Matt Pender proving there is life after baseball! (Photo lifted without permission from broadwayworld.com)
The Portland Sea Dogs have their home opener tomorrow night against the Trenton Thunder. Today? They’re in New Britain playing the Rock Cats…at 10:35 this morning. I absolutely adore the idea of morning baseball. There’s something a bit self-indulgent about taking a morning off in the middle of the week just to watch a baseball game. Living on the East Coast this doesn’t happen an awful lot for me. I won’t be able to watch the game in person but I think I’ll be giving a listen this morning. The SeaDogs have an exciting roster this season (Casey Kelly had his first start of the season yesterday – yay pitchers!) and should be a lot of fun to follow.
Back in Boston we also get afternoon baseball again. 1:10pm ET start time for the second Sox/Twins game today. If you don’t have NESN or the Extra Innings package but get the MLB Network, you’re in luck. Tomorrow’s game is at 1:10pm ET as well. It seems a little crazy to me that this coming Monday is already Patriots’ Day. Given my appreciation of morning baseball, yes, I’ll definitely be there! But for now, we have to deal with John Lackey pitching against Kevin Slowey at Target Field. So far, Lackey is on the path to quickly becoming a fan favorite. Let’s hope he keeps it up today!
Last night I had a dream that Bronson Arroyo hired me to be his personal assistant and when he found out, Kyle Snyder, in a fit of jealousy (hey it was a dream!) burned down Great American Ballpark. That will teach me to not stay up late alternating between watching baseball and “Backdraft”.
Yesterday, Blue Jay Ricky Romero was 6 outs away from a no-hitter when he gave up a home run to former Jay Alex Rios. What I found fascinating is the Blue Jays fans and their booing of Rios every time he came up to bat (prior to the home run) since the White Sox have been in Toronto for this season.  The Jays put Rios on waivers last year (which is when the White Sox picked him up)…he didn’t sign there as a free agent. Why all the hate (Jays fans, please feel free to enlighten me – I’m looking at you, Steve!)? I recall that they treat Eric Hinske the same way and when I asked about it one told me it was because after his Rookie of the Year season and the big contract the Jays gave him, Hinske never performed up to expectations. Tough crowd in Toronto.
And, finally, my favorite article today (thus far), courtesy of ESPN.com is about former MLB pitcher Matthew Pender. (Here is a photo of Matt in a promotional shot for the Off-Broadway production he’s in. 2 things. 1 – It’s a little NSFW even though you don’t see anything and 2. You’re welcome, ladies…and some men too!). After a shoulder-injury ended his career, the, now 28 year-old was convinced by his sister to pursue acting as a career and is starring in “When Joey Married Bobby” at the Times Square Arts Center’s Roy Arias Theatre.
I’ve had many discussions about the question of what do players who never make it long-term in baseball do with their lives. Some have college educations, degrees and talents that will suit them well. Others get thrust into sports at such a young age that it’s really all they know. I’ve often wondered what the average player who has to leave baseball for whatever reasons ends up doing with his life – so reading this story and seeing how Matt has just picked up and moved on to something he finds equally satisfying is refreshing and a bit inspiring. Baseball doesn’t have to be the end-all for you – especially if you can focus on picking yourself up and devote your time to something else. Good luck to Matt. The show he’s in sounds like it’ll be fun (and he’s already getting good reviews!).
More daytime baseball today than we can shake a stick at! Hope you all get to enjoy some of it!
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