Many years ago I coached Little League baseball.  After one of the drafts I was approached by another manager and asked if I was open for a trade.  It was my first year in the Majors Division and other than the try outs, I didn’t know a lot of the kids.  So I asked him who he wanted and why?  He explained that he wanted the only female I had drafted and said it was because he had coached her brother and knew the family.  What the heck, she was my last pick and we made the trade. 

I arrived early for our first practice and was able to watch each player arrive.  One of the boys, Michael, stood out from the others.  He limped or more accurately, he wobbled out onto the field.  I asked Mike if he was injured and motioned towards his legs.  “Nope” he said with a smile, “my right leg is 1 1/2 inches shorter than my left.”  Checking my roster I realized Mike was the player I got in the trade. 

Due to his handicap, Mike was a minimal player; six defensive outs and one at bat per game.  He was good with it as this was the way it had always been for Michael.  One practice, just before the start of the season, I arrived a little late.  As I approached the diamond I saw a kid on the pitchers mound throwing some pretty good heat.  I could hear the ball snapping into the catchers glove.  I had already selected three players to pitch and had been working with them and this was not one of them.  It was Michael. 

Mike’s right leg was the short one and he was right handed.  This meant he could push off on this leg and land on his left without falling over.  Had the left been the shorter he would have fallen over during his release.  I asked him if he would like to work with the pitchers and I’ve never seen a kid more excited.  It took some work and some time but Michael became a pretty good pitcher.  Good enough to throw for about two innings per game.  Good enough to start in one game, the game where we faced the manager who traded Michael to me.  

I saved Mike for that game not allowing him to pitch in any games prior.  He was our secret weapon and I wanted his debut to come in this particular game.  You should have seen the looks around the ballpark that day, especially on the face of the other manager.  Mike struck out three through two innings and allowed one hit if I remember but no score.  He even got a hit in the bottom of the second and managed to arrive safe at first. 

I’ve thought of Michael from time to time through the years and the lesson he taught me.  Like everyone before me, I saw only the handicap at first.  I thought only of how to deal with it to minimize its impact to the team.  I figured how to work around it, not with it.  Mike was a diamond in the rough that I almost missed out on.  I have tried since to never look at a player in that way.  I try very hard to find that part of each player and each coach that can be shined to a brilliance.  I know what I did for Michael and his family in putting him on the mound but I wonder if he knows what he did for me. 

Do you have a diamond in the rough on your team?  Is there a player or a teammate you’ve given up on?  Is there not one thing that he can contribute that is of value?  

LinemenInc registrations are due no later than June 1st.  That is just six weeks away!  The Long Beach camp is only nine weeks away and Stockton just ten!  It’s almost here, guys.