ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Eleven years is a long time to hold on to a dream. And when it finally came true for Marcus Walden, he wanted to take a moment to think about all the bus rides and hotels, the four organizations that gave up on him, the others that never wanted him, and that night when his wife talked him out of quitting altogether.
It was a lot to cram into 10 seconds.
So, as Walden got to the mound to make his major-league debut in the sixth inning Sunday at Tropicana Field, he simply accepted the ball from Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, took a few deep breaths and spoke the prayer he has said every day since he was baptized.