Sports are supposed to be fun. And news flash, baseball is a sport. It has not been a fun Braves season so far. However, in this desert of disgust there has been one shining light. A grand oasis where the land is fertile and all of your wildest dreams are possible. How is this possible you say? Ronald Acuña Jr.
In his first three seasons I must admit that I found Ronny a tad bit frustrating. Yes he completely lived up to outrageous expectations, but when you watch a guy with that much talent it’s almost impossible to fathom how he couldn’t always get a hit. Now obviously that’s impossible, but bad at bats were wild. This year that’s all changed.
Now he’s combined all of his athletic talents with three years of big league experience to create the perfect player. He doesn’t chase pitches and when he hits it, he hits it hard. He also runs the bases with a magical reckless abandon. There isn’t a more fun player to watch.
It’s not often we get to witness greatness come into bloom and it’s even rarer to see it from a guy on your team. I’ve never seen a player this exciting. No matter what the score I have to watch when my beautiful, Venezuelan son comes to the plate.
Watching the Braves this season has brought me nothing but the deepest of miseries, but Ronny is a reprieve. His at bats are the embodiment of the moment Sisyphus thought he had gotten the boulder up that hill. It’s the feeling of freedom I had right at the moment I threw my back out getting off the toilet, before the pain struck. It’s the eye of the storm. It’s another metaphor saying the same thing. And he’s not even stealing bases yet!
Have I mentioned his defense yet? No. Ok well he defends like a stallion galloping through a meadow and throws like a cracking whip. He also walks with the swagger of Muhammad Ali. He bat flips on walks. He is affronted by the mere fact that a pitcher would not throw him a strike. His exuberance is overwhelming and forces you out of your seat. The old heads hating his bravado only makes it sweeter.
Ronald Acuña Jr is the face of baseball whether they like it or not. I for one am all the way here for it.