It was 2001 and I was working at the Rangers, I had some down time, so I went to see the Rangers warm up. Others had gathered around near dugout, I am walking down the stairs slowly, this was April or May and I had knee surgery in the past December.
As I walk down, I hear the Rangers team screaming “LOOK OUT!! LOOK OUT!!!” There is a baseball shot from the hand of a rookie, it was supposed to be caught by the high price big bat, but the rookie had overthrown.
I should note I learned something this day when ballplayers are playing catch, they are not playing catch like you and I play catch, they are trying to warm up their arms, so the throws are hard and fast. I was holding my glove and no way could have gotten it on time.
I had no choice hit the dirt or be hit by the ball, the concrete stairs looked much better than the baseball. I dove, and the ball hit the back of the chair in the stands and sounded like a gun went off. and bounce back on the field. It was my first time to meet Alex Rodriguez, he came over to make sure we were ok. In the distance, was the rookie, with a panic look on his face, I and so was everyone else was ok and no one had been hit by the wayward ball.
I even told “Alex, hey can you wait till I get my glove on?”
He responded “you should have had it on to begin with”
“Well, I thought you were going to catch the ball.” I said
“Bet you won’t make that mistake again.” and with a wink he is gone.
I waved at at Michael Young, to show I was ok and he waved back and went back to throwing accurate warm up tosses.
This is one my favorite stories to tell, usually the title is how Michael Young tried to kill me. It was the day I learned if you are near a baseball always wear a glove.
Congrats Michael Young on being inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
Miss Baseball 