While Delino DeShields is getting acquainted with the Cleveland Indians and a new city during this shutdown, he is also getting to know a new hobby.
When the trade was announced in early December, Delino DeShields wasn’t the name grabbing all the headlines. The man he was traded for was, Corey Kluber. DeShields however, was welcomed to the Cleveland Indians with arms wide open, and he is adding something new to his repertoire.
First, the ballplayer Delino DeShields will be for his new team. The Indians are jettisoning free-agents-to-be on a daily basis it seems like. They were in the thick of the wild card race last year and traded Trevor Bauer. They have flirted with the idea of moving Francisco Lindor for six months now. Over the winter they parted ways with Kluber.
DeShields, who never had steady playing time in his days with the Texas Rangers, will most likely slide into the role of reserve outfielder for the Indians as well. He is a speed guy who will find his way into the game in the late innings as a pinch runner and defensive replacement.
Since the shutdown has been in place, DeShields is doing what he can to occupy his mind and better himself as a person. According to his Twitter account, he has always wanted to learn the guitar. His latest tweet shows him strumming the chords and sounding pretty good with his progress.
A lot of us are confined to our households are either binge watching stuff on Netflix or playing mindless video games. Not DeShields. He is working on an interesting skill that he can hold onto the rest of his life. He may be able to bring his Axe to the clubhouse and entertain his new teammates, or play a couple of Honky Tonks for some side cash during the break.
Regardless of how he chooses to display his new skill, hats of the Bop Jr. for challenging himself and taking on a new hobby.
For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.