Day of dreams
By Dominic Genetti Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, July 14, 2007
Incredible.
That's how I'd sum up my day as a member of the Sioux City Explorers.
What else can you say about living your dream, even if it's only for a few hours?
Early day preparation
Thursday started with an early wake-up at 8:30 a.m. I was anxious, curious, a little nervous, but most of all excited about what the day might bring. To make sure I had enough energy for what lay ahead, I made myself a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and couple of slices of whole wheat bread with a cup of green tea.
The weather couldn't have been more perfect, with bright sun, a few clouds and a cool breeze. I went to my car to retrieve my bat so I could practice my motion in my apartment. A few light stretches in my back, legs and arms got me loose for my morning workout.
Going through my swinging motion slowly, I stared at a poster of Jackie Robinson stealing home and pictures I'd taken of RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Putting my imagination to work, I pictured myself standing in the batters box at Lewis and Clark Park taking batting practice. I knew in a matter of hours, imagination would become reality.
A head start at the batting cages
To get a jump on hitting for the day I made my way over to the batting cages. A couple of high pitches got past me, but other than that I did pretty well. I bat right-handed and each time, I pulled the ball either down the line or out to left center.
Across the parking lot, Lewis and Clark Park stood like a monument. I caught myself staring at it in awe.
Arriving at the clubhouse
I entered the red-carpeted Explores clubhouse and turned left, headed for manager Ed Nottle's office, where I got my uniform. I checked out the jersey: No. 1. Cool. The number of greatness, worn only by stand-out players. I smiled.
Nottle briefed me on the practice schedule for the day before showing me to my locker. There it was, tucked between those belonging to pitchers Mike Nunes and Alexander Francisco, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Here I was in a real club house, and for the next several hours I was going to be one of them, a Sioux City Explorer, a baseball player.
Within the next half hour, players began to arrive. A talkative and friendly bunch, players introduced themselves, politely asking which position I played, but I was quick to explain my presence for the day and they were accepting.
Pitcher Ty Marotz arrived and later revealed he was from the Midwest and a Cubs fan. When I told him I was a Cardinals fan, he laughed and said, "I hate you," a nod to the Cardinals and Cubs rivalry. I chuckled in response, "I hate you, too."
"Cool," Marotz said.
Nunes and I shared a chat about the recent winning streak the team had had on the road. To my surprise, Nunes said he prefers the road over playing at home. According to Nunes, more fans are in attendance on the road, which makes for a better experience.
I brought typical workout clothes for practice. I had red shorts and I thought I'd be fine with just a plain white sleeveless T-shirt, but when I asked Nottle for a bat, he quickly gave me a grey Explores T-shirt. He warned me I'd get picked on if I wore the white one.
Everyone did their own thing before practice began. While players continued to arrive and dress for the day, others were busy getting rubbed down by the trainer. I spent my time wrapping the handle of my bat with soft medical tape. The tape helps prevent hand pain after connecting with the ball, so I made sure I had a nice, thick grip.
I went for a jog around the field, running along the warning track. It was sandy but smoothed out to be level with the ground. Rock music played from the speakers when I started trotting from the dugout toward left field. As I jogged around to the outfield wall, a nearly nauseating mud smell emanated from puddles along the track. The sound of cars passing by on Highway 20 got louder and louder when I approached center field. Like the sound of a waterfall, the traffic was so loud that you could hardly hear the music in dead center.
Time for practice
We gathered at the left field foul line and waited to begin stretching. Second baseman Alex Llanos said, "Lets go, lets go," and the players ran to center field to begin stretching. All the players seemed to be doing their own line of stretching in random orders with only a few players doing the same thing at the same time. I went ahead and did the stretches I'd done in my apartment earlier.
Third baseman Brandon Jones had us laughing with material he'd heard from comedian Katt Williams, and I chimed in with a few things I'd heard from comedian Jim Gaffigan. The great part was, the players knew who I was and what I was doing there, but it didn't seem to matter.
Everyone was ready to go after stretching and a quick round of catch, and now it was time for batting practice.
I have to say I was pretty excited for BP. "Shag anywhere you want," Nottle said to me after I got my glove. I didn't see a whole lot of action at center field at the beginning, so to the infield I went.
I approached the second base position, and outfielder Jorge Moreno hit a hard grounder my way, I couldn't get to it in time, but I could hear the ball buzz as it shot by. Other batters stepped into the cage, and another hard grounder came my way. I put my glove down, but the ball jumped up, I blocked with my body to keep it in front of me. Next, I got a routine grounder and easily picked it up and threw it in, waiting for the next hit to come my way.
Moving back to the outfield, I had a few fly balls fall just behind me. The sky and the wind were tricky at Lewis and Clark Park. I noticed if the ball is right above you, it's actually going farther back than it appears. I had a chance at a shallow fly behind shortstop, but I tried to make a basket catch and the ball rolled out of my glove.
Now was the chance to hit. At first, the pitches came in a little high and I missed, but once the ball got in the strike zone, I don't think I did too badly. I had a few base hits go to the opposite field and managed to slam a couple out to left field and center before my time was up.
Pregame downtime
To give the visiting St. Joseph Blacksnakes a chance to practice, my teammates and I had a good chunk of time to relax before the game. Peanut butter and jelly was provided to everyone in the club house, but a majority of players took advantage of the concession stand or the nearby Quiznos.
Some players kept to themselves. Many read magazines, others sat in small groups and talked, some sat quietly and listened to their iPods. Some sat in the dugout watching St. Joseph take practice. I took the time to do the same and shared a chat with Jones.
I was taken by a story he told about his younger days. I asked if he'd ever made it to the majors, and he told me he'd been drafted by the Seattle Mariners but never signed. Jones said he was 21 at the time and had a baby on the way. He said he just wasn't ready to go. There were no regrets; he said he's happy when he wakes up and sees his daughter's face.
Play Ball!
At last -- game time. We made our way to the dugout. I was the only one without a Sioux City hat, which made me wonder if I would be in full uniform. With the help of general manager Shane Tritz and the Explorers gift shop, I was given another hat and was quickly in proper attire.
Walking around the concourse, I noticed how fans turned to look as I walked by. People just stopped and stared. It was really cool to be at the center of attention, but little did they know I'm a journalist, not a ballplayer. I couldn't help smiling, knowing all eyes were on us as we played catch and stretched again in center field to warm up for the game.
Soon, it was time for the national anthem. I couldn't even react. Here I was, standing on the edge of the grass putting my hat over my heart with my left hand behind my back. I was just feet away from the foul lines that separate the man from the boy. I felt like a real player
With a positive charge the game began.
The game looks different when you watch it from the dugout. It was like getting a gopher's view. You could barely see the top of home plate and only the bottom half of the right fielder. If a ball was hit to a certain spot, we had to get up to see what happened.
We had an early lead, but the Blacksnakes came back to take it. There was a noticeable difference in the dugout between being up by a run and down by a run. When we had the lead, the mood was positive; when we were down, it was quiet.
When we rallied and took back the lead, the dugout went crazy. As players came in, they looked like giants standing at the top of the stairs. It was great to be in the group of guys greeting teammates as they came in.
The best part was when we won the game. Everyone went out to the field on the pitcher's mound, lined up and high-fived on a job well done. Walking back to the dugout, I was in a trance as fans gave the Explorers a standing ovation. They just looked at us; I don't think they even blinked, they just kept clapping.
Postgame celebration
A feast was on hand for everyone in the clubhouse after the game. A caterer's tray full of beef stew along with fruits, pastries and tall cans of Coors Light were available for all players.
Some players quickly showered before eating, others got in line right away before sitting down to talk about the win. Everyone talked about key moments and the rally.
When the food was gone, everyone began to shower and change. I took my time, packed my bag and got back into my regular clothes before turning in my uniform. I departed shaking hands with a majority of the players as I walked out.
Being a pro baseball player was hard work. It was easy to tell players' dreams are running high. Many want to someday make it to the majors, and they're doing all they can to get there.
As a baseball player I'll never get as far as they've gotten, but for one brief day, I got a firsthand look. For one day, my dream was reality.
The day I saved the game
It was a humid summer night in St. Louis, the first day of senior year was 12 hours away and I had a game to play. It was the Flyers vs. Crestwood, and what a hitter's dual it was.
My fellow Flyers teammates and I battled a very skilled Crestwood team. The lead shifted between the teams throughout the game before we tied it at 9 in the later innings. The game's time limit was inching closer since this was a double-header and we had a second game to play.
With the game still tied, the seventh and final inning approached.
I headed out to right field and got into position. I always played a little farther back than most outfielders; that way, I didn't have far to run if the ball was hit to the wall, and it was always easier to run in on the ball.
With two outs and a runner on third, the game's final minutes grew in suspense. The pitch came, a fly ball to shallow right. This was it, the game was over with this swing. If the ball hit the ground, the runner would score and Crestwood would win, but if I caught it, the game would end in a tie.
I ran in as fast as I could; the ball began to fall straight down off to my left. I stuck out my glove and made the grab.
The game was over in a pure dramatic fashion. As I made my way back to the dugout, the pitcher greeted me with a hug as numerous compliments came from the other players.
To this day the ball I caught sits in my room as a memento to that memorable catch.
That's how I'd sum up my day as a member of the Sioux City Explorers.
What else can you say about living your dream, even if it's only for a few hours?
Early day preparation
Thursday started with an early wake-up at 8:30 a.m. I was anxious, curious, a little nervous, but most of all excited about what the day might bring. To make sure I had enough energy for what lay ahead, I made myself a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and couple of slices of whole wheat bread with a cup of green tea.
The weather couldn't have been more perfect, with bright sun, a few clouds and a cool breeze. I went to my car to retrieve my bat so I could practice my motion in my apartment. A few light stretches in my back, legs and arms got me loose for my morning workout.
Going through my swinging motion slowly, I stared at a poster of Jackie Robinson stealing home and pictures I'd taken of RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Putting my imagination to work, I pictured myself standing in the batters box at Lewis and Clark Park taking batting practice. I knew in a matter of hours, imagination would become reality.
A head start at the batting cages
To get a jump on hitting for the day I made my way over to the batting cages. A couple of high pitches got past me, but other than that I did pretty well. I bat right-handed and each time, I pulled the ball either down the line or out to left center.
Across the parking lot, Lewis and Clark Park stood like a monument. I caught myself staring at it in awe.
Arriving at the clubhouse
I entered the red-carpeted Explores clubhouse and turned left, headed for manager Ed Nottle's office, where I got my uniform. I checked out the jersey: No. 1. Cool. The number of greatness, worn only by stand-out players. I smiled.
Nottle briefed me on the practice schedule for the day before showing me to my locker. There it was, tucked between those belonging to pitchers Mike Nunes and Alexander Francisco, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Here I was in a real club house, and for the next several hours I was going to be one of them, a Sioux City Explorer, a baseball player.
Within the next half hour, players began to arrive. A talkative and friendly bunch, players introduced themselves, politely asking which position I played, but I was quick to explain my presence for the day and they were accepting.
Pitcher Ty Marotz arrived and later revealed he was from the Midwest and a Cubs fan. When I told him I was a Cardinals fan, he laughed and said, "I hate you," a nod to the Cardinals and Cubs rivalry. I chuckled in response, "I hate you, too."
"Cool," Marotz said.
Nunes and I shared a chat about the recent winning streak the team had had on the road. To my surprise, Nunes said he prefers the road over playing at home. According to Nunes, more fans are in attendance on the road, which makes for a better experience.
I brought typical workout clothes for practice. I had red shorts and I thought I'd be fine with just a plain white sleeveless T-shirt, but when I asked Nottle for a bat, he quickly gave me a grey Explores T-shirt. He warned me I'd get picked on if I wore the white one.
Everyone did their own thing before practice began. While players continued to arrive and dress for the day, others were busy getting rubbed down by the trainer. I spent my time wrapping the handle of my bat with soft medical tape. The tape helps prevent hand pain after connecting with the ball, so I made sure I had a nice, thick grip.
I went for a jog around the field, running along the warning track. It was sandy but smoothed out to be level with the ground. Rock music played from the speakers when I started trotting from the dugout toward left field. As I jogged around to the outfield wall, a nearly nauseating mud smell emanated from puddles along the track. The sound of cars passing by on Highway 20 got louder and louder when I approached center field. Like the sound of a waterfall, the traffic was so loud that you could hardly hear the music in dead center.
Time for practice
We gathered at the left field foul line and waited to begin stretching. Second baseman Alex Llanos said, "Lets go, lets go," and the players ran to center field to begin stretching. All the players seemed to be doing their own line of stretching in random orders with only a few players doing the same thing at the same time. I went ahead and did the stretches I'd done in my apartment earlier.
Third baseman Brandon Jones had us laughing with material he'd heard from comedian Katt Williams, and I chimed in with a few things I'd heard from comedian Jim Gaffigan. The great part was, the players knew who I was and what I was doing there, but it didn't seem to matter.
Everyone was ready to go after stretching and a quick round of catch, and now it was time for batting practice.
I have to say I was pretty excited for BP. "Shag anywhere you want," Nottle said to me after I got my glove. I didn't see a whole lot of action at center field at the beginning, so to the infield I went.
I approached the second base position, and outfielder Jorge Moreno hit a hard grounder my way, I couldn't get to it in time, but I could hear the ball buzz as it shot by. Other batters stepped into the cage, and another hard grounder came my way. I put my glove down, but the ball jumped up, I blocked with my body to keep it in front of me. Next, I got a routine grounder and easily picked it up and threw it in, waiting for the next hit to come my way.
Moving back to the outfield, I had a few fly balls fall just behind me. The sky and the wind were tricky at Lewis and Clark Park. I noticed if the ball is right above you, it's actually going farther back than it appears. I had a chance at a shallow fly behind shortstop, but I tried to make a basket catch and the ball rolled out of my glove.
Now was the chance to hit. At first, the pitches came in a little high and I missed, but once the ball got in the strike zone, I don't think I did too badly. I had a few base hits go to the opposite field and managed to slam a couple out to left field and center before my time was up.
Pregame downtime
To give the visiting St. Joseph Blacksnakes a chance to practice, my teammates and I had a good chunk of time to relax before the game. Peanut butter and jelly was provided to everyone in the club house, but a majority of players took advantage of the concession stand or the nearby Quiznos.
Some players kept to themselves. Many read magazines, others sat in small groups and talked, some sat quietly and listened to their iPods. Some sat in the dugout watching St. Joseph take practice. I took the time to do the same and shared a chat with Jones.
I was taken by a story he told about his younger days. I asked if he'd ever made it to the majors, and he told me he'd been drafted by the Seattle Mariners but never signed. Jones said he was 21 at the time and had a baby on the way. He said he just wasn't ready to go. There were no regrets; he said he's happy when he wakes up and sees his daughter's face.
Play Ball!
At last -- game time. We made our way to the dugout. I was the only one without a Sioux City hat, which made me wonder if I would be in full uniform. With the help of general manager Shane Tritz and the Explorers gift shop, I was given another hat and was quickly in proper attire.
Walking around the concourse, I noticed how fans turned to look as I walked by. People just stopped and stared. It was really cool to be at the center of attention, but little did they know I'm a journalist, not a ballplayer. I couldn't help smiling, knowing all eyes were on us as we played catch and stretched again in center field to warm up for the game.
Soon, it was time for the national anthem. I couldn't even react. Here I was, standing on the edge of the grass putting my hat over my heart with my left hand behind my back. I was just feet away from the foul lines that separate the man from the boy. I felt like a real player
With a positive charge the game began.
The game looks different when you watch it from the dugout. It was like getting a gopher's view. You could barely see the top of home plate and only the bottom half of the right fielder. If a ball was hit to a certain spot, we had to get up to see what happened.
We had an early lead, but the Blacksnakes came back to take it. There was a noticeable difference in the dugout between being up by a run and down by a run. When we had the lead, the mood was positive; when we were down, it was quiet.
When we rallied and took back the lead, the dugout went crazy. As players came in, they looked like giants standing at the top of the stairs. It was great to be in the group of guys greeting teammates as they came in.
The best part was when we won the game. Everyone went out to the field on the pitcher's mound, lined up and high-fived on a job well done. Walking back to the dugout, I was in a trance as fans gave the Explorers a standing ovation. They just looked at us; I don't think they even blinked, they just kept clapping.
Postgame celebration
A feast was on hand for everyone in the clubhouse after the game. A caterer's tray full of beef stew along with fruits, pastries and tall cans of Coors Light were available for all players.
Some players quickly showered before eating, others got in line right away before sitting down to talk about the win. Everyone talked about key moments and the rally.
When the food was gone, everyone began to shower and change. I took my time, packed my bag and got back into my regular clothes before turning in my uniform. I departed shaking hands with a majority of the players as I walked out.
Being a pro baseball player was hard work. It was easy to tell players' dreams are running high. Many want to someday make it to the majors, and they're doing all they can to get there.
As a baseball player I'll never get as far as they've gotten, but for one brief day, I got a firsthand look. For one day, my dream was reality.
The day I saved the game
It was a humid summer night in St. Louis, the first day of senior year was 12 hours away and I had a game to play. It was the Flyers vs. Crestwood, and what a hitter's dual it was.
My fellow Flyers teammates and I battled a very skilled Crestwood team. The lead shifted between the teams throughout the game before we tied it at 9 in the later innings. The game's time limit was inching closer since this was a double-header and we had a second game to play.
With the game still tied, the seventh and final inning approached.
I headed out to right field and got into position. I always played a little farther back than most outfielders; that way, I didn't have far to run if the ball was hit to the wall, and it was always easier to run in on the ball.
With two outs and a runner on third, the game's final minutes grew in suspense. The pitch came, a fly ball to shallow right. This was it, the game was over with this swing. If the ball hit the ground, the runner would score and Crestwood would win, but if I caught it, the game would end in a tie.
I ran in as fast as I could; the ball began to fall straight down off to my left. I stuck out my glove and made the grab.
The game was over in a pure dramatic fashion. As I made my way back to the dugout, the pitcher greeted me with a hug as numerous compliments came from the other players.
To this day the ball I caught sits in my room as a memento to that memorable catch.
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Tom wrote on Jul 15, 2007 9:57 AM:
scxnative wrote on Jul 14, 2007 2:56 PM:
LeRoy wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:02 AM: