It's been about three years since I stopped following baseball religiously. It used to consume my life. I planned everything around what time the Braves played each day. I was a huge Braves fan for as long as I can remember. My parents told me stories of how I'd recite the Braves lineup with perfect accuracy when I was only 4-years-old.
As time goes on we mature and move on from things we once loved. I suppose baseball is one of those things for me. I don't watch much anymore. Back in 2008 however, I was a pure fanatic. I lived and died with the Braves. I spent the majority of my time on a Braves message board (shout out Braves-Nation dot com <3) talking and arguing with others about the latest news and even the most mundane Braves-related items.
Following prospects has always been a hobby of mine no matter if it's baseball or soccer. I just dug knowing about the upcoming generation of stars. We all heard stories of Tommy Hanson's exploits in the minor leagues. About how he was blowing batters away with his unbelievable arsenal of pitches. Even how he threw a no-hitter for the Mississippi Braves in Double-A. But until you actually see for yourself you can't truly become a believer.
That moment for me came in the Winter of 2008. Tommy was in the Arizona Fall League, a postseason league for Major League Baseball's top prospects, competing with the Braves' best up-and-coming talent. He won the MVP award for that particular season and started the Championship game for whatever the team was called that he was assigned to. I don't even remember the result of that game, I just remember getting to see him pitch for the first time. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. A fastball that would snap the catcher's mitt with a thunderous echo. His curveball was something from another planet. The break of it left so many opposing hitters baffled. Needless to say, excitement and expectations for his future were at an all-time high.
Unfortunately, shoulder issues derailed a potentially great career. But it doesn't matter. I'll always cherish the way Tommy Hanson's pitching made me felt. As a fanatic of sports, nothing beats that special feeling of excitement you get when you watch a truly great athlete. Tommy was truly great, even if it was for a very brief window. I never met him in person, only watched him on tv. I knew people who had and say he was a genuine and down to earth person.
News of his death hit me hard. I've been lucky so far in life to not have experience much death. So, when one of the athletes I've been connected so closely to passed away it was almost like losing a family member. I'm not one to get overly emotional about anything in life (except maybe soccer), but as I sat on my bed last night reading a book trying to get my mind off of the news, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Tommy touched my life and so many other Braves fans with his tremendous talent. They say pitcher's wins and losses don't matter in baseball, but this loss matters. You will be sorely missed, Tommy. Rest in peace.
