Saturday, April 11, 2009

Baseball is Back!!!!!

While baseball is welcome sign from the long, icy, and cold winter, the tragedy that happened this week is not. Just hours after pitching a scoreless six innings, Los Angeles Angel pitcher Nick Adenhart's life was taken away by a drunk driver.

A story that really touched me is the thought of his little league through high school battery mate, David Warrenfeltz told here by Mark Kriegel. It is a story told a thousand times across America. Of all the kids playing baseball when they are 12, ONE has all the tools to make it to the top. They are admired by teammates, but hated but the competition. In the end when there the last guy who has a chance to make it, they are cheered. Warrenfeltz, Adenhart's long time catcher, said that he probably would have played in college if it wasn't for the scout's looking at Nick. Warrenfeltz's career was winding down at Maryland, Baltimore-County as Adenhart was beginning to reach for the sky.

I was fortunate enough to see a contemporary of mine make it to the majors in Frank Bolick. I even had greater fortune in talking to him before a game at the old Vet in Philadelphia. I also got to see locals in Mike Mussina, Chris Nabholz and Steve Kline make it to the top and represent the area as fierce competitors.

Now I cheer for Dave Shinskie and Bobby Felmy to make to the top. Both are now in the AA Eastern League. Shinskie and Felmy who played on a all-star team together will go against each other on Tuesday when their teams meet.

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