Monday, April 7, 2014

The Rodney Dangerfield of the Bullpen

Good morning...the start of a new week and I have nothing new to report. The big salty kid texted me multiple times after the game that they lost and he never entered with the usual diatribe of "walking...no respect...outta here..." OK, I get it.



If he is not going to meet with the coaches then he can leave. But this is the opposite of who he is. This is diametrically opposed to the way that he conducts himself. When he makes these statements, I know that he is frustrated and needs to vent. I get it. But unless he has a final conversation with the coach about his playing status on the team, then he is operating blindly as he makes plans. He is...the Rodney Dangerfield of the bullpen...no respect.


To leave the team without a conversation would be foolish. And angry as he is....he ain't a fool....'cause his momma did not raise a fool. Nope. He may be afraid of confrontation but he is not stupid. In his heart, he wants to stay and play....but he is not getting the opportunity because he and the coaches do not see eye to eye. Therefore, to stay and play, he must grovel a bit and work his way into the line up, sadly with his personality rather than his talent.



As he is frustrated, so am I. I hate getting these texts. I have no power to help. All I can do is read them, respond as a parent, and sympathize. My hands are tied as they should be. This is his fight. He must engage and communicate.

What would I like to do? Hmmmm.....great question.....

Well, I would LOVE to drive to a game and watch him throw. He lights up the mound. He is a dynamic player with talent. I would LOVE to see a smile of satisfaction on his face rather than a grimace of despair. All he wants to do it play....just like when he was a kid....it would rain....no baseball and he would scream "Why God, why does it have to rain today!?" Yep, that's my boy who would play in a lightening storm, the snow, and frosty weather. he did not care. He just wants the ball in his hand. I remember the days in the back yard when he just learned to walk. He took the plastic bat, Fisher Price tee, and ball, swung, hit the ball across the yard. It was amazing and I knew that the kid found his passion during his first year of life.

Now that passion is being slowly taken away from him. Is it the coach? I honestly am not sure, but I have to think that he does not deserve to sit on the bench and not enter games because the coach does not like him. At least the former coach admired his fire as he work hard to return after surgery.


Perhaps all of this ultimately will make him a better player....Perhaps it is life saying 'you had your time on the mound, now you must seek other means to make a living and contribute to society.'
I don't know. This is a pivotal time in the guy's life, so let's see what happens. All I know is that this is the fight of his life. I feel that he is prepared. So, I wish him luck and say a prayer that whatever the outcome is, he is at peace.



Later!

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