Your Son is in the Majors!

Because my husband is a baseball "junkie", I end up at games in all sorts of different settings. I don't really pay attention to the play, but the people, food, press, scouts, etc. Don't ask me who pitched as it is unlikely that I would know, unless it is Houston Street, my pick as the "New Eck" --- my favorite player. Our most recent outing was to a Giants Rookie League game in Scottsdale. The last two times, I have hung out in the shade, and it has led me to meet some of the moms of the team prospects. I am totally in awe of the effort these parents have made to get their sons to their dreams of MLB. Both of these moms were from Vancouver, B.C. area; both sons were pitchers; both braved temperatures over 100 to watch the games. Ryan McGovern's mom came down for his 21st birthday and to see him play as he rehabbed from shoulder surgery. Morgan Brinson's mom was there to see his first major league pitch today, which was great as she is leaving tomorrow. While here, she prepared her 18-year old son some meals, in her motel room, of course. In her years of helping him work towards his goal, she has developed a specialty of cooking meals in the room, using a mini-fridge, coffeepot and hot plate. Her son requested her signature Chicken Caesar. Last night, with aid of a small barbecue grill that one of the players had, she made steaks with sauteed mushrooms and onions -- at the request of one of the players who was celebrating a birthday and turned down a dinner out for her "home" cooking. I admire the huge sacrifice of time, money and hours of driving these moms, and others, make to allow their athletes' dreams to come true. No wonder the first thing these kids buy with their new contract money is a house or car for the parents who kept them sane, focused and on track.