sherry2018love Member

 Joined: Sep 11 2017 Posts: 93
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Post subject: I love baseball Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 8:41 am
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ST. LOUIS The pa sion in Brayan Penas voice is undeniable.As you probably have heard by now Pena, the Cardinals backup catcher, made a surprising announcement Tuesday afternoon on Twitter:Im very proud to announce with the support of my wife & family that i will be joining the ARMY RESERVE this off season " God Ble s America " Brayan Pena (@cuban2727) July 5, 2016Its the right thing to do. Its time David Ortiz Youth Cool Base Scarlet Jersey for me to give something back to this great country, Pena said in the Cardinals clubhouse before Tuesdays game against the Pirates at Busch Stadium. Its not something that I just woke up and did it. Ive been giving some thought and research. Im very excited. Its an honor for me.MORE: Athletes who died fighting for our countryIn a day and age where most of the Boston Red Sox Alternate Jerseys unexpected off-the-fieldnews involving sports personalities is negative, Pena's announcement was a welcome shot in the arm.And the newswasnt just surprising to Penas Twitter followers, either.Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told reporters he found out the same way everyone else did, on Twitter.MORE: Patriotism, politics and sportsIts a very patriotic move, right after July 4, Mozeliak said.Because of his MLB contract, Pena cannot fully enlist in the Reserves right now.Hes going to go through the full boot camp experience during the baseball offseason, and hell spend the rest of the offseason as a sort of amba sador, traveling to different bases, talking with soldiers and helping with baseball clinics. After his baseball career ends hes 34 years old, and hes currently in Year 1of a two-year, $5 million deal he signed with the Cardinals he said he plans to dive more fully into his opportunities as a reserve.MORE: Baseball at Fort Bragg: Marlins, Braves play at baseIts exciting. I know its not a game. I know that. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do, Pena said. And I feel like its the right thing. Ive been thinking about it for a long time, ever since I became an American citizen.Pena defected from Cuba when he was 16 and became a U Mookie Betts Youth Red Jersey .S. citizen in 2008.Last winter, he wrote about his journey in an article for The Players Tribune. Its a great story, the kind of story that makes it all dusty in the room. You really should read it. He clearly loves his new country, too. He has talked about the idea of joining the Army Reserves for a couple years now, and his conversations on the subject with Jay Brucewhen the two were teammates with the Redsreally stood out.SPAEDER: What if Ted Williams never became a Marine?We shared a lot of emotions about this great country, Pena said. I have a pretty good relationship with him. Its something I told him, if one day I have the opportunity to do it, I want to do it. And Jay Bruce, he said, Hey, I support you. Lets just see how everything works out. The pa sion Pena has for this new chapter in Dustin Pedroia Cool Base Player White Jersey his life is even more evident when he talks about the idea of being part of the military.Theyre the true heroes. Not us. Were just playing baseball, he said. "Theyre the true heroes. Not just them, Andrew Benintendi Jersey the firefighters, the policemen, everybody who really has something to do with defending our country and our freedom, theyre the true heroes. Thats the way I see it. Thats the way I feel. Ive been thinking about that for a long time. Im very pa sionate about it, and Im very excited. Baseball is great. I love baseball. Baseball is something that is amazing, but what those guys do for us and especially for me and my family, and this great country did for me, its something where I feel I have to give something back.(Thanks to Alex Ferrario of KMOX Radio for help with this story.)
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