since you asked...

So, I have had several people ask why the twins both wear baseball jersey #5...so I'll answer. 

First off, I just want to let my sweet and talented friend, Stephanie, from Arkansas, know how AWESOME the boys looked this season all decked out in their replica baseball uniforms.  And I'll give you fair warning...they will need larger uniforms next year and the team is getting new solid white uniforms (they are retiring the pinstripes...like the ones you made).  GET READY!!

Okay, there are two reasons the boys wear #5.

1. There wasn't a player wearing #5 this season.
2. The reason there wasn't a #5 this season is because the #5 jerseys were given to a young man named Shelby Charles Miller.  You ask why? 

Well, because he is the biggest thing to ever come out of the Brownwood baseball program.  As a Junior in high school, he pitched THREE perfect games, which is unheard of.  The pros started "scouting" him that same year.  Look at this picture:

This was the first home game of Shelby's senior year.  At first glance, it just looks like a lot of guys watching the game.  Standing behind home plate.  Which is strange, because we have nice bleachers they could have used.  Okay, look a little closer.  Do you see some of them pointing a gun looking thing at Shelby?  Well, that is because every single one of them is a professional scout.  Pretty unbelievable for a high school kid to draw that kind of attention.  My son was an Assistant Coach then...and there were scouts at almost all of the games.  It could have been very distracting having scouts around all season long...but Shelby pretty much set the tone for the team.  He was "cool as a cucumber" and didn't let it bother him.  He had a job to do...go out and win games...and then worry about his future. 

At the end of the season, he posted a 10-2 record on the mound with a 2.00 ERA and 153 strikeouts, 39 walks, 38 hits and 22 runs allowed in 77 innings.  At the plate, he batted .430 with five home runs and 37 RBI's.  He played his final game as a high school student on June 4, 2009.  Five days later, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the MLB draft.  He was chosen #19 overall, out of 1,521 draftees.  Not bad for an 18 year old kid from Brownwood, Texas!!

                               We hosted Shelby's draft party at our house.  It was so much fun.

Shelby and his Dad...the night before

Shelby in the Interview Room

Shelby and his Mom, after the draft

The "wait"

More of the "wait"

A couple of months later, Shelby inked a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, earning a signing bonus of $2.875 million.  He signed for more than double his slot amount and was given the largest signing bonus for a player from the June draft in the Cardinal's club history.

Shelby is currently playing for the St. Louis Class-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits in Davenport, Iowa.  He is doing really well and is slated to be in the starting line-up of Cardinal pitchers in the next couple of years.

And aside from all of Shelby's baseball talent (which is LOTS), we think he's pretty special for other reasons.  He was always so kind and sweet to Aden and Eric.

Good luck, Shelby!

We love you!