Wow.

The little guy wasn't supposed to show up until next Friday, which would have made his birthday real easy to remember. Nov. 11, Veterans Day. Instead, Lexington Wesley Kastner, my second grandchild and first grandson, was born late in the evening on November 3rd.

As I look around my office at a dozen autographed baseballs, most of them Hall of Famers, at my autographed Johnny Bench jersey on the wall, at my autographed Pete Rose bat in my bookcase, I'm thinking I may finally have someone to leave them to.

[caption id="attachment_1419" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The man on the scene"]<a href="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/379736_10150392352777122_838372121_8284094_534871671_n.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1419" title="379736_10150392352777122_838372121_8284094_534871671_n" src="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/379736_10150392352777122_838372121_8284094_534871671_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

I really shouldn't rule out Maddie being a baseball fan, but when she grows up to be a) a real heartbreaker and b) president of the United States, I don't think baseball memorabilia will be a big part of her decor.

But at least several people today, upon learning of my grandson's rather unique (yes, I know there's no such thing as "rather unique") name, said it sounded like a great name for a baseball player.

I'm figuring the 2032 season, when he's 20 years old, will be his debut in center field for the Seattle Mariners. If I can make it to 82 going on 83, I'll get to see it.

That's one of the difficult parts of being two generations ahead. Under normal good circumstances, you get to see maybe half of your grandchildren's lives. So the odds that I'll be around in 2057 for his induction into the baseball Hall of Fame (.325 career batting average, 550 home runs, four World Series rings) aren't real good.

I'd be 107 years old.

His parents will be pushing 80, but that won't be that big a deal by the middle of the century.

Anyway, this kid is going to be something special.

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