RP Dennis Dove Called up

[MrCrowesGarden]

I don't mean to sound cold, but if it were me the circumstances under which I was called up wouldn't make a difference at all, at least once I was at work. I can certainly see thinking about it in your apartment before you head to the park, but once there I don't think it would phase me.

I don't think I could do that, jim.

I know being a ballplayer is a romanticized notion, and that being called up is the ultimate dream, but these men are humans first and ballplayers second.

I know that when my grandpa died, I had to be pulled out of school because I couldn't focus on my work...and this was a grandpa that I wasn't especially close to and only saw about once a year. I can only imagine what men who spend more time with each other than they do their families feel like right now.

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it, but I know I couldn't. Maybe Dove is a little fortunate in that he's more detached from the situation than anyone else.

[Bizzy15]

Dennis Dove didn't know St. Louis Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock very well, but perhaps no one in the Redbirds' clubhouse was more directly affected by the right-hander's tragic death.

In the wake of the Redbirds' 8-5 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Sunday afternoon at AutoZone Park, Dove learned he'd been called up to St. Louis to fill the void left by Hancock.

It will be the 25-year-old righthander's first trip to the big leagues.

"I hate that it happened this way," said Dove, who is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA in nine appearances for the Redbirds this season. "It's a dream come true, pretty much. To say it wasn't, I'd be lying. It's awesome. ... But it's also a very sad day for all of us."

[Link]

[maddash]

I don't mean to sound cold, but if it were me the circumstances under which I was called up wouldn't make a difference at all, at least once I was at work. I can certainly see thinking about it in your apartment before you head to the park, but once there I don't think it would phase me.

I don't think I could do that, jim.

I know being a ballplayer is a romanticized notion, and that being called up is the ultimate dream, but these men are humans first and ballplayers second.

I know that when my grandpa died, I had to be pulled out of school because I couldn't focus on my work...and this was a grandpa that I wasn't especially close to and only saw about once a year. I can only imagine what men who spend more time with each other than they do their families feel like right now.

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it, but I know I couldn't. Maybe Dove is a little fortunate in that he's more detached from the situation than anyone else.

I think that's what separates us from these Major League players. Most of us couldn't sit in a class and take a test while everyone around us is boo'ing, shouting racial slurs at us, calling our mother every name in the book... the great athletes can block that stuff out - they have to in order to survive in this game. Sure, they're human just like us, but they've trained themselves to block the outside distractions.

Ask any ex-ballplayer, once you step on the field everything else gets put aside, you focus on nothing but the game.

And as others have said - work is a great way to escape. I remember years ago I lost one of my department members to cancer. Everyone in our group morned, but we put our heads down and worked for the majority of the time - it was our way to cope. I don't see how it'll be much different for Dove.

[Radbird]

I'm sure the players will go out of their way to make him feel welcome.

[businessmansspecial]

Oh definitely, of course. He has to feel awful!

[Capt_Morgan]

I really hope he makes the most out of it and does well. I can't even imagine how awkward that must feel for him to walk into the clubhouse today.

i was thinking about that today,wondering whoever got the call
what would be going thru his mind.