I know I keep posting about Wilyer doing interviews in English, but I'm going to keep doing it because I think it's $#$%^^@ awesome.
After all, I promised I would from day 1 :)
And honestly, it's not even really about learning English.
It's the vulnerability of it.
Imagine being interviewed on live TV in a language that isn't your first language, knowing you're going to make mistakes, knowing people are going to hear those mistakes, and doing it anyway.
He doesn't HAVE to do this.
He could use an interpreter for every interview and I wouldn't think one ounce less of him.
But Wilyer specifically wanted to do interviews in English because he wanted to connect better with Red Sox fans.
Think about that.
This dude already has a full-time job trying to hit 97 mph fastballs, studying pitchers, working on his defense, staying in shape and helping the Red Sox win baseball games.
And somewhere in there he decided...
I want to be able to talk to the fans too.
So he put in the work.
That's why I keep bringing it up.
It's not the English that impresses me.
It's the effort. It's the vulnerability. It's giving enough of a shit to try.
I absolutely love this dude.
Payton Tolle of the @RedSox is the only MLB pitcher to have 14+ strikeouts in a game where he threw fewer than 85 pitches (since pitches were first tracked in 1988).
On July 2, the Boston Red Sox were in last in the AL East, had the fourth-worst record in the league and were 6.5 games back of the final wild card spot with six teams to leap.
Today, the Red Sox are a half-game behind Minnesota and Seattle for that final wild card spot.