Adam Wainwright made sure a minor-league teammate won't have to walk to camp anymore

By , Chris Bahr

Published March 16, 2017

Feb 14, 2017; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) during Spring Training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Wainwright is the early front-runner for teammate of the year in Cardinals spring training camp.

The veteran right-hander noticed that a teammate -- minor-league left-hander Ryan Sherriff -- was walking to and from workouts each day in Cardinals camp. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Wainwright questioned him about it and asked if he would like a bike or car. Sherriff declined on both, but Wainwright took matters into his own hands.

Wainwright hooked up Sherriff with a rental car and picked up the tab.

"Waino got me a rental car," Sherriff said, via the Post-Dispatch. "I freaked out a little bit. I started crying. I called my mom, and she started crying. Really, I've never had that experience. No one has ever done something so nice for me before."

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Wow. When asked about his good deed, Wainwright explained that he simply was paying it forward -- veteran players had done similarly kind things for him when he was a younger player. And Sherriff also repaid the favor by buying Wainwright a $20 gift card to Chick-Fil-A, some sweet tea and some steak sauce (three things listed as Wainwright favorites on his Twitter page -- kind of).

"That's the best thank you gift I have ever had," Wainwright said, according to MLB.com. "It was funny. He wrote a very nice note to me. He wrote, 'I accidentally bought steak sauce instead of barbecue sauce.'"

Sherriff, 26, has pitched in the Cardinals' minor-league organization since being drafted in the 28th round in 2011. In 49 relief appearances at Triple-A last season, he went 7-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 66.2 innings.

Even if he fails to make St. Louis' 25-man roster this spring, Sherriff already has had one heck of a camp.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/adam-wainwright-made-sure-a-minor-league-teammate-wont-have-to-walk-to-camp-anymore