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The one that is for sure in the baseball life is that nothing is for sure.
On December 15, 1985, the San Diego Padres had called. I was again being assigned to Spokane. Where I was originally scheduled to start to begin with.
And once again, I never threw a pitch for the Spokane Indians.
On May 4, 1986, they called back. Get to Reno. Immediately. I was starting on Tuesday.
The Reno Padres had already been playing about a month. In fact, Sandy had been there but was sent back to Miami on April 21. Jaime had been assigned to Spokane so I had a new catcher to meet.
John Frierson was 22 years old. He had been in Reno in '84 but played for Miami in '85. He was a decent player who the scouts said would make a good reserve catcher in the Big Show.
"Good to meet you, James."
We shook hands.
"Welcome back, James."
Broadway was there again. Keith Stephen was still the manager as well.
The Reno Padres had started off bad again. They were 7-18 when I took the mound for the first time in 1986.
But there was some extra media buzz going on.
"It's you, James," Broadway said.
These were national media guys covering top prospects. Apparently, I had been named the #19 prospect in MLB.
Hilarious.
National media people were enamored with me and the local people from Reno wouldn't have known who I was if I was grocery shopping at Albertsons.
"All right, James, let's put on a show." Frierson pulled down his mask and it was showtime.
Three up. Three down. I felt better. In control. I think it may have been a vibe I was getting from Frierson. There was like a positive energy that I guess only a pitcher and catcher can understand.
The top of the second started with a walk and then a single. But Frierson never flinched and I struck out the next two guys. A grounder to short retired the side.
I struck out the lead off hitter in the top of the third. A two out error was insignificant as I gave them nothing!
"Looking good, James," Stephen told me.
Kurt Deluca led off the top of the fourth with a double. But then I recorded another strikeout. A ground ball to first moved Deluca to third but a fly ball to center stranded him there.
I thought I could actually hear fans cheering. Reno Padres fans actually caring about the game on the field. All 4,014: of them.
I gave up a lead off walk in the top of the fifth. The A's bunted him to second. He moved to third on a ground out. But the next batter grounded the ball right back to me and I threw him out to retire the side.
In the bottom of the fifth, we took advantage of a couple of walks and Larry Allen got an RBI single to put us up 1-0.
Deluca got me again with a one out single in the top of the sixth but Frierson caught him stealing. That was huge because Charles Heist singled as well. But a fly ball to left retired the side.
The A's got a lead off single in the top of the seventh but I struck out the next two batters and a popout ended that.
The A's got a walk and a single to start the top of the eighth. Runners on the corners and nobody out. We just led 1-0. Frierson simply nodded at me to keep going.
Deluca was up.
I got ahead 0-2.
He grounded the ball to third. Paul Frye scooped it up. He held the runner on third and kept him from scoring. Then threw to first for the out. But now runners were at second and third.
Heist was next.
I waited for the call to intentionally walk him.
It never came.
The first pitch was grounded to short.
A clean pick up by Richard Scales.
He was able to hold the runners before firing the ball to first for the second out.
Fans rose to their feet.
I got ahead of the next batter 1-2. He hit the next pitch into right field.
I turned and watched it fall.
Harmlessly into the glove of Greg Sparks.
Three away!
Runners stranded at second and third.
I was on fumes but nothing was going to stop me!
The top of the ninth was anticimactic. It only took me seven pitches to get them three up three down.
I had a complete game shutout!
9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K.
Player of the game!
1986 was going to be a much better year!
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