Sam Hentges Gets the Call
By: Jamie Renner
There is nothing more beautiful in the world of sports than being selected for something.
Whether you are the first overall pick in the draft or the last, the feeling of being wanted for your God given talents is special and it gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride. But! It takes courage, dedication, hard work, and most importantly strength to be a big shot in the world of sports. The requirements can take a toll mentally and physically on a player. If either of those forms fail, the player is likely never to evolve into their fullest possible potential. But through all the trials, tribulations, and doubt, the wait is worth it. The reward of being called up to the Show is something very few individuals get a chance to experience. Afterall, only about 10% of minor league players ever make it to the big leagues and nothing is guaranteed in this sport. There is always someone looking over your shoulder willing to take your spot at any given time.
Sam Hentges, congratulations on getting that call and making your major league debut in the near future. For those of you who do not know Sam, he is a 24 year old 6 foot 6 inch left handed pitcher who is currently the #25 prospect in the Indians system. His 3 pitch mix (fastball, curveball, change up) are nice, but he is a raw player. He is a tall skinny lefty who received Tommy John Surgery in July of 2017 but has since fully recovered and while his numbers are not pretty at all (career 4.34 ERA), his time was coming. His chance at the Show!
At some point, the Cleveland Indians knew this was going to happen. They have so many “old” young prospects that they need to figure out where some of these guys are at in their careers. Sam has had a rocky path, but nothing ever comes easy in this sport and I am happy he is here continuing to grow as an individual. I do not know if we will see him in the White Sox series or the next, but he is going to be out there pitching very soon.
To be honest, if he stinks that is okay. The idea fans have in their heads about players being called up and instantly becoming stars is so skewed and incorrect. Very very very! Rarely! Do you ever find a player that comes out of nowhere and becomes great. Let alone be good enough to stay in the bigs. I want readers to understand that it is completely okay for him to give up 5 runs, walk 3 dudes, and strike out 1 guy in 40 pitches. He is growing. Shane Bieber came up and had nearly a 5 era, one year later he won all star MVP and two years later he won a triple crown award and a Cy Young.
We as people continue to grow, and these guys are no different from us. Let the player grow and figure it out. It is a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck Sam!
