Peter Bourjos

Baseball season is now in full swing so I get to have a Baseball Catch or two now and then. Some of you already know I’m a frustrated sportswriter anyway.

The Los Angeles Angels have a young player who so far this year has had the misfortune of having played as a rookie most of last year, but this year, because of new acquisitions and a newer rookie who is batting really hot right now, he has been relegated to the bench except for being inserted in the lineup late in the game to run for someone (he has blazing speed) or bat for someone who needs a break. The Angels are blessed right now with too many Angels in the outfield.

Playing occasionally is a tough thing for anyone but mostly for a young, still-developing player who needs experience to grow. Sometimes they will send a player like this back to the minor leagues just so they can play every day and get that chance to work out their kinks. The Angels feel that they need him up in the majors as what they call a utility outfielder – they need him to fill in the holes that happen in the lineup. Plus, because of how fast he can run down balls in center field, he often comes into games in the later innings as a defensive replacement. Obviously the Angels feel he can still make an important contribution to the team or he wouldn’t be here.

“I can’t say it’s getting easier or harder, but I’ve settled into it,” he said about his new role in an interview in the Los Angeles Times on Saturday. “Center field is demanding enough,” the article goes on to say, “but it can be an even bigger challenge playing it after sitting for eight innings.”

The key for Peter Bourjos (rhymes with “gorgeous”) is “paying attention on the bench,” he said. “If I was messing around, cracking jokes, oblivious to what was happening, and all of a sudden it’s ‘Get into the game,’ it would be tough. But I’m playing the game along with everyone else, so it’s all right.”

Get that? He’s playing the game from the bench. He’s checking out the pitchers. Finding out what they like to throw in various counts. Checking out where particular batters hit the ball so he will know how to position himself in center field should that person come to bat while he is playing, etc..

I think there are many times in the marketplace that God has us on the bench so to speak, but that doesn’t mean we don’t pay attention to what’s going on. We need to learn to “play the game from the bench,” as well, so that when God says, “Now!” we’re ready.

Paying attention, finding out about people, asking God to show us what He is doing in a given situation, studying, reading so we will have things to talk about – all these are ways in which we can play the game from the bench. The key is to always be ready.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… (1 Peter 3:15)

[Note: Yesterday, the day after this article, Peter was in the lineup for the whole game and hit a two-run home run to tie the score at the time against the Dodgers.]