For years, the late Pat Williams roamed Orlando like a baseball preacher searching for a congregation. As the co-founder of the Magic and the godfather of big-league sports in Central Florida, he spent his final chapter trying to convince politicians, business leaders, and the community that Orlando was ready for Major League Baseball. He practically begged local leaders to stop thinking like a tourist town and start thinking like a major league city.

Mostly, they smiled politely and changed the subject.

But now, Pat—even though he’s gone to That Big Ballpark in the Sky—finally has a political heavyweight in his corner.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani—progressive firebrand, mayoral candidate, lifelong Orlandoan, and proud UCF alum with two master’s degrees and a PhD from our hometown university—has officially jumped aboard the Orlando Dreamers bandwagon and endorsed the effort to bring Major League Baseball to Central Florida.

“Let’s play ball!” Eskamani said during an interview on our radio show last week.

It’s about time one of our civic leaders stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences.

For years, the Dreamers have had wealthy investors and powerful people—like billionaire attorney John Morgan—along with Hall of Fame baseball players and supporters from all walks of life advocating for MLB in Orlando. What they haven’t had is a major political figure with real grassroots credibility publicly planting a flag.

“The Orlando Dreamers have my full support in their effort to bring Major League Baseball to our community,” Eskamani wrote on social media recently. “If done right, this can create real opportunities for our residents that are fiscally responsible and bring people together in a way that reflects the spirit and growth of Orlando.”

Not only is Eskamani endorsing the effort, she’s framing it in a way that could fundamentally reshape the conversation surrounding baseball in Orlando. She isn’t pitching this as some billionaire vanity project or corporate giveaway. Instead, she’s positioning it as a community-driven opportunity—one that could bring jobs, pride, and a new chapter to the city’s sports identity.

For fans who’ve long dreamed of catching a game at a downtown ballpark on a summer evening, this is the kind of leadership that turns a vision into reality. And for a sports apparel brand that celebrates the love of the game, it’s a reminder that every great team starts with someone willing to step up and take a swing.