JESUS MONTERO, SPRING TRAINING & MY MOM

I may not get to see my Yankees play in person, but I still love Spring Training out here in Arizona. It's that short part of the year when it it perfect outside, and you don't sweat bullets. The grass is growing in (even though there may be very little of it) and it is a clean slate because last year doesn't matter anymore. As much as I love to go watch a game and talk to the players, for me the best part is sharing all of that with my family.

It's harder to be in the middle of all of the action out here, most of the players I know and love are playing in Florida right now, but last year I got to share a cool moment with my mom. 

My mom and I both really liked Jesus Montero. As a matter of fact, I remember where I was and what I was doing the moment I found out he was traded. I was at my mom's house, and I was on the computer just reading the latest trade rumors. As soon as I read that Montero was traded, I remember yelling across the house and telling her. We were both pretty shocked. In fact, how could you forget Bleeding Yankee Blue's headline that day, BRONX SHOCKER: MONTERO TRADED FOR PINEDA. We talked about it all night and then it was decided....we were going to see Montero one way or another. If it wasn't going to be in pinstripes then we would track him down together out here during Spring Training.

My mom and I have not been to many games together, mostly because I think I scared her in 2010 when we saw the Yankees here in Phoenix. However, this was for Jesus Montero, and he was going to be a short 20 minute drive away from us, so why not?

I have a thing about sitting on the first baseline. Everytime I have sit there good things happen. Maybe it is my superstitious side coming out but it works so I wont try to fix it. The good thing about sitting in this spot was the Mariners were on our same side and we got to see Montero up close and personal several times. We never talked to him, but he did wave to us.

Now that Spring Training is here again, I am still making my plans and looking at the games I want to go to. The difference this year is that I don't have my mom here to go with me.  So this year, when I do go find Jesus Montero she won't be my partner in crime but I know she will be here in spirit. It's weird to think about how much my "traditions" have changed over the past year just like our team has. 

So now, it is time to start a new tradition. Mom, you may not be here to watch a game with me but this year will be another first for us. By the time the summer rolls around, we will be sitting in the bleachers with some of the most vocal fans in the world. We will sit with all of our friends that we have met over the past couple of years....but this time it will be at Yankee stadium. We have had a lot of baseball firsts together, and this time we will go and give our best wishes to Mariano Rivera.

Until that day happens, don't worry I will tell Montero you said "Hi". Let the countdown begin!

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer and Editor

Twitter: @NyPrincessJ



 
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