A Thank You Letter To Houston
The title of today's post is pretty self explanatory, but it is one that I have been constructing for a few days now. It is now that I will share that with you. Those of you that do not live in Houston may find this bias, and that is okay. All I ask is that negativity be kept away from here at all times.
So here goes....
Dear Houston, Texas (Or H-Town, as you like to be called),
When I first met Evan Gattis at an autograph signing on May 10th, 2014, my life was forever changed for the better. The amount of kindness, generosity, and fortitude shown by this player and man have stuck with me throughout the duration of his major league career. So much so, in fact, that when the trade rumors were circulating around him by the Atlanta Braves in the off season, I didn't really want to believe them. To counteract this, I started a grassroots social media campaign in order to plea with the Braves organization to not do, what I believed to be, the unthinkable. Hence, a reason for the starting of this very blog.
This was not, under any circumstances, an easy feat. In fact, just the opposite transpired. Many of the fans within my own MLB team and town were laughing at me, ridiculing me, and even going so far as to accuse me of being a stalker. But like all with any ties to media, I've had to keep a thick skin, as difficult as it has been for me. I pressed on to make sure that El Oso Blanco could be safe in the city that found him. The very phrase he said in an interview one time, "Why not me?' quickly became my life mantra. I had already re-discovered my passion for screenwriting (I have 3 completed scripts, with one of them being on Evan's harrowing life story), and with his inspiration, had really began to study the game of baseball to its absolute fullest, including stats.
However, my attempts at saving his job here would prove to fail on January 14th, 2015. For me and many others in Atlanta that called Evan Gattis our own, we were absolutely devastated. I certainly was, spending anywhere from 48-72 hours after the news broke in a bit of a baseball mourning as it were. Somehow, despite the rumors, I just couldn't believe that John Hart and the Braves organization actually went through with it. It was as if a big middle finger has been shot to all of the fans in Braves Country who spent their time and money respectively to support a team and players we all looked up to as potential champions. Atlanta lost that day, and Houston won!
Once my mourning period was over, however, I decided at that very moment that my sulking would be over. Rather than keep to a "woe is me" mentality, I decided once and for all to leave the Atlanta Braves fan base, and some of the most disastrous people within it. Some would call that an axe to grind, I merely see it as leaving an abusive baseball relationship. I gave away all of my Braves stuff, and quickly sought to buy Astros gear. Said apparel has gotten me some really cheeky snorts and jeers from folks here in Atlanta. I even get asked the same ignorant question of "You're an Astros fan? Do those even exist anymore?"
All the while, I have been keeping my head high, and even had my blog discovered by FantasyPros.com, and was quickly asked to come on and join them at there MLB News Desk to correspond for your Houston Astros this season. And boy, what a season it has been, huh?! Some have found it to be awkward that I'm doing these blog posts, updates and reports from practically a whole other world, but the hope is that my work will pay off enough for someone in Houston sports media to notice me and offer me something concrete. (wink, wink!)
So you can tell as a writer, I am pretty long winded, so I will go ahead wrap up this note as best I can by saying this to you, Houston: Today and always, I extend my most sincerest of all thank yous to your town, its residents, and your MLB team and its fans for the tremendous amount of kindness and support you all are giving to Evan Gattis in his new home. The Whataburger signing from this past week is clear proof that he belongs among you. I even hope to belong among you someday myself, should the right opportunity come along.
But I digress, I only ask one thing of you Houston: DON'T LET HIM GO! Whatever you do, don't make the mistake that we did over here in Atlanta. He could very well be on his way to being a franchise for you all, just like Jose Altuve and George Springer already are, and that soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee, Craig Biggio was in the past, just to name a few. Evan himself wants to stay there, so why not him? If Jeff Lunhow is smart, which evidence seems to suggest so, he would do well to work out details of a fair contract extension for the Big White Bear. With baseball being as unpredictable as it is, only time will tell on that. And just like you, I was a little frustrated by the slow start.
But Houston, please know this: You have something special in Evan. Don't squander that or let it go. I have faith you all will do the right thing on this. Take good care of him, not only for the sake of those of us in Atlanta that miss him terribly, but for your sakes as well.
Sincerely,
James Ignatius Zeankowski (Gattis writer and devoted fan and ally for the rest of my life!)
So here goes....
Dear Houston, Texas (Or H-Town, as you like to be called),
When I first met Evan Gattis at an autograph signing on May 10th, 2014, my life was forever changed for the better. The amount of kindness, generosity, and fortitude shown by this player and man have stuck with me throughout the duration of his major league career. So much so, in fact, that when the trade rumors were circulating around him by the Atlanta Braves in the off season, I didn't really want to believe them. To counteract this, I started a grassroots social media campaign in order to plea with the Braves organization to not do, what I believed to be, the unthinkable. Hence, a reason for the starting of this very blog.
This was not, under any circumstances, an easy feat. In fact, just the opposite transpired. Many of the fans within my own MLB team and town were laughing at me, ridiculing me, and even going so far as to accuse me of being a stalker. But like all with any ties to media, I've had to keep a thick skin, as difficult as it has been for me. I pressed on to make sure that El Oso Blanco could be safe in the city that found him. The very phrase he said in an interview one time, "Why not me?' quickly became my life mantra. I had already re-discovered my passion for screenwriting (I have 3 completed scripts, with one of them being on Evan's harrowing life story), and with his inspiration, had really began to study the game of baseball to its absolute fullest, including stats.
However, my attempts at saving his job here would prove to fail on January 14th, 2015. For me and many others in Atlanta that called Evan Gattis our own, we were absolutely devastated. I certainly was, spending anywhere from 48-72 hours after the news broke in a bit of a baseball mourning as it were. Somehow, despite the rumors, I just couldn't believe that John Hart and the Braves organization actually went through with it. It was as if a big middle finger has been shot to all of the fans in Braves Country who spent their time and money respectively to support a team and players we all looked up to as potential champions. Atlanta lost that day, and Houston won!
Once my mourning period was over, however, I decided at that very moment that my sulking would be over. Rather than keep to a "woe is me" mentality, I decided once and for all to leave the Atlanta Braves fan base, and some of the most disastrous people within it. Some would call that an axe to grind, I merely see it as leaving an abusive baseball relationship. I gave away all of my Braves stuff, and quickly sought to buy Astros gear. Said apparel has gotten me some really cheeky snorts and jeers from folks here in Atlanta. I even get asked the same ignorant question of "You're an Astros fan? Do those even exist anymore?"
All the while, I have been keeping my head high, and even had my blog discovered by FantasyPros.com, and was quickly asked to come on and join them at there MLB News Desk to correspond for your Houston Astros this season. And boy, what a season it has been, huh?! Some have found it to be awkward that I'm doing these blog posts, updates and reports from practically a whole other world, but the hope is that my work will pay off enough for someone in Houston sports media to notice me and offer me something concrete. (wink, wink!)
So you can tell as a writer, I am pretty long winded, so I will go ahead wrap up this note as best I can by saying this to you, Houston: Today and always, I extend my most sincerest of all thank yous to your town, its residents, and your MLB team and its fans for the tremendous amount of kindness and support you all are giving to Evan Gattis in his new home. The Whataburger signing from this past week is clear proof that he belongs among you. I even hope to belong among you someday myself, should the right opportunity come along.
But I digress, I only ask one thing of you Houston: DON'T LET HIM GO! Whatever you do, don't make the mistake that we did over here in Atlanta. He could very well be on his way to being a franchise for you all, just like Jose Altuve and George Springer already are, and that soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee, Craig Biggio was in the past, just to name a few. Evan himself wants to stay there, so why not him? If Jeff Lunhow is smart, which evidence seems to suggest so, he would do well to work out details of a fair contract extension for the Big White Bear. With baseball being as unpredictable as it is, only time will tell on that. And just like you, I was a little frustrated by the slow start.
But Houston, please know this: You have something special in Evan. Don't squander that or let it go. I have faith you all will do the right thing on this. Take good care of him, not only for the sake of those of us in Atlanta that miss him terribly, but for your sakes as well.
Sincerely,
James Ignatius Zeankowski (Gattis writer and devoted fan and ally for the rest of my life!)
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