I say peer because Jorge Posada and I are the same age, literally within days of each other. While he became a big time New York Yankee and World Champion, I chose a different career path and pushed myself that way, much like a lot of you have in you own life. I have always admired Jorge's will and desire to be the best, even when others didn't think he "had it." In the end, he's the one smiling on top of the mountain because all along, he knew he could.
I wrote in TY HENSLEY'S THROWING. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? that "When you hit a wall in life, there are 2 paths. Quit or push to the next level... I have 4 sons. All are different. All fight for what they believe in in their small world, but the message is still the same… "If you want it, you go get it." It’s hard, and it’s hard to teach, but seeing my sons do things that I would never of had the balls to do at their age literally brings a tear to my eye. Hey, call me a big sap. I’m in my 40s now, I'm a parent, the hardest job in the world, and guess what, I'm also proud. I’m literally molding these kids to be productive in their lives and not some kid with no direction."
Passion comes from good parenting. Heart and desire, believe it or not, is passed on from parent to child and so on and so forth, be it in baseball, or in life. Let's just say I deeply admire the Posada family, the Hensley family, for the values they possess. Every day of my life, between the yelling and the hugging, my wife and I also try to teach our children to push themselves. Even when people tell them they can't, we say "do something great to let them know you can." Again... a life lesson, a baseball lesson...
It's not like I can call up Jorge right now and wish the guy a Happy Birthday... I don't have that kind of access. I can send a note through Bleeding Yankee Blue though... so here it goes...
Jorge, Happy Birthday. We appreciate all you've done, because, while you may not realize it, while your passion on the baseball field was great, it's translated to how people tackle their every day lives. It's a positive message of hope and heart and desire, and it's a great message to any kid, young or old who thinks they "Can't." They can look at you and they know they "Can." Thank you for that.
Happy birthday Jorge... Grind it!
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