Lettin' off some steam

Someone recently told me that most young players not on the 40 man roster don't enjoy AAA. I think I am beginning to understand why.

Son pitched today, he actually, in my opinion had a good game, though his lines do not indicate as such. He corrected a lot of things from the last game, he went after hitters and 60 of his 88 pitches were for strikes. That's an important stat for pitchers. Besides the park factors he was dealing with (his sinker wouldn't sink), it appeared to me (and remember this is from a parent's perspective) his team wasn't really into the game. But I hear, and I have seen in the past week that this may be the norm. I think that I understand why many teams advance players from AA straight to the major league, so for any player who is at the AA level, enjoy it and enjoy the fact that everyone is moving in the same direction, not different ones. I also understand why the best instructors are at the AA level, because in AAA it's figuring it out for yourself. That's difficult for a young player, I see a pitcher on son's team who is very young for the league struggling.

I will be the first to admit that son's 8-1 record in AA was also often a team effort. Those AA guys were doing everything they could to win the game, they too want to show their skills off so they can move forward as well. I don't see that in the AAA game. I was told that a lot has to do with not getting injured, they are the reserves, so they have to remain healthy or lose their job, I understand. But I don't get the lack of effort at bats. In other words, must be a bad day when the pitcher gets 2 doubles and brings in 2 of the 4 runs for the team. Well yes I know that no one thought the pitcher could hit, and the field is hitter friendly, but still, I didn't see much in the way of spectacular hitting for most of the game. Actually I see more effort from the game I am watching from Omaha than I did today.

I feel a lot better now. :)

The team flies back to Memphis tomorrow, tomorrow son is not allowed anymore paid room at the inn, so we'll see what the plan is.

I want to thank my friend Thor (Spizzlepop) Spangler for dropping into the game today to watch and report back. I hope that someday I can return the favor, for anyone. Baseball people (most of them) are special.

The above image is Isotope Park, home of the ABQ Isotopes (Dodgers AAA) and the University of New Mexico Lobos (D1 baseball).

Back to Springfield, not yet

Things change daily in AAA.

Dave flew to New Mexico on saturday morning with the team and is scheduled to pitch tomorrow (weather permitting if no rainout tonight). He will fly back to Memphis end of the week and as of today, will remain for another start. That's todays plan, who knows what tomorrow will bring, so we will just take it one day at a time. If he remains there through the All Star break, he has plans to fly home for 3 days.

As you can see, it's very difficult to plan in advance, we are waiting to see how it goes to see where to go to watch him pitch. Milb.TV streams the games, so we can actually watch him from here, good deal. BTW, he DID have his pants down, they are allowed in AAA, but he told me tonight he's thinking of putting them back up, you know, might improve the mojo. :)

Will check back tomorrow after the game.

Back to Springfield

Unfortunetly I missed DK's start last night, got an emergency call mom on the way to the hospital.

I haven't had a chance to watch yet, obviously he has some things to work on. Though overall not a bad game for a first new level start, just nibbled a bit too much. Nibbling is not a good thing. Something he hasn't done all season.

I was awaiting word before I posted what they were going to do with him, from my understanding he will fly to ABQ and I am to assume will be with the team then flown to Frisco for his next start.

He will miss the All Star game, not sure whether he cares about that.

No excuses but this was a tough week, flown to Memphis on a moments notice, then not sure when he would start, told thursday afternoon he would pitch that night and of all the luck the team faces a rehabbing ML. I am glad he gets to watch a few more games, that in itself is a learning experience and a chance to get to travel to New Mexico. Will he be disappointed, probably, he knew it was for a short time only, but the other pitcher got to stay, he's probably already heard how he is needed in Springfield, they are not off to a good start second half of season, will he be happy to be "home", probably, he has been on the road since June 17 and will not return until July 7th.
A few weeks ago when he thought he might have to fill in but didn't go he was disappointed, my feling is does it really matter where you get your work in? I also, in the few times I spoke to him didn't get the impression that AAA has all of the warm and fuzzy feelings you get below that level. I am glad he will return to work with Dennis.I remember last year when sent back from Springfield, after his surgery he was detrmined to work hard, I am sure this will fuel the fire.

For those wondering about the AAA level, what Dave told me and from what I read in an interview he had after the game, there is not a whole lot of difference between AA and AAA hitters except experience, and able to figure out pitchers faster than at the lower levels.

This just in, Dave will pitch on Tuesday in ABQ and then rejoin Springfield.

Up to AAA

Sunday DK called to wish Dad a very happy day, kind of had to cut it short as he needed to get into shower and be ready for the bus to go to the field. 30 minutes later we got another call, he was packing his stuff and on his way to Memphis to pitch in a double header on Wednesday. Great news on Father's Day.

I waited to post the news, as things seemed to be unclear as to "the plan" but as son is learning sometimes there just isn't a definite plan. You are at the mercy of what goes on at the next level. As of tonight, he is supposed to be pitching Thursday game, if a player is called up as expected, he will pitch on Saturday instead on the road. Got that. :)

He seemed a bit grumpy yesterday, Lauren agreed, we thought maybe he just didn't know what was going on he likes his pitching days planned out, he's anxious for his next start. Tonight he sounded less confused. Paul told him to just enjoy, take in the game, watch carefully, an opportunity most don't get as you are called up one day and sent down the next usually, now you have time to study and do your homework.

AAA serves one main purpose, IMO, to house the players on the 40 man roster who need to get in their time while getting called up (due to injuries) and back down (when the injured have recovered). It is now one hair's breath away from where you have worked for most your life.
As explained to Dad, the atmosphere is much different, everyone goes about their business in a business fashion. There is maturity, no clowning around, team filled with MLB players, ex MLB players, there is also a different type of relationship between players. You are now in the closest competition for a job with 4-5 guys than you have ever been. As far as the game, the setting is the same, a mound, homeplate, hitters and umpires, different location. These are grown men, not boys anymore.

According to the trainer, he's on the roster to leave for Albuquerque with the team end of week, so we will see how it all plays out.

I am expecting when all is said and done, Dave will be back to AA. But it's nice to wonder if he will make it back to Omaha this year!

Omaha and the CWS

This to me is one of the greatest sporting events I have ever attended. It should be a must on every family's list of things to do, once in a lifetime experience.

My son attended twice in HS while playing summer ball tournaments in Lincoln.

Each time he returned home he said the same thing, I am going to play in Omaha in Rosenblatt Stadium some day. I am almost postive that experience helped him to quietly go about his business to help to reach that dream.

When deciding where to attend and play college ball, he chose Clemson, thinking that with the recruits Sully had signed he had a good chance. Ironically, the first year the school he also seriously considered but turned down (UF) reached Omaha while Clemson did not (one game away).

In 2006 Clemson won their super regional to advance to Omaha as the #1 seed. For those interested, these are some of the details that occured that June.

When a team wins to advance, the NCAA hands each member and coaches their packets, this includes papers to be signed, hotel information, flight times and other particulars. Parents scramble to make hotel reservations, preferable in the hotel that the team is staying in. This is so neat because each team hotel is decorated with team colors with booths with team gear and cute stuff. The hotel staff wore Clemson shirts and they want their visiting team to win.

The players are flown in a chartered plane, with with motorcade whereever they travel thoughout the city. They arrive on wednesday, on thursday each team is given an autograph session for the public along with plenty of local press and ESPN in attendance and batting practice on the field. It was so much fun watching people line up to wait for autographs from your player and we as parents waited in the line with everyone else. That evening there are opening ceremonies where each team enters the field seperately. As they enter, there is a film showing how they made it to Omaha. This was followed by the NCAA awarding individuals with team high GPA, introduction of coaches, etc, followed by a magnificent display of fireworks that lasted about 40 minutes. Beautiful.

Each team is assigned a sponsor, those sponsors are their tour guides as well as responsible for a luncheon. The organization that sponsored Clemson held a BBQ in a park in the middle of nowhere, which was beautiful and a quiet getaway from the crowd that you will find in downtown Omaha. Along with the team, parents and boosters, maybe there was around 100.

For much of the day, we didn't get to see our player that much so we had a lot of time to enjoy the city on our own. The vendors that supply teams with gear are there to supply the teams with more gear. They give the players so much stuff. As soon as a team loses they are gone, if early day, they leave that afternoon, if evening it is the next morning. As quick as you come, you go, so there is an incentive there to keep winning to remain as long as you can. The people of Omaha as the best, and truely great examples of those good natured mid west folks. There doesn't seem to be enough places to eat downtown as people who want to eat, so lines for dinner are pretty incredible.

The best way to describe the streets around Rosenblatt Stadium that week is "outdoor circus". Vendor after vendor with everything imaginable, the people who live on the street turn their backyards into beer gardens. and charge a fortune for you to park on their lawn. The main parking lot is like an endless tailgate, that goes on for days and days and days. Little leaguers in their uniforms, everywhere, and then there are games and challenges for every age.

I remember vivedly waling up to Rosenblatt and seeing everthing in real live that I had seen on TV for years. it isn't as imposing as it appears on TV, all it is, a minor league stadium. What is absolutely out of sight is the site from the rear, I had never seen on TV, there Rosenbaltt sits on a huge hill, all lit up, my son described it as baseball heaven. It truely is.



It recently occured to me that someday son may return to play AAA in Omaha, but not to Rosenblatt, that truely saddens me, because although there will be a brand new state of the art facility to house the CWS, it will never be like Rosenblatt.

Kind of bummed that Florida got out early, but hoping the Tigers reach the championship game.


Wouldn't that game be special!

Oops!

In this game you take 10 steps forward then you go one step backwards. It's also a game where sometimes you don't have control over things. What a challenge!

Yesterday's game was against NWArkansas, first place in the division with Springfield hot on their heels. Big game, ERA leader Osuna for NWA, win leader Kopp for the redbirds, I guess everyone expected a pitcher's dual. NOT.

Now I don't like to make excuses, but I find it very strange that the ERA leader had more runs scored in this game than he did all season, and that other guy, who brings them in low and inside at 93-95, couldn't find the zone. Both pitchers lifted early. One coach and one player ejected (the other guys). Crazy stuff.

Final score, birds 12, NWA 9.

The announcer said what he thought could be a low scoring game, was a slugfest AND he commented the zone was so tight, pitchers were throwing done the middle. Ah, that may account for the 4 HR's hit in the game (maybe 5, I lost count).

Enough said. Either way, no win, no loss by either starting pitcher.

Thanks to all who sent good wishes regarding making the TL All Star game. I appreciate it. Only one thing, son is excited but admits he is very tired and would have liked the three day break. He's tired, the whole team is tired, a bit beat up and there is still 2 full months to go. His team is now on the road for 8 days.

BTW, we got the camo jersey, along with two hat giveaways and one Stan Musial bobblehead doll! Life is good!

Another Win!

Dave pitched a great game saturday night, scoreless until the 7th, but that happens. NO WALKS! The best part of this year, is that he gets himself out of jams, usually by forcing the groundball for the double play. That's a big consideration when considered for moving forward. That's big, getting out of teh trouble you found yourself in. He also has had some great run support but he is learning, as they tell him, each time you go out, no matter what the score, there is no score. That philosophy is a good one.
Dave is tied for most wins with one other pitcher in the Texas League, and tied with 3 others in all of AAA. He sports a good ERA and GO/AO rate. Everything is working for him this season.
By end of next week he should know if he will play in the TL All Star game, in Texas of all places. Hot Texas. A friend of mine told me that the leagues he plays in makes for tough players, hot humid Florida and hot, sometimes humid, dry TX, OK and AK. Then onto hot Memphis.

Great week for baseball, Florida and Clemson both go to Omaha, those boys don't know what a treat they have in store for them. An experience they will always remember, win or lose. For a week to 10 days, you are treated like a celebrity, and each and everyone of them deserves it, it's a tough road trying to get to Omaha. If anyone ever noticed on the back of the Tiger caps is written Omaha, that's the Clemson philosophy, each and every year the goal is to reach Omaha. That is what is passed down from coach to coach, so I am not surprised that each coach that has worked under Jack has success for post season play. Jack is one of those coaches who lets his coaches manage their players and he manages the coaches. That in itself makes him a winner. I feel sad when I hear about coaches who have to have control over every aspect of the game at their program, it's literally impossible. That's a good thing to try to find out in the recruiting process. We did, we were told that Jack was more or less the father figure and made sure the boys went to class, ran practice and the PR guy, the coaches were the ones the player worked with and Jack never interfered.
Not all here is baseball, on Wednesday my daughter will be getting married, just the folks and her grandma, then when it is more convenient for everyone in the fall we will have a reception. I guess at 34 when you are ready you don't let the moment pass waiting for everyone to be in the right place at the right time. She was kind of upset her brother couldn't leave his job to fly back, but that's not how it works when you are trying ot work your way up in this business.
Have a great week everyone!

2010 Draft Come and Gone

Been a busy week, lots of stuff going on then figured I would wait until after the draft to post. There is a good discussion going on over at the HSBBW, from a parent's perspective.
Congrats to those players and their families who got drafted, tough decisions to make for some, for those that did not get drafted and have other options, sit back relax enjoy and let it happen, if it's meant to be it will (happen), if not, there is a whole lot more to life than playing at the pro level.
Dave had a tough outing on Sunday, 94 degrees in San Antonio and over 100% humidity, Dave drank for days and days before, but by the 5th he was toasted, and had to really dig deep to get by for the win (7-1 and tied with no one for the second best record in the league) and of course support as always from the team. Another shut out. Wooo hoooooo! Lost 6 punds in that outing. Beleive it or not, his next start is saturday, well you know what we will be doing saturday night! Good night for baseball though, big crowds and big expectations.
The road trip began in Corpus Christi, 14-15 hours away from home, the team leaves early afternoon on tuesday. Then it's watch a movie, then it's time to try to sleep, no such luck. By the time they arrived back home, 8 days later, early on a tuesday after traveling all night long, it's eat time and then home to bed. Exhausting.

Forgot to add camo pics!

Another Win!

Cut our time short over on the west coast and headed back home for the game, it wasn't the best game, pitching a noon game is out of the ordinary, but he faired well. The team plays well when he pitches, and the run support has been very helpful.
Paul bid on the camo jersey and won, he says this will be the last time, but I doubt it. The American Cancer Society were the recipients of the auction, the lady who took our CC# told me that they sold every jersey for the highest bid allowed. I figured out that was about 6-7K. That's a great thing. Since Paul had seen DK in this jersey he says it was special. I think he's got his eye on the retro jersey too. It's too funny how much dads will spend on this kind of stuff. Husband is very careful when it comes to spending, but I am sure he would spend his last dime if he had to. He said he wants his grandchildren to someday have their dads jerseys..... yeah right!

The team left today at 4 pm for the 14-15 hour trip to Corpus Christi for three games there and three in San Antonio. Dave pitches better at home than on the road, he wil have one start on the road on Sunday, should be interesting to see how he does, but he has been on a roll lately, of the 9 starts, he has 6 wins, 1 loss and 2 no decisions. Best record he has ever had since HS. It's been a lot of fun to watch him blossom in a difficult league.

As far as getting to AAA, I think he's in a good place right now (he didn't like that I said that to him). He was put on notice that he might be called up to pitch AAA yesterday, that didn't happen, and IMO that's ok. This is just my parent opinion, but not sure how well these young guys can perform going up for a day (on the day you have to pitch) and then back down again the next day, but I suppose he might have to get used to it, at one point in time. :) As far as a call up to the show, the cards don't do that until they have to, unless they either want to trade you or protect you. They just aren't that eager to have your ML time clock begin sooner than it should. Right now if things go well, his stats will send him to the Texas League All Star Game (he was rostered for high A All Star game last year but got called up before the game), so that would be a big feather in his cap for him.

No doubt there are rewards watching your son play at this level, but it has not been an easy road, it hasn't always been that fun, and very rarely is for most parents when your player has an injury. Takes a lot of maturity to handle all that is put on your plate. And for what it's worth it's a job, and it's big business, keep that in mind for the upcoming draft.

Thank you all for your support, kind emails and keeping up with his starts, that means a lot, more than you all might imagine.