As May turned into June, the Detroit Tigers lost 3 (or was it 4?) starting players in two days. A week or two later another starting outfielder was injured which meant, until a day or so later, their top 5 outfielders were not on the roster – along with their #1 starter. This, of course, did not include their top 3 up-and-coming pitchers who have been down for a long time.
With these gaping holes, they lost the first 9 games in June, right after rising to just one game under .500. However, through those 9 games there was one particular player who impressed me. His name is Miguel Cabrera. Even with his aging body going through his swan song year, he stepped forward. No, I am not talking about Triple Crown statistics. I am talking about simple leadership – stepping forward as an example for the rest of his very young teammates.
Even now, they have now lost 10 of 11 this month, I am seeing good things for the future in this team. Will they make the playoffs this year? Personally, I doubt it. But I would not count them out in the immediate years thereafter.
I was set to write more about Miggy until I watched the segment between yesterday’s two games. It was an interview with Michael Lorenzen, the other free agent starting pitcher signed by the Tigers over the winter. This past year, after being married for six years, he and his wife became parents. The half-hour segment started out like a typical “Father’s Day Special,” but became something very special as it went on.
Here is the link to a brief part of it – I will cut my writing short so that you can use your time to watch it: Inside The Tigers: Perspective | Tigers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen reflects on the relationship with his own father as he celebrates his first Father’s Day as a dad himself…. | By Bally Sports Detroit | Facebook. I hope you will be able to find a way to watch all of it … including that link is beyond me … or another link from him. He gives a strong testimony of his faith in Christ. Such is the story of leadership.
May God so bless each of us with such a faith … and the opportunity to share it with others. “And may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who call you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5.23-24)
Leadership