Over in Tennessee, they called him "Smokey," though it had nothing to do with any nearby mountains or tobacco-related endeavors; the guy just looked a lot like singer Smokey Robinson. His name was Ramon Ortiz, and he was a hitting coach in the Appalachian League for the Johnson City Cardinals, who had an up-and-coming skipper named Mike Shildt.
"And he would talk about ... when things weren't going right, it was an opportunity, not a threat," said Shildt, now the manager of a different Cardinals team. "Just a great mindset. You know, life's not always going to be ideal for any of us. Choose to accept the uncomfortable and learn to be comfortable when you're uncomfortable. And the second you start complaining about something, you're taking away from figuring out the solution."
Winners find solutions.
