The letter starts, “Dear Jack: Because you’re being raised correctly, you have no say in your devotion to the game of baseball. Fortunately, you do have a choice regarding your favorite Major League Baseball team. I encourage you to do what I have done — fall in love with the Pittsburgh Pirates.”

Coonelly continued with a brief Pirates’ history, and concluded, “The Pirate ship has plenty of room on it for a young man from Ashland, Virginia.”

Said Pete: “That letter was just amazing. It touched on everything I hoped to hear from a club.”

This is a choice that will be made not by father, but by son, and regionalism may prevail. The Richmond Flying Squirrels learned of Jack’s quest and the Double-A team was added to the list of major league candidates. The Van Vleet family will be the Squirrels’ guests Saturday evening, when Richmond faces Reading at The Diamond.

Megan Angstadt, the Squirrels’ director of community relations, said the Van Vleets will meet players, observe batting practice and be part of between-innings entertainment. The Van Vleets may also leave The Diamond with complementary Squirrels’ souvenirs.

No doubt, kids like squirrels, but Jack is the only one who knows which team is most appealing. And he’s not talking. Yet.