Lindblom reflects on gratitude, holiday memories

MILWAUKEE -- All Josh Lindblom wanted for Christmas was a nap.

Consider the weeks leading up to the holiday for the newest member of the Brewers’ starting rotation. After winning the Korea Baseball Organization’s MVP Award for the first time and that league’s version of the Cy Young Award for the second straight year, Lindblom and his wife, Aurielle, jetted to Jordan and Israel to visit the doctor who performed life-saving heart surgery on their daughter three years ago. He was there performing similar procedures on Syrian refugees. Then the Lindbloms went home to Indiana, back to South Korea to bid farewell to fans after five good years there, then home to Indiana, then to San Diego to meet with Major League teams during the Winter Meetings, then home to Indiana, then to Milwaukee for a physical exam and a press conference announcing his three-year deal.

Then, finally, back home to Indiana for the holidays.

“To be able to head home and know in two months I’ll be headed to Maryvale, that’s a good feeling,” Lindblom said.

Before taking a break, Lindblom took part in a Brewers.com tradition: the holiday Q&A.

MLB.com: What does this time of year mean to you?

Lindblom: It means family. That’s the most important thing to us, and something that we prioritized. So, spending time with family, creating new memories, giving back to people who maybe haven’t had the same opportunities. All of that is very important to me.

With our daughter Monroe’s health condition, we are thankful for each day. We don’t look at the big picture anymore. We wake up each day and we’re thankful she’s here and we get to spend time with her and watch her grow up.

MLB.com: Because your family’s background is new to many Brewers fans, would you mind sharing Monroe’s story?

Lindblom: It’s very similar to Travis Shaw, actually. Monroe was born Oct. 20, 2016, with a condition called hypoplastic right heart syndrome. In layman’s terms, what that means is the right side of her heart wasn’t developed. She pretty much has half a heart. She underwent her first open heart surgery at a week old on Oct. 27, then underwent her second open heart surgery at about a year and a half old in Indianapolis. She’s doing really awesome now. You would never even know.

There are a lot of emotions around this time of year, reflecting back on being in the hospital and knowing what other parents and families are going through right now over the holidays if they have loved ones in the hospital.

MLB.com: From your own childhood, what are your clearest Christmas memories?

Lindblom: My greatest memory of my childhood during Christmas is that my grandpa looked like Santa Claus. We would wake up on Christmas morning and go to the Boys & Girls Club for a community lunch and he would dress up as Santa and hand out toys to the kids. I remember thinking that it was so cool that my grandpa was Santa Claus.

MLB.com: Didn’t that confuse you as a kid?

Lindblom: It did. It did. But I just figured he was giving Santa Claus a break. Santa had a big night the night before, so he needed some help.

MLB.com: What’s the best Christmas gift you ever received?

Lindblom: Oh, I’m stumped. But maybe because it’s on my mind – this year for Christmas, we got our three kids toys from when we were kids. Vintage toys. So for some reason, I remember getting a big Power Rangers figurine, and I remember that so clearly. I got that for my son this year and it’s so cool.

MLB.com: Well, this might be already answered, but what is the best gift you’ve ever given?

Lindblom: Yeah, this year might be it. I’m excited. It’s going to go one of two ways; they’re either going to be really excited, or wonder why they got such old stuff. We’re hoping they’re going to be excited.

MLB.com: What’s your favorite Christmas song?

Lindblom: Maybe “O Holy Night." Sometimes that makes your little hairs stand up.

MLB.com: Least favorite Christmas song?

Lindblom: The “Die Hard” theme? I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I would say it’s whatever is on repeat at the house. Day to day, it’s whatever song the kids are singing 100 times.

MLB.com: With three young children, this is easier said than done, but if you have a moment on New Year’s Eve to sit down and reflect on 2019, what will you be thinking about?

Lindblom: Thankfulness and gratefulness. To have the Brewers believe in me, that [GM] David Stearns and the rest of the front office trusts in me -- I’m very thankful and grateful for the opportunity. Looking back on the last couple of years, this [signing back in MLB] has made all the hard choices we’ve had to make as a family worth it. We were talking about perspective earlier, and I got a little choked up. But that’s the biggest thing; I have so much perspective coming back from Asia and being more mature, having gone through some serious life circumstances. You walk into this with a different mindset. I see how excited my kids are, how excited my wife is. Those are all things to be thankful for.