Mother of Magic

Opening Day

Vanessa: It's opening day for the season, and of course, that means Colorado sent Stephanie Santiago to the mound. I am pleased to have Stephanie here with me for the post-game show. Great game, Stephanie!

Stephanie: Thanks, Vanessa. Good to see you. You are looking well.

Vanessa: Well, thank you, Stephanie. I'm feeling pretty good too. A five-to-nothing season opener doesn't hurt.

Stephanie: LA had a slow pre-season too. I hate to call it team rebuilding time since that was us last year, but they made a lot of trades and I don't think the team is really clicking yet. I would not expect that to stay the same. They have some great players on the team. In particular, I think Luis Martinez and Aya Delgado are going to really be big adds. Aya was on record as saying she wanted to play there, so she is where she wants to be, and she is a great shortstop. This was a shutout, but I didn't get a No-hitter. Luis robbed me of that. We'll be watching them as they gel into the team.

Vanessa: Well, speaking of the team, Colorado has hardly any new players this year. No off-season trades at all. A couple of retirements and a few people came up from the minors, but it's mostly the same team. That hardly ever happens in baseball!

Stephanie: I love that. I have been clear from the start I play here or nowhere. I am a Coloradan. This is my team. I love that the guys and gals on the team right now feel the same way, and that management is hearing this. We are here to play a game we love, and represent this state. I'd rather be the last-place team and be loyal than the first-place team and not have my teammates feel about the state the way I do.

Vanessa: Two of your teammate renewed their contracts with no-trade clauses like yours this last year. I hear rumors that there are going to be more.

Stephanie: Yes: I have talked to a lot of my teammates about why I did that. It comes up often. It's not unlike Aya Delgado. She loves LA, and she wants to be there. Some people love the game and don't really care about the city or the state. They just want to play baseball. That's cool. I get that. Some don't even care about the game, they only care about the money, and they just happen to be good at baseball. I don't get that so much.

Vanessa: You are a natural

Stephanie: Yes, but I also love the game, and the State, and the people here. I would not do this only for money. Everyone needs money to survive. I get that. But if I was only going to pursue money, I would still do it by doing something I love. I'd go to school and study something that interests me.

Vanessa: You played college ball. Did not take the scholarship money either. I think you have a BA in History. Right?

Stephanie: Right. I minored in Astronomy.

Vanessa: Two things you love.

Stephanie: Exactly

Venessa: Wow. We have been talking about all this, and we are supposed to be talking about the game! You hauled out some new pitches today. I have never seen you throw a knuckleball.

Stephanie: (laughs) Yes, well, apparently Luis has. That was the one he hit.\

Vanessa: He was the only one!