Avocados and Baseball - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Avocado. The Dickson Baseball Dictionary defines this as: an inviting pitch for a home run.

Mud Hens First Baseman Brad Eldred has had his fair share of avocado-eating lately (13 times to be exact). Now because of this avocado overload, he will be packing his bags today and joining the Detroit Tigers as they open a series in New York against the Yankees.

He will no longer be a guy to watch at Fifth Third Field, he's made it to "The Show."

Just four days ago, Eldred was named batter of the week for the IL - some might think that could be a jinx. However, that night he improved his hitting streak to 18 straight. he's probably still running "around the bases, literally" after knocking three balls out of the park just two nights ago. Now on a 20 game hitting streak, with a .388 batting average, 35 RBI, including those aforementioned 13 HR's & just to add to it all, an impressive 1.013 slugging percentage (just so you know, according to baseball mind Dave Holmes, anything over a .650 is pretty darn good), he is FINALLY getting his shot at the Big Leagues!

What an incredible accomplishment for Eldred.

Last week, Hens Manager Phil Nevin told me how special it is for him to deliver the "call up" message to his players, as his pitcher Thad Weber recently made the move. Nevin couldn't speak more highly of that moment with Weber, but to deliver it to a hitter, a guy who plays the same position that Nevin once did, I could only imagine what that moment was like.

Best of Luck to Brad Eldred as he, in the words of LeBron James, "Takes his talents to Detroit!" (a lot of references from me today - just "swing" with it) GO HENS!!!!