Yankees beat writer driving to Field of Dreams Game like an absolute wild man

When it comes to the 2021 Yankees, the “Next Man Up” mentality and problem-solving initiative seems to extend way beyond the field.

Beat writer Bryan Hoch of MLB.com learned first-hand on Wednesday night that the “by any means necessary” ethos of the current team was actually within him this entire time…if he just…believed.

This story begins with an excessive amount of frustration, surely, considering Hoch was supposed to fly to Iowa on Wednesday night to cover the Field of Dreams Game, an event he’d already been waiting an entire year to witness following the pandemic-shortened and fan-less 2020 season.

Dreadfully, then came another roadblock; Hoch’s flight out of Newark was cancelled, leaving him with just enough time to (I can’t believe I’m typing this) drive nearly 1,000 miles to Iowa overnight and into the morning.

Un. Real. Dedication. But, to be fair, if we had tickets, we wouldn’t miss this spectacle for the world, either.

Perhaps, by the time he gets there, A-Rod will still be neck deep in that corn?

Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch is driving cross-country for the Field of Dreams Game.

Bryan had better be careful, though. At a certain point of delirium, any hitchhiker can look like James Earl Jones. Anyone in burlap suspenders probably should not be trusted.

What we respect most here is the unrelenting willingness to go the distance for something that clearly means a lot to our intrepid reporter. And isn’t that what every Yankee fan wants to see? People who really, truly care about doing the job well and correctly stepping into the press box on any given day?

Of course, we’re not asking for 1,000-mile road trips to become a regularity (in fact, they should never happen again!), but that doesn’t take any of the shine off just how impressive this is.

Hoch quelled worries when he checked in Thursday morning for the first time since the overnight shift, announcing that, after a rest and a few late-night snacks (Wawa or Sheetz?), he was under 400 miles and ready to resume the journey.

During Thursday’s drive, the highlights began to look a bit more normal.

In broad daylight, Hoch passed through both South Bend and Chicago, soaking in that final stretch of society before the unrelenting cornfields of Iowa overwhelmed the horizon. Seriously. They…they simply never stop growing.

Bottom line? MLB built it, and Hoch determined he would come, by any means necessary.

Silver lining? We’re not sure Hoch’s daughter Penny would’ve handled the disturbance in travel plans quite as seamlessly, though we are looking forward to her recap of what is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

If you need a guest editor on that one, man, feel free to give us a call and get some sleep.

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