November 2 - In 2004, Greg Miller’s first season as an assistant coach at Herndon came during Brandon Guyer’s senior campaign with the Hornets.
The two have remained close throughout Guyer’s collegiate career at the University of Virginia and a during a pro career that began as a minor leaguer in the Chicago Cubs’ system before breaking into the big leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011.
But when Guyer’s Cleveland Indians host the Cubs in Game 7 of the World Series tonight, Miller will not be one of the Northern Virginia fans who are pulling for their homegrown hero to win a ring. That’s because Miller, whose family is from the Chicago area, has been a Cubs fan his entire life.
“Despite how much I care about and respect Brandon, this has not been a conflicting World Series for me,” said Miller, who served as Herndon’s head coach from 2010-15 and is now the director of student activities at McLean. “I am a huge Brandon Guyer fan but not a fan of the Indians. I’ve been a fan of the Cubs my entire life. I was born in Chicago and have followed my dad’s lead in always rooting for Chicago teams.”
For that reason, Miller was excited when the Cubs selected his former player in the fifth round of the 2007 draft. But after four seasons in the Cubs’ system, he was part of the January 2011 trade that sent Matt Garza to the Cubs and Guyer along with top prospect Chris Archer to Tampa Bay.
Acquired by Cleveland at this season’s trade deadline, Guyer has platooned with Coco Crisp in left field, generally starting against left-handers. After a 3-hit game against David Price and the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series, he has slumped while going 1-for-12 with two walks during the ALCS and World Series. Guyer is not expected to be in the lineup tonight against Chicago righty Kyle Hendricks.
Miller, meanwhile, is counting the hours until tonight’s first pitch, when the Cubs will play in just the third Game 7 in franchise history while seeking their first World Series title since 1908. The Indians are playing in only their second Game 7, and their first since the infamous blown save by Jose Mesa against the Marlins in the 1997 World Series. Cleveland is seeking its first title since 1948.
“My grandpa took me to Cubs games as a kid and I still make a trip to Wrigley [Field] every year to see a Cubs game,” he said. “I have rooted hard for Brandon to have great at-bats, and I certainly want to see him succeed. He is the best player I’ve ever coached and a class act. He has worked so hard to get to this point and I couldn’t be more proud of him.
“We’ve exchanged some texts back-and-forth, and he knows I’m rooting for him and understands I’m pulling for the Cubs. If only the Cubs wouldn’t have traded Brandon, I wouldn’t have to worry about this.”
Photos of Miller and wife, Melissa, and his son, Blake, courtesy of Miller family. Photo of Guyer courtesy of MLB.com
