Life in the Minors
WELL, the first month of the 2002 Frontier League season has seen this pitching coach run the gamut of emotions. Sometimes all a team
needs is a little luckStumbling out of the gates to a 5-11 start, we were looking up at the rest of the teams in the league from dead last place. Frustration was frequent, disgust came in daily doses and poor pitching and defensive ineptitude were par for the course. Line drives in crucial run-scoring situations were landing in the gloves of our opponents. Full-count pitches by our guys were either missing the strike zone by an inch, or were being safely deposited in open spaces of fair territory.
But over the last two weeks or so, real, actual baseball has taken place. Good play and good luck has seen us bolt into sole possession of first place in the West Division standings, and the best won-loss record in the entire Frontier League. Riding high with 15 wins in 17 games, the Dubois County Dragons -- and their pitching coach -- could breathe easy again.
Balls hit off Dragon bats were finding happy homes amongst the cool, green grass of the midwest. Our grounders had eyes and were steering themselves through the various infields of the Frontier League. And best of all, fastballs hurled out of Dragon pitchers' hands were dodging bats. Life is good again.
Not that luck was the deciding variable in our wins and losses. Our guys were playing their butts off. Either way, things were right again.
It's like the baseball gods were just testing our faith in the game that we love. To show us that if we persevered in times of despair, and kept working and believing that things would get better, they would. They were simply saying, "Hey guys, slow down and smell the roses. Enjoy the ride a bit. Have a little faith."
Maybe I'm looking a little too deep into this, but hey, after battling into the penthouse after two weeks in the league's outhouse, I get a little emotional.
Best of all, holding the top spot in our division has earned me a spot in the Frontier League's all-star game as the West squad's pitching coach. Although it means losing the three off-days of the all-star break, I am pretty excited to have the opportunity. A division-best six Dragon players will be accompanying me, our manager Greg Tagert and hitting coach Andy Haines to Kalamazoo, Mich., next week.
Our season thus far has been a microcosm of last season. Last year, the Dragon franchise went from the very worst team in the Frontier League to a division winner. We came into the smallest market in professional baseball and produced a winner. But even last year we had some hiccups. After opening 0-4, we somehow motored to a 48-36 record and a West Division pennant.
So I guess when we struggled to open this season, I should have had a little more faith. Not that I completely doubted the team we broke spring training with, but I was quite concerned.
Heading into the halfway mark of the 2002 schedule, it often seems like we are in good position to defend our crown. But I have to remind myself that 39 games down means 45 left until the playoffs begin. I know that there will be many emotional peaks and valleys along the way. I just need to have a little faith.