TORONTO, CANADA – It seems like yesterday when I watched Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette dominate high school pitching to a point where the opposing manager would order his pitcher to intentionally walk him, even though Bo would lead off the last inning and his Lakewood Spartans team would be up by eight runs. To the dismay of the booing spectators and the disappointment of the five scouts who were in attendance, I can still hear my homie Ray Negron’s voice screaming the words, “you should be in jail for doing that!” Ray’s taunt was directed towards the head coach who denied his pitcher a chance to get Bo out. By giving Bo a free pass, that pitcher can never tell his grandkids about the once upon a time I got Bo out.
There was another time where Bo’s team was playing at Northeast High School and he was swinging by the on deck circle as Hall of Famer Fred McGriff was passing by. I shouted over to McGriff, “Crime Dog! Crime Dog! Watch this next batters at bat, and make sure you don’t blink.” Bo stepped into the box and swung at a 0 ball, 2 strike pitch. The ball landed over a trash container about 350 feet from home plate. “The Crime Dog” was stunned.
I also remember going to a Gulf Coast League game to watch Ray’s son Ricky play. At the end of the dugout, I noticed a short, fat kid in a Blue Jays uniform. I thought to myself, “You gotta be kidding me.” The kid was around 5 foot 6 inches, weighing close to 240 lbs. I blurted out to Ricky, “who the hell found that guy?” Ricky laughed and said, “That guy hits bombs, we call him Captain Kirk.”
Watching this 2025 World Series, the names you hear over and over are, Springer, Vladdy, Ohtani and Freeman. The broadcasters and fans can’t get enough of them. For me, Bo and Alejandro Kirk is who I root for. Watching both of them take healthy cuts against the 700 million dollar pitcher from Japan simply blows my mind.
Knowing Bichette’s and Kirk’s work ethic, and how they walked the straight path to get where they are today puts a smile on my face. Yes, I am one of those frustrated ballplayers that never saw a pro at bat, but shaggings balls off of a young Bo’s swings, and taking his throws at first base from his shortstop position makes me feel a part of his journey to “The Show.” Let’s Go Jays!
