Yup, so true. The good news is he's under no illusions. He just wants to play, and he has a job lined up with Nike for when the season ends. If there is one company in the world that will work around a pro baseball player's schedule, it's Nike. (It also helps that our next door neighbor is head of North American sales.)
Brilliant post. Thank you. I read this:
When his last game ended, the handshake line completed, he came over to me in the first row by his dugout, tears in his eyes. We hugged for a long time, both of us emotional. I was so choked up I couldn't even tell him how proud of him I was. I hardly needed to. In that long moment the waters behind the emotional dam of four years of his effort, struggles, successes and failures just cascaded down on the both of us.We just hugged, both of us unable to talk, but words weren't necessary anyway.
..and just about lost it here in my office. Man the chlorine from the pool I swim in at lunch was really bad today 
.
Then I saw that photo. My son just turned 15 and will be taller than me for the first time some time this summer. His growth only serves to remind me how much I cherished his youth, back when my hugs could fully engulf the kid. I miss it. So that photo gives me some solace that just because they get older, that bond only grows with them.
Thank you for taking the time to describe your experience and for being so candid about the emotional side.
Hey thanks a lot for making me cry at work today!
Seriously, congratulations to you and your son on a wonderful baseball journey thus far and I hope it continues for a long time 
