Baseball fans all over America look forward to Opening Week with jubilee as the "Boys of Summer" are back in action and the signal is sent that summer awaits! For us fantasy managers, the start of the season means looking forward to righting the ship from the previous season (unless one is the Champ of course) and humbling all the other so-called experts in the league. For me, I even look forward to gorging on all the MLB action I can consume in a week by watching games live on Direct TV. For those that may not know, MLB's package with Direct TV is free for one week at the start of the season! Talk about heavenly bliss for a MLB fanatic like myself! But, because I am so fanatical, I only limit myself to the one very special week, or else I may look like Casper the Ghost all summer by not getting out of the house much. Know what I mean! I must prioritize and actually live some kind of life. StatTracker is addicting enough, let alone watching baseball live on tv.But, do you all know something? There is no heaven on earth. Yes, we have Hardball Heaven, but that doesn't count. I was reminded of this just today, April 9, when I heard the announcement of Nick Adenhart, a young 22 year old pitcher for the Angels who died in a car crash coming home from the game he had pitched in just a few hours before the crash. I had been watching parts of that game and saw this young guy pitch six scoreless innings against the A's. It was only his 4th major league start to boot. Never would I have thought this promising starter in the major leagues would be taken with two other friends via a hit and run that same night. I was saddened by the news when I heard it. Sometimes you don't even have to know the other person. Your heart is just jolted by certain events.
So, when I saw that the game between the Angels & A's today was postponed, it meant nothing to me in terms of fantasy. Yes, I needed Hendrick and Abreu's AB's today as I am battling right behind Ageless in offense and need a few hits, runs, RBI's to get a lead on him. But, I was once again reminded that fantasy baseball is just that; IT IS STRICTLY FANTASY! Sometimes it is easy to think that professional athletes are immune to life's problems and realities because of all the fame and fortune. But, I was reminded that life is fleeting. No game is too important. No relationship too small. No unkind words should be spoken. No greed should be consuming.
Not one of us is guaranteed tomorrow. The Lord really put this on my heart today as I have been consumed lately with work, baseball, and not giving my wife the priority she deserves. I am not really sure why a Nick Adenhart was taken from earth so soon, but I learned another valuable lesson today due to this tragic event. I think we can all do the same to some degree or another. Hardball Heaven is the greatest league and I love it, but it pales in comparison to how everyone should be living their lives and keeping truths in perspective.
BASEMAN
Excellent article Baseman and very well put.
ReplyDeleteWe hear of people dieing almost everyday and become pretty callous to it but this one struck me. One moment he was probably on an emotional high from having pitched pretty successfully and then suddenly "poof" it was over.
It reminds us that everyday is potentially our last. Of course we can not dwell on that but, as you pointed out, we must always be prepared for that eventuality. Maybe if nothing else this event can remind us and many others of the frailty of life and the need to, as you put it, keep our perspectives in order.
The good news it wasn't my son or daughter, the bad news is that it was somebody's. May God be with the family.