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Matt Downs: Man of Honor
by nvsfg on Sep 3, 2010 11:50 AM PDT
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PrintOn Aug 23, 2010 the Giants designated Matt Downs for assignment in order to move him off the 40 man roster..
I am sure on that day Matt had many things going through his mind. He was close to September 1 and hoping for a call up. Another chance to prove that he could have value to the big league team. Instead he was moved off the 40 man to make room for Cody Ross. There was a chance he would be claimed, but many thought the chance was almost non-existent. A 26-year-old utility infielder? Who would risk a spot on the roster for a guy like that in September? As we all know, my son was claimed by the Houston Astros.
I am sure on that day Matt had a lot on his mind. Was he destined to stay in 3A forever? Did he have a career in MLB? What was his future going to be? Instead of contemplating his future, he was following through on a promise made to a fan.
During the last series between the Reno Aces and Fresno Grizzlies, Mrs. nvsfg and I were chatting with Matt prior to game time. She mentioned that she treasured the signed bat from last year. Matt said he wished the bat "was worth more" and she said, "it’s the only signed bat I have, so it couldn't be worth more". Now, Mrs. nvsfg is no shrinking violet, and she casually mentioned to our son that she needed a set of signed batting gloves to go with her signed bat from last year. Matt said he only had one pair with him on this trip but he would "figure something out". Mrs. nvsfg offhandedly mentioned that he could just send them in mail. He thought for a moment and said "OK, write your address down for me."
As Bill Cosby once said, "I told you that story, to tell you this one." Yesterday afternoon I was on a conference call and Mrs. nvsfg called my cell three times within a period of five minutes. I was worried something had happened to her or one of the nvsfg jrs. After I got off the call, I called her back as quickly as I could. She picks up the phone and says to me "Guess what came in the mail?" The pictures below show that Matt Downs keeps his word.
Actual name and address redacted. you guys know enough about me.
For real ?
Note postage date..and the amount due on delivery LOL
Side 1 signature
Side two signature..There actually was magic inside !
I'll miss you my son. A fine man who kept his word.
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Very cool
Thanks for sharing.
Adopted brother of Jason Jarvis who is stuck in the baseball purgatory called extended spring training.
I became a little verklempt.
I got to see him play last Sunday here in Memphis; wish I could have gotten down to the field in time to tell him how much I enjoyed his brief stay with the Giants.
While you were reading this, Carlos Willoughby just stole second base.
This story made my week
What a stand-up guy Matt Downs is. I wish him the best of luck with the Astros.
"I could hear the angry MCC cacophany in my head."--Oldjacket, 7/4/10
Fantastic story, nvsfg.
What a classy guy Downs is.
"IT'S POSEY, YOU IDIOT." - Jon Miller
Clayton Tanner, the Flying Squirrel!
by walkoff baltimore chop on Sep 3, 2010 12:04 PM PDT reply actions
That is really neat
Sounds like a cool guy happy to have some cool fans.
co-dad w/AfDC of
Ishikawa, the Topps Rookie All Star Team's First baseman. Does he get a chance in 2010?
"Because I don’t know what it means anymore, in the PCL. It’s almost like years ago."
"That’s not to say Buster isn’t fully committed or all-in. He is. He’s smart and he’s got the advance reports. Anybody who said he’s not ready to catch in the big leagues is crazy because he’s a pretty good catcher, especially throwing." - Sabean 7/11/10
Good story. Good guy.
/auto-defenestrates
by Uribe nee Gonzalez on Sep 3, 2010 12:19 PM PDT reply actions
Aw. That's awesome.
Godspeed, Matt Downs. Good luck.
I DON'T BELIEVE YOU
I tweet (more often than I blarg).
This is Randy Winn-type classy.
Matt is awesome!
Joe Mauer is from Minnesota. My adopted son, RHP Steve Edlefsen, is from Minnesota. Joe Mauer is very good at baseball. Call up Steve Edlefsen, Giants! Science™ is begging you.
Awesome.
Only way it could have been better is if it came $1.09 postage due.
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
"ZIPS Is Indeed Supose To Science." --GRM
Great story
I always liked Matt Downs, and wish him the best in Houston.
I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing Matt Cain.
That’s great. Hopefully he sticks with Houston.
I feel prickishly demanding!
I couldn't be prouder of my recent adoptee - Tim Lincecum's dealer. He provides the secret fuel behind both Cy Youngs. Also, he taught Timmy the change-up.
by giantsfansince1981 on Sep 3, 2010 3:13 PM PDT reply actions
Good luck, Matt.
Thanks for the nice story. I hope he does well in Houston.
Proud parent of Bengie Molina: Buster who?
Great Story
I was already rooting for Matt Downs to stick in the bigs with the Astros, now I really hope he makes it.
WWRWD?
by SF Pete on Sep 3, 2010 3:53 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
he's made quite a few fans
by being himself. good for him.
First ever adoptee: Steven Michael Decker, our 2012 San Francisco Giants Manager/starting catcher.
Dodgers fans eat their young.
Downs is one of the Astros' September callups
as is Bowker for the Pirates. (Bowker has already had 1 AB as a Pirate. He struck out.)
"I don’t think I’ve ever heard a louder chorus of boos than when the Dodgers made the third out of the ninth. It was awesome.." - Aubrey Huff
I met the family that housed Matt Downs while he played for the SJ Giants
He was shocked to hear that Downs is with the Astros now.
Great story
Great guy. Hope he catches on with Houston or another MLB team.
Juan "Doesn't Cheat The Game" Perez, please keep hitting.
he hits the ball well too
I see Matt having success in thebigs.
proud, yes I said proud, adoptive papa of "Geno" Eugenio Velez--
more game changing bunts than Buster Posey!
Matt Downs is awesome and this story is only further proof of that.
Welcome to McCovey Chronicles: Calm down
"Buster's basically a 21-year-old hot-chick that's an old soul" - Barry Zito
"Women are all unique and interesting. As such, no real set way of dealing with them is ever correct. You wouldn’t use the same set of numbers on every combination lock you came across." - Lars
I was a big believer in Matt Downs
And really hoped to see him up with the big club. But it wasn’t in the cards. Good Luck Matt, I’m sorry you never really got a fair shot with the Giants but you were fun to watch when you were here for that little stint. Hopefully he’ll get a shot in Houston and will have success.
"He knocks a stake through the heart of the Cardinals! The Cardinals are dead! The Giants are going to the World Series!!!" -Jon Miller
t's Posey time!!
Screw you Flannery.
Godspeed You! Eye-Black Emperor
I also got a little verklempt (mostly because of the postage date). I too really liked Matt and was looking forward to seeing him on the 40-man. He has great potential, and telling by this story, he seems like a real stand-up guy too. I’ll miss him in orange and black, but I wish him all the best in Houston, and I now have a little more incentive to watch the ’Stros.
And seriously – no one works the eye-black like Matt Downs!
(by the way, you can send your well-wishes on his fanpage on facebook – he updates it once in a while :) )
"Reynolds struck out as many times as I did in high school, and I’m not talking about baseball." - Duane Kuiper.
Nate woulda had that.
by MonochromeGarden on Sep 4, 2010 1:37 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
rec'd
for the GY!BE reference, well played
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
"ZIPS Is Indeed Supose To Science." --GRM
+1
When he comes back, I will shake my skinny fists like antennas towards heaven.
God Moya is a f’ing amazing song.
Proud of both my adopted son, Baggs, and my ward, Ryan LOLlis.
I'll just raise my skinny fists, not shake them.
I’m too cool for enthusiasm.
Couldn’t agree more, btw-Moya is among my favorite songs ever written. But the second track on Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada isn’t as good, so LYSFLATH is definitely my favorite album.
Wow
Great story. Makes me sad Matt is no longer with the organization. Best of luck to you, Matt. I’ll be rooting for you no matter who you play for.
In the end, America will be remembered for three things: the Bill of Rights, jazz, and baseball.
Thanks for the kind words all..
This story is just too cool not to share. Sadly, it is uncommon today. We often become jaded in our personal and professional lives. It is a coping mechanism. If we took everything so seriously we would likely collapse under the weight of our own, and others, expectations.
In every interaction that I had with Matt Downs, which was of course limited to those that occurred at the ballpark, he was respectful, modest, and thankful of the support we offered to him as a baseball player. It was as if he was aware of the fact that playing baseball, playing a childhood game, for a living, at any professional level was a privilege not a right, and that the fan support needed to be acknowledged.
The fact that this type of attitude surprised me is unfortunate. The fact that this type of attitude still exists should be celebrated.
Adopted Son: !Matt Downs I'll miss you my son.
by nvsfg on Sep 4, 2010 11:42 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
FYI
I emailed a link of this to Matt last night. I agree that too often ballplayers can forget that without the fans they wouldn’t have jobs and Matt is, as previously mentioned, very appreciative of those that come to watch him play.
I wanted him to know that we appreciate him for the human being he is. My interactions with Matt over the years have always been postive and he, like my other “official” adopted children, is someone I feel fortunate to call a friend.
Adopted father of Brian Bocock, Brad Boyer, Sharlon Schoop, Shane Jordan, Jeremiah Luster,Trey Webb,David Quinowski, and Jeff Arnold.
"GM Jack Zduriencik is one of the sharper tools in the shed. Elsewhere in that shed, Brian Sabean continues to pound screws into bricks with a garden rake."
Clearly Matt went to Randy Winn's School For Children to Stay Classy
/Win the inning
//Renteria - Still not a VD but I crush a lot
///Willism is Realism
This happened to me with Dick Vitale. I was working at a restaurant in Los Gatos, when he and his wife (I’m assuming) came in. It was about 100 degrees that day, and we didn’t have AC. They looked a bit uncomfortable, but sat and ordered. I recognized him, and sheepishly approached him.
“Are you Dick Vitale?”
He said he was, and I asked him to autograph a napkin (???). He told me he would send me a signed book if I left him my address. Sure enough, about two weeks later, a signed copy of Vitale’s book arrived! I still have yet to read it!
Billy Ripken is not a fuck face
Dick Vitale is awesome in every way imaginable except for announcing basketball games.
THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME (for 3 days in 1995).
by Mike Benjamin Hit King on Sep 5, 2010 12:56 AM PDT up reply actions
….except for announcing basketball games.
except for that, yeah
Adopted Son: !Matt Downs I'll miss you my son.
This is an awesome story.
Thank you for shareing it!
Threat level that the 2010 Pads finish with more wins than the 2010 Giants is currently at: 61%
Spoiler: Grumpy older Giants fan is Grumpy.
I've been a fan every since that game early in the season when they had him mic'd
Wish him the best on the ’stros, I hope he gets a chance to prove himself.
who needs down when we have cody ross?
what a friggin joke this org is
OK
Rooting for Jose Casilla to take his K- and GB-inducing skills to the majors and join his brother.
I liked Matt Downs ever since that game where he randomly dived for a ball that was 10ft away from him in foul territory.
This makes me like him even more, and miss him :(
doan worry, poplo loe he team, he wan get berry good for body to play the beisbol
Proud Aussie father of Roberto Kelly
I was bummed to hear about losing Matt Downs, Just like I was with Frandsen. I would have much rather taken Valez off the roster than Downs. Downs showed a lot of promise to be the next guy after Sanchez at 2nd. I’m sure he is going to have success and be a good ballplayer in the MLB. Maybe we’ll get him back someday.
Downs insight from Grizzlies worker
i worked for the Grizzlies this past summer and Downs was easily the nicest greatest guy on the team. He would always stop and chat, ask ya how your doing and chat until my boss called me asking where I was. After a game one night he threw a bbq for everyone just to do it. As much of a great player he was for us I was hoping he would get claimed cause he deserves to be up in the majors and deserves the best. My Dad came and visited me and the day before he came I asked Downs if he would meet him and he was all about it. Before the game he came up to the concourse and stayed true to his word.
Best of luck to ya Downsy
"But if he's swinging at real flies, well, in that case there are two definite solutions: 1) Fresno 2) Ritalin." - howtheyscored
by CPGiant756 on Sep 8, 2010 9:43 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
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