© 2017 by Rob Maaddi
Print ISBN 978-1-68322-094-7
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®.
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Cover photography: Andrew McCutchen: Icon Sportswire via AP Images; Albert Pujols: Cal Sport Media via AP Images; Clayton Kershaw: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill; Mariano Rivera: Icon Sportswire via AP Images; Pedro Martinez: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
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For Jesus Christ, thank You for the ultimate sacrifice, taking that cross and guiding me every minute of my life. For my twin daughters, Alexia and Melina, you will always be daddy’s little girls, and I love you more than words can adequately describe. For my loving wife, Remy, thank you for your support, encouragement, and unconditional love. For my parents, Issa and Hayat, thank you for everything. Special thanks to Diego Ettedgui and Gethin Coolbaugh for all your help on this project.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
MATTHEW 25:40
They hit prodigious home runs. They reach triple digits on the radar gun. They make acrobatic catches.
Some are Hall of Famers. Some are perennial All-Stars. Some are just average ballplayers living the dream in the major leagues.
They compete hard on the field and play to win. In real life, they’re all on the same team. They’re a brotherhood, a fraternity, a group of men who share a passion for Christ.
Superior talent and elite skills make them seem larger than life. However, they’re just like you and me. They have ups and downs, good days and bad days. They sometimes have struggles. They often have to overcome adversity.
Through life’s smooth and rough moments, they rely on God. There’s no greater teammate or better coach than the Lord.
Baseball Faith provides a unique and inside look at some of the greatest players in baseball history and guides you through their Christian journey.
1. Chase Anderson
2. Andrew Bailey
3. Dusty Baker
4. Lance Berkman
5. Peter Bourjos
6. Matt Boyd
7. Blaine Boyer
8. Paul Byrd
9. Adam Conley
10. Chris Davis
11. Brian Dozier
12. Mike Dunn
13. Zach Eflin
14. Maikel Franco
15. Jeff Francoeur
16. Scooter Gennett
17. Kyle Gibson
18. Jeanmar Gomez
19. Chase Headley
20. Cesar Hernandez
21. Matt Holliday
22. Ender Inciarte
23. Don Kelly
24. Ian Kennedy
25. Clayton Kershaw
26. Pedro Martinez
27. Mike Matheny
28. Steven Matz
29. Andrew McCutchen
30. Daniel Murphy
31. Jimmy Nelson
32. Hector Neris
33. Aaron Nola
34. Brett Oberholtzer
35. Jimmy Paredes
36. Andy Pettitte
37. David Phelps
38. Albert Pujols
39. Neil Ramirez
40. Wilson Ramos
41. J. T. Realmuto
42. Ben Revere
43. Mariano Rivera
44. Rene Rivera
45. John Smoltz
46. Brandon Snyder
47. Joakim Soria
48. Daniel Stumpf
49. Mark Teixeira
50. Adam Wainwright
51. Adam Warren
52. Ben Zobrist
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
JOHN 3:17
You hear so much about John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”—and then you read this verse and realize the Lord didn’t come to condemn us; He came to save us. People think there’s a lot of hypocrisy in Christianity, and there may be some hypocrites, but Jesus didn’t come here to be served but to serve and save us from this world because there’s something bigger for us in heaven.
I grew up going to church here and there. I wasn’t a strong Christian. But when my grandmother passed away in 2009, she left me her Bible, and some of the verses in there hit me hard. The biggest turning point for me came when my dad passed away in 2012, because we were very close. My parents divorced when I was twelve, and I lived with him. We were like peas and carrots. We did everything together—worked, played baseball. He lived vicariously through me. So when he passed away, it was a big turning point for me, and I rededicated my life as a Christian. I realized I need a Savior because I can’t do this myself.
Chase Anderson |
POSITION | Pitcher |
HEIGHT | 6 foot 1 |
WEIGHT | 200 lbs |
BATS | Right |
THROWS | Right |
NUMBER | 57 |
BORN | November 30, 1987, in Wichita Falls, Texas |
HIGH SCHOOL | Rider (Wichita Falls, Texas) |
COLLEGE | Oklahoma |
DRAFTED | By Arizona Diamondbacks in 9th round of the 2009 amateur draft |
HONORS | All-State pitcher and shortstop as high school senior |
TEAMS | Arizona Diamondbacks (2014–15); Milwaukee Brewers (2016–) |
SEVENTH INNING STRETCH
Chase Anderson tossed three no-hitters as a high school senior.
Chase Anderson won his first five major league starts and finished 10th in voting for National League Rookie of the Year in 2014. After a solid sophomore season, Anderson was part of a five-player trade from Arizona to Milwaukee.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
PROVERBS 3:5–6
I learned this verse early on in the minor leagues at baseball chapel. It stuck with me through all the ups and downs on and off the field. My daughter was born six weeks early with some medical issues. She has a mild case of cerebral palsy, and while she was in the hospital, I trusted in the Lord and knew that, whatever happened, things would be fine. Living by that verse keeps me focused on the ultimate goal. During that rough time, reading that verse at night while she was sleeping kept me on the right path.
We’re all in our own place in our relationship with Christ. For me, it’s been a rocky road at times. There are times in life when you fall off that path, but you jump back on, and at the end of the day, He’s always there for you. He knows what you’re going to be going through before you do, and there’s always a way out of it, no matter what it is. I definitely encourage kids to find the Bible and start reading because it can change your life.
Andrew Bailey |
POSITION | Pitcher |
HEIGHT | 6 foot 3 |
WEIGHT | 240 lbs |
BATS | Right |
THROWS | Right |
NUMBER | 37 |
BORN | May 31, 1984, in Voorhees, New Jersey |
HIGH SCHOOL | Paul VI (Haddonfield, New Jersey) |
COLLEGE | Wagner College |
DRAFTED | By Oakland A’s in 6th round of the 2006 amateur draft |
HONORS | 2009 American League Rookie of the Year, two-time American League All-Star |
TEAMS | Oakland A’s (2009–11); Boston Red Sox (2012–13); New York Yankees (2015); Philadelphia Phillies (2016); Los Angeles Angels (2016) |
SEVENTH INNING STRETCH
Andrew Bailey has an ERA below 3.00 in every inning except the seventh, when it’s 6.56.
Bailey quickly became Oakland’s closer after breaking into the major leagues in 2009 and had an outstanding season. After saving 75 games for the A’s in three seasons, he was traded to Boston and injuries began to derail his career; but Bailey finished the 2016 season back in his closer’s role and was 6 for 6 in September.
Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.
PROVERBS 24:15–16
This verse applied in my life when I was up and down, up and down. When you rise to the top, you have to keep the faith, especially when the Lord has delivered you more than once. I’ve been up and I’ve been down with seemingly no way out, and then the Lord delivered me again. And then it happened a couple more times. It’s a hard way to go. I don’t think of myself as a righteous man as it says, but our Lord has delivered me many times in my life because of the faith I was raised with. Sometimes I would wonder why He did so because I felt so undeserving, but that’s how God is. My family started me out in the church at a very young age. If you were too sick to go to church that Sunday, you didn’t go out to play, so I was the same way with my daughter and son.
The Lord has delivered me through many trials and tribulations and given me a sense of calmness that lets me know things will always work out, and that’s what keeps me going no matter what. People always see the successes, but they don’t see the failures in your life. They don’t see the times when you were going broke, losing money, getting divorced, and thought you had hit rock bottom. The Lord gives you the sense of purpose that you have to have. There are many people out there who are faithless and feel a sense of hopelessness and despair. I’m here to tell them that if you persevere, the Lord will always come through and deliver you.
Dusty Baker |
POSITION | Outfielder |
HEIGHT | 6 foot 2 |
WEIGHT | 183 lbs |
BATS | Right |
THROWS | Right |
NUMBER | 12 |
BORN | June 15, 1949, in Riverside, California |
HIGH SCHOOL | Del Campo HS (Fair Oaks, California), El Campo HS (Citrus Heights, California) |
COLLEGE | American River College |
DRAFTED | By Atlanta Braves in 26th round of the 1967 amateur draft |
HONORS | Two-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove Award winner, three-time Manager of the Year |
TEAMS | As player—Atlanta Braves (1968–75); Los Angeles Dodgers (1976–83); San Francisco Giants (1984); Oakland A’s (1985–86) As manager—San Francisco Giants (1993–2002); Chicago Cubs (2003–06); Cincinnati Reds (2008–13); Washington Nationals (2016–) |
SEVENTH INNING STRETCH
On April 8, 1974, Dusty Baker was on deck when Hank Aaron hit home run 715 to pass Babe Ruth in career home runs.
Dusty Baker was a hard-hitting slugger for 19 seasons in the majors, reaching the postseason four times and helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win the 1981 World Series. Baker followed up his success on the field with an excellent career in the dugout, winning more than 1,700 games as a manager over 20 seasons while leading four teams to the postseason.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
JOHN 15:5