Posted on 09/18/2019 9:04:21 AM PDT by Rummyfan
I’m sure there are many cool baseball stories this season of which I’m unaware. However, I doubt that any of them is as cool as the one I’m about to discuss.
Mike Yastrzemski, grandson of the great Carl Yastrzemski, hit a home run in his first appearance at Fenway Park in Boston, where Carl excelled for 23 seasons. Mike was playing for the visiting San Francisco Giants.
The elder Yastrzemski toured the field with his grandson before the game. He provided tips on how to play balls hit off of left-field wall (the Green Monster). Many say that no one played them better than Carl.
Then, in the fourth inning, Mike hit a home run, not over the Green Monster, but to straightaway center field. It was his 20th home run of the season. The Fenway Park crowd showed its appreciation with robust applause for the opposition player.
Mike Yastrzemski is a 29 year-old rookie. He toiled in the minor leagues for six years prior to this season, which he also started in the minors.
Nothing in those six years suggested to me that Mike Yastrzemski was headed for the majors, much less for a 20 home run season in “the show.” But this season, Mike lit up the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, thus earning a call-up with the Giants.
Even with this year’s Sacramento stats, his career minor league batting average is .263 with an on-base plus slugging percentage of .782. His minor league home run total is a 73 in six-plus years. These are the numbers of a decent minor league outfielder, not a potential big leaguer in his late 20s.
That’s why the Baltimore Orioles, in whose organization Yastrzemski had spent his entire career, released him at the end of last season, during which the O’s were the worst team in baseball. (This year, as things stand now, they are the second worst). Through it all, Carl Yastrzemski was a constant source of encouragement and inspiration to his grandson.
Of his long unusual road to the big leagues, Mike Yastrzemski said:
Through the long path it took me to get here, I started to understand which things are important and which aren’t so I could stay focused on the things that have really grown to matter and the story that needs to unfold here. It’s special for my family and my grandfather as opposed to keeping it on me.
Dreams play a huge role in baseball, both for players and for fans. More often than not, the dreams are dashed. But when, as with Mike Yastrzemski, they become real, players have an extra reason to keep pushing and the rest of us to keep dreaming.
True superstars break through in their early twenties or even late teens. For someone to finally make the majors at 29, well...
I would only add that 20 dingers seems to be about average this season for every day players....
Plus, I didn’t know Yaz was still alive.
Cool story, but not the coolest baseball story of the year. Not even close.
It’s an interesting story. Tell us your cooler story.
Yeah, I kept waiting and waiting for the “cool” part of the story to emerge. Then the article ended.
Reminds me of lots of stinker movies I’ve watched where I keep waiting for it to start, to get going, any time now, it’s GOT to get moving...then the credits roll and I realize I’ll never get those 100 minutes back.
What’s cool is the success of low payroll teams like the A’s and Twins.
But what he did NEXT will leave you SPEECHLESS!
It wasn’t One Weird Trick, was it?
There are many more. One example is Justin Verlander pitching his 3rd no-hitter. Telling you more would require a little digging which I’m not inclined to do right now because I’ll be heading out soon to run some errands.
All good except the crowd didn’t cheer him . Typical Liberal POS town.
Mariano Rivera being inducted in the Hall of Fame (first time anyone inducted with a unanimous vote) and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom is another.
Thanks! I saw some highlights and that was indeed very cool.
I could use a good, upbeat baseball story. I’m in Pittsburgh where our best pitcher just got hauled off in handcuffs over child sex predation charges.
As I recall, Wade Boggs of Red Sox/Yankees/Devil Rays fame was a late bloomer.
Here’s the cool part.
As the ball sailed over the fence it bounced off of the head of a man who had been suffering from amnesia for 10 years. Suddenly, all his memories returned and he recognized his devoted family who had been waiting for just this moment. The hugs and tears were shared by many who had gathered around as all shared in the joy.
“the O’s were the worst team in baseball. (This year, as things stand now, they are the second worst).”
GO TIGERS!!!
HOORAY Mike and Carl Yastrzemski.
Remokaboooohhhh
cool story, Bro. Speaking of Boston... what ever happened to Terrence Mann? Did he die? Or was the cornfield just a portal back to Boston? Should Ray Kinsella be charged with a homicide?
I had Yaz’s 1960 rookie card...Yaz started during Ted Williams’s final season if i am correct. Topps should make a special card for next year, or a series of them...grandpa, and a bunch of rookie sons of former players this year.
I don’t recall a season with so many sons, and a grandson too boot.
Yaz batted .301 his 1967 triple crown year...the only batter to be over .300...they lowered the mound the next year. Gibson was 1.12 ERA that year...sorry, I love baseball and stats...
In 1986 spring break, roommate and I went to Boston...they were painting the seats, and Fenway was empty, less painter...the back gate on Yawkey way was open, so we just walked in...my roommate and I took a billion pics...empty Fenway, Green Monster, etc.
Heard it on KNBR 680 it was a good kid story
The kid Yastrzemski is pretty dang good hitter actually although the Giants are really petered out they can make the playoffs this year
looks like the As are a sure thing. I Really like their chances actually they’re hitting the crap out of the ball
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