Erick Aybar was just doing his job. He was in the batter's box, as he's been thousands of times before, waiting for a pitch.
He's had many hits in his career, except they haven't involved the opposing pitcher needing surgery after taking a line-drive off the head. With the help of Angels broadcaster Jose Mota as translator and mentor, Aybar was able to deliver a message to Brandon McCarthy via text message.
On Friday, McCarthy's wife, Amanda, responded to Aybar's text with gratitude for the player's concern and an update on his status. Later on, Brandon got a message to Aybar, letting him know he'll be all right.
Just because Aybar is a professional athlete doesn't mean he's immune to feelings of guilt and anguish. The Angels PR staff could have done the talking for him via a team statement. Instead, Aybar wanted the message delivered in his own words. English isn't Aybar's first language, but the message came across perfectly.