Joe Vitiello called up by Expos

[ZeusBama]

I went to check on the gamecast to see why today's Expos game has been delayed (power outage at Stade Olympique - big shock), and I noticed Joe in the Expos' starting lineup. He was apparently called up on Sunday and will play 1st base from time to time. He's 0/1 in 1 appearance but will start today. It's his first AB since 2000 in the majors, so welcome back Joe!

 

[Tider in Illinois]

Glad to see Joe back in the Show.
RTR

 

[gimme3]

Joe Vitiello will always have a special place in my heart. I'd taken my son to a Vandy-Bama game in Nashville when Joe was at Alabama, and we'd had to leave early to get to my son's Little League game. As we were leaving Joe hit a homerun that my son ran down in the parking lot. It had a distinctive tar smear from where it landed.

Several years later I took my kids to a Sounds game where they were playing the Omaha Royals in a double dip. I didn't even know Joe was with the KC org until they announced him batting late in the first game. My son had brought his glove and a ball to the game and our seats were in the first ros at the end of the Omaha bench. By the wildest coincidence it was the same ball Joe had hit for the homer against Vandy. I tried to get him to autograph the ball between games but they were not supposed to sign autographs at the time.

After a minute or two one of his teammates stuck his head out the dugout and asked for the ball. I don't think he or Joe believed me when I told them it was a homerun ball from college, but he signed it anyway while the skipper went back to the clubhouse.

My son became the world's greatest Joe Vitiello fan during the second game of the DH and cheered wildly at his every move, base hits, catching the ball at first, whatever. At the conclusion of the game Joe took the ball from the Omaha pitcher and tossed it to my son as he left the field. My son, who is 19 now, still brings that up from time to time. I thought it was a great jesture and it meant an awful lot to both my son and me. I hope Joe can stay up there for a long time. He'll always be a good guy in my book.