Meeting Pineda…..The Rest of the Story!!! d;-)
So I know it’s all old news now, But I thought I might add some stories as I mentioned before about the fun stuff me & mine have been up too. To go way back. Shortly after writing my other “Cool Pineda Story” I had another even cooler moment. I finally got to meet him in person & get him to sign the Line~Up Cards. I got word shortly after I lost my blog (see previous post…) that he would be making an apperance in the Mill Creek area. I took my kids with me & headed off to the meet. I must say he really was a gracious person, Totally unassuming. As he strolled in past us to the meet area he gave us all a big smile and a wave. He was so unassuming that if it weren’t for his unmissable size I might not of even looked up to see who he was as he strolled up to the door!
When we finally got our turn to meet him He was again gracious. I let my kids go first. My son & Daughter got their old gloves signed. As he was signing The kid’s stuff, I began talking to him in Spanish & he visibly realxed even more & got a big smile on his face. We couldnt get very far past the plesantries however as the other people ther helping with crowd control & assisting Pineda kept asking me questions in English. They were asking about where we were down from & what we were having signed, etc. I think partly they were uncomfortable not understanding our Spanish conversation, but also that I was the only one who brought Line~Up cards to sign which they had not seen before & I think that piqued their interest..(Granted, at the time I was the only one who owned any Line~Up cards with Pineda listed on them…;-) As Pineda was signing his first game Line~Up card they asked me what it was & I told them. Then as I was going to to hand him the first win card they asked “and what is that one?” by this time Pineda was holding it off the table & staring at it. Before I could answer Pineda said in perfect English & still staring at the Line~Up, “It’s My First Win….” He then signed it & handed it back to me with a big Smile & said, “Thank You.” I’m guessing he ment thank’s for letting him see the cards, I’m not exactly sure. After exchanging final plesantries we left. It was definitely a fun family moment we will cherish.
A month or two later I was actually able to obtain the Toronto Blue Jays version of Pineda’s first win Line~Up card & I found out a little bit of cool trivia about it. When the Toronto Card arrived from Canada I noticed that it was done in Calligraphy and was actually a much more visually appealing piece. I have a couple of other cards done in simillar style & I was wondering who filled this one out. Well to make the long story short Don Wakamatsu was the Blue Jays bench coach that year & had been doing the Line~Up cards for them. Just an interesting tidbit that the M’s reciently Fired Skipper ends up being the one to pen the card for the opposing team just a few short months later! I guess it just goes to show you how connected the Basball really is, huh? 😉
We all know the rest of the Pineda Story to date…The following January the “Friday the 13th”
deal is pulled off & we send Pineda off to the Yanks for Montero (to simplify it….) And apparently the Yankees for once got the Cursed end of the deal with Pineda suffering a Season Ending Injury shortly afterwards before the Season even started. Now after the end of the 2012 season & rolling around to 2013 we’ve learned that Pineda will probably not be avalible till Mid Season this year. It looks like it might become a bigger hill to come back from, but if anyone can do it I think he can. I tell you what, I wouldn’t mind seeing him get back into the Minors Frey Mid Season & then see the Yanks give up on waiting for him after the end of the season. Then the M’s could pick him back up & we can have him back with the trainers & organization that helped him rise to the ranks of a Rookie All Star! I know it’s a bit of wishful thinking…;-) Over all I’d like to just see him make it back to the Bigs for a sustained, non injured streach.
Well, That’s my Pineda, The Rest of the Story…..
I hoped you enjoy & Feel Free to comment what you thought below…(even if it’s to tell me I’m a complete Idiot… 😉 )
Stay tuned for my stories coming soon about our trip to meet Felix or about an unexpected Meeting of MarinerOz in Kings Court!
As always
It’s Time 2 Rise!!!
Onward & UPWARD!!!
~Mosiah
d;-)