I think I'll start April out with something uplifting
A Padre for Life
Taken from: Now I Know: That's Half the Battle'
The baseball player pictured above is named Matt LaChappa. As of this writing, LaChappa is a free agent -- that is, he's not under contract with any of the 30 Major League Baseball teams. That he's unsigned isn't all that unusual given his age and lifetime stats. LaChappa is 41 years old right now; had he pitched in the Majors last year, he would have been the 6th oldest in the league. But he didn't pitch in the Majors last year. In fact, LaChappa never made it to the Majors at all -- his three-year pro career topped out in the low minors more than two decades ago. Given that, you'd have no reason to think that he's going to sign a pro contract anytime soon.
But if prior history is any indicator, sometime in the next few weeks, the San Diego Padres will sign LaChappa to a minor league contract -- just like they have every year since 1996.'
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To read the rest of this really uplifting story, one that makes me proud that the Padres were the first baseball team I ever rooted for when a kid growing up in San Diego, please go here. I hope you finds this as moving as I do :)
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