HEARTBREAK & DRIVE OF LOSING A LOVED ONE

Everyone's different when it comes to drive, determination and ambition, but when a family member passes, be it unexpected or after a long battle, everything pours back about that individual in a way that is pretty emotional.  I bring this up because I truly feel for Edinson Volquez this morning. Volquez started for the Royals last night in Game 1 of the World Series.  He stood on the mound and pitched his guts out because that's probably what he was taught by his father growing up.  Fathers and mothers are so valuable in a child's drive and upbringing.  Making them believe, showing them tools to achieve greatness, and last night Volquez did it the way he learned it from his mentors and from his father.... no question.

What happened next was pure sadness.  Volquez received the news after his outing that his father died.  He didn't know it before, but he did his father and family proud after he came out of the game.  As reported in Hardball Talk, "...the father of Royals starter Edinson Volquez died shortly before game time... He was told by family members after he left the game in the sixth inning..."

Andy McCullough Tweeted:

The Volquez family asked the Royals not to tell Edinson about his father's death before the game. Volquez learned only after he pitched.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) October 28, 2015

Now the idea obviously was that the Volquez family wanted Edinson to go out there and do his best, no distractions.  But I cannot imagine what happened when it was revealed that his father had died.  It's a buzz killer to the great proportions. Here's the one thing I know though; and this will become clear when the season is over.  Volquez made his father proud, and while numbers and stats mean nothing right now for this young man, what does matter is that this pitcher left it all out there just the way his father would have wanted.

I equate this to BYB Senior Writer Suzie Pinstripe who revealed something very personal to all of you in her interview with us (Read MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH SUZIE PINSTRIPE): 

BYB: I love your drive and work ethic Suzie. Where did you learn to be so ambitious?

Suzie Pinstripe: I learned to be ambitious from my Dad...He taught me to work hard and seek your own successes. Success is open to everyone but you have to go and get it...My dad was a member of the Achilles International Track Club.  Achilles International is an organization that gives people with special needs, illnesses and those physically disabled the ability to compete in national and international races across the globe.  My dad was suffering from a number of diseases and he was an Achilles athlete.  After he completed his fourth New York City Marathon, he had a heart attack and died.  

It killed me.  It broke my spirit and I lost my way...Soon after, I met a person who changed my life.  She gave me my legs and told me I could run.  I believed her, she coached me and I began running in memory of father and for my own life.  I run to live and I live to run.

Think about that for a second. Loved ones will bring you determination ,drive and the tools you need to push yourself to the next level.  When that loved one leaves you... yes, you are crushed, destroyed... but after you step back and see the big picture, it will always be revealed just how important that person was in your mission at hand.  They walked you through it, when it was the hardest... pushed you... and just when you wanted to give up... they didn't let you. That stays with you... always.

Volquez will grow from this loss, as crazy as it seems. There will be a day where he'll stop feeling sorry and carry on the way his father taught him. It's that toughness and competitiveness that was taught.  Perhaps he finds drive in another loved one like Suzie Pinstripe. Someone to help keep him motivated.  He's a good kid with a ton of heart and courage.  After the dark days ahead, he'll emerge with that competitive nature again. I know it.

I don't know. I just felt it necessary to express that opinion today.  I felt terrible for Volquez last night.  I think I felt worse hearing the commentators and news reports from ESPN that are STILL not corrected suggesting that Volquez knew about his father's death before the game.  It's speculation. I found it all too personal to talk about. It's nobodies business.

If you're gonna take anything from this BYB article today, it's this;  Believe in yourself and remember who helped you get there.  And if you lose that loved one, always keep them in your heart.  Most likely they're the one who helped you achieve your goal.  Now go out there and make them proud and live through them.

Volquez made his father proud last night, but no question, his father knew that Volquez would be a success in the Major Leagues all along.  That's family ladies and gentlemen... write that down.

Now that I'm managed to give you, and myself a good cry, go out and do something amazing.

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AM I MISSING SOMETHING WITH THE MELKY STORY?

Have certain sports writers just lost their minds? Melky Cabrera was the story of the year until he got caught with unusually high levels of testosterone in his system, something you’re not allowed to do in Major League baseball.  He was suspended for 50 games like the rule book says.  Then it becomes a disappointing story, a fall from grace.  Then, within 24 hours, stories start popping up about how his big Free Agent payday is now in jeopardy and writers have the audacity to start to list teams that could use him at a “discount”. I refuse to even link to them, I find that approach to journalism about just selling papers and not touching on the heart of the matter. Melky cheated, this isn’t about his payday. 
 Hold on while I get on the bus… I didn’t realize I was lost in Bizarro World.  Are we that shallow that we are actually placing Cabrera on teams that could use him at a cheaper price now that he blew it for himself? I thought the story was he cheated, the actual news. The stuff about his Free agency being in jeopardy...that's to sell papers.

Sure, Melky admitted it and we moved on, but we don’t move THIS fast. Let's actually look into this. Melky could have won the batting title. Melky already won the MVP for the All-Star game. Finally, baseball has a player red handed, it's all over the news and the writers have already moved on? Why?  

Look, I wrote a thoughtful piece Thursday with a smart suggestion... read MELKY CABRERA: WHEN SUNSHINE TURNS TO DARKNESS, something that should have been picked up by the mainstream press. Of course, they didn’t think of it, so it was ignored.  I sent it to Mike and Mike, to the Dan Patrick show, to plenty of writers, so did our readers... thank you. Now sure... they all have the right to ignore and choose what they're rather print, but the message was clear…it’s not about Melky’s free agent market, it never was…it’s about the fact that a 50 game suspension just ain’t working in Major League Baseball.  Don’t believe me? Ask Melky and he’ll tell you, because he knew what he did was wrong and he didn't care. Then, finally, when he did get caught he figured “I’ll act like I’m taking the high road. I’ll admit to it. That will get me back in the good graces of the fans and I'll be back, no biggie.”  Not me.  I don’t just want 50 games, I want humiliation for these players... just for a bit, a harsher punishment.

My vendetta is personal.  My son’s affected by this. Millions of our kids are too.  I don’t want just a 50 game suspension, I want these cheaters who do this to talk to my son and others who worship these athletes.  I want a Public Service Announcement cut and posted on MLB.com and aired on TV and radio explaining that cheating is wrong and to address the bigger problem.  Sure MLB and the Players association are trying to clean up the sport, but I believe that if this PSA idea is presented to the Player's Association and they were to turn in down in an attempt to protect these players, they are as spineless as the players who cheat.  A PSA is simple, it’s an awareness piece. 20-30 seconds of the player who was caught cheating standing in front of the camera, talking to the world saying (and I’ll use 3 players here as an example):

(suspended in 2012)
“My name is Melky Cabrera, I was an All-Star outfielder with the San Francisco Giants this season, but I tested positive for drugs and cheated.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.” 

 Or, here's another one:

(suspended in 2010) (If it was 2010 when the PSA rule was enforced)
“My name is Edinson Volquez. I tested positive for drugs and cheating.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Please don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.”

(suspended in 2009 and 2011) (If it was 2011 if my PSA idea was enforced)
My name is Manny Ramirez. I tested positive for drugs and cheating not only in 2011, but in 2009 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Please don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.”
  

Do this and it accomplishes 2 things; it says to my kid and the millions out there, “Oh, he’s a cheater. I don’t want to do that.” And it also teaches the the athlete a lesson, “I was a role model and I lost my way. I better get back to being that role model.” It also makes MLB looks like champs because this will in turn lower the amount of PED use in baseball. Players seem to forget that it doesn't matter if they strive to be a role model or not, they are role models, they have a duty to be and kids look up to them.

Look, I just find it disappointing. Writers can ultimately do what they want, but sit and think about this Cabrera story a moment, don't try and move the story so rapidly that we forget the bigger issue here...that's all I'm saying. It's mind boggling to me. Give this story a chance to breathe. Let's think about solutions.  Sure, I know it's not your job, but still, use your head.

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LAST MINUTE TRADE OPTION FOR THE YANKEES

The Trade Deadline clock is about to strike midnight, folks. There are only several hours to go until the non-waiver trade deadline ends and the Yanks have some holes to fill. Teams are scurrying to their phones, calling up various GMs to see what’s available. In fact, there may be trades going down right now, so let’s quit wasting time and get to the scoop…

Carlos Ruiz: OK, this one’s a little more far fetched, but hear me out. The Phillies seem to be in sell mode, and the Yankees could definitely use a catcher. Ruiz has been incredible this season for the Phils, as he’s hitting .342/.407/.569 on the year. The Yanks would likely have to give up a top prospect or two (Think Mason Williams or Manny Banuelos) to acquire the services of Ruiz, though it’s definitely worth it. Ruiz would be the primary catcher in place of Russell Martin, and that would be pretty nice. This trade likely won’t happen, but we’ve seen stranger things before, right?

Ty Wigginton: The Phillies are clearly in sell mode. Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, and Juan Pierre have all been linked in the rumor winds over the past several days, and you can add Wigginton to that list. The Yankees could sure as hell use a third baseman with ARod out for the foreseeable future. Wigginton isn’t that great (hitting .230/.300/.366 on the season), but he’s versatile and the Yanks could get him for table scraps. He would likely replace Jayson Nix, though that would be basically a lateral move as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know, I may be splitting hairs, but I have a feeling Wigginton would work out in the Bronx.

Edinson Volquez: Though most believe the Yankees need a starting pitcher due to Andy Pettitte’s recent setback, I’m on the other side of that fence. For now, I think the Yankees’ rotation is fine, though if there’s an upgrade out there the Yanks should at least look into the situation. Edinson Volquez is quietly resurrecting his career out in San Diego, posting a 3.30 ERA and strong home run (0.6 HR/9) and strikeout (8.2 K/9) rates, though he leads the National League in walks allowed (73), which is definitely a cause for concern.

  


--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse

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