It’s a day of dreams.
Tomorrow at Target Field, Twins righthander Kyle Gibson will start his first major league baseball game.
“I’m not really sure when I started thinking it was realistic, but I always dreamed of doing it,” Gibson told Fox Sports North. “It’s just been one of those things that I’ve always wanted to do.”
A 2009 draft pick, Gibson, 25, earned a promotion by stringing together four solid outings at Class AAA Rochester, going 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA.
It’s been a long road to Target Field. Just 22 months ago his rise to the majors was sidetracked by Tommy John surgery. But he tells Bob Sansevere of the Pioneer Press that that his arm is just fine: “Strength-wise, it’s better. Over the last couple of months, I’ve finally gotten my control back that I had before surgery … I feel my stuff is getting back to where it was.”
Twins Daily blogger Cody Christie has a few words of advice for Gibson. The best: realize that there are going to be some rookie moments. As Christie writes: “Bert Blyleven gave up a home run to the first batter he faced and he still went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career.”
It doesn’t like Gibson will be put off his game that easily, though. Especially on a journey this long.
“I’ve had some ups and downs,” Gibson, an Indiana native, told the Indianapolis Star. “It’s been a little tough at times. But one of the things that kept me going was my faith. God has me put in these situations for a reason. You just have to keep going out there.”
