TRAINING ROOM 8 LEARNING THE ROPES Who’s Your Favorite Player? by Chris Fay o, who’s your favorite player? Noh-mah was an easy choice; he could do it all. He was a fi ve- It’s an important question for young baseball fans. To tool player and caused the fi rst great debate of the 21st century bestow this honor on one player in a cast of more than 700 among baseball fans: Who is better…Nomar, A-Rod or Jeter? I isS a decision not to be taken lightly. Your answer says a lot about don’t recall Nomar’s canonization or year-long farewell tour so it’s you. It refl ects what is important to you, and what you value most safe to say that I was on the wrong side of that argument. in a baseball player during that particular point in your life. The Big Mo was the hometown hero. He grew up a mere mile from my reasoning is often more important than the player himself. home in Norwalk, Connecticut, and played on the same fi elds as Perhaps you have something in common with him as simple as I did. If he could do it, why can’t I? If you are scoring at home, the his uniform number, maybe the same number you wore on the correct answer is talent and ability. mighty Wayland Lugnutz t-ball team when you were six. Maybe Mo replaced the player who sat atop my favorite player list the he secured his place on the top of your list by hitting a home longest: the great Wade Boggs. The lefty-hitting, third base Hall of run at your fi rst game, sending the crowd to its feet. Or maybe Famer is responsible for many of dents in the Green Monster, as it’s something so obscure and so irrational that it leaves friends well as breaking at the time this Little Leaguer’s heart. Boggs… asking, Why!? in pinstripes? It made me question everything. What’s wrong with For instance, my son Joey likes Dustin Pedroia. His brother me that I could have rooted for this man? Could he be tried for Tommy prefers David Ortiz. Those are the two most popular treason? How can number 26 be wearing number 12? An even choices among young New England ballplayers. Their reasons, number but still very odd to this day. however, may come out of right fi eld, so to speak. Prior to Benedict Boggs, my fi rst-ever favorite baseball player “I like Pedroia because he wears eye back,” explains Joey. His was number 20, Howard “HoJo” Johnson. The Mets star could lefty-batting brother counters, “Is Ortiz a lefty? Yeah, I like him!” hit for power, he played third base (just like I did on the Small Fry Wait until they can stay up late enough to watch a night game or Reds), and I even got to see him in person several times at the come across a switch-hitter. Minds blown! abomination that was Shea Stadium. Now having a favorite player does come with an emotional price Fast-forward 26 years and I am excited to announce my new in an era where players and teams swap loyalties. Your favorite most favorite player. He is neither a Red Sox nor a future Hall of player will probably change more often than Tony La Russa went to Famer. He didn’t grow up down the street from me but rather in his bullpen. The return policy at the Miami Marlins’ pro shop should a different country. On the fi eld, he does a couple of things well read, “We do not guarantee the name on the back of this jersey but you won’t fi nd anyone who says he is a fi ve-tool player. He will still be on our roster 10 minutes after this transaction.” Hey, if will play anywhere, anytime and any position. His baseball card players can change teams and teams can trade players, then I can when listing his position could read pitcher, fi rst base, second change who my favorite player is from season to season or inning base, third base, shortstop, left fi eld, center fi eld, right fi eld. What? to inning for that matter. No catcher? If he changes teams or numbers it won’t crush me In 26 years of following baseball, I can recall my favorite player because it’s not about the uniform; it’s about having a uniform. As at any given point. Ask me, however, who my high school math a parent now, and with a different perspective, I hope my children teachers were and that gets a little fuzzy. So here they are, and I’ll and you can learn from this unique individual regardless of your apologize in advance for my Red Sox bias (actually, never mind, dreams. go Sox!). Guilder Rodgriguez has played more than a decade of My all-time starting nine begins with Pedroia, Pedro and Manny. professional baseball and yet is virtually unknown to baseball fans. Like a Brazilian soccer player, you know you are good when only For 13 years he has taken the fi eld for teams like the Round Rock half their name is needed. Express, the Huntsville Stars and the Beloit Snappers in his pursuit Pedroia is the pesky second baseman who gives all sub-six- of getting a shot in The Show. In September, as a member of the footers hope followed by the most dominant (and entertaining) Rangers organization, he fi nally got his chance. pitcher to ever take the mound during a remarkably scary three- After six failed at-bats, he fi nally delivered his fi rst big league hit year stretch. Manny, what can I say? Sure, he was a better hitter (shortly thereafter he got his second). He did it. He made it. If one than a person. He was also responsible for bringing so many player defi ned the 2014 baseball season it was Derek Jeter as cheers and certainly cringe-worthy moments to the Fenway faithful fans and players said goodbye to a baseball legend. But if there each night. Three very different players, and at one time each was was ever a player who defi ned what it means to be a baseball on top of my list of all-time favorites. player and truly love the game, it is Guilder Rodriguez. For every Before these successful Sox players brought championships to Jeter there are thousands and thousands of Guilders. New England, my baseball heroes included the likes of Nomar, Mo Different careers. Both baseball players. Vaughn, Lou Brock and Wade Boggs. OK, how did Brock, a non- Your turn. So, who’s your favorite baseball player? Red Sox retired player, crack the list? I met the Hall of Famer at a Chris Fay is the general manager of Frozen Ropes in Natick, charity event as a child. The speedster was polite, engaging when Massachusetts, and the father of two young boys. You may reach he didn’t have to be, and impressed me enough to inspire me to go him at [email protected]. learn more about the Cardinal great. He essentially taught me that baseball existed before 1988. Page 80 • www.batwars.com • www.baseballthemag.com.