A Starting Baseball Pitcher

A STARTING BASEBALL PITCHER must lead from the mound. His confidence and determination should inspire teammates. In 2000, Darren Dreifort not only provided direction with his pitches, but he also led at the plate.

The Los Angeles Dodgers played host to the Chicago Cubs. Dreifort’s second-inning single spurred the Dodgers to a 1–0 lead, but the right-hander surrendered three runs in the third with shortstop Kevin Elster’s error plating two.

Elster cut the margin to a single run with a fourth-inning homer. Three pitches later, Dreifort, a three-time All-American pitcher and designated hitter at Wichita State, tied the score with his fourth career round-tripper. The power surge continued for Los Angeles as Gary Sheffield and Shawn Green both connected on long balls, putting the Dodgers in front 6–3.

Dreifort continued his hot hitting the following inning, blasting a shot off Todd Van Poppel 462 feet over the center-field fence. No Dodgers pitcher had hit two home runs in a game since Don Drysdale in 1958.

In the seventh, Dreifort gave up two singles and a run before leaving the contest, with the Dodgers leading 7–4 with two outs. Mike Fetters and Jeff Shaw relieved and allowed only one more Cubs run as the game ended 7–5. And Dreifort earned the pitching win thanks to his own two RBIs.

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POINT Darren Dreifort exhibited leadership both on the mound and in the batter’s box. He showed poise under pressure, particularly when his teammate’s error put him two runs behind. Dreifort led the way, and his actions set an example that others followed.

Leadership is also important in your relationship with Christ. Surrounding yourself with solid Christian friends and following a strong Christian leader will help you grow. People who set a good example for you will encourage you to act as God wants you to. And, of course, Jesus is your ultimate example. If you always strive to act like him, you’ll develop your leadership potential.

GOAL! Write down qualities of leadership, both in sports and in other aspects of life.