Philadelphia Phillies rookie first baseman/outfielder Darin Ruf hit his first major league home run in his first start.
His teammates gave him the traditional silent treatment for nearly two innings, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Matt Gelb:
“That,” Ryan Howard said, “has to be some sort of record.”
“That,” Ruf said, “was very loving of them.”
While it was Ruf’s first home run in the big leagues, it was his 40th of 2012. The first 38 came during the Eastern League season, when he set a franchise record for the Double-A Reading Phillies. The 39th came during the Eastern League playoffs, which I got to see in person at Mercer County Waterfront Park in Trenton.
I’m not a Phillies fan, nor am I likely to become one. But it’s hard not to root for Ruf, a 26-year-old – never considered a prize prospect – who’s doing everything he can to open people’s eyes.
