But not everybody takes the time to reach out to the new guy the way Castig does. For him, it’s part of the job. And some of these interactions have been history-making, as when rookie outfielder Daniel Nava was about to make his major-league debut with the Red Sox on June 12, 2010, and Castiglione said to him, “Swing at the first pitch, because you’ll never get it back.”
Even without that little whisper from Castiglione, Nava was already a great story. He was the former student manager of his college team. He had kicked around independent minor-league ball until the Red Sox rescued him. He was about to make his big-league debut in a game being televised nationally by Fox. Yeesh. And now, facing Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton in the bottom of the second inning, bases loaded, Nava swung at the first pitch and socked a grand slam into the Boston bullpen.