It was great to see former Saint Ignatius baseball standout and current Miami Marlins starting second baseman Derek Dietrich competing in ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball presentation of the Fort Bragg (N.C.) Game on the newly constructed Fort Bragg Field. Fort Bragg is the home of thousands and thousands of our country's current members of the Military.
Sunday's game was the first regular-season game in a professional sport ever to be played on an active Military Base.
The special Fort Bragg Game, which came on the eve of America's 240th Birthday, matched Don Mattingly's Marlins, who have Wild Card aspirations this season, against the Atlanta Braves.
Derek, who entered the game hitting .302, walked and had an RBI sacrifice fly in four trips to the plate. He also drove a ball the opposite way to left field for a deep fly out. The Marlins turned back the Braves, 5-2.
Mattingly, known as "Donnie Baseball" during his memorable career as a first baseman for the New York Yankees and the former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is very pleased with Derek's play, especially his versatility.
Along with his solid play at second base, Derek can also handle third base, first base and left field. That versatility might come into play when Marlins second baseman and 2015 National League Batting Champion Dee Gordon comes off his suspension later this month.
Derek recently tied a Marlins' single-season mark by getting hit by a pitch for the 17th time this spring and summer. He joined Carlos Delgado, who was plunked 17 times in 2005.
God Bless and All of the Best to Derek, his family and his Marlin teammates as Derek continues a career that this corner had the privilege to cover for three of his four seasons at Saint Ignatius.
NOTE: Derek and the Marlins will take on the Indians at Progressive Field September 2nd through the 4th.
Sunday's game was the first regular-season game in a professional sport ever to be played on an active Military Base.
The special Fort Bragg Game, which came on the eve of America's 240th Birthday, matched Don Mattingly's Marlins, who have Wild Card aspirations this season, against the Atlanta Braves.
Derek, who entered the game hitting .302, walked and had an RBI sacrifice fly in four trips to the plate. He also drove a ball the opposite way to left field for a deep fly out. The Marlins turned back the Braves, 5-2.
Mattingly, known as "Donnie Baseball" during his memorable career as a first baseman for the New York Yankees and the former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is very pleased with Derek's play, especially his versatility.
Along with his solid play at second base, Derek can also handle third base, first base and left field. That versatility might come into play when Marlins second baseman and 2015 National League Batting Champion Dee Gordon comes off his suspension later this month.
Derek recently tied a Marlins' single-season mark by getting hit by a pitch for the 17th time this spring and summer. He joined Carlos Delgado, who was plunked 17 times in 2005.
God Bless and All of the Best to Derek, his family and his Marlin teammates as Derek continues a career that this corner had the privilege to cover for three of his four seasons at Saint Ignatius.
NOTE: Derek and the Marlins will take on the Indians at Progressive Field September 2nd through the 4th.