Pat on the back for O'Brien
The Wild Things' playoff series against Gateway wasn't supposed to be a busy one for Pat O'Brien, who is the Wild Things' catcher against left-handed pitchers. Gateway did not have a lefty pitcher on its roster, and with GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill., having a short right-field porch (301 feet down the line), it made sense to play left-handed hitting catcher Mario Garza instead of O'Brien. The best O'Brien could hope for was to be used as a defensive replacement.
But there was O'Brien, hitting a sacrifice fly in the third inning of Game 3 and smacking a three-run homer in the seventh. The latter gave Washington a 9-8 lead. O'Brien was in the game only because Garza was injured in a home-plate collision earlier in the game.
"When Mario got up after that, I didn't think I would be going in the game at all," O'Brien said. "I thought he'd be fine. I've been there before. In the bottom of the inning, they said get in there, Mario is down. I had to refocus quickly."
That shows that you never know when you're going to be needed, but you better be ready when called upon.
Washington's catchers, who had struggled at the plate for most of the season, had a huge series, going 4-for-8 with a double, 3 home runs and 8 RBI.
"Pat O'Brien is a great defensive catcher who can hit but struggled this year after being off all last year. With the short porch at Gateway, we felt Mario was the guy to go with. Windy City is a different type of team than Gateway. Pat will probably be catching that whole series."
But there was O'Brien, hitting a sacrifice fly in the third inning of Game 3 and smacking a three-run homer in the seventh. The latter gave Washington a 9-8 lead. O'Brien was in the game only because Garza was injured in a home-plate collision earlier in the game.
"When Mario got up after that, I didn't think I would be going in the game at all," O'Brien said. "I thought he'd be fine. I've been there before. In the bottom of the inning, they said get in there, Mario is down. I had to refocus quickly."
That shows that you never know when you're going to be needed, but you better be ready when called upon.
Washington's catchers, who had struggled at the plate for most of the season, had a huge series, going 4-for-8 with a double, 3 home runs and 8 RBI.
"Pat O'Brien is a great defensive catcher who can hit but struggled this year after being off all last year. With the short porch at Gateway, we felt Mario was the guy to go with. Windy City is a different type of team than Gateway. Pat will probably be catching that whole series."
posted by Chris Dugan at
8:48 AM
5 Comments:
I attended the game on Friday at Consol Energy Park and just wanted to voice my disgust for the behavior of the Gateway Grizzly’s. Granted, there is some bad blood between these two teams, but there is no excuse for how they behaved. They are professional athletes and should act like that. Between the glove-throwing, the arguing of every call, and that mess in the bullpen, I would be ashamed to be a part of that organization or coaching staff. I especially loved the centerfielder throwing his glove and proceeding to stamp around the outfield like a child that spilt his sippy-cup of orange drink after our base runner was called safe in the seventh. Classy team huh?
The Frontier League has some struggles, but class and professionalism isn’t one of them. The League officials should step in and make an example of this team and organization.
Gateway was a beaten team when they boarded the bus to come to Washington.
The over-the-top Wild Things fans in the visitors' bullpen area should be just as ashamed. Their charging the fence, shouting in players ears was unsportsmanlike and unacceptable. While fans are entitled to shout and cheer for their team, and perhaps even against the other team, charging like a mad bull toward an off-limits area is out of bounds.
But, when you mix alcohol, an already volatilie situation, and seven innings of official whooping up by "Your boy Dutch" and something like this is bound to happen.
For shame on both sides.
I thought this was an article about Patrick O'Brien...Pat deserves all the good press and pats on the back he can get. At one point mid-season, he was hitting the ball as well as anyone on the team. His defense is always solid and base stealers should fear his arm.
More importantly, two years ago, while traveling with a bus load of fans to Chillicothe, it was decided that each fan should "adopt" a player and take that person to dinner. My father and I treated Pat to dinner. Actually, we were the ones being treated. Pat was a true gentleman, sharing baseball stories and interacting with each fan that came to our table the way a professional should.
If Pat never hits another single, he still gets my applause.
Pat's story is about as good as it gets. And then, he does things like what he did the other night--jumping into the fray, hitting the sac. fly.
Then, putting an exclamation on the excitement hitting the first-pitch fastball for a three-run home run.
Chris, thanks for the story. Bruce, thanks for sharing the note.
Pat's a great guy.
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