(Photo: Evan Petzold, Special to The Detroit News)
Midland — Placido Polanco entered the dugout five minutes before first pitch, dishing out high-fives, fist bumps and hugs to players and coaches from the Great Lakes Loons, the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Donning the No. 14 jersey, Polanco threw in a cheek full of sunflower seeds and watched intently. His job isn’t to play anymore; it’s to teach the sport he fell in love with as a boy in the Dominican Republic.
“This job the Dodgers gave me was a way to stay relevant in the game, contribute and learn from the game, coaches and players,” Polanco said during a recent chat before a Loons game.