We Went to See Chase Whitley and the Yankees (Derek Jeter was there, too)

Nobody in our house was born a NY Yankees fan, but as of this season, we are following the Yankees like we have never followed a baseball team. We are traditionally a Braves family, so why the Yankees? Why now?
Is it because the great Derek Jeter is retiring? No.
Is it because former Braves Brian McCann, Mark Texeria, and Kelly Johnson make the Yankees familiar? No.

Here is a snapshot of our baseball memorabilia from little league teams on up to our newest and oldest favorite teams.

It is because of rookie pitcher Chase Whitley! Our family is connected to Chase in a way only small town, country people can fully appreciate. Are we related to Chase?  Of course we are! And here is that great southern explanation of how we are kin - Chase's mom, Sue, and Cammie's father Joe, are cousins. So, Cammie and the kids are Chase's second cousins (once removed for the kids).   Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt were only fifth cousins, so second cousins are really closely related, even more so when the second cousin is pitching for the Yankees!
The connection is deeper than a genealogy chart because the place we are all from the smallest county in Alabama, so let me try to explain a few of these connections (as I understand them) for folks who grew up in towns larger than 1,000 people.

• My dad, James, was Chase and his family's pastor for the past year or so. Dad didn't realize that Cammie was related to Sue and I had to one-up him when he told me one of his church members was pitching for Yankees, "Yeah, Dad, your "church member" is Cammie and the kids' COUSIN."   
• Chase helped coach my nephew's little league team and taught him to pitch.  Aaron may end up a football star, but he will owe his fastball to Chase.
• There are only two high schools in our county and both are very small.  Chase's mom, Sue, graduated high school with my brother in law. They went to the same high school Cammie and I (and my mom's side of the family) graduated from, Heflin. Heflin graduates around 100 kids a year.
• Chase graduated from Ranburne, the school all of my dad's side of the family graduated from. Ranburne graduates around 50 kids a year.  All the kids from those schools know each other and are connected somehow. 

If that southern fried explanation was too much for some of you, here is a more modern one - Chase and I have 72 mutual facebook friends. His mom and I have 106 mutual friends. By comparison, my oldest friends from the military and I have about 30 mutual friends.Despite all those connections, none of us had ever met Chase before last night.
Cammie and I left Alabama in 1992 for the Army, and our children have never lived in Alabama. Despite the time and distance that separates us from Cleburne County, when Chase was called up to the Yankees this year, our whole family got caught up in the hometown excitement like everybody else. Moving around every couple of years makes the question of where you are from a multiple choice question for Army brats, so now, they have a little more definitive answer. For our Army brat kids, "Cousin Chase" was the perfect guy to deepen their connection to the place Cammie and I have always called home. 
In addition to connecting them to home, Chase's success really inspired my three young athletes. Those of you who know me know that I have no athletic accomplishments to inspire my kids.  All three kids are already better athletes than I ever was, so Chase's accomplishments as a big league ball player gave them hope that there might be enough athletic ability somewhere in their DNA to let their hard work result in success, too. The competitive spirit Chase exhibits is a great example for them, too, so I welcome Chase as a role model for Team Benefield.
And don't misunderstand, I am a big Chase Whitley fan, too. I am a stat guy and I love to dig into numbers and see where wins come from - when #39 pitches for the Yankees, they win a lot more often than when he doesn't. When Chase appears in a game, the Yankees are 8-3, a winning percentage of 72.7%.  When he does not appear, the Yankees are 38-43, a winning percentage under 47%. By way of comparison, the Yankee winning percentage when Tanaka pitches is 72.2%.  Chase is a winner and has a great future ahead of him. 
We knew the Yankees would make two trips to Baltimore and were hopeful that we would get to not only see Chase pitch, but get a chance to visit with his dad and mom, "Cousin Sue", and wife, Brooklyn if they came to Baltimore. As many of you know, we are eager tour guides when friends come to (or near) DC, and we also gravitate to anybody we see with Alabama (or even Auburn) gear on.  After the standard greeting of, "Roll Tide!" we interrogate them as to what part of Alabama they are from and how we are related or connected (we are all related somehow). It brings us closer to home while living in the DC area. Those of you who have lived in other foreign lands understand this- seeing a Crimson A or hearing a southern accent here for us is like hearing American English in Hungary, we are just drawn to it.
So, based on our collective fanhood and the potential to see some home folk, I promised the kids early on in the baseball season that we would go see Chase pitch if there were any way possible. At first, it didn't look like he was going to pitch in the Baltimore series, but then the Yankees decided they needed him in the bullpen and we had hope. Saturday looked like the best bet, but there were no seats left, so we decided late Thursday to go to Friday's game. Between the time we bought tickets on Thursday and the time we left for the game on Friday, the Yankees announced that Tanaka was going on the DL and Chase was likely to start Sunday. So, there was almost no chance for us to see him pitch Friday, but we were already committed to Friday's game and excited about the chance to to see him.  Chase's family was not in Baltimore for this series, so that visit would have to wait until the Yankees next trip to Baltimore.
Another shortcoming in our last minute plan was that we didn't have any NY Yankee gear on hand. We thought we could just pick some up, but it appears the local stores don't carry the Yankees gear because it consistently outsold the Nationals and Orioles gear, embarrassing the home teams (my theory). A couple of the stores I called were downright rude acting as if it was insulting for to ask if they had Yankee gear. From living here before, I know they used to sell it, so their outrage did not impress me (and neither does their marketing strategy).
Because going anywhere in this area is a race against the next traffic jam, we had to cut the search for Yankee gear short and just go. We got on the road at 3:15 pm from the Pentagon Mall parking lot and spent 90 minutes going the 40 miles to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. On the way, Carlie made a NY Yankee megaphone of duck tape.  Combined with the fact that James was wearing a Ranburne Bulldog colored football jersey, I began to feel like a better fan thanks to my kids.

Carlie's Megaphone - made on the way to the game with Ducktape!We are negotiating with MLB for mass production.

We did not arrive in time to go in as the gates opened, but we did get there while the Yankees were having batting practice and still warming up. As you would expect, there was a huge crowd of fans there to see Jeter and get autographs on his farewell tour. Oriole Park lets you come right down to the dugout before the game starts no matter where you are sitting, so when the Yankees are in town, pre-game warm up is its own big event.  We got right in behind that huge crowd and kept looking for Chase. and finally spotted him in the outfield. We could have gotten close enough for pictures and autographs if we had gone to the outfield bleachers, but decided to wait where we were until he came in to the dugout.
While we waited, we saw some poor kid behind us get raked over the coals by his dad for losing the Rawlings Authentic 2014 Derek Jeter Final Season Commemorative Baseball that his dad had bought for him. We figured out between his dad yelling over and over again, "Where's the ball, YO?" that the kid had thrown the ball into the dugout when Jeter was signing gear for everybody, and didn't get it signed or returned. His dad was very upset. According to the Yankee rep (to Jeter's right in the picture) who was trying to keep order, any ball or jersey thrown into the dugout or in the general direction of Jeter without getting either of their attention prior would stay in the dugout, property of the Yankees. Other folks lost balls and jerseys this way, too. The folks directly beside us also lost a jersey by throwing it in Jeter's general direction.  I felt bad for the autograph seekers and especially the kid whose dad was upset, but I understood where the Yankees were coming from.  Jeter signed a bunch of autographs as quickly as he could and had a baseball game to play - there had to be some order about the signing procedure.

Proper technique is to look the Captain in the eye, throw him your souvenir, he will sign and throw it back.

As the pitchers ran in from the outfield, I yelled Chase's name and he glanced in our direction, but I don't think he saw us. Then I yelled, "Come get a picture with this little Ranburne Bulldog wannabe," and Chase stopped, turned, grinned wide and started toward James in his purple and gold jersey. I know you Ranburne folks will like that - I managed to get a picture of that moment. 

The word Ranburne turns heads everywhere!

We spoke briefly and snapped a couple of pictures with the kids and Chase, but the Yankees were headed in and we didn't want to hold him up too long. Chase retreated up the tunnel and we began to move toward our seats.

Not a photo-bomb! And I know Jame's jersey is right colors, wrong school - a hand me down from Aaron.

It was a great moment. We wished we had more time to visit, but were worried on the way to the stadium that we were going to miss him altogether, so we were very thankful for the photo op we did get. Then, on the way back to our seats, something awesome happened. Chase sent me a message, "Hey I got a couple baseballs for your kids if you wanna meet me by the dugout."
I pulled the family over and asked, "Do you guys want to go to your seat or do you want to go back to the dugout and get some baseballs from Chase?" Three of the biggest smiles you have ever seen broke out and they yelled, "Dugout!"
We hastened back to the dugout with Jay Allen asking the whole way how I got a message from Chase.  Because I have pulled a few pranks on my kids in the past, he was skeptical that there were really baseballs at the dugout for him and even more skeptical that Chase had texted or messaged me. I told Jay Allen that Chase had sent me a Facebook message - and he was still skeptical. He said, "You are Facebook friends with Chase?"  Poor Jay Allen couldn't believe his uncool dad and his biggest sports hero were Facebook friends, no matter what other connections there may be between us. 
I think it was that moment when I figured out what a big deal this was for my kids. I had never known or been connected with a pro athlete when I was a kid and it is easy to forget in what awe kids hold their sports heroes.  Dale Murphy never summoned me to the dugout to get a signed baseball and I can't imagine what it would have been like if he had.
When we got to the dugout, we were the only folks without seats in that section left, which is not an issue with two out of three ushers. I sent Chase a note that we were standing by and within a minute or two, he emerged from the dugout. He asked for a pen, which some other helpful fan provided, and then started signing baseballs for the kids. We spoke briefly again and I told him we would try to get together for dinner with his whole crew when he was back in town in August. Then, the other fans (those fans who aren't Facebook friends or related to any New York Yankees) began to come down for autographs and that third usher began telling us to leave. We complied and started to leave after the  greatest sports moment my kids have enjoyed yet - they got to meet Chase Whitley, and they got a special invitation to meet him for their own personal signing session. Thank you Chase!

One autographed ball coming up!

Two more to go!

When we got back to our seats, I wanted to get a picture of the kids and their baseballs.

New Yankee fans proud of their souvenirs!

I looked at the baseballs after the picture and thought about what great souvenirs they were. Jay Allen's ball had some dirt from batting practice on it. Jame's ball was new out of the bag, or at least hadn't hit the ground, yet. Then, I looked at Carlie's baseball. I looked at it, did a double take, then grabbed the other two for comparison and looked at Carlie with wide eyes and said, "Carlie, where's the ball, YO?" She immediately knew what I meant and realized we had a Rawlings Authentic 2014 Derek Jeter Final Season Commemorative Baseball signed by Chase Whitley. If we had planned it, we couldn't have come up with a better souvenir - perfect - the retiring captain and the hometown rookie represented on the same ball! I know there is a possibility that this was the ball that the dad was upset about losing, but as the Yankee rep explained, that ball became property of the Yankees when it went into the dugout and it became property of Carlie when Chase signed it for her.

I know some of my Yankee fan friends are crying right now. It doesn't get much more awesome than that. Our whole night was awesome, at least through the tenth inning. The Yankees lost (of course I think mainly because Chase didn't pitch) a 3-2 heart breaker.
My kids cheered hard for the Yankees, but didn't let the loss ruin a great night. James razzed the Oriole fans all night, even after the Yankees lost (I don't know where he gets that from). Carlie and Jay Allen enjoyed themselves as well. Carlie took several pictures of the game, some through her megaphone. I was proud of the way they all hung tough into extra innings after rising early for Vacation Bible School.

Oh yeah, there was a baseball game, too!

Carlie's phone didn't have range for great pictures from our seats.

The ducktape megaphone helped a little.

We love going to Orioles Park, too. It is a beautiful park and the staff is great, except maybe for the one usher behind the Yankee dugout who desperately needs a hug. The Oriole fans are a bit more foul-mouthed than Pittsburgh Penguin fans (I know - I was surprised by this too), but the fans around us were self policing and scolded anybody who said words stronger than BS on a bad call (which was any call that went for the Yankees according to the home crowd).
I will advise any going to Baltimore to park close to the stadium because Baltimore is not a nice place. I got a great deal on parking and a half mile sounds very close until you walk through a very bad part of town with your family, then a half mile seems eternal. And that money you save on parking doesn't cover medical expenses for gunshot or stabbing wounds. We looked so out of place that one older man looked at us and pointed a street over and advised us that, "the Subway is over there." In other words, "you silly people better get out of this part of town before something bad happens."  Lesson learned, but James loved it - he saw the biggest rat he has ever seen scurrying across a vacant lot and saw all manner of "night life" on the walk back to our van.

It is always a blessing when your whole family lives to tell about the best sports night of their lives.  We lived and will surely tell about it for years to come!

Best souvenirs ever!

While waiting for your next promotion

23 July, the Army is expected to publish the next Lieutenant Colonel promotion list. It has been delayed for a myriad of reasons and has caused a lot of stress and anxiety for Army majors who are eligible to be promoted. Because of the draw-down, the Army is not expected to promote all the majors who would otherwise deserve to be promoted. Many who have deployed to combat and sacrificed greatly for our country will not be rewarded for their efforts with promotion or even be given the opportunity to retire. Statistically speaking, it is inevitable that many majors I have served with will not be promoted. For those officers and for the other people out there who have gone through something similar, I want to share something fairly personal.
I have seen many deserving NCOs and officers passed over for promotion in my 25 year career. I never thought less of them when that happened and I always thought it was evidence that no system is perfect. The folks passed over for promotion are also the folks who make the Army work. Many of them have been the steady, quiet professionals who have been the work horses of their units who have taken on the hardest and most dangerous missions time after time. More than any one leader who inspired me, these individuals inspired me. They embody the "selfless service" ethic that we all try to live up to.
These people taught me that an individual's value as a person is not based on their job success. It is a very easy principle to accept academically, but it is a little tougher to accept when the lack of job success is your own. Last year, I was passed over for promotion for the first time in my career. Most people did not know this because I did not discuss it. I knew I was not "entitled" to a promotion, but I didn't want to stop trying to earn one either. All the previous success I have had in my career has been due to fortunate circumstances, good mentorship, and outstanding individuals around me who allowed me to share in their successes. I did work hard to be successful, too, but I never believed my efforts were the sole driver of any success I enjoyed. With that background, I had no right to be bitter or disappointed when I was passed over for promotion, but it did give a chance to reflect on who I am and how I want to define my Army career. I am an officer in the Army who has had an amazing career that has provided for my family and allowed me to rub elbows with the amazing men and women who volunteered to serve this country and for the past thirteen years, to serve this country in a time of war. I have buddies who were passed over earlier in their careers who were amazing leaders who spent years away from their families on deployment. I have had officers and Soldiers who served with me who were injured or killed at a young age, changing their lives or the lives of their families forever. I have been truly blessed through out my Army career, but I am not ready to accept being passed over for promotion as the end of the story and just wait for retirement. I wanted to show the Army that no matter what rank I ended up wearing, that I was going to perform at the next level for the balance of my career. There are thousands of bodies at rest in Arlington National Cemetery who voluntarily sacrificed their futures and never got the opportunity to be considered for the next promotion. Their sacrifice definitely puts my journey and your journey into perspective.
When I was in high school, I had a teacher who told me not to waste my parents' money going to college because I would fail. He gave me that speech because I feel asleep in his class after waking up at 2 am to go in to work before school. In large part because I couldn't stand the thought of proving him right, I worked my tail off to get into college on an academic scholarship. In college, I continued to work to prove him wrong by graduating with honors as a distinguished military graduate from ROTC. I would love to tell you I did that for all the right reasons, but mostly my academic success was driven by the desire to prove my least favorite teacher wrong.
I love the Army and definitely don't hold it in the contempt that I held that teacher in for many years, but I found that getting passed over for promotion has given me the same level of motivation, but this time, for all the right reasons.
While he was my commanding general in Alaska, MG Mike Garrett told his commanders and CSMs that they need to retire if they couldn't any longer lead from the front because our Soldiers are the best in the world and they deserve leaders who can lead from the front. I took that to heart and after getting passed over for promotion, I resolved that I will give every ounce of energy I have in all the days I have left in the Army to being the best leader I am capable of being. I am at peace with whatever that means for my career progression and I am determined that the Army will get more than its money's worth from me for the rest of my career. Any Soldiers that I am blessed with the opportunity to lead will get my full effort every day. That is all I can control. I can't control promotions or even the random death that combat and the military life bring.
Many of you who are reading this are going to face some setback or disappointment in your personal or professional life that is much more significant that what I describe above. I want to implore every one of you to find the motivation to do the right thing for the right reasons and work like a man (or woman) possessed to make the most of the opportunity you have without wasting time on lamenting the opportunity you missed. It is a lesson I am thankful to have learned and wish that I had learned sooner. It is my sincere wish that somebody will read this and find their setbacks easier to face because they realize many have been there before them.
And more important than that, I hope you remember that God did not make us all to be four-star generals or sergeants major of the Army, but He still loved each of us enough to send His Son to die for us. If He loved us enough to pay such a high price, the least we can do is to fulfill the roles he put us here for to the best of our ability We know from history that if only eleven of twelve of us will commit to that, we change the world.