Baseball Moms

I am sorry to take you all away for a moment from the relief pitching situation with the Dodgers. Well, not really sorry as I don’t get too caught up in the inning-to-inning or game-to-game events. It is a marathon and I fully expect to be cheering for the Dodgers in the World Series with a very good chance of winning. In other words, I have confidence in the team and in the front office. I am not sure how my worrying now would be of much help.

It doesn’t make my season any better by getting irritated over a Dylan Floro blow out or with a manager who sent him out there or with a front office who acquired him. It makes my day a whole lot better by looking at the good things that happen every game, regardless of the outcome, by watching the minor league situation and especially embracing the human elements surrounding the players.

Today on Sirius XM Satellite Radio two songs came on relatively close together. One was Glen Campbell’s,“The Hand that Rocks the Cradle”, and the other, “No Charge”, by Melba Montgomery. Besides being a couple of the many songs I really enjoy and the era they came from that I miss, they reminded me of my Mom and another layer of baseball that often tends to go unnoticed. That is, the many, many Baseball Moms that go to bat with their sons every game, every at bat, every pitch. I know it is not always the case, but when parents get to watch their son making his MLB debut, the father usually sits and savors the moment, while the mother is cheering wildly, up on her feet when their son gets his first hit or records his first strikeout on the mound. I recall that scene when Will Smith debuted with the Dodgers and got that hit or threw out that runner.

We often hear of the closeness of fathers and their sons as the sons head out on their baseball careers often following a path their fathers took.  And rightfully so, as fathers do so much to help their sons along the way playing ball with them as youngsters, encouraging them  and often coaching them. Not enough can be said about these men who share a dream with their sons.

Back to that other level in baseball that up until recently has gotten little attention and rarely makes the news. That level is a second significant springboard in the life of young baseball players and remains so as they become MLB players. Baseball Moms ordinarily do not play ball with their sons or coach them. They help them with all the other parts of living as they develop as baseball players. That is, making sure they eat well, sleep properly, take them to games, tend to scraps and bruises ,wash their uniforms, comfort them when things do not go as well as they hoped, and so much more. Baseball Moms give them the most precious of all commodities. That is, making time for them among all the other things moms do. Often they are a single  working parent, yet have time for their sons and baseball. At times they must be exhausted but one would never know it.

Baseball Moms may well be among the least appreciated levels in baseball. Perhaps the least appreciated among the general fan base but not with their sons. I took a quick  look at what some sons have said  about the support given them by their mothers.

Cory Bosecker is a recent graduate of Evansville Central High School. He, like so many  baseball players, knows he would not be where he is without his mother’s sacrifices.

“Throughout the years my mom has constantly supported me through every up and down moment in my baseball career. She has always been willing to go the extra mile for me to succeed. A few examples of that would be: Driving me to tons of lessons, spending countless hours at various ball fields for me to work on skills and play, sacrificing time she could spend working, and always making sure I got where I needed to be.‘

“Saying my mom is amazing would be an understatement. I wish I could find the exact words to show how much she means to me but for now I would just like to say thank you Mom, and I appreciate you greatly.”

Arizona right-hander Taijuan Walker and his brother grew up with a single mom. She rarely missed a game and was his prime motivator in reaching MLB.

“Honestly, I have no clue how she did it. She was like a super woman,” Walker said. “And it wasn’t just me. My older brother played sports. She would be at my games, and she was working all the time. I don’t know how she got from work to my games, to my brother’s games, to take my other brother or sister somewhere, too.

“Warming up, I would look around and not see her. Then in the first inning, I would hear, ‘Go, T.T.!’ She was at every one of my high school games. She has just always been there, always been supportive. She would never let me down.”

As a little leaguer Christian Yelich decided he wasn’t going to play any more after being hit by pitches several games in a row. His mother tried everything to get him to play but he was stubborn and wouldn’t budge. She finally offered him $5 if he got a hit. That did it. He’s had quite a few hits since then. He acknowledged his Mom on Mother’s Day last May.

 “With my mom, it was years and years of driving me to baseball fields all over Southern California — setting the alarm and getting up early to pack sandwiches, super long road trips, weekends totally sacrificed for baseball, infinite drop-offs and pickups at practice, and on and on. Then, as I got older, it was taking me around to baseball showcases all across the country. And, of course, constantly being there in the bleachers to watch my games and to offer me support and love, no matter how I had played. She did everything imaginable to make sure I would be able to do what I loved to do, just like so many baseball moms around the country and all over the world.”

Tony Gonsolin is slated to start for the Dodgers today. All Dodger fans will have their eyes on Tony, an unlikely baseball success story, but one will have more than her eyes on him. I trust she will be able to be at his debut game.

From a very early age his family has played a significant role in helping him develop his love for the game. His grandmother played whiffle ball with him as a toddler, he played ball with his older brother at every opportunity, and his mother was his confident and has been his biggest fan.

“He loves baseball and he’s worked very hard to get where he’s at,” said Gonsolin’s mother. “I’ve always taught him to be positive and I’ve tried to be a positive role model for him when things aren’t going his way. If he had a bad day at the plate, we’ll talk on the phone and I’ll tell him to find them positive in it. I think it’s worked for the most part.”

Although I never made it past one level above little league I too had a baseball mother. Because of her I am very aware of Baseball Moms when I see them at games at all levels of minor league ball and at debuts with the Dodgers. In fact, I had a Dodger Mom.

https://www.thinkbluela.com/2016/01/my-dodger-mom/

Minor League Report

DSL Dodgers Shoemaker 1 –  DSL Cubs (1) 6

Benony Robles started for the Shoes and gave up 4 runs in 2.1 innings pitched. Hugo Beltran and Horacio Andujar picked up the next 3.2 scoreless innings along with 6 strikeouts, 5 by Beltran in his 2.2 innings. Luisenyer Perez and Carlos Rodriguez gave up 2 runs and one run respectively to close out the game.

At the plate the Dodgers had two hits.

DSL Dodgers Bautista  3 – DSL Rays (1) 1

Right-hander Rafael Tua had a nice outing with 4 scoreless innings on one run and 3 strikeouts.  Jesus Turizo followed with a scoreless inning and Andrew Budier with two perfect innings along with 2 strikeouts. Heisell Baro was charged with a blown save when he gave up a run in the bottom of the 9th inning. Hendrick Briones gained the win with 2 scoreless extra innings on one hit.

Offensively Kuimel Bastardo scored on a balk in the 3rd inning and that run stood up until the blown save in the bottom of the 9th inning. Jenderson Jardines secured victory with a 2-run home run in the top of the 11th inning.

AZL Dodgers Mota and Lasorda were not scheduled.

Ogden Raptors  11 – Rocky Mountain Vibes Milwaukee) 10

The Raptors met the Vibes for the first time in their new location, Colorado Springs. Up until 2019 they played in Helena as the Brewers. Oden got in a shoot out and fortunately got in the last shot.

Kevin Malisheski made his third start for the Quakes and pitched 4.1 innings with 3 hits, one unearned run and 5 strikeouts. The Raptors went into the bottom of the 7th inning with a 9-1 lead and left the inning behind 10-9. Drew Finley (3), Nelfi Contreas (4) and Edward Cuello (2) combined to give up 9 runs in the bottom of the 7th on 4 hits, 5 walks and 3 wild pitches. Six runs scored with two outs. Hunter Speer finished up with 2 scoreless innings on 2 hits earning a save.

At the plate Joe Vranesh started things off well with a 2-run home run in the top of the first inning. The Raptors scored again in the 4th on a Sauryn Lao triple. In the 6th inning 6 runs came home on a 3-run home run by Andy pages, a RBI single by Zac Ching and a 2-run double by catcher Tre Todd. After falling bend 10-9 the Raptors did get the last  shots in the 7th inning with a Sam McWilliams solo home run and a run scoring single by Joe Vranesh.

Great Lakes Loons 2 – Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay) 5

Right-hander Jose Chacin got the start for the Loons after having a bit of a rough section over his past few starts.  He pitched 5 innings giving up 3 runs and taking the loss. Mark Washington followed with a scoreless inning while Jasiel Alvino coughed up 2 runs in his one inning.  Nathan Witt pitched a clean 8th inning.

Both Loons runs came in the 2nd inning on a Luke Heyer ground out and a James Outman double. Jacob Amaya hit his 18th double while Miguel Vargas hit his 19th.

Ranch Cucamonga Quakes 3 – Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego) 4

Austin Hamilton got the call for the Quakes and gave them 5 innings of 6-hit ball with 3 earned runs and 2 strikeouts. Bryan Warzek, Logan Salow and Connor Mitchell followed with 2 scoreless innings each on  a total of 2 hits and 5 strikeouts. Max Gamboa almost got out of the bottom of the 12th with a runner starting on second base. He got 2 outs but a wild pitch brought the winning run home for the Storm.

All 3 Quakes runs came home in the 3rd inning on a Jeren Kendall home run. Kendall and Downs both had 2 hits for the Quakes.

Tulsa Drillers – All- Star Break

Keibert Ruiz and Zach McKinistry each had a hit in 2 at bats and Nolan Long a scoreless inning. Chris Parmalee won the home run derby edging out teammate Cody Thomas.

OKC Dodgers 5  – New Orleans Baby Cakes (Miami) 5

J.D. Martin started for the Dodgers and went 7 innings with some fours – 4 earned runs, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts and he did pick up the win. Zac Rosscup gave up a run in his lone inning while Kevin Quackenbush picked up the save with a scoreless 9th inning. In case you missed it, Quackenbush now has allowed one earned run in his last 10 appearances over 10.2 innings with 17 strikeouts and 2 walks. On the season he has struck out 54 in 36.1 innings pitched with 9 walks.

Offensively the Dodgers scored 4 in the 4th inning on a 2-run home run by Edwin Rios and run-scoring hits by Jake Peter and Rocky Gale. They got 2 gift runs in the 5th inning on a Rocky Gale HBP and  Rios scoring on a wild pitch. The 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th were not gifts. They came on back-to-back home runs by Shane Peterson and Jake Peter.