Daniel Nava Returns to Fenway with Angels, Looks Back at Memorable Time in Boston
By Chris Ryan
Fenway Park
Boston,MA- Daniel Nava had one of the best narratives and was one of the key players on the club’s World Series championship team in 2013.
He came back to Fenway Park for the second time since being released by the Sox last season this weekend with his new club, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Perhaps more than any player Nava exemplified the right place, right time nature of the 2013 squad.
He was a walk on player in college at Santa Clara who left the school after two years because he could no longer afford the tuition. He went on to star in Junior College and Santa Clara then offered him a scholarship for his senior year.
His pro career started off inauspiciously with the Chico Outlaws of the Golden Baseball League when in 2007 the Red Sox signed Nava by securing his rights for $1 with the Outlaws to receive a additional $1,499 if the Sox kept Nava past spring training. He did, and was on a fast track to the big leagues, debuting in 2010, although staying at the big league level would be challenging throughout his time in Boston.
Nava is best remembered for two memorable home runs at Fenway Park, the first was his first big league hit on June 12, 2010 which was a grand slam on the first pitch he saw from then Phillies right hander Joe Blanton, the other was a walk-off home run the first game the Sox played at Fenway following the Boston Marathon bombing in April of 2013. He also had a magical season that year hitting .303 with 12 home runs and 66 RBI while playing the outfield and first base for a championship club.
“I don’t think about those memories in particular (upon returning to Fenway), I think I might reminisce on those things once I’m done playing,” said Nava, 33. “For me it’s mostly just focusing on the task at hand.”
Nava also mentioned he’s enjoyed seeing the success of his former younger teammates in Jackie Bradley Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts. He however didn’t see too many teammates from the 2013 World Series championship squad as only five regular players on that team remain in Boston (David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Clay Buchholz, Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa).
“That’s just the nature of the game,the business side of it,” said Nava.
That may be true, but looking at the success and stability of Jon Lester and John Lackey in the Cubs rotation and the Indians riding a 14-game winning streak in part due to the bat of Mike Napoli, can certainly make fans look back with more than nostalgia at some of the decisions that have been made regarding major league talent.
