NO HARD FEELINGS
Baseball players show no hard feelings playing against favorite teams
By Brian Weiss
Pirates catcher Lucas May partakes in an interview with Ball State students. Photo Credit: Drew Bogs
Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier partakes in an interview with Ball State students. Photo Credit: Dena Dobrzykowski
Rays right-handed pitcher Jim Paduch stretches against the home plate fence. Photo Credit: Dena Dobrzykowski
Pirates catcher Lucas May partakes in an interview with Ball State students. Photo Credit: Drew Bogs
Many young baseball players grow up following Major League Baseball and more specifically a certain team. Their childhood is full of memories of their team’s greatest players, walk off home runs and agonizing defeats. They become loyal to this team, making a vow to never root for anyone else.
That is until they become a professional themselves.
The line between fan and athlete is clear. Once you begin to play for a major league organization all fandom is off. The childhood loyalty quickly changes into company loyalty.
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Lucas May grew up a St. Louis Cardinals fan but said he treats the Cardinals just like any other team.
“You know, you just separate it. This is my 10th season and I’ve never played with the Cardinals so I’ve kind of grown to view them as a rival now. You know, just a different uniform, it’s an opponent, and you’re trying to beat them,” May said.
This severance may sound harsh but it’s a reality. Like the old saying goes: it’s nothing personal, its just business. These players are receiving paychecks to go out on the field and perform to the best of their ability night in and night out, no matter the opponent.
Players might still have some loyalty to their favorite team growing up but when they face them on the field they become the enemy. They must put their feelings aside in order to play at their highest level. Emotional feelings towards a team are distractions players can’t afford to have.
Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier knows what it’s like to play against his favorite team. He grew up a Cubs fan but has since strayed from any emotional attachment.
“I played them [Cubs] a few times but its just another game and you got to prepare the same way,” Kiermaier said.
That mentality seems to be a recurring theme among players.
Rays right-handed pitcher Jim Paduch also grew up a Cubs fan. Paduch said he went to a lot of games as a child and was a true fan of the game. That being said he doesn’t give the Cubs any special favors.
“When you’re between the white lines everything goes away,” Paduch said.
It’s more than just a game to the players; it’s a way of life. Baseball players find it essential to keep distractions to a minimum and cutting emotional ties with their favorite team is a necessary step to doing so.