It was Fall 2009, and these guys had all just finished up their short season stint and Fall Instructs with the Angels. All four were selected in the Major League Amateur Draft in June of that summer. Jon Karcich, Dillon Baird, Casey Haerther and Garrett Richards (the guy with a circle around his head and [...]

READER WARNING: If you don’t care about baseball, skip this post, one of my periodic updates on our son’s progress through the Los Angeles Angels organization. I may have imagined such a night, but I couldn’t have scripted it any better than it happened. It’s true that you just can’t make this stuff up. We [...]

Finally, baseball begins tomorrow for the Angels, and I’ll be there rain or shine. After a delightful winter spent doing repair projects and painting with hubby at a property we have listed for sale, I’ve mostly worn the same paint-encrusted duds five days a week. I look forward to scrubbing the primer off my hands and [...]

“Train leaving on track 5 for Anaheim, Azusa and Cucamonga.” That’s the audio clip which introduces radio and internet coverage of Quakes games at the Epicenter. According to my mom, that sound file is from Jack Benny’s original radio show. In fact, the Quakes ball park is located on Rochester Avenue. (Undoubtedly this means nothing [...]

Baseball at its best: the minor leagues. The third week of April has us watching the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the California League. The heart of the game is this great crowd of little leaguers, knitters & crocheters at an impromptu stitch-n-pitch and, best of all, watching our very own third baseman signing autographs for [...]

I appreciate that I am still in business. I cherish the time I am able to spend with my family and friends. However… baseball is what I wait for all year, and now here it is, my first Spring Training as the parent of a professional baseball player. We’re talking minor leagues, and even though [...]

Ever optimistic, I discovered another silver lining in this lethargic economy: we were able to skedaddle for a few days to watch a some short season baseball. As is widely known, MiLB is a bargain for families. For us as parents of a player, we are fortunate to get complimentary tickets and hotel discounts. So, [...]

The first wave of the 2009 Angels rookie class flew into Orem on Saturday evening. More will be arriving throughout the summer as they agree to terms with the organization. They visited the clubhouse (he’ll wear #39, same number he wore at the University of Arizona), and started filling out information for promotion videos and [...]

Today, he drove to Tempe, to the Angels Tempe Diablo Stadium to report. Received equipment, signed up for his new insurance program (yeah!), had a physical and a workout. Then checked into hotel until tomorrow’s departure to Orem. Making my rounds at Friday garage sales, the first text of the morning included a picture of [...]

Just back from meeting with Angels scout, John Gracio. Contract and rookie league explained. He heads to Tempe in the morning for physical and workout. Then gets his uniform and a plane ticket to head up to Orem, Utah on Sunday. He’ll be playing until the beginning of September, games every day with about four [...]