‘He got my heart’: José Alvarado meets the 12-year-old Phillies fan who was imitating him

Just before 4 p.m. Friday, Princeton “Prince” Bailey walked onto the tarp behind the batting cage at Citizens Bank Park. He was with his grandfather, Troy; his mother, Sarah; his sister, Justis; and his grandmothers, Linda and Katrina.

A throng of cameras was behind him, with a rotating group of ballplayers taking hacks in front, but Prince was unfazed. He lifted his glove up to his eyes, raised his left knee, and followed through with his right arm.

By now, this is a sight Phillies fans know well. On Tuesday night, in the eighth inning of the Nationals-Phillies game, NBC Sports Philadelphia cameraman Dave Didinger caught the 12-year-old fan imitating reliever José Alvarado in the stands. Alvarado had loaded the bases, but he escaped the jam by striking out three hitters in a row.

As he celebrated on the mound, Bailey celebrated from Section 118, raising an imaginary bow and arrow into the sky. The camera caught that, too. Alvarado saw the video after he was done getting treatment on Tuesday night, and felt a rush of emotion.

“I looked at the video, and a million people were writing messages,” he said Friday. “I see this kid and in that moment, he got my heart.”

The left-handed reliever decided to do something about it. He contacted his agents, who reached out to the Phillies to see if they could track him down. Once Bailey was identified, the team invited him and his family to the ballpark for Friday night’s game against the Diamondbacks — with a special surprise.

The Baileys expected tickets, and nothing more, but at about 4:06 p.m. Alvarado came walking toward the family. He carried a plastic bag full of signed baseballs, a signed jersey, a signed hat, and a beaded necklace that Alvarado made himself.

He shook hands with Prince and put his arm around the young fan.

“You got me,” Alvarado said. “I’m so proud… when I saw the video… Are you excited to be here?”

“Yes,” Prince said.

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The 12-year-old, who is a student at Kirk Middle School in Newark, Del., is an introvert by nature. His family said he is on the autism spectrum. At first, he was nervous about being so close to the players, but he quickly began to enjoy himself.

“I feel good about it,” Prince said of being at Citizens Bank Park.

Alvarado didn’t just sign his name on the memorabilia. He also wrote detailed messages. On the jersey, he penned: “Princeton, thank you so much for your good vibes, I felt them all the way from the stands and I hope they keep following me throughout the season. Truly appreciate it. Let’s keep going on! We will never give up!”

He also signed his name, his nickname, “El Pocho,” and another short message: “God bless you Princeton.”

The reliever wrote the same message on the Phillies cap he gave the middle schooler.

The ballplayer and the student talked for a few more minutes. Alvarado told Princeton how appreciative he was of his energy, especially in an intense moment. The Bailey family planned to watch Friday‘s game from a handicap section (Prince’s grandmother, Katrina, uses a scooter), after eating in the executive dining room.

It was a life-changing experience for Bailey, who had never been to a Phillies game before Tuesday night. No one is taking it for granted.

“It’s a lesson that your life can change in the blink of an eye, not just for the bad, but for good,” said Sarah.

“Seventeen seconds,” Troy said. “Seventeen seconds and the whole world fell in love with this kid.”