Baseball and the Bible
Fun podcast discussing baseball and baseball training. We will also be getting into the Bible and doing weekly devotionals.
Baseball and the Bible
Always Grateful
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At the heart of this message lies a profound truth about gratitude in the midst of adversity. Through the story of baseball player Royce Lewis, we encounter a powerful example of maintaining joy and thankfulness even when circumstances seem devastating. Lewis faced not one but two ACL injuries just as his major league career was beginning, yet he chose to view these setbacks as pauses rather than endings. The scripture from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 calls us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. This isn't merely positive thinking—it's a spiritual discipline that transforms how we experience hardship. When we choose gratitude during our toughest moments, we shift our perspective from what we've lost to what God is still doing. Lewis's story reminds us that gratitude doesn't require perfect circumstances; it requires intentional focus on God's faithfulness. His ability to celebrate teammates from the dugout while injured demonstrates that joy isn't dependent on our current situation but on our trust in God's bigger picture. We're challenged to identify the good things in our lives even during grinding seasons—whether it's basic provisions, relationships, or simply another day to pursue our calling. This practice of gratitude doesn't deny our pain but anchors us in hope, reminding us that God uses setbacks to grow our faith, strengthen our character, and prepare us for opportunities we can't yet see.
Welcome back to another episode of Baseball in the Bible. I am Record Dotson here with my father, Ryan Dotson, and we're back for another one.
SPEAKER_01We are back. And we are back in town. We were out of town. If you watched last week's episode, we took a little trip, but we're back in studio and uh we're excited. Excited and ready to talk about some of the things we experienced, right?
SPEAKER_02Yes, for sure.
SPEAKER_01You want to get into that or you ready to get into that? Yeah, we can get into it. Again, we if you watched last week.
SPEAKER_02We did um talk about we were heading to Atlanta to see the cards play um the Braves at Truest Park. And we talked about some of the things we were going to be doing there. Um and so basically we said we would rate Truest Park.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So um I made this sheet that I will be reading off of. And essentially we are just going to r give a rating out of one to five, the scale being Rikers. I made that as a joke, and dad loved it. So we're our scale is now Rikers. So one Riker to five.
SPEAKER_01One Riker being the worst, five Rikers. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, I don't know how that happened.
SPEAKER_01Uh so again, yeah. So we we got we went up there last week, caught two two cardinals, two cards games, which we'll we'll get to why the second game was. But all right. Oh, and just just so we're highlighting, um, and we could throw a picture up there right now, but it's some successful days with autographs, right? We got two of the balls right here.
SPEAKER_02Nine auto nine total autographs.
SPEAKER_01Nine autographs.
SPEAKER_02Uh, this is two of the balls that we got signed. The big one being JJ Weatherholt. We are very excited about that.
SPEAKER_01Weatherholt.
SPEAKER_02We are insanely excited about that. Kids just had enough. But not only that, we got a Jaywalk foul ball.
SPEAKER_01Got a Jaywalk foul ball.
SPEAKER_02Uh obviously we didn't catch it, but it was hit, and then the Bat Boy just tossed it to us.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_02So we are uh thank you, Bat Boy.
SPEAKER_01Um but Jaywalk foul ball. The Usher gave us another ball, so we ended up with two you know official MLB balls. Yes, we nine autos in total.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_01JJ We got Oli Marmall, we got uh Nelson Velasquez, Jose Fermin. Jose Fermin, uh uh Stubbs, Dustin May, we got Dustin May, Stubby Clapp. Stubby Clap. So great experience there with the autographs.
SPEAKER_02Uh we were on a roll.
SPEAKER_01We were on a roll, so that probably colors our view of the park in a very positive way. But uh again, we'll get into our ratings here of what we experienced. But uh very successful trip in that regard, right? So two of the baseballs are here. JJ's is that one right there, yeah. And then the one that isn't it's kind of jankety, but well, that's a cardinal bowl that we brought just in case but it worked. It's not a good one. It ended up working.
SPEAKER_02It's fine. Okay.
SPEAKER_01But so what are we gonna rate?
SPEAKER_02So we are going to break it down into five different um things, and then we'll all that will lead up to an overall rating.
SPEAKER_03That's correct.
SPEAKER_02We'll be rating it on food. Um I don't know if you if you visually watch.
SPEAKER_01Just say the things first.
SPEAKER_02Just say what they are food view, the must see throughout the stadium. Uh-huh. Um, did the cards win? That's crucial. And is it like accessibility?
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_02Which we'll get to. But starting off with food.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, food. So again, if you watch last week's episode, again, and in that episode we talk about some of the must must-eats. Must of the must-eat things. And yes. Um, and as we mentioned in last week's episode in the pictures, we ended up only eating Chick-fil-A, hot dogs, chicken tenders.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we got lazy.
SPEAKER_01So the thing well, the thing is we were so focused on the autographs.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And so when you get there that early, you have really have a choice. Either you're gonna go try to get autographs or you're gonna do some eating. Uh, we chose the autographs because during the game, we're watching the game. Exactly. So we're not like we have time to be walking around, and even though we're, you know, checking out the ballpark, we're there to watch the Cardinals play. So we chose autographs over you know, food. So we just ate the food that was like in our section, basically.
SPEAKER_02Essentially.
SPEAKER_01We didn't do much. We did walk around the first night. Yes. When we first got there just to kind of see everything that there was to see. Yeah. But we didn't stop and and try any of the cool food.
SPEAKER_02But we tried some chicken strips.
SPEAKER_01That was good.
SPEAKER_02I loved those. They were amazing. Shout out to whoever makes a chicken strip.
SPEAKER_01Just having, you know, just being in Atlanta, home at Chick-fil-A, having Chick-fil-A. We had in our second night, we had um I call them VIP. I don't know if it's like they were down low, and so we had a little special section that we could go eat that had free popcorn, free ice cream. Correct. And then they had the Chick-fil-A sandwiches in there, so I could get Chick-fil-A sandwiches like just like that.
SPEAKER_02On commit. And there was a point where you could get free ice cream in the second inning, and I wasn't able to get it till the seventh inning because the lime was out the door.
SPEAKER_01Even though it was it was for our whole like section, exactly. Which was still a lot of people, and and you know, when people were getting ice cream, it was hot, so there was a lot of people getting ice cream.
SPEAKER_02And then when we finally did get it, by the time we got back to it, by the time I brought the ice cream back to our seats, it was already pretty melted.
SPEAKER_01But because we got free popcorn, free ice cream, the other thing is they they do, which I appreciate about uh Truis Park, they for each series they kind of have a special uh item for the series that's themed toward the opposing team. That's true. So they had some special ravioli type things because they were playing St. Louis, and I really wanted that. That was on Wednesday, the second game we went to.
SPEAKER_02Oh, really? I didn't see it.
SPEAKER_01But I didn't, yeah. Well it was just they again they do special themed, apparently, they do special themed uh food items that you know just for when they're playing a local at the different team. So like that's cool. It is cool. That's cool. And I really wanted the raviolis, but again, we chose autographs. But just because they had the raviolis, that whether they were good or not, I'm gonna rate it higher than that. So what is what was our food rating? So again, we didn't try anything crazy or trend any of their good stuff, but we still enjoyed the food, right?
SPEAKER_02Yes, for sure. This isn't a this is not me and dad being separated here in unison. We have voted on a four for food. Four out of five. Four Rikers. Four out of five. Four Rikers out of five.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_02Okay, next up. Next up, we have the view, which again, it depends on where you sit, essentially, but the seeds we had were pretty good, pretty close to the field, both games. Um no, we're not rich, so that was a bust to the bank account. But um, but yeah, it was so we got our we're rating our view, and I think that I rate I liked it. I liked our view. I thought it was good. I did enjoy um the there were two giant screens. It was one would show like who's at bat, and the other one would show like who's pitching, and then the entire lineup, which I enjoyed. So I enjoyed that. I also thought it was cool that there was just a giant Chick-fil-A cow statue right there in right field. I I like that. But your thoughts?
SPEAKER_01No, the view was great. Yeah, I mean, I thought it was it's a very uh fan-friendly ballpark, I think. And so uh I thought your view was good, the like the scoreboards are good, the light shows they do, uh, the things they do when you know the opposing bullpen guys are coming in. Yeah, just the lights out, yeah. There's some cool stuff. So but the view again, just sitting there through the outfield fireworks.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, added some. I enjoyed the fireworks. Okay. So I don't know if you did, but I did.
SPEAKER_01But that has nothing to do with you. But the view I would still say was pretty good. So what did we have as the view?
SPEAKER_02So for the view, we had four Rikers out of five Rikers. Pretty good.
SPEAKER_01So we're pretty generous with our scoring so far. So far.
SPEAKER_02So far. Um then we go to our must see. I had a ball with this. I think we might have some photos that we'll throw up.
SPEAKER_01Well, we had some photos in last week's episode. Um we could throw another one up uh in this one. But it uh it was cool. I mean, just it was fun. It's like uh like their Hall of Fame.
SPEAKER_02It's a walk of fame.
SPEAKER_01Walk of fame, yeah. There you go. That's a good way to put it. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So that you they have like their um I don't know if we put this one up last time, but they had their World Series trophies episode.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, that was in last week's episode. We did uh they should watch your own episodes.
SPEAKER_02We should. That's my issue. I'm sorry. But um we, you know, they have um a lot of tributes to um what's his name? Cox. Bobby Cox. Bobby Cox, yeah. That's I couldn't remember his first name. Bobby Cox.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, had a statue that we saw out front. Um yeah, yeah. Again, I think everything there in the muscle, we read some of the things that we should visit while we were there, and we did try to do that again, walking around the stadium. We saw that, we saw the um kids area, bloopers area.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um didn't go in. Yeah, we didn't go in. But I think the highlight for us was that that walkway there. There was just a ton of history there, the World Series stuff. Um, but then they had a whole section, really cool. We we had the picture in last week's episode, but the one picture just doesn't do it justice. But just a cool uh Hank Aaron tribute there.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, for sure. Ton of Hank Aaron tributes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but then they had the big one there with his statue.
SPEAKER_02Uh with the waterfall.
SPEAKER_01With the waterfall, 755 behind them. Uh just really it was a cool area. Uh that was that was the highlight, I think, of of the stadium for us. Was that it was that area.
SPEAKER_02I wanted to go a little higher, but we uh ultimately decided on a four.
SPEAKER_01We went four, yeah.
SPEAKER_02On the musties.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we went four on musties, but we would definitely recommend the walk of fame, is what we'll call it.
SPEAKER_02Four, sure. Yeah. I think that is what it's called. But um number four uh on criteria. I can count. Uh did the cards win? And we went to two um games out of the three game series. We they lost one time we were there and they won the other.
SPEAKER_01Won the first game, lost the second game.
SPEAKER_02Yes. But then they won't give away game, so they won the series. So we'll do that a three. They didn't win both times we're there, so that kind of brings it down a little. But it's a three. Um on did the cards win. Last of all, accessibility. Mom wasn't happy on this one.
SPEAKER_01Well, again, we read about it in our book last on the last episode, just talking about the battery area. It is cool how they built the stadium um in kind of uh uh with a bunch of apartments and different things like that. So it's like a yeah, and again, talking to some of the locals, there's a lot of people that really are not crazy that it's out there as opposed to being more in this. We drove by old Turner Field when we were going there from the airport. Uh, but the area is cool, it's just the biggest thing was parking. It's just it's a different than most stadiums you go to uh where parking is, you know, if you want to park close, you're gonna pay a little more. You can park. There just wasn't a ton other than parking garages that you have to be like a member for. Well, I we don't I don't know. Again, for somebody that's a new out of town, it was like, is this for the apartments? Is this for the stadium? So uh we we we parked at the same spot both nights, not bad, you know, 40 bucks for uh within walk pretty easy walking distance, so reasonably close. It just there wasn't a ton of options. So parking was down, and and I'd say for the whole accessibility thing, uh even like from public transportation, I just didn't seem great to me. But uh, so what did we rate that?
SPEAKER_02We rated uh accessibility a three.
SPEAKER_01Okay. I feel like we're being very fair with the three.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that a three is good, yeah. Also, shout out to uh the heat in Atlanta. It was brutally hot.
SPEAKER_01Brutally hot.
SPEAKER_02And that's coming from Texans.
SPEAKER_01Yep. So all right, our overall rating.
SPEAKER_02Our overall rating was 4.5 um for truest part below the Atlanta Braves. We thought it was a great port.
SPEAKER_01So fun. Yeah, it's one of the better ones that we've been to, honestly. For sure. Uh really enjoyed it. Again, the overall experience, blooper, their little their little home run, or you know, their little um mascot. Every stadium has their little mascot races in Texas. We have the dots, we have the dots in Texas. But there they have Home Depot tools. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I got a photo with the hammer.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we had a picture already that was in last week, but um, but we watched that, and you had the bucket and the hammer and a paintbrush. That was fun. Just again, the lighting, everything they do, I think is a very good uh even their pre-game stuff. They have some announcers down on the field. Yeah. Uh I think they just do it. It's a really good fan experience. Yes, amazing. We loved it. Thought it was a you know, just a great place to see. So if you haven't been to Truist, we would highly recommend it. So four and a half out of five Rikers.
unknownCorrect.
SPEAKER_02And I will say it was also much more it was like more unique when we went because it was in the middle of the USA World Cup game. So I think it was in like the seventh inning stretch on the Jumbotron, they put up like a USA score update. And there would just be random chance every time USA scored a goal in that game.
SPEAKER_01It was fun, that was fun. And and and while we were there that that week at England had played in Atlanta. Yeah. So that one of the games there was a bunch of England fans there, and that was that was fun, yeah. So again, just a just a great, great week. Success with the autograph. So uh again, we highly recommend Truist Park.
SPEAKER_02Yep, truist was amazing.
SPEAKER_01Yep. So we're gonna get uh just go a little bit around the league real quick, right?
SPEAKER_02All right, yeah, let's do that.
SPEAKER_01Highlight a couple things, a couple individual performances. We'll update the standings real fast, and then we want to spend a little time just talking about the all-star game coming up. Um, again, as this episode is airing, really at this point, uh, we're at the mid-as of Sunday, we're at the mid-the all-star break is upon us. Uh, everybody's done for a few days, and we can kind of see where everybody's at. Uh, but we can talk about the all-star team, the home run derby, all that kind of stuff. But uh real quick around the league. Um I just want to pull up the standings real fast, and we'll go through them. Um starting in the central, again, right now the Cardinals are playing the the Brewers. So we talked about last week's episode as we were heading to Atlanta. That this was it was a a very important stretch for the Cardinals. Um they had three in Atlanta, three in Chicago on the over the fourth weekend. That's tough, tough. Yeah. Then they come home for five games in four days. Uh a little makeup action with the Brewers. Um, and then we wrap up the first half with three at home against Atlanta. So as we record, we don't know how it's all gonna play out over the next few days. We know that the first part was good. They played, they played, they won two out of three in Atlanta, two out of three in Chicago, and then they came home. Yep, and they've lost the first three of the Milwaukee series. Uh they're playing right now, they are up, but I'm not even holding my hope out that they're gonna win.
SPEAKER_02But they might win, but at the end of the day, it's like they're very disappointed.
SPEAKER_01The Brewers right now, I was getting that's what I was getting to. The Brewers are way up, they're 58 and 33, 7 up on Chicago, 10 and a half up on the cars right now. Again, losing these, we've lost six in a row to the Brewers. That's just not the way to go to catch the first base, first place team. Um, but they're they just they're so good watching them. They're they remind me of the early 2000 Cardinals, where it's just like they just find ways to win. Um, yeah. Whether they'll do it, you know. The big difference, I think, you know, they've been so good the last few years, but they just don't do anything in the playoffs. So we'll see if that can change.
SPEAKER_02That's that's what happened to most every year.
SPEAKER_01So we'll see. Uh, but right now they're running, you know, they're doing great. Uh, and they own the cars right now. But they're in first in the east. Again, we we won two out of three against the Brave Brazil scuffling a little bit, struggling with their offense, it appears, um, from what I heard locally and what we saw. And um got some key guys that are just obviously getting Acunya back soon. I think he's gonna start a rehab assignment over the all-star break, so getting him will help. Um, but their lead is dwindling there as of today, and by the all-star break, it could be different, but they're two and a half up on Philly. Uh, only three up on Miami, who again we talked about last week is is rolling. Yeah. Um, and so that one's getting a little bit tighter in the West. The Dodgers 14 up on both the diamondbacks.
SPEAKER_02They're just being the Dodgers at this one.
SPEAKER_01They're being the Dodgers. We go into the American League. Uh, since recording last week, I mean, Tampa has pulled away a little bit. They're, I mean, not pulled away, but they've extended their lead. They're five up on the Yankees. Uh, and you got the Blue Jays, the Red Sox, and the Orioles all kind of battling it out several games back. Uh, White Sox continue to lead the Central. Um, they are one up on Cleveland as we record today. Uh, and then Texas and Seattle both battling there right around 500. Right now they're tied. Uh, so we'll see how that one plays out. Again, these as this episode's airing, we've reached the break, and we'll know where everybody's at heading into the all-star break and um you know, see what decisions will be made over the next couple weeks as we head to August 3rd. I've been saying July 31st all along because that's usually when the trade deadline is, but I think it's it's now it's August 3rd from what I saw. So got a few weeks to decide who's buyer, who are going to be buyers and who are going to be sellers. So that's where you stand. Wildcard, real quick. Um, again, Cubs, Phillies, Marlins, and the cards are uh two and a half back of that third spot. So the Marlins are actually in as of right now. And then the American League, Yankees, Guardians, Mariners, again, they're tied with the Rangers, and the Astros and the Twins are a game and a half out of that third and final spot. Um, a couple individual performances that we want to highlight.
SPEAKER_02We haven't done a player of the week in a while, and we're bringing it back.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, just just a special. I mean, we had two guys last night, and so it's a couple of nights ago as we were releasing this, but this week uh you had some pretty crazy performances. So you had Tyler Tobert um from for the uh Royals, and uh let me just and then you had yeah, Tyler Tobert, and then he because he had a uh MLB record, he had a hit and 12 straight uh plate appearances, which is pretty incredible. I think the record was eight. Um, and so blew that out of the wall. He's not even known, he's more of a speed guy, a defense guy. Not known for his bad, but he's been hitting better lately. And uh clearly, yeah, and then he had a again to have a hit and 12 straight plate appearances, something that Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, the greats of the game have never done. Uh, pretty awesome. Uh, so we're gonna make Tyler Tobert our co-player of the week for that. You set a MLB record, and then the other guy last night had a has to be for sure, you know, just an unbelievable night. Ryan O'Hearn uh had uh three home runs, 10 RBIs uh for the Pirates. Uh pretty by the sixth inning, uh, but ended up with three home runs, 10 RBIs. So pretty incredible night for him. Uh so we'll have those two as our players of the week. Uh one guy that tried to slip in today as we were getting ready to record. Um, Dylan Sees uh had a no-hitter going into the ninth, uh, would have broke the Blue Jays drought of like 36 years or something, but uh had that broken up first batter in the in the ninth inning. So otherwise we would have thrown Dylan Sees in as our uh player of the player of the week. But uh okay, let's let's talk a little All-Star. Yes, let's do that. Uh who made it, who didn't, who the reserves are, all that good stuff. Um pull that up. Also, we'll highlight, I just want to mention it and we'll talk about it maybe on next week's episode. Uh, because the draft is happening this weekend. So again, as we're as this is being released, it's happened. So we'll kind of highlight who got, you know, those top five, ten picks, uh, some some good guys that are coming out. And as we've seen this year, some some of the rookies uh having a big impact basically. We have four rookies on the All-Star teams, one of which is now Weatherholt, which is a sad, sad thing. A highway robbery.
SPEAKER_02But let's just talk through um we'll get to who is on that list.
SPEAKER_01Who made it and who didn't. So the starters for the American League. And I don't remember we last week we talked.
SPEAKER_02My picks.
SPEAKER_01Your picks. I don't remember all who you picked and all that kind of stuff. I think we I think you're I'll remember some of them, but uh starters are gonna be Shea Langaliers. I think you did pick that. It was that was between him and Kirk, and Kirk has missed most of the year. Again, Kirk's not even Langoliers is for the A's, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I thought so.
SPEAKER_01Uh Vladdy did win it. Um for first base, he is not gonna participate though. Um so Nick Kurtz will be starting uh at first base for the A uh American League from the A's. Uh Ernie Clement, second base for the Blue Jays, third base, you got Junior Camonero, who uh uh could we probably should have made him our player of the week, but recency bias. But he had a home run in like 10 straight games, I think it was. So he's been on fire. He's also gonna participate in the home run derby, which is gonna be awesome to see. Well, um he's a natural though, so no, he's uh uh Ray.
SPEAKER_02Oh, he is? Yeah, oh okay. I'm weird.
SPEAKER_01Uh Bobby Witt Jr., uh shortstop, uh Mike Trout for his 12th uh all-star appearance starting in the outfield, Brian Buxton, Aaron Judge. I think you had all three of those. Uh and then Jordon Alvarez again having an awesome year at DH. So those are your starters for the American League, your reserves really quickly. Uh actually, let me do the National League starters since I have that picture up there. Let me just do this. Uh, catcher, Drake Baldwin, uh for the Braves, uh, Freddie Freeman for the Dodgers at first. Ozzy Albees picked it at second. Uh you did, I think, pick that. Max Muncie at third from the Dodgers. CJ Abrams. We we were kind of on the fence there between him or Mookie Betts, uh, but CJ got it as the starter. Brandon Marsh for the Phillies, Juan Soto, the Mets, Andy Paha's for the Dodgers, and some guy named Shohei as the DH. Um, all right, going back to the American League real quick. Let me just read the reserves. Uh, catcher Dylan Dingler from the Tigers, catcher Ad Lee Rutschman from the Orioles. Here's another, here's a rookie, uh Travis Bazana from Cleveland. Wilson Contreras was just added uh to replace somebody. I can't remember who it was. Um, Kevin McGonagall uh is another rookie who made it. Ben Rice uh made it for the Yankees, Miguel Vargas for the White Sox, Randy Arezzarina for Seattle, Cody Bellinger for the Yankees, Riley Green, Detroit, Yonde Diaz, Tampa Bay, DH. Starting pitchers that made it from the American League, Dylan Sees from Toronto. Parker Mesick is another rookie from Cleveland, Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay, Joe Ryan, Minnesota, Cam Schittler from the Yankees, who's having an awesome year. Ranger Suarez from the Red Sox and our boy, who we mentioned back when we were highlighting the playoff, uh, the picking our playoff teams, Michael Walka for Kansas City. And then for the uh um starting pitchers, Justin Verlander was added as a commissioner's legend pick, uh, but will not be active for the game, but he will be there, Justin Verlander. And then he also announced that he is going to retire at the end of the season. So Hall of Famer, future Hall of Famer, one of the greats of this generation, uh, Justin Verlander. We'll be at the All-Star game. The relief pitchers for the American League are Brian Baker from Tampa, Araldus Chapman from Boston, Jacob Latz from Texas, Cade Smith, Cleveland, Luis Varland from Toronto. Uh reserves for the National League, William Contreras, Milwaukee, Hunter Goodman, catcher for Colorado, infield, Luis Arries, um, and Bryce Harper. Bryce Harper was added as a commissioner's pick for the National League, as a legend's pick. I think more so because it's in Philly. Yeah, so it makes sense. Uh Otto Lopez for Miami, Matt Olson infield, first base for Atlanta. Sal Stewart is another rookie. All right, this one's hard for me because Sal Stewart started off great for the Reds. I I don't understand how Sal Stewart is in and not JJ Weatherholt. It makes no sense. When you see all the polls right now for rookie of the year, it's Kevin McGonagall in the American League, JJ Weatherholt in the National League. And it's not even close. How he is not in, and Sal Stewart is in, I don't understand it. I thought, well, maybe it's because they only have you have to have one player from every team. But they have a pitcher, they have Chase Burns that made it. So I don't get it, and I don't like the Reds. Corbin Carroll uh makes sense. Pete Crow Armstrong for the Cubs.
SPEAKER_02Can't stand PCA.
SPEAKER_01Can't stand PCA. He's the only one for the Cubs, which I I like. Uh Jordan Walker did make his first uh there we go. Should have been a starter, but he's in as a reserve. James Wood from Washington, Kyle Schwarber makes a lot of sense. DH would be the starter. DH if it wasn't for Shoei. Um starting pitchers, Bri Braxton Ashcraft was just uh put in to replace um somebody I don't remember who Chase Burns. Jesus Lozardo from Philly was also just put in. Max Meyer, Jacob Mizarowski probably will be the starter. I don't know. I would imagine he'd be the opening starter, him or Skeens, I guess. Uh Eduardo Rodriguez, or maybe Christopher Sanchez because they're in Philly. Uh Chris Sale, Christopher Sanchez, Paul Skins, Logan Webb, and Yamamoto from the Dodgers release pitchers, Duran from Philly, uh Iglesias from Atlanta, Mason Miller from the Padres, and Riley O'Brien from the Carpenter.
SPEAKER_02What a list.
SPEAKER_01There it is. That's your all-star team. Again, some of those are going to be different even from the time this airs, because I'm sure over the next couple days you're going to have some other guys back out. Maybe Weatherhole gets in between now and then. Let's hope so. Um, but it's going to be in Philly. We'll talk a little bit about it more on next week's episode as we're leading into that to that game, but should be a fun uh all-star game, uh, quality uh teams here. And then uh again, we'll highlight a little bit about the home run derby too, which will be that Monday night. Right now, we only have four of eight participants.
SPEAKER_02Of our knowledge, yeah.
SPEAKER_01I mean, again, by the by the time this comes out, we will have all eight. But as we're recording this, we've got uh Caglione from the Royals, Ben Rice from the Yankees, uh Wilson Contreras from the Red Sox just confirmed, so I'm excited about that. And then um I mentioned it earlier. Who else did I say? Oh, uh Junior Camero. Yeah, so those are the four that we know right now.
SPEAKER_02He's not an asher, did you not?
SPEAKER_01He's a Tampa Bay Ray, yes. Uh so that's it. So it's a it's a fun time. Again, we got the draft coming up this weekend, then we got then we have home run derby, all-star game, and then you're leading right into the uh trade deadline. So I mean we're at the midway point, you know, we're in the middle of kind of know who who's who at this point. True. Um, and so we'll see how the next few weeks unfold.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for sure. Now, I don't know if you said his name, and I didn't hear it. Uh or if it's just because of the injury, but uh Acunia?
SPEAKER_01Did he you know I didn't say his name, he probably was in there and and uh just got pulled out because of his injury? Because of the injury, yeah, because I know that they were because even like uh I thought when we were reading who was the finalist, like I thought Michael Harris was in that list, but he didn't, he's not even on the All-Star teams. I think he was one of the finalists, and then he didn't make it, and then again it's up to the manager to pick those people. Um, and so he because he's one of those guys that's considered a snub, uh, that should have been in there. Uh, but a cunha if a cunha was healthy, a cunha would have made it.
SPEAKER_02Oh, for sure. For sure.
SPEAKER_01But he's not so um and and that's the that's the downside because you want in the all-star game, you just want to see the stars. It's not yeah. Um that's that's what people want to see. Same thing with the home run derby. You want to see the big boys participate. Um, but uh should be a fun, fun week, fun uh festivities, and then we'll get ready for the second half of the season.
SPEAKER_02I'm excited.
SPEAKER_01Yep, okay.
SPEAKER_02I'm excited.
SPEAKER_01All right, let's let's wrap up with a little devotion, a little word.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. All right, so um our verse of the week is um first Thessalonians five sixteen through eighteen. Rejoice always, pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. First Thessal First Thessalonians five, sixteen through eighteen. The Minnesota Twins needed hope. After a lousy fifty-nine win season, they used the first overall pick in the twenty seventeen draft on Royce Lewis. With quick hands, explosive speed, and a positive attitude, the eighteen-year-old Lewis looked like he could help turn things around. By 2021, Lewis was on the verge of being promoted to the major leagues. But before the minor league season uh even began, he tore his ACL. After a year of rehab, he finally reached the Twins Major League roster and made an immediate impact. Then, just twelve games in, he re-injured the same knee while leaping for a catch in the outfield. Lewis later said he wrestled with why it happened. That question of why me definitely was there. It was something that right away I was very upset with God. But even in the frustration, his gratitude didn't fade. Reflecting on a second injury, Lewis said, The blessing I've had that God has bestowed upon me and my family is just a pause, just another setback that honestly will push me forward. During the s during his second rehab, Lewis maintained the same joyful attitude that had always marked his game. Despite not being able to play, you could see him in the dugout, celebrating teammates and cracking jokes. He didn't wait for a comeback to live with gratitude. It was already there. In 2023, Lewis returned at full strength and quickly became the Twins' most dangerous hitter. Over a span of 18 games, he blasted four Grand Slams, setting an NLB record. Lewis also helped power the Twins to their first playoff series win in 21 years. 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 18 tells us to give thanks in every situation. This can be easy when you're on a hot streak, but what if you're injured and get stuck in a dugout wearing a brace? Gratitude probably isn't your first reaction. That's when choosing to give thanks can matter most. It shifts your focus and helps you zoom out and see the bigger picture. God can use setbacks to grow your faith, toughen your grit, and prepare you for new opportunities. Gratitude reminds you that He's still with you, even when everything's not going your way. When life feels like a grind, pause and thank God for a few good things. Maybe it's a bed to sleep in, food on the table, or just another day on the field. Even in tough stretches, there's always something to be thankful for.
SPEAKER_01Good word right there. Great word, great word. Alright, Royce Lewis. He's having his experience even since the writing of that book. I mean, he had that great 23, 24. Um, but he he struggled at the beginning of this year, actually got sent down, and then he's bet come back and he he was on a tear coming back, you know, from the miners. So uh when the Cardinals played him earlier this year, he was lies out. Uh I guess that's we couldn't get him out. So can't um that's the nature of life. It's the nature of baseball, man.
SPEAKER_02For sure. It's set up for failure. Really, it is.
SPEAKER_01Well, but it's you just gotta battle through it, you know. Exactly, yeah. Um again, it's why it's not pretty easy. No, and that's but that's why there's so many good l life lessons to learn out of the game of baseball. For sure. Um, and gratitude, having a an attitude of gratitude is a is a great one.
SPEAKER_02Gratitude. I like it.
SPEAKER_01All right, anything else?
SPEAKER_02Not really. All right, we suggest Truist Park to anyone looking for a stadium.
SPEAKER_01All right, uh, pray for us and we'll get out of here.
SPEAKER_02With pleasure. Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you just for another podcast, Lord. Um, I just pray that we can honor you in everything we do, Lord. And even uh if the situation we're going through is rough and we don't see a way out, Lord. I just pray that we would still be grateful for the things we do know and the things we do have, Lord, and that is you. So uh just thank you for this day, thank you for um everyone watching this, Lord. I pray that you would bless them. In Jesus' name, amen.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Hope you guys have a great week. Uh enjoy the all star game and the all star festivities, and we'll be back with you next week. Love you guys.