While the MLB’s Opening Weekend might have been a strange occasion without any fans in the stands, there were still some moments that reminded everyone why baseball is such a special sport.
One of them was when Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard, who hadn’t appeared in a Major League game since the 2013 season, managed to pick up his first win since May 29, 2012.
Bard entered the Rockies’ clash with the Texas Rangers in the fifth inning on Saturday, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out one batter.
After his team finished the game with a 3-2 victory, Bard was officially credited with a win for the first time in over eight years.
It was a long road for Bard, who found himself out of the league and without a job after struggling with control during 2012 and 2013 with the Red Sox. A victim of the “yips,” a psychological problem which can render pitchers incapable of hitting the strike zone due to a type of mental block, he spent years toiling in the Minor Leagues and with private coaches to help him get back to the Big Leagues.
His persistence was rewarded this spring after inking a deal with the Rockies, and he ended up making the team’s Opening Day roster in a development that would have been considered a miracle just a short time ago.
After his appearance and win on Saturday, Bard proved that persistence pays off.
