this is a wonderful bit of baseball writing. zobrist was a fantastic player, really underrated, and i think he was the forebearer of the current multi-position boom, where guys can line up at 2B, LF, 3B, SS, 1B, wherever.
you just never know what's going on behind closed doors. i feel like with pro athletes, particularly in baseball, so often we just sort of retreat into "oh, they're so all-American," and you just never know. facade is an amazing thing. i go to school in Orange County, CA... there's a ton of that down there.
i am both sorry and glad to hear about your marriage journey; i'm sorry it broke, i'm glad to hear you and your ex found a path to stability and continuity. i certainly hope the zobrists have as well.
Thanks for reading and for your kind words. I think because we generally watch sports as kind of an escape from our daily lives, we tend to look at athletes almost like they're fictional characters, and not just regular characters, but more like comic book superheroes. And the fact that they can do ridiculous things most of us can only dream of doing, only contributes to that fantasy. But, of course, they are just people, and on the whole, they're as screwed up as the rest of us. Maybe even more sometimes.
Zobrist is a good example of that. Seems like a genuinely good guy, but that doesn't mean his life can't be a mess too. I hope he's in a better place now, but I absolutely agree with you, on the field, he was ahead of his time.
Great article! I have been through the same situation as you and it was a long journey. Now I, like you, are in a better place. Time heals all wounds and life moves forward - thanks for the reminder.
Thanks, Josh! I'm glad to hear you've reached the "better days" phase. When you're going through it, I know some days it feels like it will never get to that point.
Thanks, Timothy. It's funny, this is one of my most popular posts ever, but you're the first one to catch that. Typos bug me, so I appreciate you pointing it out. It's fixed now, and I'm glad to have you on board. Thanks for reading!
New sub because of this article, good stuff. Similarly, went through a divorce, and I was a Zorilla fan (TB Rays!), and I didn't know anything about what happened to him in 2019! My second marriage is also awesome -- anyway, just wanted to say, I enjoyed your storytelling and sharing your vulnerability.
Thank you, David. Unfortunately, you caught me during a hiatus, although there are plenty of older posts if you're interested. The great thing about writing baseball history is it usually has a decent shelf life. Anyway, thank you again for your support and for reaching out. I love to hear when my writing connects, especially when it's someone who has gone through some similar experiences.
Oh gotcha, understood. Enjoy your hiatus! (I write about collecting sports cards, which goes hand-in-hand with sports history many times. If you'd ever like to traded guest posts, or if you just have a sports card story you'd like to share, I'd be happy to add to my newsletter. Glad to connect with you!
I will definitely keep that in mind. I do have a baseball card story in the hopper, but I'm not sure when I will get to it. And when I have a chance to sit down and do it tonight or tomorrow, I look forward to checking out your stuff.
Nice article Patrick, 32 years ago went through the same thing. Feeling terrible, let my boys down, etc but time heals all in the end. Ex and I have a good relationship and we both just wanted to support the boys. Happily married to my current wife for 27 years now. Life goes on and you make the most of it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Ed. This article has been way more polarizing than I expected. Most of the feedback I've received has been positive, but a few people, most without even reading it, have accused me of trying to go tabloid or something like that. One even seemed annoyed I wrote about my personal life, but they're obviously not a regular reader, because I do that all the time. I'm not trying to villainize anyone or stir up old animosities. I just thought Zobrist was a good vehicle to use to write about my divorce and divorce in general. It was a difficult thing to go through, and a lot of people can relate to that. You're obviously one of them. And like me, you're proof that things can get better again, even if it doesn't feel like it when you're going through the worst of it. Anyway, I'm glad things worked out for you, and for anyone currently going through it, I encourage you not to give up and keep moving forward. We're two examples of life getting better.
But lest we forget, she cheated with HIS PASTOR!! So where does that leave him with his faith, the thing you’re hoping helped him through his troubling times? Seems to me, he was hit with the double whammy: his wife was unfaithful and religion requires blind faith (yes, I’m secular), which must needs be shaken under these circumstances. My sincere hope is he found the strength where he should have: in himself. That’s where it always is.
I'm inclined to agree. I'm not religious at all, but if I was, that probably would be the final straw for me. I mean, that's a hell of a gut punch. But if he was still able to find comfort in it, more power to him. We're all just trying to get through the day.
I agree, and I also hope he found solace there if he was able. Having been where he is (with the cheating partner), I empathize! It’s a singular pain and stays with you a loong time. Changes you. As important as his faith is/was, I imagine he did feel twice betrayed (and who can say which was the worst for him?). Here’s hoping he has found peace!
His religious beliefs were “the only knock…” you typed it, then tried to make it sound like it didn’t really bother you. Not sure how you rationalize even discussing it.
I mean, I can rationalize it because it's my article and I can write about whatever I want. He's free to believe whatever he wants, and I'm not going to root against him because we don't agree on it, but it does affect how I perceive him. And given the details of his divorce, his outspoken faith/religious affiliation is worth mentioning.
this is a wonderful bit of baseball writing. zobrist was a fantastic player, really underrated, and i think he was the forebearer of the current multi-position boom, where guys can line up at 2B, LF, 3B, SS, 1B, wherever.
you just never know what's going on behind closed doors. i feel like with pro athletes, particularly in baseball, so often we just sort of retreat into "oh, they're so all-American," and you just never know. facade is an amazing thing. i go to school in Orange County, CA... there's a ton of that down there.
i am both sorry and glad to hear about your marriage journey; i'm sorry it broke, i'm glad to hear you and your ex found a path to stability and continuity. i certainly hope the zobrists have as well.
Thanks for reading and for your kind words. I think because we generally watch sports as kind of an escape from our daily lives, we tend to look at athletes almost like they're fictional characters, and not just regular characters, but more like comic book superheroes. And the fact that they can do ridiculous things most of us can only dream of doing, only contributes to that fantasy. But, of course, they are just people, and on the whole, they're as screwed up as the rest of us. Maybe even more sometimes.
Zobrist is a good example of that. Seems like a genuinely good guy, but that doesn't mean his life can't be a mess too. I hope he's in a better place now, but I absolutely agree with you, on the field, he was ahead of his time.
Also, go royals. Bobby Witt is a joy to watch
those were magical years for the Royals. I remember him well!
Great article! I have been through the same situation as you and it was a long journey. Now I, like you, are in a better place. Time heals all wounds and life moves forward - thanks for the reminder.
Thanks, Josh! I'm glad to hear you've reached the "better days" phase. When you're going through it, I know some days it feels like it will never get to that point.
Very thoughtful and compassionate piece. Congratulations on finding your way out of the darkness and into a better space.
Thank you for reading and for your kind words.
"...and I hope he and his ex-wife have found away [sic] to be civil in the best interest of their kids."
Well written article! I caught this little error that I hope you can fix. Royals Review brought me here, and I've quickly read three of your posts.
Thanks, Timothy. It's funny, this is one of my most popular posts ever, but you're the first one to catch that. Typos bug me, so I appreciate you pointing it out. It's fixed now, and I'm glad to have you on board. Thanks for reading!
New sub because of this article, good stuff. Similarly, went through a divorce, and I was a Zorilla fan (TB Rays!), and I didn't know anything about what happened to him in 2019! My second marriage is also awesome -- anyway, just wanted to say, I enjoyed your storytelling and sharing your vulnerability.
Thank you, David. Unfortunately, you caught me during a hiatus, although there are plenty of older posts if you're interested. The great thing about writing baseball history is it usually has a decent shelf life. Anyway, thank you again for your support and for reaching out. I love to hear when my writing connects, especially when it's someone who has gone through some similar experiences.
Oh gotcha, understood. Enjoy your hiatus! (I write about collecting sports cards, which goes hand-in-hand with sports history many times. If you'd ever like to traded guest posts, or if you just have a sports card story you'd like to share, I'd be happy to add to my newsletter. Glad to connect with you!
I will definitely keep that in mind. I do have a baseball card story in the hopper, but I'm not sure when I will get to it. And when I have a chance to sit down and do it tonight or tomorrow, I look forward to checking out your stuff.
Nice article Patrick, 32 years ago went through the same thing. Feeling terrible, let my boys down, etc but time heals all in the end. Ex and I have a good relationship and we both just wanted to support the boys. Happily married to my current wife for 27 years now. Life goes on and you make the most of it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Ed. This article has been way more polarizing than I expected. Most of the feedback I've received has been positive, but a few people, most without even reading it, have accused me of trying to go tabloid or something like that. One even seemed annoyed I wrote about my personal life, but they're obviously not a regular reader, because I do that all the time. I'm not trying to villainize anyone or stir up old animosities. I just thought Zobrist was a good vehicle to use to write about my divorce and divorce in general. It was a difficult thing to go through, and a lot of people can relate to that. You're obviously one of them. And like me, you're proof that things can get better again, even if it doesn't feel like it when you're going through the worst of it. Anyway, I'm glad things worked out for you, and for anyone currently going through it, I encourage you not to give up and keep moving forward. We're two examples of life getting better.
But lest we forget, she cheated with HIS PASTOR!! So where does that leave him with his faith, the thing you’re hoping helped him through his troubling times? Seems to me, he was hit with the double whammy: his wife was unfaithful and religion requires blind faith (yes, I’m secular), which must needs be shaken under these circumstances. My sincere hope is he found the strength where he should have: in himself. That’s where it always is.
I'm inclined to agree. I'm not religious at all, but if I was, that probably would be the final straw for me. I mean, that's a hell of a gut punch. But if he was still able to find comfort in it, more power to him. We're all just trying to get through the day.
And well said, sir, esp that last bit.
I agree, and I also hope he found solace there if he was able. Having been where he is (with the cheating partner), I empathize! It’s a singular pain and stays with you a loong time. Changes you. As important as his faith is/was, I imagine he did feel twice betrayed (and who can say which was the worst for him?). Here’s hoping he has found peace!
His religious beliefs were “the only knock…” you typed it, then tried to make it sound like it didn’t really bother you. Not sure how you rationalize even discussing it.
I mean, I can rationalize it because it's my article and I can write about whatever I want. He's free to believe whatever he wants, and I'm not going to root against him because we don't agree on it, but it does affect how I perceive him. And given the details of his divorce, his outspoken faith/religious affiliation is worth mentioning.
You sure can and I can point out how I perceive your ambiguous article. Have a blessed day if you are so inclined.
What priests having affair’s surly that doesn’t happen in society ;-) nm it’s a weird timeline we’re on
Almost that time again. The year sure flew by.
Only one month left to put up my #Juneteenth decorations.