Meeting an array of fascinating people has been one of the main joys that has come to me as I have become increasingly involved in the world of baseball. One such person whom I happened to meet on Saturday night is Chris Masters, a former New Market Rebel (2007) who was in Hagerstown as a member of the Rome Braves. The Dodges were Chris' Rebel host family and Charlie, Melissa, and Noah ventured here to see the game. In a stroke of good fortune, Saturday was Chris' turn in the rotation; therefore, we not only got to visit with him, but we also got to see him pitch.
The lefty didn't have his best stuff, but he brought his "A" game to the conversation at Buffalo Wild Wings afterwards, regaling us with tales of life in the minors and insights into the game. It was impossible to tell from Chris' pleasant demeanor and jovial conversation that he had lost the game. He explained what he needed to do to improve, and even listened intently to a couple of amateur webcasters who offered their insights into his performance. Indeed, it was heartwarming to meet someone with such a mature perspective on baseball and on life.
Best of luck to you Chris and I hope we see you in Atlanta soon!
Ok, so I'm a little biased being his summer mom and all but Chris is what you hope for in a player-- talent, great attitude (confident but not cocky), great work ethic, and goofy as can be (he never takes himself too seriously). Besides that he is grounded by his strong faith and close family ties. We are not just proud of his progression in baseball but his growth as a person. No matter where he ends up I believe he will do great things.
Posted by: Melissa Dodge | July 19, 2010 at 10:12 AM
Melissa, I'm sure he will and I'm also sure that he would credit his host family for contributing to, and reinforcing his positive attributes of which there are many!
Posted by: Austin | July 19, 2010 at 11:17 AM