특별한 유망주

Ynoa, Pimentel administered first aid to injured motorcyclist

Minor Leaguers ordinarily don't make news for their off-field accomplishments. Then again, what Rafael Ynoa and Elisaul Pimentel did on May 9 was anything but ordinary.

Ynoa and Pimentel, teammates on the Great Lakes Loons, were passengers in a car that was en route to Dow Diamond for a Mother's Day matinee when a motorcycle in front of them struck a turkey. The impact caused the motorcyclist, a local man named Terry Whittington, to lose control. He fell onto the asphalt, bloodied and unconscious.
GLL의 라파엘 이노아(Rafael Ynoa)와 엘리사울 피멘탈(Elisaul Pimentel)이 5월 9일 사람을 구했다고 하는군요. 그들이 타고 가던 차와 오토바이가 사고가 나서 오토바이 운전자가 인사불성이 되었는데, 이 두명이 생명을 구했다고 하는군요.

"He went down very badly, with the motorcycle going over his body," said Ynoa, a 22-year-old second baseman. "We could tell it was very serious."

The driver of the car, a friend of the players who happened to be a registered nurse, pulled over and gave the teammates directions on how to administer first aid while she called for help.

"We held his head because he was bleeding a lot and used a jacket to help stop the bleeding," Ynoa said. "He was in bad shape and couldn't talk to us."
다행히 차운전자가 간호사자격증이 있어서 긴급처방을 했다고 하는군요.

After a period of time Ynoa estimated at 10 minutes, paramedics arrived and rushed Whittington to the hospital. The shaken ballplayers proceeded to the Dow Diamond, informing Loons manager Juan Bustabad of the ordeal.

"Pimentel came in and told me about it and I was kind of shocked," recalled Bustabad. "It shows what kind of heart they have and what kind of people they are. If they hadn't been there, the guy might have died.

"They're just two real good kids, always polite and always working hard. I'm so happy for them and proud of what they did. This is something they'll always remember, that will always be in the back of their mind. They saved a life."
이후에 그들은 감독에게 쪼르르 달려가서 상황을 보고했다고 하는군요. 그래서 GLL감독이 기특해했다고...

Whittington remains hospitalized, but the Midland Daily News reported over the weekend that his condition is improving. His grateful family members sent a letter to the newspaper, noting that, "The players stopped to help with our family member who was severely hurt. If it weren't for their efforts, he would not be with us today."
자칫 그냥 묻힐뻔한 이 이야기는 지역지에 사고당한 사람의 가족들이 편지를 보내서 알려졌다고 합니다. 가족들은 매우 감사해하며, 이 두 명이 없었다면 그 사람은 지금 살아있지못했을거라고 하는군요.

The players didn't let the stress and excitement of their heroic deed affect their performance. Ynoa was in the starting lineup on May 9 and collected three hits, while Pimentel started the next day's game and earned his second win of the season.
때마침 당시 슬럼프였던 이노아는 그 날 선발출장을 해서 4타수 3안타 2RBI를 기록했고, 피멘탈은 다음날 5이닝 2피안타 1실점 승리투수가 되었다고 합니다.

"I was so focused that day," Ynoa said. "After what happened, baseball felt easy."