Batting against a variety of speeds, movements and motions
Anticipating high fastballs like cannon shots, sweeping curves
as graceful as vultures gliding down, and
knucklers dancing like butterflies
Stealing bases with the majesty and swiftness of a bald eagle diving for
its prey
Eager to do what it takes to get an edge (and hoping not to get caught)
Breaking at the sound of bat to ball to run down a long fly or sharp line drive
Apprehensive as a rookie or older veteran that your performance
may be lacking what management is looking for
Looking at the future in a way that only fellow athletes can comprehend,
questioning whether the calendar is friend or foe
Longing to fit, at last, into the plans of the ball club, a club many want
to join but few are invited to remain with
Counting on your body to hold up, to not betray you, to beat the odds
Always endeavoring to become better, to study films and learn from
failure, to hear the coaches, to practice and fool all those critics
Realizing that even the best have an expiration date, and that fame is
elusive and that mediocrity is the true norm
Enjoying days and years which form the foundation for that special time
which, in old and even middle age, become the realm of smiling
remembrances
Ever grateful for the opportunity to do what peers to seldom do, get
paid for playing a child’s game and being adored by myriads of fans
Rising to heights unavailable to ordinary men, if even for a moment,
if even to fall back to Earth again, but knowing that you once
were worshiped because you had the gift to live a pro baseball career!