For some baseball players, the song that plays before they come up to bat serves as a fun way to get them ready to hit. But for one player on the Columbus Clippers, the walk-up song means a little bit more. When Clippers first baseman Matt LaPorta approaches the plate, the song that blasts over the speakers reminds him of his faith and his purpose in life.
LaPorta’s walk-up song is Christian artist Chris Tomlin’s “I Will Follow.” While his teammates play songs such as LMFAO’s “I’m Sexy and I Know It,” or Snoop Dogg’s “I Want To Make You Sweat,” the piece that blares onto the field when LaPorta steps to the plate says, “Where you go I’ll go / Where you stay, I’ll stay / When you move, I’ll move / I will follow you.”
“I play (the song) because my strong faith in God and my belief in him,” LaPorta said. “Basically the song is saying wherever God goes and wherever he’s at, that’s where I want to be.”
LaPorta said the minor leagues isn’t exactly where he wants to be, but he seems to be making the most of his situation.
The 27-year-old who was traded from Milwaukee Brewers to the Cleveland Indians is hitting .359, has hit nine home runs and knocked in 20 RBIs this season. Once a major league player, LaPorta said he hopes his strong play will earn him a call-up to the Indians, but for now his walk-up song helps keep him content.
“I think it hits home with me because I would love to be in the big leagues but I’m not. I’m in triple A,” he said. “But you know what, that’s where I feel like God has me right now, and I’m content and happy because I know he’s with me.”
He said although he’s not in the majors, he’s honored to be playing for the Clippers for now.
“I’d like to get back to the big leagues, so I have to continue to strive for that,” he said. “But I got to take care of what I can here and focus on my team here.”
LaPorta was named the International League Batter of the week for April 23-29. He said it’s an honor to be named with the great ball players in the league but at the end of the day, he knows that his future is in the hands of God.
“No matter where I’m at in my life, I know that God is with me,” he said.