Posts Tagged Jace Avina
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 4
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, College Basketball, Minor League Baseball, Spring Training on July 30, 2023
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 4
It was the last day at spring training and a long, full day ahead of us as we would be leaving on an all-nighter back home. Our morning started with a quick complimentary, full breakfast at the hotel. Midway through eating, a chunk of my strawberry waffle went airborne as I cut it and landed in the middle of the table. I quickly scooted the large piece over to Rick’s side of the table while he was looking at his phone – he was none the wiser!
Just like the previous day, we made it to the Brewers practice field before 9:30 to avoid parking fees. We discovered in the two months we were out there, of the ballparks we went to, that was the only team who charged for parking. As we walked up the sidewalk to the practice fields, one of our favorite baseball families – the Avinas – were ahead of us. In addition to Jace’s parents and brother Austin, his grandparents – Kathy and John Flamm – on his mom Jenny’s side, had made the trip to Arizona. The entire family was so excited to be at his first spring training experience.
The familiar sound of cleats on the pavement began and excitement was in the air as the young prospects were all still vying for the final spots on team rosters for Biloxi AA, Wisconsin High A, Carolina A and the Brewers Arizona Complex League rookies. The correct swing and connection of the ball to the bat were imperative as the coaches looked on. Hurlers were tweaking their specialty pitches with future battery-mates. After the workouts, they dispersed to practice fields where they would play visiting minor league teams while some would be playing with the big-leaguers in the Rockies/Brewers game at the adjacent ballpark or because it was a split-squad day, others went to Glendale to play the Dodgers at Camelback.
We had tickets to the Rockies and Brewers matchup. We were thrilled to see several former Mudcats – Noah Campbell, Zavier Warren, Hendry Mendez, Robert Moore, Alex Hall and our friend, Michele Vassalotti at that game. Unlike the rest of the week where I wore my baseball attire, this day I was wearing my University of Houston T-Shirt. My #1 Cougars were playing in the NCAA March Madness against #5 Miami in the Sweet 16 later that afternoon. After the game, plans were to head straight to dinner with Vassalotti and watch the match-up at Dave and Buster’s. In the 3rd inning, I turned to watch a foul ball go by close to us and right behind me was a guy in a Houston Cougars T-Shirt! 4,507 people in attendance at a baseball game in Arizona – what were the odds of a fellow Cougar sitting behind right me??
Starter Corbin Burnes gave up 5 runs with 10 hits in his 5 innings and the Milwaukee bats never caught up. Towards the end of the game, we moved down on the grass near right field and overlooking the bullpen where Vassa was waiting his turn to possibly pitch. Unfortunately, the Brew Crew came up on the short-end of the 9 – 4 score and we didn’t get to see him pitch in relief. After the game, Michele suggested that we meet him out front. He wanted to shower there as we were going straight to dinner and to watch my Cougars game. Rick and I headed to the front of the building to wait. After several minutes, Rick noticed that they were locking the gates to the practice fields where he was parked. He high-tailed to the parking lot. “I’ll find you guys!” So, I’m there and no Michele yet. Players started to trickle out of the building and get on the bus. I walked over to the bus and Darrick, the driver, confirmed that it was the players bus back to the hotel. He also knew Vassalotti. “He’s one of my favorite players,” he claimed. “He’s mine too,” I said with a smile.
Michele came out and told Darrick he wouldn’t be on the bus. Still no Rick. He had passed the entrance once and was looping around a second time. It was almost game time for my Cougars. By now the bus had left. I told Michele that the navigator should have gone with Rick. “Mr. Rick will find us,” he assured me and he finally did. Dave and Buster’s sport bar was packed since it was a Friday and several games were on including the woman’s college basketball games. I spotted a table right below the Houston and Miami game. I looked up at the huge screen. It was already in the 2nd half and it was apparent there would be no Elite 8 for my team. There would be no complimentary massage for me either at my chiropractor’s office in their bracket contest. I had entered the day coasting in first place and plummeted with Houston’s loss since I had them picked as winning the tournament. Yes, while others go for the big-bucks bracket contests, I would have been happy with a massage! Maybe next year!
The Boys of Summer – Return to Spring Training – Part 3 –
Posted by 'lottasports in Baseball, Spring Training on July 17, 2023
The final days of spring training in Arizona proved to be our favorites. Typical of most vacations, we tried to cram as much as we could in the last two days. By now, we had a routine down and were at the minor league practice fields for the Milwaukee Brewers by 9:30AM to avoid paying for parking. Some of the players were already doing stretches, checking assignments and mingling with fans. I experienced my own adrenalin rush from the sound of the cleats on the pavement between the batting cages and the practice fields. Since we are in our third season with the Carolina Mudcats, the Brewers A affiliate, we knew several of the players by name and even better, they referred to us as “Michele Vassalotti’s US family!”
My first stop was the batting cages where I watched Jace Avina take his swings. I met Jace last season in Kannapolis a couple of weeks after his call-up from the Arizona Complex League. When he took his stance in the batting cage, he emitted confidence with every swing. After he was finished, Jace come over to the door and gave me a quick hug. As I leaned in the doorway of the building, a player was positioned at the door with a sheet in his hand listing the four minor league teams of the Brewers and which field each player was practicing on that day. I was all eyes and ears as each player checked in with him. “I work for the Mudcats. Where do you play?” I asked. He responded, “I’m David Tofu – I’m a coach for Wisconsin.” I laughed. It reminded me of the time when I asked NASCAR driver Timmy Hill what he did with the team.
Adjacent to the batting cage building was a fenced-in area where another coach, Charlie Greene, was operating a machine which threw balls to the catchers. One of the catchers stood from his crouched position and flipped his mask up. It was one of the Mudcats catchers from last season – Jose Sibrian. I waved and he nodded back, then returned to his crouched position. Greene shouted out frequent reminders to the catchers – “Make sure where the Rawlings is!” I continued to watch in awe the flexibility of the catchers as they worked. Catching is truly the hardest defensive position in baseball!
There was more activity on the main walkway as the players started dispersing to the four playing-fields we had access to. Jace’s dad Armando texted me that the family including Jace’s biggest fan, his brother Austin, had arrived and were at one of the fields waiting for Jace’s group to start. For the next couple of hours, I felt like a “Kid-in-a-candy-store” bouncing from field to field watching the minor leaguers vying for positions at different minor league levels which would be assigned by the following week. Every pitch thrown, every at bat taken and every defensive play was being scrutinized by team managers, coaches and development personnel including Bob Miscik and Quinton McCracken.
At noon, we headed walked over to the American Family Fields gate and attended a game between the Brewers and the Padres. It was a gorgeous day for baseball and fans were scattered throughout the grass above the outfield. While I will pass on hot dogs in any ballpark, I could not resist having a brat! And it was awesome! In the 7th inning stretch after singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, the fans sang “Roll Out the Barrel!” The Brewers won 4 – 2. It was double-header time for us as we headed to Goodyear Park where there was an evening game with the Cincinnati Reds hosting the Seattle Mariners. We had been at so many games there between our February and March visits, GM Bruce Kessman joked about me coming to work there for spring training 2024. As I was mentally calculating costs of a short-term rental and what to do for transportation, I heard a booming “No” in my ear! Rick had no sense of adventure even if it was my fantasy!
The game was brutal for the Cincinnati fans. Seattle scored FIFTEEN runs in the first four innings. We were just about “baseballed-out” for the day so we headed back to Glendale. I called Michele enroute and we planned to meet for dinner. When we got to his hotel, I called him from our car. A sleepy-sounding voice answered. He apologized saying he was really tired and just wanted to go back to sleep. Trying to contain my disappointment, I replied that we understood and we would see him the next day. I hung up and turned to tell Rick about the change in plans. Rick was trying to contain his laughter. Michele was standing outside our car holding his phone to his ear and laughing as he mimicked in his Spanish accent what I said. It was a fun ending to a great day!
'lotta sports 