Coolest story was them meeting Brandon Belt. He was really personable, chatted with them, etc. A friend of my folks was down there with them. Her son is trying to make it in the pros, and had spent all of the previous season on a single-A team back east. He was discouraged and lonely. She told Brandon this to ask him if he had any advice from somebody who'd been there.

He says, "Give me his phone number. I'll give him a call." So she did, thinking sure, MAYBE he'd remember and do it another time. Nope, he pulled out his phone right then and there, called the kid, and had a ten minute conversation with him, as his mom and my folks stood there and listened. Was all sorts of supportive, told him to stay positive, keep trying, everybody goes through the lonely spots, you've got people who care about you (winked at his mom), and then told him to feel free to call him back any time he needs to talk.

I mean, holy crap. It's cool that he's so willing to look out for kids who were in a spot he'd been before.