I love that baseball has bat boys. Whatever sport allows a youngster to be so close to the action. Yes, there are water boys and ball boys in other sports but you’re not as consistently close to the action.

I also have great memories of being a bat boy on older brother’s baseball teams when I was a young kid. My brother is three years older and he played on some good teams when we were growing up in Japan. And, there was that one special memory created when the team was one player short at the beginning of the game. So, they let me pinch-hit – and I drew a walk. What a thrill at that time.

And, of course, who can ever forget the classic time that Dusty Baker’s (the manager) young son was a bat boy and headed toward the plate when there was a play at home plate? Fortunately, a Giant, I believe JT Snow, scooped him away and he avoided getting hit and hurt.

Bat boys – what a great tradition. And, another reason that I love baseball.