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Carrying baseballs between dugouts last Saturday.
We had to send our resumes back in April to be batboy. During the orientation, Jason Ross, the clubhouse manger told us all the duties. We had to clean and fill the water coolers, (three: two for the dugout and one for the bullpen. Note: One is actually a gatorade one. The bullpen one was later lost. Mike Thuemer, who helped me the first couple of times told me that the bullpen one was sent on the road and never came back) set out the batting helmets, rosin bags and donuts with 12 towels (9 in the dugout, 2 in the bullpen) and gum and Spitz sunflower seeds. During the game, we were supposed to put the stuff on the on-deck circle when the team that I’m doing when they’re batting (I’ve done no one but the Lynx so far and thank goodness). I got my first chance in April I got to work with Tyler, another batboy and 4 years older than me. He tought me a lot of the stuff that I know (He told me stuff like how many towels to use, what coolers to use and all those type of things) It was exciting before the game meeting all the players, a bit nervous once it reaches an hour before gametime but after a few more times I would lose the nervous feeling. I thought I did okay but didn’t really like how I did.
Emptying the Gatorade cooler.
I got one other time in April and another time in May. I did pretty well those 2 times, one game each started by J.A. Happ and Jim Crowell. (who was released a couple months ago and is now playing for the Syracuse Chiefs) After the game, I got tips from John Ennis and J.J. for cleaning Ennis’ extra pair of shoes and Jaramillo’s shin guards. My next time came up this past weekend, I was going to get Friday (which was rained out) and Sunday, a game in September and the last game of the season. I was supposed to work Thursday and Saturday last week, it was good that it was moved from Thursday and Saturday because of the Junior Lynx Clinic. (but as fate would have it, I filled in Saturday and missed infield practice with Gookie Dawkins. Only one part though: big deal) On the way for my first turn since May, the skies darkened and rain came down after I walked in. I didn’t hear the announcement until Joe Bisenius yanked the headphones off of Geoff Geary and said “Geoff, game’s cancelled”. All that work for nothing.
The next day (Saturday), I found out I had to fill in - 3 hours before I should be at the game. I got dressed and walked into the clubhouse. Kane Davis saw me and called me “statboy” and then John Ennis. I got it from when I hung around the bullpen in the Picnic Area when I went to games I wasn’t batboying and my friend talked to the players and said that I know a lot of stats and even Shoeless Joe Jackson’s batting average from 1905 (He actually didn’t make his debut until 1908 which I told them. He hit .408 in his rookie year) I guess I told them a lot of stats so I’d say I earned and lived up to my nickname. I did good that day and the other days. I love my job. The only thing that I don’t like is that it can get a little scary in the dugout sometimes!
I want to thank John and Mike and Jason and Chris and Mr. Bostwick for the great experience I’ve had this year!
At attention for the national anthems back in May. (Photo credit: John Bradley [with permission, all rights reserved])
