04/23/24
June 12, 2010
If it was a movie, you wouldn't believe it.:
After a long and winding path to get to the major leagues, Daniel Nava hits a grand-slam.
In his first game.
In his first plate appearance.
On the very first pitch he sees.
Oh, and his SECOND at-bat was ALSO with the bases loaded. Of course, if he hit THAT for a grand-slam as well (as the first pitch of that at-bat was a meatball down the inner half of the plate), then I just assume the world would have ended as nothing crazier could possibly have happened.
posted by grum@work at 11:05 PM on June 12, 2010
as the first pitch of that at-bat was a meatball down the inner half of the plate
I thought the same thing. I hated that he let the first pitch go. I'm guessing he thought Blanton wouldn't thrown him anything in the strike zone to start out with and hope he was too aggressive.
But yes, unbelievable story. I don't believe I've ever seen Francona smile that big.
posted by justgary at 11:38 PM on June 12, 2010
He also apparently has a thing for Erin Andrews, as noted in this story. Good luck to him on that one. (It worked for Tony Romo, apparently.)
posted by TheQatarian at 12:03 AM on June 13, 2010
Oh, and his SECOND at-bat was ALSO with the bases loaded.
Fairly astronomical odds at work there. I too, thought Blanton's first offering on the second AB was crushable.
Phillies look pretty vulnerable lately.
posted by mjkredliner at 12:27 PM on June 14, 2010
Fantastic. What a great story to tell the grandkids.
posted by evixir at 10:23 PM on June 19, 2010
If they did make a movie out of his life story, it would blow "Rudy", "Invincible", and "The Rookie" out of the water in the category of "improbable underdog sports story".