We're Talkin' Baseball

My best guy friend was a coach when I lived in Seattle. I was literally WARNED about him the day before I started working for the Indians, I mean No Mascot, I mean Wildcats...yes we had three mascots in the three years I was there…However, he was the first person to open his arms and help me become an athletic trainer. College taught me the training room; Freddy taught me how to talk to coaches and how to manage a sideline.

As a coaching staff we ate pizza and drank pitchers of “sodas” after every game. I delivered my injury report over pitchers! What kid out of college wouldn't LOVE that job?!

We still manage to talk to each other about once a week/month. We don’t talk nearly as much lately since he has two beautiful children he actually spends time with. I only wish I could see them more!!! Occasionally when the kids are asleep or he's driving home we hit on something amazing...

Tuesday night was one of those nights:

We played "Name the Former Mariner".

Back before the kids he played it as a drinking game with his buddies. We played it just for nostalgia's sake over text. Too bad we didn’t have a chance to do it during Snowapalooza…

He has that God-given boy brain that remembers statistics and names of professional athletes.

I cheated…

I have a team picture of the 2000 Mariners framed on my wall. The only men on the photo that aren’t former Mariners are the athletic trainers!

He had names I never would have thought about; Jim Beattie, Gorman Thomas, Billy Swift…I was able to pull out some names he didn't think of (even without the team photo). John Olerud, Freddy Garcia, Jay Buhner…It was a great trip down memory lane.

I've eaten Mike's chili with "The Sherriff" Norm Charlton. He actually advised me NOT to move to Waco. I appreciate that advice very much now.

I've watched Jamie Moyer go through a shoulder rehab in the training room; Edgar Martinez was working out that day as well.

John Olerud signed baseball gloves for me and Freight Train when he was still in college about to move on to the Majors.

The 2001 Seattle Mariners will always be "My Team". 116 wins and I had seats for eight home games that year; not to mention the other games I didn’t pay for. As a bonus I was able to take mi Padre, Mighty, to a post season game watching the Yankees! I have the ticket stubs framed above the team photo. I won Best Daughter of the Year in 2001.

I loved the people, professional athletes and personal friends in Seattle. Don’t get me started on the students I had!

Inspiration Song…”We’re Talkin’ Baseball” by Terry Cashman