I'm a Starter Now

I got the call the other day, and the news came as a shock.

Coach called me and told me I'd be getting some starts during the next week. I was floored. You have to remember, last year at this time I was in the minor leagues, and when I was finally called up, I sat WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY out at the end of the bench, getting very little action.

Fast forward to 2014, and I'm in the rotation for a pennant contender. I'm slotted #2 right now, behind staff ace Ben Thompson. Coach told me my first start would come on the 15th against Providence.

On the 14th, I was nervous. Actually nervous is an understatement. I couldn't sleep that night, I tossed and turned, wondering if I was really good enough. The next morning, I still felt light-headed and anxious, and I had trouble staying focused. I forced myself to eat my usual pregame meal of bangers and mash, but I didn't even come close to finishing it. When the feeling wouldn't go away, I actually went to talk to coach before the game. He told me some stuff that I'm not going to say here, but it did relax me quite a bit.

So the game started and I felt pretty good. I was getting batters out and I wasn't walking anyone. Going into the top of the 7th, the team had built up a 2-0 lead for me, but I knew I was getting tired. Last thing I was going to do, though, was tell coach that I was done. So I came out and immediately Doug Pickens and Petrov hit back to back home runs off of me. I managed to get one more out, but then coach pulled me out. The team went on to win 5-4, but I left with the score 2-2, so I didn't get the decision. Still, my line was nice: 6 1/3 innings pitched, 5 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, no walks, seven strikeouts.

My next start was May 19th against New York. This time I wasn't nearly as nervous, and I went out and pitched well again. Once again I went into the 7th inning having allowed no runs. Once again, however, I was pretty worn out going into the 7th inning. I made a couple of outs that inning, then coach came and got me. Mike Boss ended up holding it up for me, and we won 7-0. Not only that, but I got my first win as a starter, moving me to 2-0 so far, with a 2.83 era!

Hopefully coach is going to keep me in the rotation. I have to get to work on my endurance, but other than that, I'm proud.

By the way, I got to catch a game on TV being pitched by Shannon Young. She really knows how to work a game. She really knows how to fill out a uniform.

Playoffs!

Jeez, what a headache.

We stayed up until about 6 am celebrating. We're in the playoffs. I finally make the big time, and already I'm on a playoff team. Not only that, but I'm on a 100 win playoff team.

I didn't get to play much this year. I finished with just over 5 innings pitched over 2 months, so that kinda sucks. Still, I'm in the playoffs. I could get a Patriot Cup my first year in the league.

Scratch that -- I will get a Patriot Cup in my first year in the league. Why shouldn't we win it all? We've got one thing that Hartford, Allentown, and Toronto don't have -- Alex Williams. Not only that, but we have Billy Madison and Ben Thompson. If skip was to go with a 3 man rotation for the playoffs, what team can match up to those 3? We've got a solid bullpen, we've got good bats and a good defense.

I'm calling it now - we're going to win it all.

Now, gotta find me something for this headache.

Crickets Chirping...

Ok, I did it. I'm happy. Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad to be up here in the big leagues. Ecstatic. Elated. Choose your adjective, I'm it.

Still, it's been over a month since I've been in a game. Today's August 24th, and I haven't seen action since July 18. It's great being up here, it really is, but man...I'd like to get in the games.

I see those guys celebrating after wins and hooping and hollering, meanwhile I'm carrying buckets of sunflower seeds and cases of water from the bullpen to the clubhouse. I know I'm part of the team, but sometimes it feels like I'm an overpaid waterboy. I know the rookies get their share of the hazing, and I love that part of the game, but I'm on a great team and I want to feel like I'm part of that greatness. Hell, I could win a Patriot Cup this year, but I don't think I could really celebrate it like I was responsible. 4 and 2/3 innings pitched in over a month and a half of big league time isn't really being a key contributor.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not a whiner and I'll never say a word to the boss. This is his team and he knows how to run it. I might get frustrated, but I'll tell ya this -- getting paid $2,000,000 a year to be a water boy/sunflower seed carrier is better than 90% of the jobs in this country.

I made it.

I got a call from the GM. First off, I was a bit surprised that he knew who I was. Then, I figured maybe..just maybe I'd be going to AAA.

Nope, not to AAA.

Not back down to A either.

I was headed down the road to Halifax. I was headed to a team in the big leagues. I was being called up to be on the same pitching staff as Alex Freakin' Williams. Do you know how unfathomable that is?

I called my parents, my friends, my ex from college so I could rub it in her face. No one thought I could do it. "Give it up" they all said. Ha.

Sure, it's just a spot WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaY down at the end of the pen, in the mopup role, but that's ok.

I'm in the big leagues now. Even if I go back down next week, I'm a major leaguer.

Getting in a groove

In all my years of playing, from tee ball up to AA, I've never felt as comfortable as I do right now. When I go out there, I have no doubt in my mind that I'm going to strike out each batter. I'm up to 10 saves now, fewer hits than innings pitches. I'm also striking out more than one per inning. My strikeout to walk ratio is 3 to 1, so skip's really happy.

I don't hear anything from the GM personally, so I don't know how he feels, but I hope he's happy with me. I'm in that groove now where I think I can dominate up in Halifax, but I'd be happy with getting another shot at AA. I know it's tough to think about sending me back after what happened back in April up there, but I can do this.

Until then, I've been working with the coaches on stretching my arm out. I like closing, but down the road I could be more valuable to a team as a starter. I don't want to limit my career possibilities. After 2014 I'm a free agent, so it'd be nice to get a chance to play in the bigs by then.

There's a First Time For Everything

Well, it finally happened.

I allowed a run at the AA level. Hope coach doesn't send me down to A ball. What's frustrating was the run was allowed on a HR. So it wasn't that I was pitching badly overall, I just threw a bad pitch.

One bad pitch. A slider that didn't slide. Even a bad hitter in the minors can hit that pitch. Gotta do a better job of not throwing those, like Clemens has been teaching me. I'll get there.

Still, can't complain. Overall, I've struck out 18 in 13 innings pitched. I have a win and 8 saves and an era of 0.69. I have a feeling that I'll be seeing AAA before too much longer, and I *have* to get my mental game ready. Obviously I'm pretty good down here against these kids, but against the top prospects and vets trying to catch on at the end of their career at AAA, I'm not so good. I know if I do get another shot, I gotta do better than allowing 11 earned runs in less than 2 innings pitched. As good as they all say I am and all that, the GM is going to get frustrated with a guy that can't get outs above AA.

Gotta work on that..

I Could Get Used To This!

Another week, another good performance, at least in my opinion.

I played in 3 more games, pitching 3 more innings. I continued my scoreless streak and allowed 1 hit, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. I got 2 more saves, going to 4 for the year. Skip was happy with me, my teammates finally started talking to me, everyone's happy. There for a while when I came back from AAA I got the cold shoulder, but they're accepting me again.

The GM called and said I'm going to be spending some more time with Roger Clemens working on my stuff. I'll get to spend 3 weeks with him (in between games and practices, of course), hopefully he'll push me to where I need to be. I'm not cocky, but I think I'm ready to move on, but you can't argue with the facts. I've simply stunk up the joint in AAA. I've allowed 31 (Yes, 31) hits in 10 1/3 innings up in AAA over 2 years. Obviously there's something that I'm not 'getting' when I jump up, and Roger should be able to find it.

My agent told me that some other teams have actually contacted the GM to ask about if I was available...I don't want to go anywhere at all, but it's nice to be wanted.