home of the Hudson Valley Renegades. I was rather excited, I’ve not got the chance to play on to many nice fields, so to play on a Minor League Field was kind of cool. We also got to use there locker room and that just added to the mystique of the day.

   Now throughout my career I’ve had the opportunity to have some really memorable moments and although I never played college or made it to a professional level. There are certain events in my baseball career that I remember so vividly that it’s as if it happened yesterday. My 1st memory was having a catch with my dad and grandfather and just thinking my grandfather was the coolest person because he caught with this glove (an old fashion mitt) that was like nothing I ever saw. Next, I remember being in Little League and watching my Dad search through the high grass in right field, determined to find the two homerun balls that I hit as he finally got to see me hit a homerun. I remember the pride on his face and the excitement he had that his son had done this small feat. Then last year I got to play at Double Day Field in Cooperstown, N.Y. and it was the closest I probably will ever come to feeling like playing in a Major League setting. I thought that these were pretty cool memories and I thought if these events were the sum of my career I would be content with that. . .Then came today.

   I was excited to play at Dutchess Stadium and I also had a little anxiety because it was our first game and I always get that way before every season. On top of my anxiety I was also feeling a bit under the weather due to an allergic reaction that I had from medicine I was taking, so I was a little concerned about my ability to play at the level and intensity that I normally play. If this wasn’t bad enough I wanted to do well because my wife, sister, nephew, brother in-law and sister in-law were all suppose too come and see me play. My wife, Christine was also bringing our two year old son, Aiden to see daddy play baseball and I knew it was the first time that he understood about what was going on and that his daddy was playing baseball. So I was really anxious, excited and nervous about the impending game and I just wanted to have a good game.

   So I got changed in the locker room and headed out to warm up I wasn’t feeling that good, but I was going to play through it. There was no way I wasn’t going to play. While warming up I got a phone call from my wife to inform me that they were running late because my son was sleeping, so I was a little disappointed because I was really looking forward to having them there cheering me on. I got up in the top half of the first and only managed to ground out to short. I was happy that I made contact and was confident that I would be able to connect my next at bat. We then took the field were I started at first and just took it all in. We were a little rusty and after a couple or errors the other team came up with two runs and it looked like we were headed for a rocky start. We managed to get back a run in the second and we finally settled down defensively, not allowing another run until the fifth inning. I was feeling the effects of the medication so I decided to take a break from playing the field for two innings. So when I got up again in the top of the fourth, my wife had just arrived and got to see me, but I didn’t know that they were there yet. I got behind in the count and managed to make contact enough to move the runner over to third who would later score. Coming off the field I realized that my wife and son had arrived and I was going out to the field no matter how crappy I was feeling. I played the next two innings at first before I knew I had enough. While playing I managed to catch a line drive and dove for a ball and was a couple of inches from knocking it down. I visited with my family after my two innings at first and Aiden was having a blast playing with his nephew Matthew and just watching the game. I was just trying to fight off exhaustion, but nothing was going to stop me from my at bats. In the seventh inning I was leadoff and I was just in the on deck circle warming up and as I walked to the plate and the announcer called out my name the stadium went completely silent. I didn’t feel this silence but as I’m approaching the plate all I here is “GOOOO! DADDDY!!” I practically started crying right there, as I realized this voice cheering was my son and he was cheering for me. I heard nothing else. I was just completely humbled and my exhaustion melted away, and the biggest smile from ear to ear appeared on my face. Now my usual hitting style is always thinking always kind of on edge. Very rarely am I relaxed and not trying to get some sort of read or advantage on the pitcher. My other problem is that I’ve always had trouble hitting off a left handed pitcher. Well it just happened that they had brought in a lefty that inning and I was to face him for my third at bat. Even this change in events didn’t affect me in any way as I felt for the first time in my professional career this sense of calm and complete serenity. As I’m writing about it now it’s still hard to put into words. I should’ve been more anxious knowing that my son was watching, but I was just happy, because for that brief moment I was his hero and I knew that I was going to get a hit. I dug in and awaited the first pitch it was high and inside ball (BALL 1), but I wasn’t up to walk I was there to hit. The next pitch was little inside and I turned on it to early and hit a towering foul ball that would’ve been out of the park if it was fair. I felt so comfortable that I was like no big deal I ‘ll just get the next pitch. Then I heard again that familiar sound ”GOOOOO! DADDDDY!!“ This time I felt like I was in The Natural where at the end of the movie the final scene is in slow motion and the only thing that i heard was that cheer ”GOOOO! DADDDY.“ The next pitch was away and was intended to get me to chase the ball, but I didn’t bite, ball two. Again I stepped in and awaited the pitch, but to be perfectly honest I was so overjoyed that I wasn’t really giving all my attention to the ball that was zooming its way to the plate. Luckily it was right down the middle and I hammered it in to right field managing to run out a double. Now it’s not such a momentous thing that I hit a double I’ve hit over 40 in my career, but just the feelings I had of being completely at peace and overwhelmingly humbled at the same time was the greatest feeling I ever experience in all my feats in baseball.

I managed scoring later in the inning as I collided with the pitcher on a passed ball and taking the lead 4-3. Yet, that was all a blur to me because I was still somewhere else. As soon as I got back in the dugout I headed for the bleachers to see my son and as I embraced him I almost lost it as I became emotional. He didn’t know what he did, but I did and I was a basket case. I told my wife that I always thought the most amazing feeling I would have in this game was that time in little league when my dad got see me hit a homer. I thought nothing could surpass that, but I was wrong to here those two little words ”GO! DADDY“ was like hearing the voice of an angel and I will never be able to stand at the plate without hearing that in my head .

   I ended up getting up again in the eight inning and again I was in a situation to help solidify our lead. I got up with the bases loaded and two outs and to make things worse they had switched pitchers and the pitcher was a former teammate who decided to quit our team and start his own. So I new it was a pivotal moment in the game not only to put the game out of reach but to also get the better of a former player that kind of turned against the team. So I got up and again swung at the first pitch and fouled it off. Then I stepped out of the batters box to regroup and once again the stadium fell silent in the distance I heard ”GOOO! DADDDDDY“ Then grinning from ear to ear I stepped back into the batters box and awaited the pitch. Again I’m not sure if I was even in the batters box because I don’t even remember hitting the ball, but I did and I took it the other way for a single and two RBI’s. I was so elated that when I reached first base I was screaming and yelling from my excitement. These two runs were the nails in the coffin and we ended up beating our old teammates. It’s been two days since the game and I still can’t stop smiling with such a S#@T eating grin, that my face hurts. I’ve never underestimated the memories and tales my career has had and maybe its possible to top this, but barring my call up as the New York Mets First Baseman I think this will go down as my crowning achievement and my most humbling memory.

   I should also mention that adding to this amazing memory is a little memento from Aiden. You see throughout the game Aiden, my wife and nephew Matthew were playing in and around the stadium and in their exploration Aiden and Christine found this waterlogged decayed foul ball under some leaves. Well, you would’ve thought that he had found the Hope Diamond. He was so excited to show me his baseball and he wouldn’t let it out of his sight. When the game was over there was an autograph booth for the Renegades and I went behind it and signed my sons raggedy ball and he was elated. He slept with the ball that night and every morning since has asked where it is as soon as he wakes up. It so freaking adorable and just adds to the tale.
   

   Thank You! Aiden, for you have made me a better human being and have showed me how to love unconditionally with a childish heart and I only hope that as your father I can show you the love and joy that you have shown me and the memories that when you think of them will be as vivid as if they happen yesterday.