We baseball fans are always shocked when our boys of summer are mortal after all. We watch them play and whether we cheer or boo, most of us average guys place our major league baseball players a little higher than ourselves and can't imagine that problems like ours would ever beset them. But they are mortal men with the same chemistry as us and sometimes, like us, their chemistry has a flaw.
Both Aaron Boone and Ken Howell were faced with a flaw this week. But "flaw" is too shallow a word for the seriousness of their situations. Howell, who pitched for the Dodgers and Phillies from 1984 through 1990 and is currently a coach on Joe Torre's staff in Los Angeles, has diabetes and due to complications of that disease, he has had his second toe amputated in as many years.
Aaron Boone has lived with an abnormality in his heart for a long time. But recently, doctors have stated that his condition has changed and that he needs to have an operation to remove a faulty aortal valve and replace it. Boone was rather low key in his press conference today, but this is no little surgery. This is a big, life-changing and life-threatening surgery. Boone stated that it wasn't an emergency situation but that it needs to get taken care of.
Ken Howell wasn't that bad a pitcher. He was a reliever for all of his career with the Dodgers and it wasn't until his last two years with the Phillies that he became a starter. The Phillies probably had little other choice as these were two seriously flawed teams in 1989 and 1990. 1989 was the worse of the two and the team only won 67 games. Mike Schmidt only got into a few games and was out most of the year. Even so, Howell had a good year and finished 12-12 with an ERA of 3.44. The Phillies weren't much better in 1990 and still Howell finished at 8-7.
That was Howell's last year in the majors and he went to coach in the Dodgers' organization. He was promoted to the major league club two years ago. He returned to the team as a full time coach after his first amputation and is going to do the same after this one. Anyone who has seen a friend or loved one through the course of diabetes knows this will be a constant struggle for Howell for the rest of his life. Our hearts go out to him.
Of course, everyone will remember Aaron Boone for his walk off home run against Tim Wakefield in 2003 that eliminated the Red Sox and sent the Yankees to the next level of the playoffs. It was the last time the great Yankee teams beat the rival Red Sox and will never be forgotten.
Boone has had a fairly long career that has had its ups and downs. But he seems to be one of the good guys and to prove that point, nearly all his teammates showed up at his news conference to support him. Of course, someone asked him if he would play again. What an absurd question. His first priority is to get through this surgery so he has the rest of his life, never mind his baseball life. His career is secondary at this point to giving him a future with his family.
The Fan should be speaking for all fans of baseball in wishing both of these men God's grace and comfort and that they will both be granted a good long life beyond these current situations.
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