Drew Anderson

I can't explain it but I have a tendency toward local loyalties. I have lived in four states in my life and my sports loyalties always quickly become directed toward the local teams. I grew up in Holland, Michigan so I grew up a Hope College and Michigan Wolverine fan as well as the Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings. Then, I lived in East Tennessee for a year and went to a Tennessee/Alabama football game and started getting fascinated with UT Football. After a move to Houston, I turned my allegiances to the Astros, Rockets, and Texans. So I arrived in Montgomery and find myself sitting in the stands eating a slice of pizza and drinking a coke at a Biscuits baseball game.

The Montgomery Biscuits are the Double-A baseball affiliate of the first place Tampa Bay Devil Rays of the Major Leagues. I came to a game a couple of weeks ago with my son, Brady, and my dad, Dad. I took notice of one of the players and how he carried himself. His name is Drew Anderson and he was the second baseman at the time. He is an underdog kind of guy. He is 5 foot nothing but has good hands and speed. The thing that impressed me about him was how he interacted with his coach after he got thrown out at third trying to take an extra base on a base hit by a teammate. Manager Billy Gardner was the third base coach and was expressing some displeasure at the youngster. David looked him in the eye and every thing about his body language said, "Yes Sir, I am eagerly learning from you and appreciate your coaching". He was nodding his headed positively and showed no disrespect. He is what I would call at this point a "throwback".

I was reading the Montgomery Advertiser newspaper while eating lunch at the Captain D's across from campus today and there was an article written by Stacy Long on the sports page in a section called the "Biscuits Crumbs". "Crumbs" is basically the inside clubhouse scoop on the players and coaches and will highlight some on the field things, but also some off the field stuff. It turns out that my man Drew was converted today to the outfield from second base because of either a call-up or injury or both, I didn't pay close attention as to why. He was a professional ball player that was told he was switching positions today. I am not sure how I would react to that if I were in the same circumstance. I did play close attention to Drew's quoted response. He said, "Isn't that cool...I'm just moving around".

Anderson is a difference maker. His attitude is incredible. Coach wants me in a different position? Ok let's do it...it will be fun. I don't know what happened behind closed doors and I don't want to know because I am now a fan of Drew Anderson's. I literally came to the park tonight and sit here right now because I wanted to see more of his team first attitude.

So because of DA, I got a ticket and came to the park, as I sat down to my pizza slice and coke, I looked over to the dugout and who is the first guy out of the dugout to start warming up? You take a guess.

Blessings,

Coach

"Your example is the not the main thing in influencing others...it is the ONLY thing."