Many of us have improbable dreams. Perhaps you’re struggling to be a famous actor, a musician whose album goes platinum, or a world-renowned pro athlete, but sometimes the oft-touted ingredients of hard work, dedication, and persistence don’t seem to cut it. If someone would just give you a shot, one shot, the world would see what you were made of. But where do you start?
Well if you’re Cuban immigrant Loah Linares, the answer is at the entrance of Dodger Stadium, where the young baseball hopeful has been camped out for nearly three weeks, trying desperately to catch the organization’s eye. His goal is very simple: he wants one tryout, one chance to dazzle the Dodgers’ staff with his God-given talent cultivated over years of practice and hard work. Of course, with Yasiel Puig, Alex Guerrero, and a handful of other Cuban prodigies currently populating the Dodgers’ dugout, it seems like Linares didn’t just throw a dart at a map. In fact, he’s even called out his countrymen to have a heart and pick him up for a game of catch. That’s all he needs. He’s sure of it.
Given the made-for-local-news nature of his stunt – along with a few frustrated attempts at trespassing – it’s no surprise that Linares has rapidly turned into a headline phenomenon in Southern California. But for those looking for a little more context beyond the headlines, Gloria Moran of Conejo Films just released Dodger Dreams, a mini-doc featuring an interview with Linares in which he lays out his dreams of baseball stardom.
Now whether he’s a madman or a brilliant self-publicist, you can’t deny that the guy’s put a lot of thought into the whole thing. Even if he never gets his shot on the diamond, he’s certainly had his fifteen minutes of fame.