Life On The Disabled List

I broke my finger on May Day at a construction site, so I get to start the softball season on the fifteen day disabled list. What joy! ^_^ (Tears everywhere...)

I thought this Sunday was my first game of 2014, but instead it looks as though June, if not the week following the May Long Weekend, will be when I make my triumphant return to the glorious game (I'm Canadian).

Michael Cuddyer, like most Major League ballplayers, is no stranger to injury,
and the DISABLED LIST. Blogger Phil Wood shares his first experience
on the dreaded list, and what that could mean to him personally.

There is something quite romantic and tragic about awaiting the return to the game, and literally crossing the foul line, or entering the batter's box to start a softball game. I'm leaving emotional baggage, stress, physical restrictions, my job, car payments, credit card bills, lack of a long-term and meaningful partner, the demands of my parents, and my identity behind to play a sport, and become a new person - a useful person. Since 2008, I stepped over the foul line, and became a different person each time...

• #7 NITRO
• #10 KNOCKOUT
• #19 JUDAH
• #22 McCUTCHEN
• #66 STEAMPUNK
• #74 MERLIN
• #82 HOLLYWOOD
• #87 MONDAY

As long as I wasn't me, things would be alright. With this injury, however, I can't help but be me. It will be a new sensation to watch your team win, lose, coast, or struggle and not be in the trenches alongside them. I found a note in my kitbag, which I scribbled years ago, during a team practice a couple of weeks before my injury.

1. Goals for the Summer:
1. Improve fielding
2. Improve batting
3. Better communicator
4. Better person
2. Don't take things personal: 
1. Your actions will/won't bring the world crashing down around you.
2. Stay in control.
3. Trust people.
3. JESUS is a cool guy who saved the world and brought it back with the "fundamentals" (Matthew 22:36-40: Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18)

At the bottom of my note, I drew a picture of a dude dressed as one of the Kansas City Royals. He is wearing a catcher's mitt, and he has a giant nose. I'll scoot down to the game Sunday night, and support the team if I can. I'm also on painkillers, so coupled with the injury to my hand I can't drive for a couple of weeks, and that's crazy! >_<

Aroldis Chapman Injury: What Do You Do?

Aroldis Chapman, 2010 (From Wikipedia)

Imagine you have a son, and he has a hobby. It's a good hobby; you know this because he enjoys doing it, and loads of people tell you he is really good at it. Soon enough, some people who represent that hobby approach you and your son about taking part in an annual contest centred around that hobby. You would feel really proud, not because people want your son to participate in this contest, but because your son excelled and did something wonderful with his hobby. ^_^

Such was the case when the father of Cincinnati Reds star closer Aroldis Chapman went to Arizona to watch his son participate in a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals. Baseball is a big deal in their native land of Cuba, so for Chapman to play in the majors is a big deal. However, a seemingly proud moment for father and son was almost taken away by a freak accident.



In the video, the man in the white striped shirt arriving at the scene was Aroldis' father. The comebacker ricocheted off the star reliever's face just above his right eye.


I don't have kids, but my Dad witnessed some of my early sports moments as I grew up in Southern Ontario. I don't know what it's like to be on the outside watching someone you love go through something like that. The baseball world family and its fans is certainly with Aroldis Chapman tonight, and so is his father, too.

Jeter, Yankees, Postseason

For Yankee haters like me, it is unfortunate that you can't separate the three. There are only a few great New York Yankee players I would want on my all-time team: Derek Jeter is at the top of that list.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi (right) and the team doctor aid
Derek Jeter off the field following his left ankle fracture.

So, to see one of the all-time competitors go down to injury is impossible! Jeter fractured his ankle fielding a ground ball during Game 1 of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers yesterday. Team doctors affirmed the fracture is season-ending, as it is the same ankle Jeter had difficulty with all season.

The 6-4 defeat to the Tigers was secondary to the loss of team captain Derek Jeter, whose presence will be missed in the locker room, in the starting lineup, and on the field for the Yankees.

(All images are property of Major League Baseball.)

Yankee Pride Subdued?

I'm not a Yankee booster of any kind, however I went to the Lidz store in my hometown and found this New York Yankees "Turn Back the Clock" special edition baseball cap on the shelf. I collect Major League Baseball caps, so I had to buy one.

Speaking of the New York Yankees, the baseball club found their way on to sports headlines for rather unfortunate reasons on Thursday, as star relief pitcher Mariano Rivera suffered a torn ACL during a team batting practice session before the start of the Yankees' weekend series against the Royals in Kansas City.

As is custom for the Yankees closer and all-time saves leader (608 as of May 5th), Rivera would field fly balls in the outfield during BP, but on one occasion Rivera tripped and fell awkwardly into the outfield fence, and damaged his knee in the process. Cameras for the YES Network, the sports network dedicated to broadcasting Yankees games on weekdays, were rolling when the incident occurred. It could be said the loss had a profound effect on the team as they lost 4-3 that evening; even third baseman and teammate Alex Rodriguez, who watched the entire incident from the sidelines, reacted in horror at the mishap.

There are only a few New York Yankee players I admire: Derek Jeter for one, but among the others is Mariano Rivera. His workman-like and humble attitude is refreshing amidst the big ego and big contracts of professional sports, much less in the bright lights of New York City; whenever he takes the mound at Yankee Stadium, "Enter Sandman" by Metallica would play on the loud speakers LOL As a Blue Jays fan, the sight of Rivera entering the game from the bullpen in the ninth inning is scary o_O


For such a storied career, the future Hall-of-Famer should not end his playing days under such bizarre circumstances. You need both legs to pitch, and the knee affecting the right-hand pitcher is the one that generates the most power, and bears much of the weight. I suffered a similar injury to my knee last year, and praise God the damage was not severe to that extent. However, I must play with knee pads now to keep the knee in place. I do pray and hope "Mo" Rivera will return to baseball soon. Hopefully, he can go back to pitching and wearing those 1912 Yankees hats ^_^