'You're going to the big leagues': Video call-up moments add heartwarming, modern-day spin

One of Major League Baseballs charming modern-day wrinkles is the social media video of the latest kid whos been called up to The Show.

Its a sort of Candid Camera Meets the Minor Leagues, with the unsuspecting prospect being called into the managers office for some vague reason.

The grizzled skipper makes a little speech and then delivers a variation of, Youre going to the big leagues.

Advertisement The first of these videos I remember seeing and still the best was when Adley Rutschman was told by his manager at Triple-A Norfolk, Buck Britton, he was heading to Camden Yards to play for the Baltimore Orioles.

What makes the video sizzle is when some of Rutschmans clued-in teammates rush into the room and commence with a fierce jumping-up-and-down celebration, as though Rutschman had just hit a walk-off home run.

A more recent example came a few weeks ago when Marcelo Mayer of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox learned he was being promoted to the big-league Boston Red Sox.

WooSox manager Chad Tracy ladles out some mumbo-jumbo about how he plans to use Mayer in the second game of a doubleheader, or something like that, then says: Itd be hard to start Game 2 here if youre going to be active at Fenway ...

tonight.

Youre going.

Congrats, dude.

Mayer claps his hands seven times and his knee twice.

There are hugs and handshakes.

This is one of the best things to happen in baseball since players started using gloves.

And its something that can only happen in baseball.

Why? Because Youre going to the big leagues only happens in baseball, thats why.

We can agree that a kid being called up by an NHL team from the AHL means a lot to that kid and his family, but, and I mean this with the utmost respect, Youre going to the NHL doesnt pull at our heartstrings the way Youre going to the big leagues does.

Its a baseball thing thats as old as the game itself.

I wish we had Candid Camera footage of every player whos ever been called up.

We dont.

But it got me wondering about how these stories played out in the pre-social-media era, which for todays players is like talking about the St.

Louis Browns, or sportswriters in double-breasted suits and fedoras like Spencer Tracys Sam Craig in Woman of the Year.

(Nobody under 50 knows what that means, which is the point.) Advertisement Anyway, I reached out to four former major-league players and asked them how they got the news they were going to The Show.

Here are their stories.

Wade Boggs The background: Despite leading the International League in batting with a .335 average in 1981, Boggs did not get a September call-up by the Red Sox.

It was Boggs sixth minor-league season, and he hit .300 or better in five of them.

When he reported to spring training in Winter Haven, Fla., in 1982, Boggs feared he might again be opening the season with Pawtucket.

The call-up: Spring training, March 24, 1982; Al Lopez Field, Tampa, Fla.

Boggs recollection is that after a Grapefruit League game against the Cincinnati Reds in Tampa Boggs hometown trainer Charlie Moss said Red Sox manager Ralph Houk wanted to see him.

Boggsie, youve had a really good spring, and youve opened up a lot of eyes, Houk said, according to Boggs.

I started to think I was going back to Pawtucket if hes starting like that, Boggs told me.

Houk then talked about Boggs improved play at third base, followed by: Youre going north with us.

At that, my whole world had completely stopped, Boggs said.

First phone call: There was no first call to make, as Boggs entire family was outside the clubhouse, with the game having been played in Tampa.

My dad and mom; my wife, Debbie; and basically everybody, Boggs said.

They were all congratulating me.

They all knew before I did.

I was the last to know.

Boggs says the family had been tipped off by George Digby, the Red Sox scout who had scouted him during his days at H.B.

Plant High in Tampa.

Debut: April 10, 1982; Memorial Stadium, Baltimore.

The result: Batting ninth and playing first base, Boggs went 0-for-4, with three of his at-bats coming against Orioles starter Dennis Martinez.

Advertisement Not very eventful, Boggs said.

He collected his first hit off Chicago White Sox right-hander Richard Dotson on April 26 at Comiskey Park.

Now that was eventful, Boggs said.

Teammate Jerry Remy said to him, Well, kid, all you need now is 2,999 more.

I took that to heart, because you cant get 3,000 unless you have one, Boggs said.

He became the first player to get his 3,000th hit with a home run, a two-run shot against Clevelands Chris Haney on Aug.

7, 1999.

Boggs wound up with 3,010.

OTD in 1999 Wade Boggs became the 23rd member of the 3,000-hit club, and he was the first to get there with a home run.

@ChickenMan3010 earned election to the @BaseballHall in 2005.

pic.twitter.com/PeDJGDy5AM MLB (@MLB) August 7, 2023 Favorite memory: Were playing the Reds that day at Al Lopez Field, and I walk up to the plate, and Johnny Bench goes to his knees and says, Hey, kid, you got a chance of making this ballclub? I say, I dont know, Mr.

Bench, and he said, Dont call me Mr.

Bench; call me Johnny.

And I said, Well, I dont have enough time in to call you Johnny.

And he said, Well, let me be the first to congratulate you if you do (make the team).

Joe Morgan The background: Morgan was a star baseball and hockey player at Boston College, but the Walpole, Mass., native knew baseball was going to be his best chance to play professionally.

Plus, he had both of Bostons big-league ballclubs the Red Sox and Braves interested in him.

It was the Braves who won out, this after Morgan, 21 at the time, underwent a tryout on a warm, late-spring afternoon at Braves Field in 1952.

Morgan eventually made it to the big leagues.

But by the time he got there after two seasons in the minors, followed by two years in the Army, followed by three more years in the minors the Braves were based in Milwaukee.

There would be no opportunity for Morgans family to make the 18-mile trip from Walpole to Braves Field to see him play.

Advertisement The call-up: Spring training, 1959; McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla.

Morgan was a lefty-hitting infielder on a team in dire need of a lefty-hitting outfielder.

Braves manager Fred Haney had an idea: Why not use Morgan in the outfield? He looks like he can handle the job all right, Haney said, according to an Associated Press dispatch.

Weve got eight infielders anyway, so we can afford to use Morgan in the outfield if an emergency comes up.

In the last days of spring training, Morgan, 28 at the time, was out on a practice field when he was approached by a teammate.

He said, Hey, Joe, Fred Haney wants to see you, said Morgan, now 94.

I had a pretty good spring, and I thought this might be it.

So in I go, and he says, Congratulations, you made the team.

As simple as that.

First phone call: I got on the phone with my parents, Morgan said, but as a matter of fact, some of my family were with me in Bradenton when I got the good news.

One of my brothers, I think.

It was so long ago.

Debut: April 14, 1959; County Stadium, Milwaukee.

The result: They had me pinch hit for one of the greatest left-handers in baseball history, Morgan said.

Thats a fact, and thats what I tell people.

It is indeed a fact.

In the bottom of the ninth, with the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies tied at 3 and Mickey Vernon on first, Haney sent up Morgan to hit for the great Warren Spahn, who had already registered 246 career victories and would win 363 games before retiring in 1965.

Morgan laid down a nifty sacrifice bunt to advance Vernon to second.

Vernon went no further than that, but the Braves won the game in 10 innings.

Favorite memory : Its definitely pinch hitting for Warren Spahn, but not just because he was such a great pitcher, Morgan said.

Most people dont realize he was also a very good hitter.

I always wondered why they sent me up to hit for him.

Advertisement Morgan is correct.

Spahn was a career .194 hitter pretty good for a pitcher.

He also socked 35 career home runs, which is outstanding for a pitcher.

Lou Merloni The background: A lifelong Red Sox fan, Merloni was born and raised in Framingham, Mass., just 20 miles west of Fenway Park.

A standout at Framingham South High and Providence College, Merloni was twice drafted by the Red Sox during his Friars days: in the 36th round in 1992, and in the 10th round in 93.

By 1998, he was in his sixth season of minor-league ball, playing for Triple-A Pawtucket, 40 miles from Framingham.

The call-up: On May 8, 1998, Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, one of Merlonis best friends in the organization, injured his right shoulder while diving for Shane Halters single up the middle in the eighth inning of Bostons 14-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

That same night, Merloni was collecting two hits in Pawtuckets 6-5 victory over the Richmond Braves at McCoy Stadium.

The next day, after going 0-for-2 as the Pawsox edged the R-Braves 5-4, Merloni was told he was being called up as a replacement for Garciaparra, who had been placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Ken Macha called me into his managers office and told me Im going up: Youre joining the team in Kansas City, heres your flight, congratulations, Merloni said.

That was about it.

There was no videotape, no nothing.

And Im not even sure Red Sox fans knew who I was, outside of the people in Framingham.

First phone call: My family was at the game my mom, my dad, my two sisters and my grandmother, Merloni said.

I left the clubhouse and went out to the hallway to talk with them.

I was still in my uniform.

We had a nice little moment.

It was hugs and tears and everything else, and then I said, OK, I gotta get going.

I have to pack my stuff up and get on the road.

Debut: Sunday, May 10, 1998; Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City.

The result: With Mike Benjamin playing shortstop, Merloni started at second base and went 0-for-3 in Bostons 3-1 victory over the Royals.

In his first at-bat, facing Royals lefty Jose Rosado, he flied out to right.

Advertisement Nomar gave me the joke about, oh, how he had to get hurt in order to get me up here, Merloni said.

He said he did it on purpose just to get me to the big leagues.

Favorite memory: The fact that my whole family was right there when I got the news was special, Merloni said.

But nothing beats what happened a few days later at Fenway.

On May 15, five days after making his major-league debut, the Red Sox played the Royals at Fenway Park.

Rosado was back on the mound for the Royals.

Merloni was in the Boston lineup at second base.

Facing Rosado in the second inning, and with his parents in the stands, Merloni walloped a three-run homer over the Green Monster.

In doing so, he became the third Italian-American member of the Red Sox raised in the Boston area to hit a home run in his first Fenway Park at-bat, joining Eddie Pellagrini (1946) and Tony Conigliaro (1964).

It was my parents 33rd wedding anniversary, and I hired a limo to bring them to Fenway Park, Merloni said.

It was Tek (Jason Varitek) and Mike Benjamin greeting me at the plate they were on base and I tried to look up to the stands to see my parents.

I practically passed out when I got to the dugout and realized what had just happened.

Gabe Kapler The background: Though drafted in the 57th round of the amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers in 1995 out of Moorpark College in California, Kapler made a steady rise through the Tigers farm system.

Playing the entire 1998 season for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League, Kapler registered a .322/.393/.583 slash line with 28 home runs and 146 RBIs.

The call-up: On Sept.

18, 1998, after the Suns suffered a 2-1 loss to the Mobile Bay Bears in the Southern League championship game, Kapler and teammate Robert Fick received September call-ups by the Tigers, hopscotching right past Triple-A Toledo.

Advertisement The manager was Dave Anderson, and it was obviously pretty special, Kapler said.

He called Robert and I in together, so we have that moment.

First phone call: It was a combination of my family, but I swear I cant remember, Kapler said.

I imagine it was my mom, my dad, my brother and my girlfriend at the time, who then became my wife.

Debut: Sunday, Sept.

20, 1998; Tiger Stadium, Detroit.

The result: Some 36 hours after being called up, Kapler was in the starting lineup in right field for the Tigers 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Kapler had his first at-bat in the second inning and flied to right off lefty Benj Sampson.

He singled to center off Sampson in the fifth inning.

Fick also made his big-league debut that day, striking out in the ninth inning off Rick Aguilera but reaching first on what was ruled a wild pitch.

Favorite memory: The thing that was memorable for me was that it was the old Tiger Stadium, and the clubhouse was a dump, Kapler said.

The locker was a wire-mesh thing, nothing fancy.

But just seeing my jersey, with the Old English D on front and with my name on the back, thats something thats etched into my brain forever.

(Photo of Marcelo Mayer, left, during the national anthem before making his major-league debut on May 24: Maddie Malhotra / Boston Red Sox / Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.