Today is May 12 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “How often do you practice mercy over strict justice?”
Professional baseball player Matt Bush alienated his father, almost killed a man, and spent 12 years battling demons before he would eventually make his debut in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Between the time he was drafted number one on June 7, 2004, and when he pitched for the Texas Rangers on May 13, 2016, Bush experienced one problem after another. He was arrested after a physical confrontation with bar security.
He underwent Tommy John surgery and missed entire 2008 season.
Three teams (Padres, Blue Jays and Rays) all released him. He was arrested for a DUI. And on March 22, 2012 he was involved in a near-deadly crash with a motorcyclist.
He left the scene and was later arrested for DUI with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit.
Bush accepted a plea bargain and pleaded no contest to one count of DUI with great bodily injury. He was sentenced to 51 months in prison.
Roy Silver knew Bush and decided to visit him at his work release job at a Golden Corral restaurant. Silver is the Texas Rangers player development assistant who helped another baseball player, Josh Hamilton, deal with his own substance abuse.
They started to throw a baseball in the restaurant’s parking lot since Bush was required to remain on the grounds. Silver decided to give Bush another chance and on December 18, 2015, the Ranger signed Bush to a minor league contract, two months after his release from prison.
Bush was placed on a zero-tolerance policy and his father accompanied him to games and lived with him.
On May 13, 2016, Bush was called up to the major leagues. He worked the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays that night, retiring the heart of the Jays lineup. Bush made 58 appearances out of the Rangers bullpen in 2016, finishing with a 7-2 record, a 2.48 ERA, and one save.
Abraham Lincoln noted “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” Silver demonstrated mercy towards Bush.
How often do you practice mercy over strict justice?