Ya done good, kid by Jared Carrabis
Daniel Nava optioned back to Pawtucket, Hermida activated


(WEEI.com) -- Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava told reporters in Oakland that he had been optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket following his club's loss to the Athletics on Wednesday. The outfielder, who became the second player in baseball history to hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in his big league career, was sent back to the PawSox in order to clear a roster spot for Jeremy Hermida.

See that handsome guy in the white shorts? That’s me. That ball that Manny Delcarmen is about leap into the air and catch; that’s Daniel Nava’s first major league hit, a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw in the major leagues.

I was sitting in the bleachers that day with the DeFrino family. If you read my book, it’s the same family that took me to the old Yankee Stadium for the first time. They spoil me; I know.

Anyway, it was a really gross day that day. It was rainy, and to make matters worse, Daisuke Matsuzaka was scratched at the last minute from his start, and Scott Atchison was thrown to the defending National League Champions as a spot-starter.

I remember sitting down in my seat and the girl behind me said in a snobby voice, “Why do people come to the games if they’re just going to listen to their iPods?”

I only had a headphone in one ear, and I wanted to tell her that I was listening to the game on the radio, but didn’t bother.

It was the bottom of the second, and the Red Sox were trailing by a run, but had the bases loaded. Even after PA announcer Carl Beane announced that it was Daniel Nava (nah-vah) coming to the plate, the snob behind me said loudly, “Who’s Daniel Nava? (nay-vah).

Doing my best to zone out, I listened to the voice of the Boston Red Sox, Joe Castiglione and his partner, Dave O’Brien. “Joe, you gave him some advice. Swing at the first pitch, because making your debut, you never get another chance,” O’Brien said.

Just as Dave finished his sentence, Phillies’ starter Joe Blanton threw a fastball to Nava, who connected with the fat part of the bat.

“He does! Swing and a deep drive! Right field! Way back it goes! It is gone! It’s outta here! A grand slam! Daniel Nava, on the first pitch that he sees in the major leagues, has just hit a grand slam! Wow! You’ve gotta be kidding me! You’ve gotta be kidding me,” O’Brien said with such excitement.

“Oh, can you believe it!” Castiglione chimed in with his signature call. “The last thing we said on the pregame show was, ‘hit that first pitch out. You only have one chance.’ ”

It was a great memory for me as a Red Sox fan, and I’ll never forget it. The Red Sox went on to win the game, and Nava never stopped contributing to the big club.

In his 29 games with Boston, Nava hit .286, got on base at a .381 clip and slugged .451. The grand slam may have been his only major league homer to this point, but his ten doubles and 16 RBI pleaded his case that one day he will make a fine major leaguer.

"I've got things I need to work on, and I'll go back there, try to work on that stuff, try to focus on that stuff, wait for another opportunity," Nava told reporters in Oakland.

Expect Nava to return back to Boston when the rosters expand in September, or with the way this season has gone injury-wise, he could be back sooner than expected -- knock on wood.

The departure of Nava back to Pawtucket, of course, means the return of Jeremy Hermida, who was 1-for-8 in two rehab games with the Paw Sox.

-Jared Carrabis

To order Jared's debut book, One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk, click HERE!





Published on July 21, 2010

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