Growing up, I remember wanting to be a fireman, a pro baseball player, an actor and even a superhero or two. There are a very limited number of jobs available in those positions (especially the "superhero" one) and, good or bad, life takes us down many paths we never dreamed of. Most of us end up in careers we never even knew existed when we were young. Others, know exactly where they are going from a very young age ...

A couple of decades ago, private baseball instruction was practically unheard of. The only kids who got it were already performing well and their parents - undoubtedly ones with plenty of extra money - hoped the specialized instruction would propel their sons to the Major Leagues. These days, things have changed ...

When Steve Delabar struck out potential tying run Buster Posey in the 7th inning of the All-Star game last year, it was the perfect ending to a story so improbable, it would seem like something invented by Hallmark for a made for TV movie ...