EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Regardless of the outcome of Sunday night’s decisive game, Quebec’s David Glaude of the Quebec Capitales will likely play his final professional baseball game. He’ll have all winter to think about it…
“I don’t think about it too much right now, but let’s say I enjoy every game,” he said during the trip to Evansville earlier this week.
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For the fifth and final meeting of this final against the Otters, coach Patrick Scalabrini also decided to move Glaude from fifth to second in the offensive lineup. Strange coincidence.
At 28 years old, perhaps the time has come for the young man from Quebec to establish himself more permanently in the job market as a surveyor and, above all, to stay more often with his small family, which includes his son Justin, who is now 13 months old .
“It hurts to be abroad,” he admitted, immediately talking about little Justin with stars in his eyes. We had been practicing all week for her first steps, but I missed her… My friend called me on FaceTime when we were in Albany in August. At least I hit a home run that night. »
A little more emotional
When Glaude woke up Sunday morning at the Comfort Inn in Evansville, he naturally thought of his girlfriend Noémie and her little boy. Like every morning… Inevitably he briefly thought about the fact that the game scheduled for the evening could be his last round. While the Capitals led the Finals 2-0 before arriving in Indiana, the idea had also been on his mind before Friday and Saturday’s games. Through the deep desire to win, a feeling that came to him last Wednesday in Quebec, in front of his family.
“Every year when you know it might be the last game of the season at Stade Canac, it’s a little more emotional,” he agreed.
David Glaude and his little family, after winning the 2022 championship, at the Stade Canac. Photo Yanick Maltais / Capitals of Quebec / Archive
Probably even more so this year, as his son is now a regular at the stadium.
“Since the beginning of the series, or even a little before, he comes on the field, he likes to run and we throw the ball a little,” described the happy father, who grew up admiring the Capitals in addition to playing and the Diamonds , in the Quebec Junior Elite Baseball League.
“When I go to bat during a game in Quebec, he often smiles when he sees me, he waves at me and sometimes I let him touch my bat before I go to bat. It’s wonderful to see that he enjoys coming to baseball so much. Seeing your child proud and smiling, there is nothing better than that. »
Two extraordinary years
Regardless of whether he is at the end of his baseball career or not, Glaude can be proud of his journey, especially over the last two years. Of course, this also includes events from his private life.
“In 2022 there was the championship [des Capitales], the birth of my son Justin and my university graduation. In 2023 there was the success of my trials for the Order, my selection with the Canadian team, Justin taking his first steps and this final with the Capitals that offers the chance to win a second consecutive championship. Let’s just say it’s another great year. »
As for his presence in Canada’s colors, it was a first for him in June at the Pan American Games qualifying tournament in Argentina. He had never been drafted before, at either the junior or senior level.
“It was a source of pride for me to wear the Canada jersey for the first time,” he admitted, before quickly bringing everything back to the memories I had there as a family. I had the opportunity to enjoy this experience in Argentina with my family. There was my girlfriend, my little boy and my parents. »
“Every time he comes to baseball, he’s always happy and always smiling,” Glaude said again about little Justin. Even if he is sad at home, as soon as he arrives at the stadium he is happy, he sees people, he listens to music and claps his hands… Like a father playing baseball puts the fact of having a child into perspective , certain things . I used to be able to get angry about certain situations, but now there are so many different things to think about. For example, seeing that your child is sick stresses you out much more than a 0v3 fight. »
Popular in the locker room
The Capitals have not lost a home playoff game since Justin was born in August 2022. In the team locker room it is considered a good luck charm.
For Glaude, the little guy brings happiness in all circumstances, a happiness that he sorely misses on long car journeys. In Evansville, Justin missed his father, but sometimes, on weekends, the other members of the team too.
In the notebook…
- The players Greg Bird and Tommy Seidl went to church in Evansville on Sunday morning. They had undoubtedly prayed for a Capitals win that evening.
- There was no question that the Capitals were complaining about playing the final game of the Finals on the road even though they had a better regular-season record than the Evansville Otters. “For me, this formula is the right one,” he decided Michel LaplantePresident of the Capitals, on the system of switching from one year to the next between the East and West divisions for home advantage in the finals.
- Panamanian pitchers Steven Fuentes and Abdiel Saldana They leave Evansville straight away to return to their homeland at the end of this final against the Otters. Saldana was the Capitals’ starter in their last game on Sunday night.
- Voted Reliever of the Year in the Frontier Baseball League, Frank Moscatiello The Kansas City Royals organization is interested. He should therefore take part in a trial camp in the coming days.
- It is already possible to confirm the pitching coach Cody Clark will not be back with the Capitals next season. Let’s say his relationship with manager Patrick Scalabrini is not good.
- My favorite from the few days I spent following the Capitals in Evansville: Sir Raymond BoisvertTranslator and head of international relations.