If this past week without baseball has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate everything around you, even the small things. Find the things that bring you joy and don’t let go. There’s so much in my life to be grateful for and most of it is because of baseball.

So I’d like to say THANK YOU BASEBALL …

… for being the connecting bridge between me and my grandpa.

19 has been my lucky number since 3rd grade because it was my roll call number, which seems like a dumb reason now, but I never knew it’d carry such a great meaning to me. Baseball has become a huge part of my life because I remember going over to my grandpa’s house every Saturday and he’d always have the Padres game on. Since my grandpa passed 15 years ago, I’ve always felt connected to him through baseball. It wasn’t until middle school that I started paying attention and learning who different players were and their legacies in the organization. Although I was too young to see Tony Gwynn play, I’ve seen so many highlights and heard so many great stories over the years while watching the Padres broadcasts. Tony’s personality and charisma reminded me of my grandpa and in a sense, he felt like my baseball grandpa despite never meeting him. The passing of Tony Gwynn in 2014 affected not only me, but the entire baseball community. Thanks to Tony, I’ve gained a deeper love and appreciation for the Padres and SDSU baseball because of the high standards he set for the teams, not only on the field, but off the field. The Padres has always been a classy organization and I definitely attribute it to TG, Trevor Hoffman, and the other greats that have come through over the years. I can’t thank Tony enough for being that bridge that has connected me to baseball and my grandpa.

… for showing me what true friendship looks like. Baseball brought me a community of amazing individuals who have the same passion and love for the sport. I used to go to baseball games all the time by myself, but spending almost every night at the ballpark last season helped me find some of my best friends. I honestly don’t think last season would’ve been as amazing as it was if it wasn’t for the connections I made at the ballpark. But I can’t forget about the amazing baseball community I have online as well. Because of baseball and social media, this west coast girl has friends all over the country from the west coast, to the Midwest (Hi Pam!), and the East Coast!