For one brief shining moment (Adam Greenberg)

It’s been an interesting time for Adam Greenberg and his fans. He got his One At Bat last night against R.A. Dickey and the NY Mets. It was a nice moment as he came to the plate to a standing ovation, folks holding the poster from the campaign that helped get him there.  He took the first pitch from Dickey — a knuckleballer — for a strike then swung at and missed the next two. So now he’s official (although BaseballReference.com, which has become sort of the unofficial on-line Baseball Encyclopedia, included him even without an official at bat) he will tell you it was the thrill of a lifetime and say all the right things, but come on. Why couldn’t the Marlins, who will finish in last place, have signed him for the last day of the season, not the next-to-last day? That way he could have avoided facing Dickey, who, in addition to throwing perhaps the most difficult pitch to hit (opponents batted just .226 against him and his walks + hits per inning was third-best in the National League may well win the NL Cy Young award. How is that fair. If you’re gonna give Greenberg that opportunity he’s been craving since he was hit in the dead in 2005, why not have him face a “normal” pitcher?

There was speculation from the radio guys that Greenberg might play the field. I thought it would be nice for him to trot out there then be replaced on defense so he could run off the field for another ovation, but it was not to be.

Most of the stories and interviews I’ve read, heard, and seen have been quite positive. But there are those who are asking why Greenberg deserves a chance. Aren’t there others who’ve had similar disappointments, who worked for years in the minors and never got to the Majors? I was listening to the game on WFAN and the broadcasters were pretty cool, but someone told me the TV guys…not so much. At the end of the game (which the Mets lost in extra innings), I heard Ron Darling make a comment which could be construed as sarcastic/mean-spirited, but maybe that’s just me.  Can anyone who watched the game send me an email or post a comment to confirm or refute?

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