This was a season that started with tragedy. Nick Adenhart's sudden and unexpected death sent a shock through baseball and the Los Angeles Angels organization. While I did not know Adenhart personally, it still struck a painful nerve that he was no longer able to live out his dream or his life. I was able to see his teammates past and present, an organization, and all of the Angels affiliates remember him. We wore his number 28 on our jerseys in Rancho and his number 32 on the Salt Lake jerseys so we would never forget. He will never be forgotten and will always be part of the Angels family.
My second full season in professional baseball seemed to go by faster than my first. Some players feel the seasons get longer; I, however, oppose that notion. I have bussed across the Golden State, making stops in San Bernardino (Inland Empire), Lake Elsinore, Adelanto (High Desert), Lancaster, Bakersfield, Visalia, Modesto, Stockton, and San Jose. I have flown to Salt Lake (via three cities) for a three-day stint with our Triple-A affiliate and back. I also made a brief trip to the disabled list after injuring my left shoulder in early May.
This season was absent of the tornadoes, rainouts, and subsequent doubleheaders that are part of the norm in the Midwest League. We did, however, endure frigid nights in Lancaster, and sweltering heat at Inland Empire (and pretty much every other city in this league), and a rain-shortened game at High Desert.
Time off will be greatly appreciated. 140 games in 152 days takes its toll on everyone and warrants serious decompression. After a few weeks off, I will begin working out again in preparation for the 2010 season. I made some improvements this season, but a lot of work still needs to be done to win a job during spring training next March.
I need to thank the numerous people who have supported me throughout this season and made this blog worth writing. I must thank my family, as well as all of my friends from home, Rochester, Tampa, Tempe, Cedar Rapids, Rancho Cucamonga, Salt Lake City, and acquaintances I have met along the way for their continued interest and support in my career. Juliet needs to be thanked for coming along and helping Romine and I outfit our apartment and provide some functionality to our initially barren setup. I thank my adoptive family, the Young's, as well as the Booster Club for their relentless efforts of keeping us fed throughout this long season. I also thank Ryan Garrett and Ringor, for providing me with spikes and turfs this season.
I thank Gerry McKearney and the front office staff for providing the Quakes the opportunity to play in Rancho and the many great things they have done for us this season. That grounds crew must be commended for maintaining one of the best fields to play on in the California League (and professional baseball). Our bus driver, Jimmy, must be thanked for keeping us safe through our many bus excursions in the commuter-heavy league.
With regard to the blog, I must give many thanks to Lisa Winston, who found my blog this offseason and provided me with the opportunity to contribute to MLBlogs.com this season. I must again thank Amy Gunnells, the former sports editor at one of my hometown papers, The Independent (which, unfortunately, had to be shut down a few months ago), who got me started on the idea of keeping a blog last season. Stephen Smith with futureangels.com has also been key in the publicity of this blog, and I thank him for all of his help. I also want to thank Anita Tsuchiya, who has aided in increasing my readership by writing about my blog in hers (which can be found here: The Sporkball Journals).
While assembling this final post of the 2009 season, I have referred to my concluding remarks from last season and feel that they are still valid and worth mentioning. With this in mind, I have simply reposted certain parts to conclude this final post.
Several people have questioned why I put myself through this lifestyle when it appears that I could take my Bachelor's and Master's of Business Administration Degrees and go get a lucrative job in corporate America (if the economy ever comes around). I stick around because I love to play the game. I love the challenge that every day presents and how you never know what the next baseball discovery you will uncover. MI stay in the game to experience the moment I did when we defeated Lake Elsinore in the wild card series last week, and the 6-3 comeback we pulled off in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday night to force games four and five of the divisional finals. The excitement that our team shared those nights with each other makes the long ride worth it.
As I have said from the beginning, it is every little boy's dream to play professional baseball. Yes, baseball is a fun game to play, especially when you are growing up. But, when that decision is made to seriously pursue that dream and do everything in your power to make it, the only thing that is going to stop you from playing is your body telling you you cannot continue, or all thirty professional baseball organizations telling you that you are not good enough and cannot continue to play.
Once someone has vested a certain amount of time and resources into something, it makes walking away impossible. Last season, we were told that 'Every day you spend not working on one aspect of this game, you slip one day farther away from making it to the top.' While I only recently heard this, I realize that I have had this attitude ever since I made the commitment to chasing my dream of playing professional baseball. This is not to say that you cannot take any off-days, but the biggest thing I could advise anyone is that I was able to become the player I am through hard work when no one was watching. I was not blessed with much God-given ability like the players I have always been playing with. I do not have the speed, arm strength, or power that some of the other players have. However, I have a work ethic and the knowledge to work on only the things I can control, and get the most out of the ability I was blessed with.
This journey has always come down to making sacrifices and dedicating myself to becoming the best player possible. I played with many players growing up who had more talent than I did, and everyone thought those would be the players that would be playing professionally one day. Of those teams I have been with, I am the only player still playing today in affiliated professional baseball. So, it really comes down to making a commitment to yourself that you are going to put the effort into achieving whatever your goals are. Some people realize along the way that it is not what they really want to do, and that is fine, but if you really want it, give it everything you have. You have to put your energies into the things you can control.
In closing, I thank everyone again for keeping up with this blog this season and everyone who has given me words of encouragement and support. I will conclude with a quote I have had hanging in my room for as long as I can remember, and it is one that I feel everyone can grasp and apply to their lives: "For those who dream, there is no such word as impossible."
]]>My sarcasm intends to make light of the fact that when it appears that players wants the season to end, we secretly hope it continues, with the culmination on the final day of the playoffs with a championship. After beginning the postseason with the worst playoff record in California League history, we made quick work of Lake Elsinore (San Diego Padres affiliate) in two games. We now move on to face High Desert (Seattle Mariners) in the five-game Divisional Series for the Southern crown.
This was Rancho's first playoff series victory since 1998 and marks the second time in two years I have been part of an affiliate ending a long drought. Last season, Cedar Rapids won its first playoff series since 2000, making myself (and several other players) part of teams that have collectively ended 19 years of playoff deficiency.
Motivation for winning comes in many forms: money, time off, redemption, prestige, champagne and rings. While some may have different rankings of these prizes, everyone has a ring at the top of their list. Competing on a playoff team is a special honor that few will ever get to experience. Getting to the playoffs is the goal of every season, but winning in the playoffs is what makes it special. We may have our share of bumps in the road on our 140-game journey and may have been counted out by other teams and the media. A few days ago, I made note that the road to securing a playoff spot is irrelevant; the only thing that seems to be remembered is how a playoff season ends.A
With our magic number at one entering the four-game Bakersfield (Texas Rangers) series, we needed one win, or one Inland Empire loss (Los Angeles Dodgers). After dropping our first two to Bakersfield, coupled with two Inland Empire wins, the originally manageable situation become direr. However, while we were losing on Saturday night, Lancaster maintained an advantage throughout giving us the hope of backing into the playoffs should we not pull it out against Bakersfield. Lancaster ended up squandering a 6-2 in the top of the ninth, but would go on to a 7-6 walk-off win. This clinched our playoff berth, despite our 4-1 loss.
The clinching was a dim light on our otherwise dismal road trip. Our celebration, complete with champagne (which is a step up from collegiate celebratory occasions), seemed a bit tainted due to our play down the stretch. Nonetheless, when more than half of minor league baseball will turn in their uniforms at the conclusion of the regular season, we will live to play another day. To win a League Championship, all you need to do is have a chance.
Major League wild card teams have garnered a lot of attention due to their post season success in recent years. Their success can be attributed to the fact that these teams tend to come into the playoffs the hottest and have been playing meaningful games up until the end of the season.
Despite our losing record, we begin the playoffs alongside everyone else with no wins and no losses. While we never seemed to put things together for a stretch of more than four or five games this season, we had enough of these little spurts to put ourselves in a position to win a title. To overcome the injuries, roster moves (we have no starting pitchers from our initial starting rotation, and only five arms from the opening day roster on the staff), and other adversity that grips a team and be playoff bound is a respectable fear. What we make of this opportunity remains to be seen, although it is our intent to be one of the fourteen minor league teams that will end their playoff run with a win. We begin our season anew with hope and excitement and will see if we can write a victorious ending for the 2009 Quakes.
We got to the stadium yesterday amidst rumors of the Angels and Tampa Bay Rays being close to a deal that would send starting pitcher Scott Kazmir to the Angels in exchange for some Minor League prospects. What brought these trade talks closer to home was that one of the prospects on the trading block was teammate Matt Sweeney. Sweeney had apparently heard about these rumors from teammates through an MLB.com article before he even got a call from his agent. While we set out to begin our daily routines, Sweeney was off to get a physical. After coming in from batting practice, ESPN was reporting the story that the Angels and Rays were close to completing this trade; all the while Sweeney is sitting in our clubhouse waiting to hear his fate. Right after our game started that night against Stockton, Sweeney got word that the deal went through and he packed up his things and left.
The other big component of this deal was starting pitcher and former teammate, Alex Torres, who was in Double-A Arkansas. What awaits to be seen for the ultimate conclusion of this deal is the "player to be named later," which is the selection from a list of agreed upon names that the Rays will choose at a later date.
As I have discussed in the past, you never know when teammates are coming or going. It is infrequent that a significant trade like this hits as far down the Minor League ladder that it did. But, this is just another instance that supports the notion that in the end, baseball is not a game; rather, it is a business. Free agents sign with teams that pay them the most money and give them the best shot at winning a World Series. Teams out of contention deal away top players in the attempt to gain enough younger prospects to compete down the road. Owners dismantle teams after winning a World Series to ensure their pockets stay lined with the fruits of their recent labor. As long as baseball has been played, there have always been people in it more for money and prestige than wins and losses. While there are arguments both for and against this ideal, it is one that will always be present as long as money drives the game.A
The last week has brought a lot of activity to Quakesville. Last week's off day was spent at Angels Stadium for Quakes Day. This publicity stunt had us signing autographs outside the stadium for about 40 minutes, getting announced on the field prior to game time, and watching the Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays from a left field suite. This was my first time to Angels Stadium and it was an interesting experience.
Joining the team during the home stand was Torii Hunter, the Angels centerfielder rehabbing an adductor strain prior to his return to the Big League club in Baltimore. Hunter is very personable and could always be found talking to players, discussing the finer points of our craft. He had a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge to offer the team and everyone benefited from his time with us. After arriving on Wednesday, he played centerfield that night, was the designated hitter on Thursday, and player centerfield again on Saturday.
Hunter's absence on Friday was attributed to discomfort felt from a stomach virus that has been plaguing several players (myself included), coaches, and rovers. Four players, two coaches, and two rovers got sick Thursday night, with some others getting pulled down over the past few days. In what was first thought to be food poisoning, this bug has left everyone extremely uncomfortable and made eating undesirable. I was scratched from my start on Saturday after feeling lightheaded and dizzy, but was felt well enough to grit it out during Sunday's finale against Lake Elsinore.
Apparently after my performance on Sunday, I might want to consider getting sick more often as it seems to boost my power numbers. In what is a rare feat for me, I hit my first homerun in two years to give us a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. This was my third professional homerun (which was erroneously reported by the Quakes as my first--I know the two I previously hit were two years ago in Orem, but they still count), and ironically, the second one I hit feeling under the weather. During the game of my first homerun, our entire team was dealing with food poisoning from a tainted postgame meal the previous night. Somehow, I got my first that day (on a hit and run, good thing I protected the runner).
I know that it is said when you are sick you are not trying to do as much because you are not feeling up to it, and there may be some truth in that. However, I would rather figure out how to do this when I am feeling healthy because only hitting homeruns when sick is a little absurd. Regardless of my offensive output, the most important thing is that we pulled out a 5-2 victory and my work behind the plate aided the pitching staff overcome nine walks by scattering four hits and limiting the Storm to only one hit in 13 runners-in-scoring-position opportunities. This was definitely not the best performance of the season, but it was a win nonetheless. And this late in the season, you will take wins any way you can get them.
As a catcher, the next most important thing to handling a pitching staff is being about to build a positive rapport with umpires that will hopefully benefit us when there is a close call. One way to do this is by making sure he does not get hit with balls in the dirt. Blocking balls, even with no one on, can give the umpire more confidence that he is not going to get hit, and may help him track a pitch the split-second longer you need for it to be called a strike. Another way to go about developing this relationship is through conversation. Baseball games take a long time to complete, and things can get pretty lonely as an umpire, with two teams battling each other and at the same time, hating the men in blue. This need for some friendly conversation is what enables a catcher to connect with the home plate umpire for the few hours he is back there.
What exactly is talked about? Pretty much everything. A popular topic is usually "where have you come from (with respect to what city you were just in) and where are you going?" That lends itself to the tangents of stadiums, accommodations, game issues, etc. Talking about the weather is always good for an inning or two: complaining about how hot or cold it has been is very popular (although last night, I was talking to a base umpire in between innings when I was down in the bullpen and marveling about how pleasant the weather was in San Jose this past weekend).
Whatever the topic of conversation, part of our job description as a catcher is to get the umpire on our side. This can become difficult when you feel he has just punched you out on strikes on what you thought was a ball, or if he just blew a call at the plate that you cannot believe actually happened. However, we must try to let it go or diffuse the situation in the attempt to get him back on "our" side.
For example, in San Jose on Sunday, we had a runner called out at the plate on what looked to be a pretty easy safe call to make. Our manager argued very adamantly about this call and was probably very close to an ejection. The call ended the inning, so I was faced with the peril of going back there while that blow up was still lingering. What was my go-to? "So, where are you guys [umpires] going next?" That led to a discussion about them staying in San Jose for the next series, that they were staying in the Wyndham downtown, and where they had just come from.
Did this abate any of the animosity that was stirred up by the questioning of the call in the previous inning? I will never know for sure. However, I know that it could not have hurt. Umpires (and officials in any sport) have the thankless job of interpreting and applying the rules of the game. Despite their imperfections, some tend to be good guys just trying to chase their dreams and make a living. Others can be arrogant and make it seem that everyone is there to see them when they go on power trips.
We are not perfect, and neither are they. Unfortunately for them, they are expected to get every call right and cannot just have an error chalked up on the scoreboard if they mess something up. The struggle between players and perceived correctness will continue as long as the game is played. But, the relationships made on the field are enduring. You get to know some of the umpires pretty well, and these are the ones you look forward to working your games. For it is these men in blue that can make the painful sight of a bad call a little more bearable.
We had a tough series with the first-half Northern Division Champions and current second-half leaders, dropping the first two games 3-1 and 2-0. However, we were able to salvage game three, winning an extended affair 5-3 in 11 innings (extra innings always seem to be a feature of getaway days).
This was only our second overnight road trip of the season, since most of the season is played within our division and all of those games are commuters. Some players like the lack of overnighters that are common in most of the other minor leagues; I, on the other hand, do not like this format. I see commuters as a lot of time wasted on buses, and I find the changes in scenery from overnight trips to be good from time to time.
You can learn about your teammates during road trips. You find out who has the least patience while waiting 15 minutes for your dinner check when the server has to split it into eleven separate tabs. You find out who insists on eating toast with grape jelly, and being appalled when the only choices are strawberry and blackberry jam, and orange marmalade. But, aside from these nuances, you also find out who has your back and who will pick you up when you are down.
As players, we spend half the year away from our friends and family (for those that still reside around their families) to pursue our profession and chase a dream. When we take the field every night, we are a family and we are all each other has that given night. When we battle the other team, the umpires, and the fans, we can only turn to each other for guidance and support. This long season is starting to near its homestretch, and we are banding together to grind our way through the completion of another season.
When the foul ball finally does come, a decision must be made: do you casually flip the ball into the crowd of kids so one at the bottom of the scrum can come up with it, or do you hand it to someone you have preselected? Provided I have had ample prep time, I tend to follow the latter practice. This prevents the kids from tackling each other trying to get the ball and the risk of anyone crying as a result. Who do I look to give the ball to when I get one? I usually look for the smallest and quietest kid I can find. These are the kids that poke their heads over the rails amidst the older and bigger kids (who are generally the ones repetitively asking for a ball), not really thinking they even have a chance among the trees to their sides.
The reaction of these little ones upon the ball offering is typically one of shock, as if to say "Are you serious? That ball is for me?" After some reassurance they will take the ball, face beaming as they trot back to show their friends or parents. This is just another public service we provide the fans in an effort to make their experience at the ballpark more enjoyable.
While this is a good thought in theory, there are more drawbacks for the players of playing at 5:00 than 2:00, and it seems to me that this is being primarily done to keep the fans out of the heat. For a 2:00 game, pitchers and catchers do the bullpens and drills around noon, and batting practice does not usually consist of anything more than hitting in the cage. Assuming a three-hour game, that puts us outside for five hours, from noon to 5:00. For a 5:00 game, bullpens will usually be around 3:00, with pre-game hitting, again, being done in the cages (Sundays are generally considered "fundays": pitchers do not have their daily running, and position players do not go through early work and batting practice). Again, assuming a three-hour game, we are outside for five hours, from 3:00 to 8:00.
So, it seems that we are outside during the "cooler" part of the day. For those of you who have frequented Southern California, you know that the summer temperature at 5:00 is not much different than the temperature at 2:00. The sun does not leave the field until close to 7:00 anyway; if this is the case, then maybe the last hour of the 5:00 game starts to cool down a bit.
The sun setting poses, perhaps, the most aggravating thing about playing an early evening game: shadows. Squaring up a round ball with a round bat is already the toughest sport in the world, having to hit a ball that "flashes" from light to dark (and sometimes back to light depending on the stadium), or hit a dark ball off a bright batter's eye only makes things more challenging. These ill-lighting effects make it very difficult to pick up rotation, and makes not only hitting more difficult, but catching as well. The worst situation is when the pitcher is in the sun and home plate is in the shadows, with the next bad situation occurring when the field and batter's eye is bright, with the pitcher and home plate in the shadows.
For the usual 7:00 start, shadows have covered the mound and home plate, eliminating the worst shadows, with the sun getting off the field by 8:00, at the latest. During the 5:00 games, the shadows start creeping onto the field a little after 6:00 (but cover a good portion of the fans in the stands from the start, hence why I feel that saying the later start time is a benefit to the players is a copout).
Another drawback of the later Sunday games is the loss of the "mini-off days" that the early Sunday games provide. Finishing a Sunday game by 5:00 gives us the entire evening to ourselves, giving us the chance to catch a blow, especially during long streaks of consecutive games. The Sunday games that end closer to 8:00 do not give us much more time off than regular 7:00 games that end at 10:00 do.
These later start times were not done on Sundays in the Midwest League, and the humidity there during the summer can make it feel just as hot as anywhere in Southern California. I find it rare that things are ever done for the players' best interests. While there are those that will say we have no right to complain because we are playing a game for a profession, there are plenty of injustices that go on to highlight the importance of some small positives we achieve along the way. But, the professional athlete's livelihood ultimately lies with the support of fans. For this reason, we must be willing to make sacrifices to cater to their wishes, for without their attendance, there are no professional sports.
After returning home from our Sunday night game in Lake Elsinore, I packed up some things to make a 7:40am flight on Monday. This flight to Salt Lake City was via San Jose and Reno, making a two-hour trip an all-morning adventure. After arriving in Salt Lake around 1:00pm, I took a taxi to the stadium. From here, I went about a typical day at the field, with the usual early work, bullpens, batting practice, and game against the Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners affiliate). The next two days were business as usual, with the series finale against Tacoma Tuesday night, and the series opener against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Colorado Rockies affiliate) Wednesday.
While I did not play in any of the games, it was a good experience to see the level of competition at the Triple-A level. Players are always being told that on a given play, we could play at any level, including the Major Leagues. However, the separating factor between the upper and lower levels is consistency. This improved consistency was the biggest difference I noticed between Rancho and Salt Lake from a baseball perspective; games were cleaner and more strikes were thrown. Then again, this is not to say that the teams were perfect. I still saw a pitcher cut a ball off from the outfield on a throw home and redirect it to third (when he should have been backing up the catcher), as well as an outfield misplay a fly ball that led to a triple and a subsequent throwing error that allowed the runner to score. Management is more hands-off at this level, with instruction being done subtly as the situation calls for it.
From a non-baseball perspective, I noticed that things ran a lot more smoothly in Salt Lake, from pre-game activities to in-between inning entertainment to clubhouse administration. However, this is to be expected from a Triple-A organization that has a lot more support staff and additional resources compared to its Single-A counterparts. There are some additional perks to being in Salt Lake, aside from the increased efficiencies: salary is increased (which is still nothing to live off of), spikes are cleaned each night, and a wider variety of food is available (including a catered post-game spread). The trade-off is higher clubhouse dues ($12 per day versus the $4 per day in Rancho).
Overall, this call-up, while short, was beneficial and has given me another perspective on the journey through the minor leagues. It was finally nice to be one of the younger guys on the team instead of one of the oldest. In fact, I warmed up Rudy Seanez last night, a relief pitcher who was drafted when I was two-years-old and has played for nine Major League teams spanning 17 seasons (a call-up to the Angels would make this his tenth team in 18 seasons). If he pitches next season, his professional career will have spanned four decades (there's a feat in itself). Talking with Rudy offered me a unique glimpse into what playing is like for someone has been doing it for that long. It turns out that he has many of the same concerns as the younger players do: staying healthy and concerns about job security.
I wrap this up prior to landing in Ontario (bordering city of Rancho; fortunately this was a direct flight) with some final thoughts. This brief reprieve provided me with valuable insight into what makes players successful at the upper levels and has given me the chance to work alongside players a step away from the Big Leagues. The randomness of this opportunity is further support that you never know where this game will take you and what opportunities will present themselves. All you can do is complete the preparation so that when the opportunity strikes, you are ready to seize the moment and succeed.
The firework spectacles last night at The Epicenter and tonight at The Diamond were nice to see; a refreshing few minutes that allowed my mind to wander off the field and become lost in the awe of this 2,000-year-old Chinese invention. The summer months become the Dog Days, where the long season can turn into a grind. We are still refreshed from the recent All-Star break, and most players will not begin to feel the grind of the Dog Days until August. This is where the offseason and in-season training will yield dividends, preventing fatigue as the days get hotter.
While government employees (and many others) took their holiday yesterday, we were busy working; our "holidays" come on random weekdays every two weeks. However, we cannot complain, for we are playing a game for work, and subsequently providing enjoyment for everyone else working traditional jobs. We will take the random "holidays" on random weekdays throughout the season, knowing we have the major offseason holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) to ourselves. For the next eight weeks, we will be pushing our bodies and minds to their limits with the goal of bettering ourselves and making a run for one of the two playoff spots up for grabs this second-half of the season.
The two-half playoff system is used in the Minor Leagues until the Triple-A level, where it is the traditional full-season divisional and wild card winners that make the postseason. The two-half systems grants the divisional winner of each half a playoff spot, with the best overall record for both halves of the remaining three teams getting the wild card spot. In the event that one team wins both halves, the second place team for the second half would get the spot reserved for the second half winner.
This playoff system is a fair system, and gives teams the opportunity to "right the ship" if they suffered a dismal first-half of the season. The rewards presented by this system are twofold. First, teams that may have suffered from the challenge of dealing with very fluid rosters have a fresh chance during the second-half to make a playoff push. Second, the wild card entrant rewards the team that was not able to win a half, but played consistently well enough throughout the entire season to make the playoffs.
The quirk this system presents in the 10-team California League is that six teams qualify for the playoffs, an odd number for playoff matchups. To combat this issue, the first-half winner is given a "bye" in the first round, with the other two teams squaring off to play them in the divisional championship series.
Despite our first-half struggles, we are still in a position with three other teams to get one of the two playoff spots up for grabs this half. With better consistency and improved effort, we can get back to an even keel and make our playoff run.
We entered the bottom of the sixth clinging to a 1-0 lead when it started drizzling. After a lead-off single, the rain started falling harder, and a blooper fell into left field. After a few pitches to the third batter of the inning, it was pouring by this point and the players were pulled off the field. A tarp was put on the mound, but that was the only area covered since there is no tarp at High Desert. About ten minutes into the delay, some groundskeepers were bringing out what looked like a tarp for home plate. However, this cover was merely amounted to some old, vinyl advertisement banners. Rain is so infrequent there is no need for one. However, the tarp's absence tonight made a 20-minute rainstorm the demise of the field and sealed High Desert's loss.
What made tonight comical was that we were delayed an hour and ten minutes before the game was called. There was a copious amount of water left on the field from the 20 minute downpour, and we thought that it was going to be called almost immediately. Standing water was prominent all over the infield, especially in the home plate area, which was not "covered" until ten minutes after it had been pouring.
While the umpires and managers discussed the prospects of completing the game, some groundskeepers had started pushing the water around the dirt with squeegees. Needless to say, this was about as effective as throwing deck chairs off the Titanic. Some rakes finally showed up, and with the enlisted help of some fans, efforts were made to try raking some dry, sandy dirt in with the soaked infield. In these situations, a substance called Turface is generally used to mix in with wet dirt to make it more playable. Turface is known for its highly absorbent properties, and can quickly dry out a field. Unfortunately, High Desert did not have any of this either. After about a half hour of watching these futile efforts, the game was called and we were victorious with the 1-0 win.
This was a typical firework night National Anthem production, which involves the well-timed firing of red flares to depict the "rocket's red glare," and has fireworks exploding for "the bombs bursting in air." Players from local youth leagues usually accompany the starters onto the field and stand with them for the performance of The Anthem.
During the performance, the red flares went off on cue, followed by the explosive fireworks, which tend to be very loud. Apparently, the young boy with our shortstop was caught off-guard and got spooked, because he promptly started screaming, crying, and ran off the field. When this happened, the players on the field and those in the stands fought hard to keep it together through the rest of The Anthem. At the conclusion of The Anthem, there was a loud wave of laughter that came over the stadium, everyone trying to comprehend what just happened.
It is understandable that a young boy could have been frightened by these loud fireworks, but for him to run off the field screaming can only be described as comical. Kids are resilient and can brush off a lot. Hopefully, he will look back on this one day and do what an entire stadium did at his expense: laugh.
After Lake Elsinore had recorded 24 outs tonight, we found ourselves on the short-end of a 3-0 score and staring our fourth straight loss in the face entering the bottom of the ninth. After a few batters, we found ourselves with runners at first and second with one out. A ground ball is hit, almost surely a double-play ball. However, Julio Perez is able to beat out the tail end of the play, leaving runners at first and third with two outs. Twenty-six down, one to go.
Entering the box was Clay Fuller. It is no secret Fuller has been struggling of late, but that will not keep him from taking the at bat. Baseball is unforgiving; you will take your at bats with whatever you have that night, regardless of whether you are confident in your swing or doubting your ability to put the ball in play. So after going hitless in his first three at-bats, Fuller ties the game with a three-run homerun to right-center field. Twenty-seven outs would not be enough to decide this contest.
After escaping a two-out Lake Elsinore double in the top of the tenth, we headed to the bottom half of the frame with continued optimism. With two on and two outs in the bottom of the tenth, Rian Kiniry stepped in the box. Having come in the game hitting under .200, Kiniry was in the midst of a strong 3-for-4 performance and looking to cap off the comeback. After working the count and swinging through two pitches, he sealed the Storm's demise and completed the comeback with a walk-off single to right field.
Longtime Baltimore Orioles manager, Earl Weaver, called baseball the greatest game because, "You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance." Looking at this game through eight and a half innings, you could argue that we had no business winning tonight's game. However, Lake Elsinore had to give us our chance to prevent them from recording all 27 outs. We proved tonight that until the 27th out is made, there always exists the opportunity to be surprised.