Local baseball teammate makes it to Wrigley Aug23 '08

Photo of the Reds Adam Rosales

I've been dreaming the last few days... pretending former Park Ridge little league teammate (and Maine South High School alum) Adam Rosales was me. The Cincinnati Reds called up Adam to play against his hometown Cubs this past week, and he got an at-bat against Carlos Zambrano himself in Wednesday's 2-1 Cubs loss.

As young lads growing up on the diamond, my brother and I played many years with Adam, and his brother Will, in Park Ridge little league baseball. Adam was a great pitcher at that age, but it seems he's worked on his batting skills since then because his scouting report looks pretty solid so far.

I hadn't known he was even playing baseball still, but you don't usually find out until something like this past Wednesday happens. Finding out that 1) Adam was still actively pursuing a baseball career, and 2) he was just called up against the Cubs at Wrigley, all came as a great, delightful shock to me.

A hometown boy, playing in the big leagues, at baseball's "Mecca" (as Jeff Samardjiza calls it), all hit me at once. I really couldn't believe it. I can't imagine what he must have felt that day as he arrived at the stadium he spent so much time as a kid.

The major leagues. Just a kid from Park Ridge, where I'm sitting right now typing this.

I've always had this larger-than-life image of professional sports. It takes on a whole new meaning when someone you know, or used to know, becomes a part of that.

My whole life I've watched phenoms and legends play the games. Guys I never knew personally, but knew quite well from seeing them so much on TV and in the newspapers.

In one way, it says a lot about a person you know getting to that step. Perhaps they could be just as "majestic" as the other guys.

In another way, it becomes somewhat less majestic because having known one of the players, and competed with him at some age, it makes the entire league feel watered down or "aged." After all, I'm old enough now that most professional athletes are younger than me.

In any event, I'm extremely excited for Adam, and he looks great in that big league uniform! I'll be keeping a close eye on his major and minor league stats. I'm hoping he gets up to the big leagues for good.

Although, then I may have to become a Cincinnati Reds fan, and that would be no good!

Categories: News , Sports

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matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.

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