Day 7 - Awards Dinner

Last night was our awards dinner and our final time together as Saturday morning everyone would start departing for home. The program started at 6pm and didn't end until about 10pm. Each team was recognized and the team MVP was awarded a trophy. We were the last to be announced and we each were called up individually and presented our championship trophy and a glass of champagne for a toast. The coaches made a few comments about the team and announced Chris Hensley as our MVP. He was the winning pitcher in the championship game.
There were also a number of other special awards such as top batting average (.720), top RBI's (17), top hits (17), top pitcher (39 innings) and Top Fielder that was voted on by all the coaches. Yours truly became the first ever catcher to win this award in camp history! It was by far the biggest and nicest award given out last night. I was totally surprised by this and was nearly speechless when asked to say a few words. My coaches said it was due to my leadership and take charge attitude on the field, directing the team and the way I was pouncing on the balls in front of the plate.
I don't think I could have written a better script to this rookie season of mine with the Cincinnati Reds. Who would have ever dreamed that I would go 13 for 26 with 10 RBI's and a .500 batting average let alone score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh with 2 outs! And after all that, to be awarded the Roy McMillan award for the Top Fielder. Truly a storybook ending.
We are all invited back to Cincinnati on August 15th and 16th for a reunion and to be introduced prior to the Reds game on Sunday, August 15th. We will then get to play a game there at Great American Ballpark on Monday morning.
I have returned home now and have countless memories, pictures, autographs, stories, memorabilia and an official #5 Cincinnati Reds uniform with my name on it. I have made a number of new friends across the country and even with some of the pros who told me to stay in touch. With spring training out here in AZ, several of them will be coming to the valley more often now and said they would give me a call so we can meet for dinner and some drinks. I don't think that I have ever worked harder on a vacation but I know I have never had so much fun living a dream!
Until the next time...

Day 7 - Campers vs. Pros

Today was a fun and relaxed day where each team got to play against the pros over in the new Goodyear Ballpark. We had a huge crowd over there watching us...perhaps 20-30! They started with the introduction of the champions and then the pros. One of the campers then sang the National Anthem (and did a good job).

Tom Browning started off for the pros against us and was throwing hard! I have been batting 5th in the last few games and so I got to face him in the second inning. I am embarrassed to say that he whiffed me. I guess I am not the first or the last to do so.

After we played about 3 innings so everyone could get one at bat, the game ended and there were congratulations all around. I watched the next game from the pros dugout and got ready to catch the third game. I had the honor to catch for Kent Mercker who just retired in 2008. He can still throw at 42! I caught 4 innings with him and did a good job. He came over to me between innings and told me I was doing great. Most of the stuff was fastballs and one or two change ups. He did manage to cross me up once when he pitched throwing behind his back! Was not expecting that one! The rest of the day was spent hanging out in the pros dugout and catching a few more stories from some of the guys. They have all been great this week but I must say I have especially enjoyed my time with Jim Maloney, Jack Billingham and Joe Oliver. They were down to earth guys and shared some good baseball information and some great stories.

Tonight is the awards dinner so that will be the last function here at the camp as everyone heads home in the morning. I will put up another post tomorrow with stuff from the dinner. I have met a number of new friends here this week and been invited to play in an October camp/tournament in Tuscon. All in all it has been a wonderful experience that I will never forget. Thank you Mary!!!

Day 6 - The Playoffs and Championship

Today was the big day! Game one of the playoffs was at 10am vs. Billy Hatcher's team. They had beat us the first time around so this time we were out for revenge. Our team really came through and played very well and we came out with a 9-3 victory! Timely hitting and good defense. I had a single and a bases loaded double (3 RBI's) and depending on what the official scorer says, I could have another single. We'll see about that tomorrow. That was a big win for the team and sent us on to the championship game in the afternoon vs. Joe Price and Eddie Taubensee's team who upset Joel Youngblood's team in the morning.

Mary was off today and able to drive out to see the games today and have lunch with us. She was able to hang out with some other wives who were there. She even got to meet my new "cousins" from Kentucky! (a Father and 2 sons here at the camp with the last name Hensley). With the name Hensberry, everyone thinks I too am a Hensley!

After lunch we moved onto one of the two main fields for the Reds. It's a beautiful field with the picturesque mountains in the background. The pitcher we were going to throw was warming up with me just prior to the game and developed a sharp pain in his throwing elbow after five or six pitches and could not continue. We had to start one of my "cousins" Chris Hensley who we were saving for the later half of the game, if needed. We started out 2-0 but then eventually went down 3-2. They tacked on another insurance run later and we went into the bottom of the seventh down 4-2. We managed to get 2 guys on second and third with no out but then after 2 punch outs (unfortunately 1 was me) Greg Burkhart nails a double down the right field line. Due to an injury to his leg, I was pinch running for him. With the score now tied and me on second, Brigham McCown came up. Brigham has struggle some but hit the ball perfectly down the left field line. I was able to score the winning run standing up to win 5-4! ...And the celebration began!!! What a game and what a finish! Everyone rushed the field and it was just like we won the World Series! Someone threw a bucket of ice water on Jack Billingham and that's not easy since he is 6'-5''. We had a pretty good crowd watching the game as the others had finished. It couldn't have been a better ending to the game.

We had a BBQ and silent auction afterwards out on the patio. I didn't bid on anything as things got a bit too expensive for me. There was one live auction for a photograph of Johnny Bench getting screwed up on a spitter from Jim Maloney in '68. Bench and Maloney autographed it and it sold for $1900!

Tomorrow we play against the pros at 9am and then can watch the other teams play. We play down at the new 10,000+ seat stadium. I imagine there will be a few empty seats! Later on is the awards dinner and that should be fun having won the championship. I'll have to wait and see what the champions get! I volunteered to catch some of the pros since they needed some help. How many people get to say they caught for some of these guys? I hope they don't kill me!

Stay tuned for more tomorrow as we wrap things up on Friday night. I will get some more pictures later too.

Day 5 - Games 6 and 7 The end of the regular season

Today was essentially the end of the regular season and would determine the seedings for the playoffs. The top 4 will play for the championship. We needed one win to secure a spot. Unfortunately, we lost the first game 9-7. Our coaches were saving our best pitchers to see if we could win one without using them and saving them for tomorrow. Didn't work out as we gave up too many runs. I, however, had my best game yet going 4-4 with 2 triples and 2 singles. I also had a couple of RBI's. Both triples went to the fence in right center and down the left field line. The picture to the left is me at third sucking wind! Catchers don't get triples...let alone 2 in a game!

Our second game was a must win and we came out swinging. 4 runs in the first inning and the game ended up 18-0! I went 1-2 with a walk in this game and another RBI. I have caught all 7 games and still feel pretty good. As a result, Billoney's Sidewinders finished the regular season 5-2 and in first place. We will face the #4 seed team coached by Billy Hatcher in tomorrows first game with the winner facing the winner of #2 vs. #3 in the afternoon game.

Tonight we had another kangaroo court and had some great laughs. The picture to the left is of a player being "arrested" due to a complaint filled by the "lady" who was actually Brad Lesley (former Reds reliever). Great time!

I had a very nice conversation with one of my coaches, Jim Maloney, walking back to the clubhouse this afternoon. He was telling me how impressed he was with me this week saying it took a lot to catch all seven games and come through with some good hitting as the week progressed. He told me my head was always in the game and directed the team well. He told me I was his MVP for the team with everything I was doing. I can't tell you how nice that was to hear from a player like Jim.

Well, on to the playoffs tomorrow! Mary is coming out to watch some tomorrow so I hope my team and I do well. Pressure is on!

Here I am with Lee May on the left and Jim Maloney on the right. By the way. The boxer we met last night was Jerry Cooney! Pretty cool!

Day 4 - Games 4 and 5

Today was a long and warm one here in AZ. Especially wearing all the catching equipment for another doubleheader. Today we won both our games and are now tied for first place with a 4-1 record! The first game was an outstanding game with our pitcher throwing a no hitter into the 6th inning. Neither pitcher gave up a walk and we went on to win 2-0. I went 1-3 with a solid single to left to lead off the game. Eric Davis from the Reds joined us today and was over watching 1 or 2 innings of the game (picture). Late in the game I got jammed and now have broken both my bats from Clay Bellinger. Oh well, moving on to some new bats now.

The second game was against one of the 2 teams that going into today were undefeated. As things ended, they lost both their games today including ours by a score of 7-5. Once again I was 1-3 with a deep double over the left fielder. Yeah! Our team played pretty strong defense in both games and even turned a very rare triple play in the first game.

After the game (and my usual ice tub!) there was a "bull" session in the major league clubhouse with all the pros. Everyone was asking questions and telling some stories from their playing days. Cool stuff just hanging out with all these guys!

We also took out our coached tonight for dinner as a thank you for all their time and work. That was lots of fun and good conversation. We got to meet Joe Klecko from the Jets and some famous boxer whose name escapes me now. The boxer was a friend of Jim Maloney's from the past.

Tomorrow is the last two games of the "regular season" but they are calling for some rain. I don't think it will be too bad and it is supposed to be 10 degrees cooler so that will feel nice.

Day 3 - Photo Day and Games 2 and 3

Today started off with photo day. The picture to the left is my coach Jack Billingham. Camp pictures, team pictures and individual pictures with the team of coaches. Then we were off to game 2. We played Billy Hatcher's team and lost 5-2. Too many errors and we didn't get timely hitting. That included me with an o-3. So after a quick lunch, I headed off to the cages for some extra BP and help. It worked as in our second game I went 2-3 with 2 RBI's in a 16-8 win. I also made a couple of nice plays on two foul pops behind home. So far I have caught all three complete games and feel great.

One reason I am feeling good still (besides my trainer Sara!) is trips to the ice pool at the end of each day. These may look like hot tubs but two of them are freezing! But it sure is helping the knees from swelling up.

There is also a complete weight room, training room and media room.

Tonight was our first kangaroo court. For those of you that don't know, that is a "court" session where we get fined for our various transgressions. All the money goes to charity. I escaped with no fines so I guess that was good. I have to get noticed for positive things!

Two more games tomorrow and with a couple of wins we are right back into this thing. Wish us luck!

Day 2 - The Draft and Game 1

We reported at 8am this morning and were welcomed to a brand new and outstanding facility. Our uniforms were all hung in our lockers and I was fortunate enough to be placed next to Joe Oliver from the Reds in the '90's. This morning was a series of "try outs" as they put us through a series drills in preparation to the draft. I did some catching, then outfield work, infield work and then hitting. It all went very well for me and in fact after ripping a hard line drive to the gap in left center the coaches behind the back stop said "that's the kind of hitting that will get you drafted by me!"

After a break for lunch in the clubhouse, the draft results were announced. I was drafted by team 5 run by Jack Billingham, Jim Maloney and Mark Cooper. We played our first game at 2pm and won 6-3. I caught the whole game and even still feel great! I went 0-2 with a walk but it's only the first game. Tomorrow is the first doubleheader so I hope I feel as good after tomorrow!

We were able to take a tour of the entire new clubhouse facility and I have included some pictures of the place. All the pros are saying that they never had such a nice place in their careers. It really has all the extras and the staff here is outstanding and taking great care of us.





Tonight dinner is on our own so everyone is heading out to various places. Hopefully I will get a better night sleep tonight. Last night I was like a little kid and couldn't sleep. I was so keyed up for today! Let's play two tomorrow!