Christian Vazquez

Christian Vazquez was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2008 at the age of seventeen.

He made it to the majors 6 years later in 2014. In 2015 he had Tommy John surgery and had to recover from that. In 2018 he won a World Championship with the Sox.

He spent his entire 15 year big league career with the Sox.

This week the Sox traded him to the Houston Astros. On a day when the Sox were playing the Astros. In his second game with the Astros, Vazquez was called to the plate in the 9th inning as a pinch hitter. Against his career-long, ex-team.

Can you imagine what his emotions were? The man loved playing in Boston. You could see it, you could feel it. His enthusiasm was over the top. All of his former teammates say the same thing. I think a lot of the players he left behind were as heart broken as he was.

This felt like an unusually emotional experience. Maybe it happens more often than I am aware, but in Christian's case he wore his emotions on his sleeve. And so did his teammates. When he was on the field pre-game in an enemy uniform, many of his teammates hugged him in an obviously heartfelt way. They talked to him. They looked him right in the eye.

The love was obvious. The respect was obvious.

His trade amplified how weird it is to be a professional athlete. With no say about where your team trades you. "Players that have accrued 10 years of major league service time and spent the last 5 consecutive years with the same team can veto any trade scenario that is proposed."

Vazquez did not qualify.

Professional athletes are human beings (except for Tom Brady). Many of them get traded against their will. It's not just the prospect of playing for another team; it's the personal decisions that go along with that.

These guys have wives, they have kids - they are established in a city. What do they do now? Move immediately? Wait a while to see what happens? If the athlete doesn't relocate his family, how often will he see them? He no longer has a home field.

In Vazquez's farewell he said about his teammates and staff  - "I am forever grateful, for you helped me when I was away from my family." About Red Sox Nation - "I will hear your cheers in my heart forever." About Boston - "Boston will always have a place in my heart, and this is me leaving a piece of it with you."

During his introductory press conference with the Astros he said to Boston "To the fans, I'm going to miss you a lot. Every game in Fenway Park, a special place to play. You never know, I'm going into free agency next year. You never know. Let's see what happens. ........But I love you guys. You were very good to me and my family, and I'm going to miss you guys."

Do these comments sound like the words of a man who is happy to be traded? Fuck no!

There are many of you who say "these guys make big bucks, fuck them, it's part of the deal."

I say "Fuck you, you are an asshole."

Carol and I were devastated when we heard about the trade, and we truly hope he makes it back to the Red Sox.

To win another championship.