There aren't many stories about baseball players that include poverty, a wolf-attack and a deadly car accident.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes isn't like many baseball players.
He's occasionally discussed his wild life experiences, how he grew up in California, survived five meetings with the Grim Reaper, was overshadowed by his older brother, eventually spotted by just one scout, drafted in the 18th round and hit a home run that would change the course of a World Series.
Lake tells the story as if he's directing a movie, and it works just fine.
Here's a snippet:
THE NEAR-DEATH experiences continue through high school. Jonny goes camping with some friends up at Boggs Mountain and runs across some angry gun-wielding rednecks. Shots are fired, but Jonny comes away unscathed. He goes walking at night in San Francisco and encounters a homeless man with a portable radio. The man pretends to talk with President Clinton. Jonny asks to talk with the president. The man pulls a gun and aims for Jonny. But he doesn't fire. Someone calls the cops, who arrest the guy and take the gun and tell Jonny it was loaded and the safety was off.
When Jonny is 16, he takes a ride down Hardin Lane in Petaluma, otherwise known as Rollercoaster Road. Four teenagers pile into a '91 Honda Accord: two girls in front, Jonny and his baseball teammate Adam Westcott in back. They career down the mountainside. The driver sees oncoming headlights and swerves to the right. The car fishtails, smashing a telephone pole, crushing Adam, who sits in the right rear seat. Two days later he dies of a brain hemorrhage. Jonny and the girls walk away, barely injured; he refuses to ride in the ambulance because he's afraid his mother will get the bill. It could have been him in Adam's seat. They both liked the girl riding shotgun and wanted to sit behind her.
Let's flip a coin, Jonny said.
Heads, Adam said.
Jonny flipped a quarter and it came up heads, and that's why Adam died and Jonny survived again.
Considering the lop-sized numbers that fought against Red Sox manager John Farrell's decision to bench Daniel Nava (.322 average, .894 OPS vs. right-handers during the 2013 season) in favor of Gomes (.258 average, .755 OPS vs. righties) in key match-ups during the playoffs, understanding more about Gomes and his past also provides understanding in Farrell's decision-making.
There's more to baseball than just the numbers.