The Retiring of Ryan Westmoreland

I commented on Jackie Bradley Junior, the most exciting prospect in Spring Training (my personal view), earlier this week. Prospects are the Sox’s future, and they’ve sacrificed a lot to get these prospects (Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto, all of last season for a higher draft pick, etc.). I feel prospects are more exciting then big-name signings because they’re “homegrown” really, even if obtained via trades. Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Will Middlebrooks are all products of the Red Sox farm system who have made a significant impact on the make-up of today’s team.

With all that said; sometimes, prospects never become who the player and team envisions, for one reason or another. Ryan Westmoreland, at one time the highest-ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization, was one of those prospects. Unfortunately, Westmoreland’s unfulfilled potential wasn’t because of lack of talent, determination, luck, or anything else that is usually associated prospects not making it.

In 2009, Westmoreland batted .296 with 7 home runs and 35 RBIs in 60 games with Lowell. Prior to the 2010 season, Baseball America ranked him the 21st-best prospect in the country. He had everything going for him, professionally, and he was still only 20 years old when the 2010 season started. But, it all changed.

If you’ve been following the Sox at all the last few years, you may have recalled the struggles Ryan Westmoreland went through. Prior to the 2010 season beginning, he was experiencing weakness, and an MRI revealed he had a cavernous malformation at his brainstem. He had brain surgery to repair this in March of 2010. He was determined though and rehabilitated during the 2011-2012 seasons. Unfortunately, he had setback that required another surgery in July 2012. Ryan Westmoreland retired from baseball yesterday at age 22.

I generally don’t follow many of the Red Sox prospects on Twitter, but I knew I needed to follow Westmoreland (@RWesty25). Despite everything he’s been through over the years, he always seems to have a positive outlook on life. On 2/17/13, he tweeted: MRI is all good! Next stop, the Sunshine State! I admit; I smiled when I read this.

Part of me hoped that Ryan Westmoreland would make it back into baseball; but part of me thought he could do so much more. He’s an inspiration, even if he never played a Major League baseball game. Sometimes, it’s the people who aren’t the famous sports figures that are the most inspirational.

If you have a chance to read any of the articles The Boston Globe wrote about Ryan Westmoreland, I suggest you do it. To think, this man is only 22 years old, has been through so much in his life, and he keeps his chin up. Yes, he had to set his dream of being a professional baseball player aside, but I’m sure he’ll do so much more with his life. I hope the Red Sox keep him around the organization in some capacity (Jimmy Fund?), but I know he’ll still do great things.