Rangers’ Ian Desmond adds up the runs for neurofibromatosis

It was in 2012 that Ian Desmond, new to Twitter, reached out to a stranger who was asking for prayers.

It was 19-year-old Ethan Brown, who was suffering from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue.

From there, a friendship was born. Desmond has been inspired to help raise awareness for NF the past four years, including before Sunday’s game when he presented the Children’s Tumor Foundation with a check for $16,000 and counting. Desmond pledged to donate $1,000 for every run he scores in May — NF awareness month.

“The closer I got to him, the more I saw how it affected his life,” Desmond said of Brown. “So I learned more about the disorder and disease. I just realized how many people it affects and what kind of impact it has on your life.

“I’ve got three little boys myself. I can’t imagine a doctor telling me that one of my children or any future children would have the possibility of a disorder that is incurable at this particular moment. I just try to spread the word as much as I can.”

Desmond held fundraisers while playing with the Washington Nationals, including a 2014 event that raised $40,000. He and Ethan, now 23, have remained close. They even share matching tattoos.

“It’s crazy to think you can make a friend through Twitter, but I talk to him more than I talk to anybody,” Desmond said. “When I was playing in the NL East, he used to live in South Carolina and would come to games in Atlanta.”

Other kids have approached Desmond, including 8-year-old Tyler during a game in Chicago earlier this season. He gave Desmond a bag of blue wristbands to raise awareness, and Desmond has continued to wear one the entire month.

“I’ve met a lot of other kids and families that are affected by it, and one thing I’ve noticed is their attitudes are all so positive,” he said. “Not one of them has a poor-me attitude. It’s remarkable the attitude this community of people have in such a tough situation, because it really is just a nasty disorder.”

Special moment

Few people understand the significance of a player’s first major league hit more than Jeff Banister.

The Rangers manager singled in his first big league plate appearance for the Pirates on July 23, 1991, and never got another chance. After the ’91 season, he played only eight more minor league games before transitioning to coaching.

So it meant a lot to Banister to present Jared Hoying with the ball from his first major league hit after Saturday’s game.

“It’s a special moment for him, his family and everybody ... it’s not an individual event,” Banister said. “This is mom, dad, family, grandparents, high school coaches, college coaches, friends. They carry a whole trailer full of people with them to the big leagues. As a guy who never got a second at-bat, I understand the significance of it.”

Hoying, who spent six seasons in the minors, had his wife, parents and other friends and family in the stands for Saturday’s game. They weren’t able to make his first start May 23. He was 0 for 5 before his fourth-inning single Saturday.

“I was glad to get the monkey off the back, so to speak,” Hoying said. “They missed the first one because it happened so quick, but they’ve been here ever since. It makes it that much more special that they were here.”

The same presentation was held for Banister after his first hit. Banister recalled that manager Jim Leyland glossed over a 5-for-5 night by John Wehner, four RBIs by Gary Redus and a seven-inning victory by Doug Drabek to proclaim that the greatest part of the game was Banister becoming a major leaguer.

“Everything entailed to actually stay on that path and finally get here and that one moment, it really is [significant],” Banister said. “I don’t think any one player ever forgets their first hit, their first strikeouts, or their first play. It’s one that should not go without acknowledgment.

“As the manager of this team, I hope it’s important to them. It’s important to me.”

Odor’s plan

Rougned Odor will work out with Double A Frisco while the Rangers travel to Cleveland for a three-game series. Odor, who is serving a seven-game suspension, is allowed to work out during pregame but must leave the stadium before the games begin.

Banister said the club has yet to decide whether Odor will play in an extended spring game in Surprise, Ariz. He’ll be available to return Saturday.

Trade news

Outfielder Patrick Kivlehan was traded to the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named or cash. He was designated for assignment May 23.

This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Rangers’ Ian Desmond adds up the runs for neurofibromatosis."