Kansas City Royals Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie Plays Catch With Man After Twitter Request for Ball Partner
A Kansas man had the opportunity to play catch with a professional baseball player last week after the Kansas City Royals starting pitcher sought a partner out over Twitter.
Daniel Wesley, who describes himself on his social media profile as "Christ following hardcore jazz playing worshipper and armchair theologian... and unrepentant KC Royals fan," was already leaving work on Dec. 13 when he saw a tweet from Jeremy Guthrie.
"Does anyone in northern Kansas City want to play catch today out to 90 feet? Day 3 of throwing program," Guthrie wrote.
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Wesley, who saw the tweet only after his friend retweeted it, decided to respond.
"I thought, 'You know, why not?'" he said.
Wesley, "a pretty obessive baseball fan," told The Christian Post that the timing and conditions could not have been more aligned to make the situation perfect.
"I keep a ball and glove in my car, because a game of catch can happen any time" said Wesley, who said he was also fortunate enough to be "dressed casually."
Wesley was originally surprised when Guthrie asked how old he was and figured that perhaps the 34-year-old righty would prefer to play with a teenager. But when they ended up meeting, it became an easy conversation starter for the two men.
"We're both mid 30s with wives and three kids. Plenty of common ground to talk about," he tweeted, after he got back from the meeting.
Wesley said that his faith has given him perspective to see ballplayers just as fellow human beings.
"Being a Christian, I'm not a big believer in celebrity. He's just another guy. We're all just people doing our stuff whether you work in the coal mine or are a professional athlete at the end of the day," said Wesley, who has met other professional athletes before through his work with National Christian Foundation. He has also hung out with Giants relief pitcher Jeremy Affeldt during spring training.
"Now my kids on the other hand, they would have freaked out a little more," Wesley said.
