When the Braves told Chris Sale that they chose him as their Roberto Clemente Award nominee, he was caught off guard – in a good way. In over a decade in the majors, he hadn’t ever been nominated for this prestigious honor.
“I’ve been doing the same thing for years,” Sale said as he described why he didn’t expect this. “But to be recognized is special and I’m definitely appreciative of it. It made my day. To be in the same conversation as (Roberto Clemente), to be able to do something like that, is special – knowing who he was, what he did and what his legacy was. He was a great baseball player and we’re sitting here talking about how awesome he was off the field. That’s pretty damn cool.”
The Roberto Clemente Award is given to a MLB player who “best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field,” the league said. Each club selects one nominee. Sale is one of 17 first-time nominees.
During the season, Sale has hosted deserving Braves fans at Truist Park in support of certain causes. He’s met with groups from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Miracle Network, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and Camp Sunshine. Sale welcomes the fans to the Atlanta Braves Foundation’s Community Clubhouse, which is a private hospitality space inside the ballpark. (TAPS is a nonprofit organization that helps families grieving the loss of a military family member.)
In 1995, Sale lost his grandmother to ALS when he was 5 years old. The cause is now important to him. He played a significant role in the Braves’ Lou Gehrig Day celebration at Truist Park this season, according to Sale’s bio on the webpage to vote for him.
“I just enjoy it,” Sale said of these experiences.
The kids, Sale said, will go into the hospitality space. There’ll be food, beverages, bobbleheads and stuffed animals. Sale credited The Braves Foundation for setting up everything.
“And just to see some of the kids get excited,” he said. “Some of the kids are really involved in baseball or really into baseball. Sometimes, it’s their first time coming to the ballpark. So just going up there and spending time with them and hanging out, taking pictures. I remember when I was a kid and if I was able to do something like that, with a Major League Baseball player, it would’ve been pretty cool. It’s nothing for me. As a starting pitcher, especially, on a day that I’m not pitching, to go take some time and hang out, sign autographs, take pictures and meet with people on the field, I really enjoy doing that. I think it’s an important part of what we should be doing.”
The overall winner of the Roberto Clemente Award is voted on by a blue-ribbon panel that includes representatives from the commissioner’s office, Capital One, MLB-affiliated networks (FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Clemente’s children – Enrique, Luis and Roberto Clemente Jr. Fans can also vote through the end of the regular season, and the winner of the fan vote will count as one vota among those cast by the blue-ribbon panel.
When Sale came up with the White Sox, he remembers Jake Peavy being passionate about military causes and Mark Buehrle being involved with animals. Sale began getting involved in causes that were important to him.
“You just kind of figure out where your lane is, and you get your feet underneath you, you get settled in,” Sale said. “Then you really start focusing on what you really want to do in the community. It’s an easy thing for me to do, and I enjoy doing it.”
Clemente played for the Pirates from 1955 to 1972. The Hall of Fame outfielder won an MVP, 12 Gold Glove Awards, four batting titles and two World Series. He was a 15-time All-Star.
But his legacy also includes his off-field impact. On Dec. 31, 1972, Clemente died in a plane crash while on a humanitarian mission to deliver relief supplies for earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Sale is the Braves’ ace. He’s helped them survive during a season with so many injuries.
Fans will also likely enjoy knowing that he cares about the community, too.
“It just kind of speaks volumes to the person that he is,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Not only the player (he is) and the dedication he has for our team, and to see the same thing with the city, community and working with the Braves Foundation and everything that he does, it just speaks volumes to the man. You hit the jackpot with a guy like that when you get somebody that can perform on the field and off the field like he does.”
At this point, Sale is likely the National League Cy Young frontrunner. He could win a pitching Triple Crown.
Being nominated for this award, though, means something to him.
“Who he was and what he did, and obviously the tragedy that followed – but to be able to remember him like this is special, and I think it’s important for people to know, and I think it’s a great legacy to carry on,” Sale said.
Travis d’Arnaud placed on paternity leave
The Braves on Monday placed catcher Travis d’Arnaud on paternity leave. They brought up Chadwick Tromp, who walked into the clubhouse with his bag on Monday afternoon. (The minor leagues are off on Mondays and Triple-A Gwinnett is preparing for a homestand, so Tromp was readily available.)
Snitker said d’Arnaud will return for Friday’s series opener against the Dodgers at Truist Park. This means he’ll miss Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington.
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