I’m honored that the photo editors at Minor League Baseball have nominated my picture of Red Wings second baseman Tommy Field as a 2016 Photo of the Year candidate. If you’re not voting for Donald or Hillary this year, why not go to http://www.milb.com/news/awards/y2016/index.jsp, click on the Photo of the Year category and place some votes for my photo? You can vote as much as you like until October 25^th.

This photo, taken on the final home game of the season, is a metaphor for how 2016 ended for the Red Wings. Despite an extraordinary effort, the playoffs were just out of reach, much like the ball which found its way past a diving Tommy Field by mere inches.

In the top of the first inning, left handed hitter Cedrick Hunter of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, digs into the batter’s box. I fixed my lens on our second baseman Tommy Field in anticipation of Hunter hitting to the left side. I heard the crack of the bat as I was looking at Tommy through the view finder. He immediately started moving quickly to his left and I started firing away at ten frames per second. I remember thinking the second I saw him leap for the ball that I had just captured my best picture of the year on the last day of the season at Frontier Field.

The Red Wings went on to lose the game 7-1 and were also eliminated from wild card playoff contention. They finished with a very respectable 81-63 record – the fourth best in the International League.

I can't promise that if you vote for my photo America will become "Stronger Together" or that it will "Make America Great Again" but I can promise you that I will be very grateful.