BIRD'S INJURY IS WONDERBOY'S GAIN

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

I have always been a fan of Tyler Austin.  And as much as I like and appreciate Greg Bird, I'd be lying if I said I was patient with all the injury stuff Bird is going through.  I'm not. I hate it.  But let's be honest here... with Bird hurt, a kid like Tyler Austin has a big opportunity here. I wish ill on no one, but this is a human trait about survival and teammates or not... sometimes you just need to pounce when an opportunity is out there.

Photo: New York Times

I read this tweet yesterday.  I liked it.  Read it and more from me after the jump..

Tyler Austin has been told by Boone he’s made the club. Austin: “Hopefully it doesn’t take Bird too long to get back up here because he’s a big part of this team.”

— Pete Caldera (@pcaldera) March 26, 2018

Thanks to Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record for that.

Here's my take.  Tyler Austin was just offered a shot.  Being the professional teammate that he is... it is right to say that kind of stuff. No doubt they are teammates, friends and all that is fine and swell.  But Wally Pipp and Lou Gehrig were too. 

Photo: NJ.com

Yup the example is extreme, but my point is simply this;  This is huge for Wonderboy and he needs to grind and get and KEEP that spot.  No hard feelings... that's the way it goes and hopefully for him, he gets it, learning what he can from a veteran like Walker, but keeping his nose to the grindstone and going for it.

NJ.com has this:

"Greg Bird's latest dose of really bad luck - he'll undergo right ankle surgery on Tuesday and be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks - is a lucky break for Austin, who will be back on the roster as a platoon first baseman with Neil Walker after being optioned to Triple-A last week. 'It's not the way that you want to do it, but I'm definitely excited for the opportunity and to get a chance to play,' Austin said. 'Just being on this team is special, so I'm excited.'"

Sometimes teams win games on a bases loaded hit by pitch.  Sometimes a passed ball allows the lead run to score and a team wins.  And sometimes players get hurt only for others to get a shot and shine in that moment. Sure it's not the way to do it... but you do it and you grind hard and get your spot.

I'm rooting hard for Wonderboy.  It's time.

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

By the way...if you don't know why I call Tyler 'Wonderboy', it's nothing new.  I've always given him that nickname when Bleeding Yankee Blue interviewed him in 2013.  He and his mom Kim were great to sit and chat with us.  You can read that here:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TYLER AUSTIN... WONDERBOY

Good Luck Tyler. Get well soon, Greg. Go Yanks!