One of the things that amazes me about professional athletes is their ability to separate personal trauma and conflicts from the playing field.
As if the moment they cross the white chalk line, the nasty weather of everyday life is left on the sidelines while they handle their business. If only that were 100% true, because as anyone with a beating heart can attest, some things can't be disguised.
It didn't take a shrink or snake charmer to see that something was troubling former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder, Stephen Piscotty, back in 2017. A year after exploding onto the scene with 35 doubles, 22 home runs, and an .800 OPS, Piscotty was in a season-long struggle to keep his head above water. Months after signing an extension set to keep him in St. Louis for a while, the young man had hit a brick wall.
For weeks, writers and fans alike wondered what was wrong. Finally, in a teary-eyed confession, Piscotty told the world what was ailing him. His beloved mother, Gretchen, was battling ALS, a deadly condition otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Piscotty was extremely close to his mother, thus unable to keep his head in the game. How would you deal with a 162-game schedule and your mother facing a terminal uphill climb? I'd shrink in sadness and escape the world; Piscotty showed up to work every day.
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He would finish the season with just nine home runs, 16 doubles, and an OPS that stayed above .700 thanks to a healthy on base percentage of .347. On December 17, the Cardinals traded him to the Oakland Athletics, a location close in proximity to Gretchen and his family. The trade allowed him a fresh start and the ability to see his mother as often as he wanted. Best of both worlds for Piscotty and the Cardinals.
People talk about the Cardinals and their rich history all the time, but this trade showed an organization doing what was right for a player. Sure, one can argue that St. Louis received Yairo Munoz, a fine utility player, and Max Schrock, a middle infielder with promise, in the trade. But this wasn't a deal the team had to make. They had Piscotty signed through 2022 with a team option for 2023. Tommy Pham was set to move Dexter Fowler out of center field, but Piscotty could have remained in right or moved to left field.
The Cardinals put the player first and their own needs second. This was proven when Piscotty returned to himself in 2018 on the field, compiling a .267/.331/.491 slash line to go with 41 doubles and 27 home runs. He played in 151 games and gave the Athletics three wins above replacement. He also got to be with his mother when she passed on May 18 of last year.
It worked out for the Cardinals but sung loudly for Piscotty. While 2019 isn't showing the robust production just yet, Piscotty's numbers through 72 games nearly equal or surpass his stats in 2017 in 107 games. He's comfortable out there, close to home under the fresh sun of the West Coast. He'll be alright from here on out, because he got to say goodbye on his own terms. Instead of having to travel back and forth between the Midwest and the West Coast, Piscotty got to be there every day.
Whenever outsiders talk poorly about the Cardinals, I remind them of the Piscotty situation and how it was handled. It makes you appreciate what human beings can do for each other in a time of need while under the microscope. Sometimes, business and humanity can intersect for a happy ending.
When Stephen Piscotty walks up to the plate at Busch Stadium for the first time in two years, I expect him to get a warm ovation. He won't get them for every at-bat like a fellow American League West Division hitter just did, but he'll get a few of them. He was good here in his short time. I saw the promise, skill, and most importantly, the decency of a young man yet to experience it all.
Everyone loves a good story, and together, the Cardinals and Stephen Piscotty helped craft one.
