Playing my way out...
Towards the end of the 2007 season in Shreveport, I walked into the clubhouse after throwing our BP in El Paso, and our manager made a quick joke. Something about needing to me to sign and become an active player for the remainder of the season (about 10 days)...
Only he wasn't joking. The 3b had a knee injury and the LF was heading back to school, which left us with exactly 9 position players. We were approaching the last day that clubs could sign players for the season, and I just happened to be the guy. Suit up, take some BP, chew some seeds...no problem.
Really, I had no desire to actually play again, but we needed an extra guy (just in case) and I was in good shape from working out all summer so I was up for it. All I had to do was sit there, or maybe save one of pitchers from having to pinch run and immediately get picked off second base (which happened!)
But as you may have seen on my front page for a while, I actually got some AB's:
That was our last home game and my wife just happened to be there with our digital camera. I hadn't seen a live pitch in over 2 years, so I was a bit nervous. Check swing for strike one, miraculously laid of a slider (why would he throw me a slider??) to get to 1-1, and then hit a hard line drive that was caught by the 1b. So close to hitting a double!
What is funnier about that game is that I was put in at 3rd base:
And our pitcher was working on a complete game shutout. I thought I was in the clear with 2 outs and 2 left pull hitters coming up in the 9th, but they singled and walked which loaded the bases. Of course, the next guy up hit me a ground ball. After a quick bobble, I rushed a throw to first and he dug it out of the dirt to finish the game. Thanks, Hump (nickname of the 1b).
To finish it up, I got the start in our last game of the season at Pensacola. It was a TV game, and there were a handful of messages on my phone afterwards asking me how the heck I got myself out there. But I managed to resemble something of a pro - two pop-ups, a 6-3 and a hard line drive to CF that was run down and ended up a sac fly (another almost double!). Then, in dramatic fashion, I walked on 4 pithes during my last time up. Everyone gave me a hard time for not swinging 3-0, but the pitch wasn't too close. At least I got on base, gotta love those walks.
I'm still trying to get the tape of the game...I want to see the ball I hit to center. After a couple of years, the ball really did look like an aspirin, but it was nice to know I could still turn around a fastball. Most of all, it was fun to get out there one last time.
Only he wasn't joking. The 3b had a knee injury and the LF was heading back to school, which left us with exactly 9 position players. We were approaching the last day that clubs could sign players for the season, and I just happened to be the guy. Suit up, take some BP, chew some seeds...no problem.
Really, I had no desire to actually play again, but we needed an extra guy (just in case) and I was in good shape from working out all summer so I was up for it. All I had to do was sit there, or maybe save one of pitchers from having to pinch run and immediately get picked off second base (which happened!)
But as you may have seen on my front page for a while, I actually got some AB's:
| Launch in external player |
That was our last home game and my wife just happened to be there with our digital camera. I hadn't seen a live pitch in over 2 years, so I was a bit nervous. Check swing for strike one, miraculously laid of a slider (why would he throw me a slider??) to get to 1-1, and then hit a hard line drive that was caught by the 1b. So close to hitting a double!
What is funnier about that game is that I was put in at 3rd base:
And our pitcher was working on a complete game shutout. I thought I was in the clear with 2 outs and 2 left pull hitters coming up in the 9th, but they singled and walked which loaded the bases. Of course, the next guy up hit me a ground ball. After a quick bobble, I rushed a throw to first and he dug it out of the dirt to finish the game. Thanks, Hump (nickname of the 1b).
To finish it up, I got the start in our last game of the season at Pensacola. It was a TV game, and there were a handful of messages on my phone afterwards asking me how the heck I got myself out there. But I managed to resemble something of a pro - two pop-ups, a 6-3 and a hard line drive to CF that was run down and ended up a sac fly (another almost double!). Then, in dramatic fashion, I walked on 4 pithes during my last time up. Everyone gave me a hard time for not swinging 3-0, but the pitch wasn't too close. At least I got on base, gotta love those walks.
I'm still trying to get the tape of the game...I want to see the ball I hit to center. After a couple of years, the ball really did look like an aspirin, but it was nice to know I could still turn around a fastball. Most of all, it was fun to get out there one last time.
Jeff, I was channel surfing and came across the Pensacola game. When I saw you were playing, I decided to watch. I hope you had a good year at Louisiana Tech. By the way, my son, Joe, is taking hitting lessons from a fellow by the name of Chris Yeager, who has a phd in kinesiology and is located in Covington,Louisiana. He seems to have a thriving business. Regards, Jerry Palmer (New Orleans)
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All in all it was a pretty good game to watch. Our pitcher was a former 40-man roster guy with Oakland who I think came up around the time of the 'big 3' (mulder-zito-hudson). The Pelican that got him (2 hr's) was a former Oriole and had a very good swing.
Of course, there was the mysterious home run call where the ball landed on the warning track and disappeared behind one of the advertising signs and ended up being called a hr. That was interesting.
But I want that tape just so I can hear the commentators when I came up. I heard it was something to the effect of how an intern/'video guy' wound up in the lineup making his first start in the last game.
Oh, and how could I forget...I was the "cutest player of the game"! This was a promo that Pensacola does each game where they pick an opposing player and designate him as the "cutest". Each time the player comes up, they play the song "I'm too sexy" over the PA and encourage all the ladies to cheer/heckle - if the "cutest player" strikes out, there is a special price on margaritas for all of the ladies. How original.
Anyways, I've heard of Dr. Yeager, read and viewed some of his material.
Good luck to you and Joe with the lessons and the upcoming season.
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