SIDE ARM A Fictional Player Story

[vrobx1]

Sunday.

Vince Horseman was on the mound. He left in the fifth innning with elbow pain. He had already been complaining of forearm soreness but had been pitching anyways.

As was usual, we were getting no run support.

Until the bottom of the sixth when we took advantage of an error and brought home a pair of runs to tie the game 2-2.

I knew it was inevitable that we would eventually find a way to lose again. This was the mentality that had come over the entire team.

As the later innnings played out, I began to write out a note to my parents to explain why I was having $50,000 transferred to my small bank account in Reno.

I hated lying to them.

The eighth innning was over. The score was still 2-2.

I hated being in Reno. So, I started to put together a plan to get out.

Modesto got a run in the top of the ninth to go up 3-2.

What if the big bonus plus the lure of the Reno life turned their top pitching prospect, me, into a casino gambler? Would the Padres parent club get me out of Reno to avoid embarrassment?

So, maybe it wasn't the greatest plan in the world but it was the best one I could come up with at the time.

In the bottom of the ninth, we put runners on the corners with one out.

I stopped writing and perked up at the game. This was still my team and I still wanted to win.

We put on the hit and run and our pinch hitter missed the swing and our guy at third was easily tagged out at home.

Of course, we were going to find the craziest way to lose.

But we got another runner on.

First and second.

Two out.

John Carlson came to bat. Hitting just .200. No home runs. 5 RBI.

He got a 1-0 fastball high in the strike zone and ripped it to deep center. With two out, our base runners took off on contact.

The ball landed and rolled to the Wall!

One run scored!

Another run scored!

We won?

We won!

Well, I'll be damned....

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[vrobx1]

The next morning was Monday. I made a trip to the bank and filled out paperwork to have the money sent to me.

We had the Fresno Giants that week in Reno. As I got to the ballpark, Coach Broadway pulled me aside and pointed me to the Big Board.

The Big Board was where Coach Stephen posted his primary lineups and rotation.

My name had been moved to the top.

He was naming me the team ace.

I did not see that coming.

Coach Broadway simply said, "we think it's time you stepped up and took charge of things on the mound. Your time. You just have to take over now."

I was slated to pitch the series finale on Wednesday. So I took my spot in the bullpen and studied each hitter that came up.

I would do the same tomorrow night as well. So I would know what I would be facing on Wednesday.

Some kids came by the bullpen and struck up a conversation with us. They had been on a little league team and were getting to watch a professional game. For some of them, it was the first time ever.

I joked about making over half a million dollars playing baseball.

"Wow! What did you buy with all that money?"

"A really big ice cream sandwich!"

"No you didn't."

Wayne Davis got a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third and we went up 1-0.

"My daddy is a Dodgers fan and he said the Dodgers are going to win the World Series this year."

"Tell your dad that Dodger Blue is the color of the blues they sing when they lose to the Padres."

The Giants got a run in the sixth to tie the game.

"I have baseball cards for all the Dodgers players."

"Put them on your bycicle spokes and ride as fast as you can!"

"Nah. I only do that with the Padres cards."

"Nice comeback, kid."

In the bottom of the eighth, Rainford Harris pinch hit and brought in a pair with a single.

Mack Jenkins went out to get the complete game victory as the Padres won 3-1.

"How do I get to be a pro ball player?"

"Talent. Hard work. A lot of luck. But most importantly, " I paused for dramatic effect.

"Root for a better team than the Dodgers."

I grinned and headed to the dugout with the rest of the team.

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[vrobx1]

The next night in the bullpen was one that Coach Broadway would probably wish he could forget.

The first base umpire had this....habit? Quirk? Whatever you want to call it.

We first saw him do it in the top of the first when we turned a 4-6-3 to retire the side. He gave the thumb for the out call. Then he pulled up his pants and picked his butt.

He literally picked his butt.

Wayne Davis led off the bottom of the first by grounding out and it happened again. The first base umpire gave the out thumb, hitched his pants. And picked his butt.

Fred Carter homered in the bottom of the second and we were up 1-0. But those of us in the bullpen were waiting for another groundout.

John Carlson was starting at catcher for us to give Frierson a night off so he was there cracking up with the rest of us.

Our starting pitcher left in the third with an limp. Which really had Broadway frustrated with us. Because it happened on a ground out.

Thumb.

Hitch.

Pick butt.

And we were laughing pretty good already.

"Parks is hurt and you guys think it's funny."

So after Kevin Williamson got warmed up and the game resumed, Bernie Williams came up and grounded right to the pitcher.

So I got up, gave the thumb sign, hitched my pants and picked my butt.

And everyone fell out.

"James! What do you think is so damn funny!"

So I told Coach Broadway to watch the first base umpire the next time there was a ground ball out.

It happened in the bottom of the third.

After the umpire went through his thumb, hitch, pick routine, I mocked him again. By this time, the entire bullpen was snorting with laughter.

"Oh for crying out loud, James! Get serious! This is not a comedy show."

The very next batter grounded to short.

Thumb.

Hitch.

Pick butt.

"Good grief!" Coach Broadway even had to fight to stifle his laughter.

And then the bottom of the third ended with a ground out.

After I imitated the ump yet again, Coach Broadway kicked me out of the bullpen.

I spent the remainder of the game in the locker room.

The Giants came back to take a 3-1 lead but in the bottom of the eighth, Fred Carter struck again, hitting a 2-run double to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kevin Maas hit an RBI single and we got a 4-3 walkoff win.

The Reno Padres had a winning streak going!

After the game, Coach Broadway called me into Coach Stephen's office and they gave me quite the lecture on being a clown in the bullpen.

I listened and nodded and when they were done Coach Stephen asked the typical question you get after being lectured.

"Have I made myself clear?"

I gave a thumbs up.

I then hitched my pants and picked my butt as I walked out of the office.

"Gawddammit James! That'll cost you five hundred dollars."

I shrugged and kept waking.

I could afford it.

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[vrobx1]

Wednesday.

June 18, 1986.

We took the field against the Fresno Giants.

We were going for the sweep!

And I was on the mound.

"You ready today, James?"

I nodded.

The money transfer had gone through. I wouldn't get time to hit the casinos much as we had to catch the bus tomorrow and head out to Modesto.

The temperature was 63 degrees when the game started.

Bernie Williams started the game off with a single but a 5-4-3 ended the top of the first. Their short stop had swung at a high fastball.

The walks started in the second. I thought the ump had squeezed me on one particular pitch. A fastball that had, I thought, caught the lower inside corner but he had called it a ball.

Bases were loaded with nobody out.

I just took a deep breath and said the hell with it.

A pop-up brought on the infield fly rule and there was one out. The batter had swung at a low curveball on a 2-2 count.

I put a 1-2 fastball too much in the middle of the plate for the next hitter and he turned it into a sacrifice fly and we were down 1-0.

I struck the next guy out on three pitches!

"That's a good job working out of that situation, James," Coach Stephen told me as we headed off the field.

Bernie Williams led off the top of the third with a double and he scored two batters later and we were down 2-0.

And we didn't even have a hit through three innings.

Bernie Williams got his third hit of the game in the fifth innning. The Giants went on to tack on another run and the score was 3-0.

The irritating part was how many of these hits were infield or groundball singles.

Our offense came alive in the bottom of the fifth. Three straight singles. Bases loaded. Nobody out.

And just like that, I was taking the mound with a 4-3 lead!

A lead I couldn't hold. Bernie Williams got another hit and we trailed 5-4.

We got a run in the bottom of the sixth and the game was tied.

They got another infield single in the bottom of the seventh with two out. But this time I got the next hitter to line out to retire the side.

Still 5-5.

Could our offense keep up the run production?

Three up. Three down.

The eighth innning. I was at 130 pitches but I was still ok. I hadn't walked anyone since that second innning but I walked the lead off batter on a full count pitch. And the same thing with the next batter. Full count. Ball four.

That was it.

Coach Stephen came to the mound and took the ball from me.

They ended up scoring one.

But we tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. I was at least off the hook for the loss. Wayne Davis then hit an RBI single and we led 7-6!

In the top of the ninth, the Giants got the tying run to third but Michael Visor struck out Billy Loard to end the game!

Padres win 7-6.

My line:
7.0 IP, 6 runs on 12 hits, 4 walks and 6 strikeouts.

But we were on a 4 game winning streak.

Little did we know that, in just a matter of hours, an event would take place that would shock the sports world to its very core.

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[vrobx1]

Lacking the proper time to jump into a casino, I had thought about dropping a hundred dollars on a lottery ticket.

Alas. It is illegal to buy lottery tickets in Nevada.

The gaming industry doesn't want the competition.

So, once again, my life as a gambler would have to wait for another day.

It was our day off but we were headed for Modesto so we would take the bus tonight and get plenty of rest before the weekend series started. We all arrived at the ballpark and we were told to have a seat. Coach Stephen wanted to have a word with us first.

Coach Stephen came out holding up a newspaper clipping. It was a picture of a black basketball player.

"Gentlemen, this here is Len Bias. 22 years old. The second player taken in the NBA Draft. By the Boston Celtics."

He paused and we kinda shrugged and wondered where he was going with this.

"Len Bias died this morning."

Damn, that's too bad.

"Of a drug overdose!"

Woah.....

"22 years old, gentlemen. Look around you. Art. He's your age." Art Calvert led the team in batting average. He was 22. "Many of you will be turning 22 this season."

There were some shook faces on the team. I never did them myself but I knew there were people in baseball who did use drugs. Some on this team, though I won't name them.

"If any of you need to talk to any of us to get help for anything, the door to my office is right there. Len Bias had it all. The world at his feet. Now he's gone and will be remembered as nothing more than a warning. Don't let this happen to you."

It was the quietest the team had ever been boarding a bus.

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[vrobx1]

My line for the season:

9 starts. 1-7. 5.58 ERA. 61.1 IP. 26 BB. 29 K.

"That dadburn leadoff hitter they had. He just killed me, man."

The Fresno leadoff hitter had gone 4 for 5 with 2 2B, an RBI and scored a run.

"He kept innnings going and got innnings started."

"His name is Bernie Williams," Coach Broadway said. "He's one of those guys who will go on to be one of the most dominant hitters in history."

We were talking again in the bullpen as the game went on in Modesto.

"And he's with the Giants. Meaning if we both get to the majors, I'll be seeing a lot of him over the years."

We were down 1-0 after the first inning.

"What about this team? Modesto? Who is the best shot at being a big leaguer?"

Broadway thought for a few minutes.

"Their center fielder. Mark What."

We scored in the third innning and it was 1-1.

The conversation turned to the news we had heard yesterday.

"Athletes sometimes are treated as superhuman," Broadway said. "And that can lead them to thinking they are invincible."

The A's got a run in the fifth and went back up 2-1.

"I saw that in Texas with football players mostly," I said. "Kids grounded for fumbling the football but not for failing math."

"This drug thing is different. It can kill someone. As you can see."

"I can't speak for nobody else, coach, but I don't mess with that stuff."

He patted me on the shoulder. "I believe you. You do seem too intelligent to do something that stupid."

2-1 was the final. Bringing our win streak to an end.

I walked out of the bullpen, feeling the weight of 50 eyeballs bearing down upon me.

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[Tiger Fan]

Great job. This has quickly become one of the dynasty’s I check regularly to see if it has been updated. Love the way you add in real events from other sports.

[vrobx1]

Originally Posted by Tiger Fan

Great job. This has quickly become one of the dynasty’s I check regularly to see if it has been updated. Love the way you add in real events from other sports.

Thanks for commenting!

I do like to throw in some historical facts in the story that take place outside of baseball.

Interesting note on that. The part about the classmate going to basic training and being held up by a plane crash. That actually happened to me.

I knew the Len Bias thing would be a part of this story. That really began pro sports leagues looking into drug use as an issue that had to be addressed.

Glad to have you along.

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[vrobx1]

Jeffrey Parks just fell apart in the fifth innning.

He was cruising along, having given up just 2 hits in a scoreless tie through four.

Then the A's went off!

8 runs.

8 runs in the fifth.

I knew the feeling. When no matter what you threw, they were going to hit it. To a spot where no one could make a play on the ball.

That Mark Whiten guy hit a 2-run homer in the onslaught.

But the drama wasn't over yet.

We were not just behind 8-0.

But we didn't have a hit yet either.

Lee Grimes singled with one out in the top of the sixth. The Modesto fans let out a disappointed groan.

At least we avoided that.

We ended up losing 10-3.

The next morning, bright and early, way too early, there was a knock on my door.

Coach Stephen.

"Pack your stuff, James, a cab is waiting for you."

"What?"

"You are headed to the airport. I just got off the phone with the parent club. You are being sent to Miami."

Sunuvagun!

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[vrobx1]

That day was an exercise in franticness. Is that even a word?

I flew back to Reno and packed up my belongings, turned in my gear to the equipment office, signed out of my apartment, closed my bank account, hopped on a flight to Miami.

It was almost like when I first joined the Fresno Padres.

But this time I was met at the airport by an assistant.

The Miami Marlins were in Tampa taking on the Tarpons.

"Taking on the what?"

"Tarpons."

"Oh, I thought you said...."

"Oh give me a break!"

We headed to the ballpark and I was issued my uniform and then I was sent to the apartments that housed Marlins players.

I called home and gave them my new address and phone number and then head to bed.

I was pitching tomorrow night.

They don't waste any time throwing you into the fire.

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[vrobx1]

"Sandy!"

I shook hands and hugged my old/new catcher.

"About time they got you out of the horror that was the Reno Padres."

I was joining a team that actually had a winning record. The Miami Marlins were 30-29 on the season. A far cry from the disaster that was the Reno Padres.

"I heard you two had played together."

A man walked up and shook my hand.

"Mark Green. I'm your pitching coach."

"Coach Green is alright. He won't do you wrong around here. Unlike some others."

"Alomar...."

"I didn't say a word."

"I pretty much run the pitching staff," Coach Green said. "You'll meet Mahir Husam al Din later."

"Who?"

"The Skipper."

"Massure what?"

Coach Green laughed. "That's not his real name. He had it changed. Like Muhammad Ali did."

"I see." First time I would ever be coached by a black man.

"He and Sandy don't see eye-to-eye."

"You don't think it's racial, do you?"

"I don't think so. It could be but Skipper likes to make a lot of changes in the game and Sandy doesn't like being pulled for matchup purposes. Sandy is our best hitter and doesn't feel like he should ever be pinch hit for."

This looked like a powder keg ready to explode.

I just hoped I wouldn't be caught in the middle.

We were at home for a Monday night game against the Osceola Astros when I made my debut.

"Your command and change up have gotten better," Sandy said as we finished warming up.

And then it was time to....

Play ball!

And after 14 pitches, the Astros went 3 up and 3 down with a strikeout to boot.

Sandy was calling mostly sliders and fastballs. I knew to trust his pitch selection so I went with it.

With a 1-0 lead, I had a perfect second innning that ended in a strikeout.

"You have come along real well, James," Sandy told me after the second innning. The Muhammad Ali manager guy had yet to speak a word to me. Maybe because I was sitting next to Sandy. Coach Green had almost understated the animosity between those two.

With two down in the third, I let go of a 2-2 fastball that nearly sailed out into space. To say it was high. Yeah, as high as one of those Cheech and Chong movies my mom hated. The full count fastball was too low and too inside and I had surrendered a walk.

I got away with one on the next hitter. I threw a slider on a 1-2 pitch that was outside but the umpire called it strike three. I could see it had missed the plate but I wasn't saying jack!

Through three innnings, I had allowed no runs, no hits, walked one and struck out four.

"This was how it was for me, too, coming here," Sandy said. "We were so bad in Reno that we expected to suck and expectations became reality. We don't have that problem here."

Alas, twice in the first three innnings, Sandy went to bat with a runner on third and neither runner was able to score.

So we still led just 1-0.

Fourth innning. Three up three down.

In the bottom of the fourth, I got a couple more runs for support and we led 3-0.

The Astros small balled their way onto the scoreboard in the fifth. A lead off single. Sacrifice bunt. Stolen base. Sacrifice fly.

The Astros got a lead off double in the sixth but he was left stranded at third.

So I had allowed just two hits through six innings. I hadn't gotten any more strikeouts. I still had just that one walk as well. The Astros hitters were now seeing me for the third time. It gets a lot harder to get the same stuff by them the third or fourth time you face them.

We were still up 3-1 after six innnings.

The Astros got a lead off single in the seventh but I struck out the next hitter and went on to finish the innning without him getting to second.

Then in the bottom of the seventh, Sandy got an RBI single to make it 4-1. Sandy would score later on a throwing error and we had a 5-1 lead.

On to the eighth innning. I had thrown just 95 pitches. The count was 2-2 and I fooled the hitter with a curveball and I had struck out six. Two grounballs later and we were three outs away from a win.

And that's when the manager spoke to me for the first time.

"Not bad, James. The bullpen will take care of the ninth."

I nodded and sat down.

"Grinds my gears when he does that," Sandy said.

I nodded but wasn't upset at all. A pitcher's arm will only survive so many throws. I was fine saving an innning of my arm for the big leagues.

Besides, John Githens was taking the mound and, from what I was told, he was the Florida State League leader in saves, having gone 12 for 12.

A 5-1 lead was safe.

I would be named the #3 top performance of the day in the Florida State League.

8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, W

I hadn't gotten a win since my first game back when I had reported to Reno in May.

It was a long time coming and it felt really good.

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[msupoke]

Hopefully, he makes it to AA while the Golden Gators are still in Beaumont. They had a pretty loaded team with Alomar, Kruk, Mack, Guillen, and Cora. Maybe a middle school aged me might make it into this dynasty as a fan if you get promoted soon.

[vrobx1]

Originally Posted by msupoke

Hopefully, he makes it to AA while the Golden Gators are still in Beaumont. They had a pretty loaded team with Alomar, Kruk, Mack, Guillen, and Cora. Maybe a middle school aged me might make it into this dynasty as a fan if you get promoted soon.

I hope so too!

I'll be sure you get an autograph from him if he does.

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[vrobx1]

Hi Mom,

Well, I am settled in here in Miami. So strange to be here and not visiting Paw Paw Fred. If he would have just lived two more years, he would be watching me play.

I won my first game here. Hopefully it turns out better than when I went back to Reno, won my first game and then never won again.

I'm hooked up with my buddy Sandy Alomar Jr. It feels nice to be playing on a team that actually wins more games than it loses.

Since I left Reno, I won't be needing that money I took out of the credit union so I am having most of it transferred back in.

It's a little different here. Locals pay a little more attention to us than they did in Reno. We get a few female fans that like to hang out at the apartment complex. By the pool. In their bikinis. And talk to some of the players.

Reminds me of how the high school girls in Texas treat football players. But some of these women are older than high school.

Maybe even mid 20s.

Kinda funny, I think. None of them realize that I am with the team yet. Maybe if they ask, I'll tell them I'm the equipment manager.

How is Dad holding up? I hope he's up and about again after his latest surgery. Fool is probably already mowing yards again.

I'd like to fly you out to see me pitch while I am here. As long as I am still pitching well at least. Hate for you to come all the way out here and see me give up ten runs.

Tell everyone hi for me.

Love all yall
Bobby

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[vrobx1]

The Marlins went 3-1 after my debut to go to 34-30 on the season. A 7-4 10 inning loss was followed by a 4-2 win to complete the series with the Astros. After a day off, the Marlins scored 4-3 and 3-1 victories in Fort Myers. Another Reno teammate, Chris Hammond, pitched the second game in Fort Myers and came up one out short of a complete game shutout.

I took a trip to the movies with some of the guys on our off day. We went and saw Karate Kid 2. It was good. I liked the first one better. Probably because I am a bit of a sequel snob. I always like the first movie the best. No matter what the series is. Star Wars more than Empire Strikes Back. I prefer Jaws to Jaws 2. They should have never even made Smokey and the Bandit 2. That was brutal.

One old guy at the theater came up to us.

"You that youngun that pitched the other night? The new guy?"

I nodded.

"That was pretty good there, son. I say, you got a pretty good arm. You need to settle down, though. I say, you could miss the plate wild sometimes but I think you be okay."

"Karl Morland," Sandy told me. "Been to every sporting event in the city of Miami, or so they say. Rumor has it, he didn't take the loss to the Patriots very well at all."

I nodded. New England had come in and won in Miami for the first time in many years. Double digits I believe. Not just ending the streak but doing so in the AFC Championship Game to qualify for the Super Bowl.

"That was our Super Bowl," Morland said. "The Bears couldn't beat us! Marino would have lit them up! Like he did on Monday Night Football."

It was true. The Dolphins were the only team to beat the Bears last year.

We shook hands with the old fan and went for pizza that night.

I was definitely liking Miami a lot more than Reno.

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[vrobx1]

I got the start in the final game of the series in Fort Myers.

It's about a 310 mile round trip from Miami to Fort Myers so we spent the entire three nights in Fort Myers.

We were 34-30 on the season while the Royals were 33-30.

Our record put us tied for second in the South Division while Fort Myers was in first in the West Division.

The Royals had one of the worst offenses in the league, having scored the fewest runs of any team. But they led the league in defensive efficiency and were tied for the fewest runs allowed in the league.

A one out triple in the first inning and quickly we were down 1-0.

Sandy took care of the lead off single they got in the second, throwing him out as he tried to steal second. It is a good thing, too, because the next batter hit a triple. And the Royals were suddenly up 2-0 after two.

Then the rain came down.

Hard!

We were down 2-1 in the bottom of the third when they decided to delay the game.

47 minutes went by.

A pitcher's nightmare.

You can't keep your arm warm and loose. You just have to sit there in the dugout.

The mound loses grip on footing and the wet surface plays horror on your fielders.

An RBI double and we were down 3-1.

Worst offense in the league and they were beating me senseless with extra base hits.

Figures.

I'd given up 4 hits in three innnings. Three of them for extra bases.

And again in the fourth. A double. A triple. Another double.

5-1 Fort Myers.

I sat on the bench in the fifth innning not even trying to figure it out anymore. I just waited for my turn to go out and pitch again.

Our Mohammed Ali manager never spoke to me. While my pitching coach stayed in the bullpen.

In the bottom of the fifth, they hit another RBI triple. And my day was done.

Sandy tried to make it respectable with a two run double in the sixth.

But way too little too late.

Fort Myers beat us 12-4.

My line:
4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Abused is a good way to describe how I was treated by the Fort Myers Royals.

The worst offense in the league.

Jeeze.

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[vrobx1]

And just like that, my ERA in Miami was 6.00.

We were back home for our next six games. A few of us pitchers weren't required to dress when we were tired or exhausted after a long outing so Chris Hammond, David James, Paul McLellan and myself stayed back at the apartments while the team faced the Daytona Beach Admirals the next night.

Hammond found himself entertaining a couple of young females by the pool. I don't think they were 21 but they had a rather generous supply of alcoholic beverages on them.

Chris was letting them know all about the great pitching performance he had put together in his last start. Paul and I snuck into our room and loaded up a couple of balloons with the coldest water we could get.

We got David to distract the girls just long enough to get them away from Chris and then we pelted him with the water balloons.

"Cool off, Hammond!"

Oh, did he ever let loose a string of profanities our way. We both locked ourselves in my room and laughed loud and hard as he cursed and beat on my door.

Finally, Paul yelled out. "Calm down before they call the cops on us, you idiot!"

He did stop beating on the door but the list of foul insults and threats to our physical safety did not decrease for another good ten minutes!

One of the girls was finally able to pull him away and convince him to use that energy doing something else.

After they disappeared, we hung out by the pool and the other young lady came to talk with us.

"You play on the Marlins, too?"

"Oh, I'm just the bat boy."

I quickly pawned her off to Paul, who was more than willing to engage with random female company.

I went back inside and called Beth. I was determined that this lifestyle would not ruin what we had together.

As for the game, the Admirals came in with a record of 39-25. Chris Jones pitched a complete gane shutout, allowing 7 hits and walking 2 while striking out 8 and the Marlins won 1-0. Jones was named the Top Performer of the Day in the Florida State League.

Hammond got the start the next night and was on fire. He pitched six innings, allowing just a run on three hits, walking three and striking out nine. He even overcame three different errors and did not give up any unearned runs. Unfortunately, he was unable to overcome a total lack of run support and left the game trailing 1-0.

The Admirals added a run in the eighth and went on to win 2-0.

Still, Hammond was incredible in the game and especially on short rest.

He just laughed.

"If you would quit waiting around on that girl in Texas, you would be a lot better too."

The next morning, Hammond was boarding a plane for Charleston. He was moving to the Rainbows of the South Atlantic League.

His wannabe girlfriend came by the apartments that afternoon and got the bad news. It was rather amusing if you want to know the truth.

I went to the park and watched the finale against Daytona Beach. Specifically, I went to watch the Admirals starting pitcher Rod Nichols. Rod led the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Without a doubt, I wanted to learn from him from afar and improve my game.

And wouldn't you know it. My guys teed off on him for three runs in the first inning.

But we blew a 5-0 lead and the game went into extra innings.

The Admirals scored a pair in the top of the fourteenth and won 7-5.

[vrobx1]

I was making my next start on just three days rest. But, I hadn't lasted long in my last start and I was 100% fully rested.

Our opponent was the Vero Beach Dodgers.

Have I mentioned that I hate the Dodgers?

It was a home game so hopefully I wouldn't embarrass myself this time.

The Dodgers got a run on two hits in the top of the first.

We got the run back in the bottom of the first.

They didn't score in the top of the second. After five consecutive innings of giving up at least one run, I had finally gotten a goose egg.

In te top of the third, they got a runner on third with two out. Their cleanup hitter, Manny Francois, stepped to the plate. The first pitch was a 90 mph fastball low in the strike zone right over the middle of the plate. Francois hit the ball but right on the ground at me. I snagged it with my bare hand!

That stings!

Then threw to first to retire the side.

I was feeling like I was getting into a groove again.

Then the bats got going. Three straight hits to start the bottom of the third and we were up 2-1 after three.

They went scoreless again in the top of the fourth. I still couldn't get a three up three down as each inning, they would get one hit.

In the bottom of the fourth, poor Manuel DelRossario, who was hitting just .138 got an RBI single and we were up 3-1.

Then, in the top of the fifth, they got runners on the corners with one out and the heart of the order coming up. Austin Gibbs was up.

The count was 2-2.

He liked the high outside stuff. He had fouled off a fast ball that was a little high and outside. But he didn't expect the curveball to go there.

Swing and a miss!

Strike three!

There were two away.

Francois was up again.

Francois was 0 for 2.

He fouled off the first pitch but laid off the next three as I kept the pitches low. I had thought the next pitch, a low changeup, was a strike but the ump disagreed.

Sandy, who can outspoked at times, then disagreed with the ump. But that is a battle you can never win.

Down 3-1 and seeing the umpire was not giving me anything low, I came hard inside with a 93 mph fastball right at the numbers.

Francois may have swung at ball four. It just tipped off his bat and rolled forward a bit and Sandy grabbed it and fired it to first for the third out.

Another jam. Another escape.

In the bottom of the fifth, Greg Sparks got an RBI single and Sandy got an RBI on a sacrifice fly. The heart of our order had come through where there's had not.

We were now up 5-1.

The Dodgers would not get a hit in the sixth but they did get a leadoff walk so I still didn't have a one two three inning.

I thought it would happen in the seventh when I struck out the first two batters. But a walk and a single followed and here came Francois again.

Francois swings at the first pitch constantly so I put a curveballover the plate and he grounded it to second.

Making him 0 for 4 for the game. With runners on base every time he had come to the plate.

Greg Sparks got another RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. And we had a 6-1 lead with two innings to go.

Then it finally happened.

The top of the eight.

One!

Two!

Three!

Punctuated with a strikeout to retire the side!

In the bottom of the eighth, a double by Rodney McCray brought two runs home. Roberts added two more with a triple. David Dunlop then got a run-scoring single.

I came out to pitch the ninth with an 11-1 lead. I was at 121 pitches but I could pitch more.

The first batter grounded it right back to me and then our manager signaled the bullpen for the lefty and I was replaced by Mitch Williams.

I ended up with 8.1 innings pitched, one run on seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts.

But the player of the game was Norman Roberts.

4 for 5. A double. A triple. 4 RBI and 2 runs scored.

And Scott Thompson went 4 for 4 with a double, triple and a walk and had scored four times.

They were named the numbers two and three performers of the day in the Florida State League.

For myself, my ERA in Florida was down to 3.98 and I was now the ace of the staff.

After the game, Chris Hammond's fan girl came up to me outside thhe stadium.

"I thought you said you were the batboy," she scolded me.

"I am. But they let me pitch once every five days or so."

"Oh...."

Oh, brother.

Thenext day was Fourth of July. We had a 1:05 start to a holiday game. I went to the stadium in uniform to attend the Fourth of July festivities. One of the events included an American Flag Bikini Contest.

And wouldn't you know it.

That same girl was there once again.

Oh brother.

I'm not sure who won. It wasn't her. She got cut in the semifinals.

I may be biased but I think if Beth would have walked onto that field in an American flag bikini, they would have cancelled the contest and awarded her the prize right then and there.

$250. Not a bad prize for doing nothing more that looking good in a bikini.

We were playing the Vero Beach Dodgers again. It was one of the things I really liked about the Florida State League much better than the California League.

The Dodgers suck here!

Vero Beach is last in our division with a 29-40 record.

It's a good thing they held the bikini contest during pregame ceremonies because the game itself was marred by rain.

It ended up being called in the seventh inning was us ahead 4-2.

Chris Jones got the win, going six innings, allowing two runs on fuve hits, walking five and striking out four.

We went back to the hotel and sat out the thunderstorm in our rooms. Thankfully, the weather chased the groupie girls away.

I called Beth and we talked a few minutes before she went to a fireworks show.

Plans were being made for her to come with my family to Florida at the end of July.

I was looking forwards to that!

The storm continued on through the next day, causing the game to be cancelled. It would be rescheduled as a double header on September 13.

[TheMaus2]

Originally Posted by vrobx1

"I thought you said you were the batboy," she scolded me.
"I am. But they let me pitch every five days or so."

[msupoke]

I do n get very invested in the team dynasty reports, but I am following this little gem. Then, someone bumped the Bubba Jones story, and hours of my day disappeared. I like these player stories.