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PORTLAND, Maine — Keep your fork.
David Sandlin certainly is.
When Sandlin was a pitcher at Eastern Oklahoma State College (2020-21), his former junior college coach shared an anecdotal story about a terminally ill woman telling her priest to bury her with a fork. The gist of the tale is to say that the best is yet to come, like dessert for example, hence the fork.
Since then, the Portland Sea Dogs pitcher has kept the proverbial fork in his back pocket.
#KYF.
“That’s kind of what my motto became,” said Sandlin before his start for Double-A Portland on Sunday. “Just always, no matter what happens, good, bad, the best is yet to come. And it kind of ties into what we believe here in the Red Sox organization and here in Portland with our chapel and everything, we’ve been reiterating it as well.”
As Chad Epperson settled into his office — located under the home bullpen beyond the right-field wall at Hadlock Field — ahead of the team’s game Sunday, the Sea Dogs manager lit a few candles and started playing gospel music.
A few hours later, Epperson hosted a handful of coaches and players inside his office for chapel.
“It’s a baseball chapel on Sundays,” Epperson said. “When the stars align and nobody has to do something, we’ll have 13 or 14 guys in chapel. So it’s pretty cool.”
The chapel group was started by Portland first base coach Kyle Sasala last year after the Sea Dogs’ chaplain (a religious leader) got sick halfway through the season. Since then, Sasala has helped players inside the Red Sox organization galvanize through the power of God and relate to one another beyond the paraments of the baseball diamond.
A Sunday sermon of sorts — but the Sea Dogs edition. They also meet on Wednesdays in the outfield.
“We’re trying to live out a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Sasala said. “It’s a daily thing, and it’s a struggle. We’re not perfect. We screw up every day. But just like walking in community with each other and with Jesus is what we’re trying to do every single day, which is extremely hard but extremely rewarding.”
For Sandlin, the start of his 2025 season has been a self-described struggle of sorts.
Heading into his start Sunday, Sandlin possessed a 4.64 ERA across five starts for Portland. The 24-year-old, who was acquired by the Red Sox from the Kansas City Royals in a trade for right-handed pitcher John Schreiber last year, allowed 22 hits and 11 runs in 22⅓ innings pitched while striking out 19 batters.
“Some frustrations here at the beginning,” said Sandlin, who is ranked Boston’s ninth-best prospect according to MLB.com. “Obviously, I expect myself to perform better every time I go out there and it’s just kind of been lackluster to start the year just tweaking some stuff, usage wise, pitch-goal wise, everything like that. Just trying to find my footing.
“Good thing is, it’s still only May — so a long year left,” Sandlin added. “So we’re in the growing pain stage right now, but I think it’ll clear up.”
And on Sunday, Sandlin started to sort some things out on the mound.
The 6-foot-4 righty, who is working on a power breaking ball, sweeping slider and new changeup, struck out nine batters in five innings and didn’t allow a hit until the top of the fourth. Sandlin finished his outing by giving up five hits and three earned runs in the Sea Dogs’ 6-5 win.
“Finally, just kind of getting everything patted down, just simplifying the approach,” Sandlin said. “Just not trying to overdo it and trust my stuff.”
Before each start, Sandlin sits down and watches a “Star Wars” film or TV show. It is another Sandlin staple that started back in college — this time at the University of Oklahoma (2022) — when he had his best outing for the Sooners after watching the popular space saga (that takes place in a galaxy far, far away).
“It’s just stuck ever since,” said Sandlin, who watched “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” last night.
Sandlin likens his pitching prowess to that of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a legendary Jedi Master.
“Just because of the balance he brings, and he’s kind of reserved,” Sandlin said. “But when the moment gets big, he steps up.”
The Portland pitcher hopes to keep building on performances like Sunday as he continues his development in Double-A Portland. The hope is to someday become a big leaguer, but for now, there’s more work to be done for Sandlin.
He’s keeping his fork.
“It’s a simple saying that carries a lot of weight,” Sandlin said. “Keep your head down, the best is yet to come and today is kind of proof of that.”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Portland Sea Dogs pitcher David Sandlin follows 'keep your fork' mantra
Continue reading...
David Sandlin certainly is.
When Sandlin was a pitcher at Eastern Oklahoma State College (2020-21), his former junior college coach shared an anecdotal story about a terminally ill woman telling her priest to bury her with a fork. The gist of the tale is to say that the best is yet to come, like dessert for example, hence the fork.
Since then, the Portland Sea Dogs pitcher has kept the proverbial fork in his back pocket.
#KYF.
“That’s kind of what my motto became,” said Sandlin before his start for Double-A Portland on Sunday. “Just always, no matter what happens, good, bad, the best is yet to come. And it kind of ties into what we believe here in the Red Sox organization and here in Portland with our chapel and everything, we’ve been reiterating it as well.”
You must be registered for see images
A baseball chapel
As Chad Epperson settled into his office — located under the home bullpen beyond the right-field wall at Hadlock Field — ahead of the team’s game Sunday, the Sea Dogs manager lit a few candles and started playing gospel music.
A few hours later, Epperson hosted a handful of coaches and players inside his office for chapel.
“It’s a baseball chapel on Sundays,” Epperson said. “When the stars align and nobody has to do something, we’ll have 13 or 14 guys in chapel. So it’s pretty cool.”
The chapel group was started by Portland first base coach Kyle Sasala last year after the Sea Dogs’ chaplain (a religious leader) got sick halfway through the season. Since then, Sasala has helped players inside the Red Sox organization galvanize through the power of God and relate to one another beyond the paraments of the baseball diamond.
A Sunday sermon of sorts — but the Sea Dogs edition. They also meet on Wednesdays in the outfield.
“We’re trying to live out a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Sasala said. “It’s a daily thing, and it’s a struggle. We’re not perfect. We screw up every day. But just like walking in community with each other and with Jesus is what we’re trying to do every single day, which is extremely hard but extremely rewarding.”
May the Force be with you
For Sandlin, the start of his 2025 season has been a self-described struggle of sorts.
Heading into his start Sunday, Sandlin possessed a 4.64 ERA across five starts for Portland. The 24-year-old, who was acquired by the Red Sox from the Kansas City Royals in a trade for right-handed pitcher John Schreiber last year, allowed 22 hits and 11 runs in 22⅓ innings pitched while striking out 19 batters.
“Some frustrations here at the beginning,” said Sandlin, who is ranked Boston’s ninth-best prospect according to MLB.com. “Obviously, I expect myself to perform better every time I go out there and it’s just kind of been lackluster to start the year just tweaking some stuff, usage wise, pitch-goal wise, everything like that. Just trying to find my footing.
“Good thing is, it’s still only May — so a long year left,” Sandlin added. “So we’re in the growing pain stage right now, but I think it’ll clear up.”
You must be registered for see images
And on Sunday, Sandlin started to sort some things out on the mound.
The 6-foot-4 righty, who is working on a power breaking ball, sweeping slider and new changeup, struck out nine batters in five innings and didn’t allow a hit until the top of the fourth. Sandlin finished his outing by giving up five hits and three earned runs in the Sea Dogs’ 6-5 win.
“Finally, just kind of getting everything patted down, just simplifying the approach,” Sandlin said. “Just not trying to overdo it and trust my stuff.”
Before each start, Sandlin sits down and watches a “Star Wars” film or TV show. It is another Sandlin staple that started back in college — this time at the University of Oklahoma (2022) — when he had his best outing for the Sooners after watching the popular space saga (that takes place in a galaxy far, far away).
“It’s just stuck ever since,” said Sandlin, who watched “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” last night.
Sandlin likens his pitching prowess to that of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a legendary Jedi Master.
“Just because of the balance he brings, and he’s kind of reserved,” Sandlin said. “But when the moment gets big, he steps up.”
You must be registered for see images
The Portland pitcher hopes to keep building on performances like Sunday as he continues his development in Double-A Portland. The hope is to someday become a big leaguer, but for now, there’s more work to be done for Sandlin.
He’s keeping his fork.
“It’s a simple saying that carries a lot of weight,” Sandlin said. “Keep your head down, the best is yet to come and today is kind of proof of that.”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Portland Sea Dogs pitcher David Sandlin follows 'keep your fork' mantra
Continue reading...
