(Writing this on the bus back from Ogden to Great Falls. The Voyagers have just won Game 1 of the Championship League Series and now have an opportunity to clinch the title at home on Thursday).
Got some quick hitters.
-Last long bus ride of the season. Personally, I do not mind the bus trips. I love movies. I love getting work done. It doesn't totally phase me. A lot of jokes and memories have come from these bus trips. If I didn't have my own row would I feel the same? Not sure. Having my own row is nice.
-So fitting how the Voyagers won tonight's game. It was a grind. They had to comeback--weird, right? The Voyagers coming back. Who'd a thunk? In all seriousness, it did not go as planned. Did Scotty have some bad luck? Ya. But he also did not have his A-game. There's nothing wrong with that, either. He was playing the league's highest-scoring offense. Last I checked, I do not broadcast for the Great Falls Snodgresses. This is a team and the best teams pick up their teammates in situations like this. That is what this group is about: TEAM. Do they have the most individual talent of the teams in the league? Personally, I don't think so. But I genuinely believe they are the best team. They just need to win one more game to prove it.
-The stereotype is that the minor league baseball player is out for himself. He just cares about his numbers. He doesn't care about a ground out to the right side to advance a runner because it is an 0-for him and does not show up in the stat sheet. What is interesting is that, in Rookie Ball, the emphasis is on the individual development. Ryan Newman and every other manager in the league manages to win. They do not want to lose. But they also manage to develop. In game 3 of the season, you are not seeing a manager play the matchups to win. They put players in positions to give them a challenge and to see how they respond. This is slightly different than other levels, where the focus is more and more on winning. With this in mind, it almost gives players a "right" to be selfish, a "right" to care about themselves. What is so impressive about these guys is that they genuinely care about winning. At the beginning of the second half, all you could hear about was "Second Half Push." After finishing in last in the first half, all these guys wanted was to win. Not finish second. Not do better. But win. I admire that. When they were five and six and seven, they were not saying their dream was to win the Pioneer League Championship. They all hope to advance within the organization. But right now, for the team, they want to win. I think this is reflective of their unique competitiveness and their unique bond as a group. This is a special bunch. As pumped as I am that Thursday could be the end, I don't want it to be the end.
-As far as development is concerned, I have to believe that winning is a big part. There are certain players that win. It's what they do. Some of these guys have great stats, but some are more pedestrian. They come in all shapes and sizes but they all have something. I do not know what it is. It is a combination of qualities and characteristics that make them winners. Winning makes people better. Ya, if I am a MLB GM, I salivate when I look at my farm teams and see guys with .350 BAs and high HR, RBI totals or a 3.00 ERA with a K/9 rate of 10+. But, I would like to think if I was a GM, I would be more pumped about a group of players that seem to win at every level. A group of guys like the players on the Voyagers. Guys that win.
-A lot of people have asked about a post-season blog. I will likely keep my blog up, but it will not be centered around the Voyagers after the season. What will the subject matter be? Whatever my ADD mind wants. BUT, I will submit a final Voyagers post that wraps up the summer, my memories, my experiences, some good-byes and thank yous, and hopefully some video footage of the Voyagers reaching the top of the mountain. I hope you enjoy it.
-Even more people have asked about my "Final Call" if we were to win a fourth game in the Playoffs. What will it be? Have you thought about it? I hope to be doing this for years and maybe I will change my stance on this over time, but I do not like to plan ahead for a call like that. Just as you see the natural emotions of the players pour out as they celebrate, I feel like a call like this is best spontaneous. If a corny cliche pops out, so be it. But all I care about is that my call reflects my genuine emotion and passion and not something scripted. It is impossible to totally ignore it, but I do not have something set.
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