For those of you can actually read a calendar, and I am not one of those, Sorry Mom. Today is Mother's Day. And of course that means some of the players will be sporting pink bats and/or pink sweat bands. The goal of the day is to bring awareness to not only to Mom, but also breast cancer awareness.
Go to bat against breast cancer. MLB again joins forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest breast cancer organization, on this Mother's Day to help raise awareness of the disease and raise funding for treatment and the pursuit of a cure, with hundreds of Major Leaguers swinging pink bats produced by Louisville Slugger and stamped with the MLB breast cancer logo. Many players will also wear pink wristbands and the symbolic pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness on their uniforms, as will all on-field personnel.
This is fifth year that MLB and the Susan G. Komen have joined together to help raise money for the cure. It also means it is the fifth year I have been writing on this blog. Time in someways moves way too fast. Breast cancer awareness is very special to me, I could go into detail, but I won't.
Also featured this season for the second time a honorary bat girl has been chosen for each team, now ours won't be honored until the Marlins return home.
One winner was selected for each of the 30 MLB Clubs by a blue ribbon panel of celebrity judges and more than four million fan votes on MLB.com. Clubs at home on Mother's Day will host their Honorary Bat Girl during scheduled on-field celebrations; visiting Clubs on Mother's Day will select another date in May to recognize their local winner.
Typically, at least for the Marlins, the honorary bat girl gets to throw out the first pitch and gets a whole bunch of pink stuff. Personally, I would let her sit on the bench for the whole game and maybe collect a bat or two, if she is willing. But that isn't the way it works.
This year's honorary bat girl is:
Andrea Ianno Fort Lauderdale, FL
This is a bit dated but the Marlins expected to be sporting pink bats today are the following.
The Marlins expected to use pink bats on Mother's Day at Washington: Hanley Ramirez, Brian Barden, John Baker, Brett Carroll, Cameron Maybin, Cody Ross, Chris Coghlan, Mike Lamb and Ronny Paulino.
Mike Lamb is no longer with the big team, but be that as it may, he still ordered the pink bat and maybe someone will take his place.
The neat and strange thing is that after the game the players autograph the bats and they are auctioned off with the proceeds from the auction going to the Susan G. Komen foundation. Now, you may ask yourself about what is strange about that and I will tell you. There has been the occasion that a player has had a really good day sporting the pink bat, and it has to be, basically, pried from their hand for auction. In case you didn't know it, baseball players can be somewhat superstitious.
The bottom line is this: you see lots of pink being worn by the players of both clubs. But it will be for a very good cause.