The Byrd may have flown the coop, but the Fellowship of Christian Athletes found a replacement Yost in time.

The FCA’s Atlanta baseball and softball ministry had secured an appearance by major league right-hander Paul Byrd for a breakfast on Aug. 29 at Cumming’s First Redeemer Church. But just days after the appearance was announced in a Forsyth County News article, Byrd — who had been without a baseball contract this season — was offered a spot with the Boston Red Sox, forcing him to head off for training.

That left Bob Wiedemann — Atlanta director for FCA baseball and softball — in a bind, scrambling for a replacement with just weeks to go before the event.

“There was a period of time last week ... where things did get a bit interesting,” Wiedemann said, noting that Byrd immediately left for Boston’s training facility in Florida to help the Red Sox try to win a third world championship in six seasons.

“Although it is a great opportunity for Paul, it temporarily left us without a keynote speaker for the breakfast,” Wiedemann said.

In steps Ned Yost, a major league veteran with experience as a player, coach and manager. Within a few days after losing Byrd, Wiedemann was able to wrangle a commitment from Yost, allowing the breakfast to go on with a big-league keynote speaker intact.

“Paul Byrd reached out to Ned and asked him if he would be interested in doing it for us. Ned jumped right in and said that he would love to do it,” Wiedemann said.

As a catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, Yost played in the 1982 World Series. He also suited up for Texas and Montreal during a six-year playing career. His career as a coach and manager was much longer, as he spent 12 seasons with the Braves as a bullpen and third-base coach before returning to the Brewers as manager from 2003-2008.

Wiedemann said Yost perfectly fills the event’s niche, providing a speaker with bona fide baseball credentials as well as a publicly professed Christian faith.

“Ned’s knowledge and passion for the game of baseball is surpassed only by his love for his family and for his savior Jesus Christ,” Wiedemann said.

“He is an accomplished speaker with a great story to tell and we will all be blessed to have Ned share his story with us.”

E-mail BJ Corbitt at bjcorbitt@forsythnews.com.