Well, things have changed in the Sun City.
Call it having a good time or just playing the game the right way but the team has really turned things around. The lineup has come alive and a revamped pitching staff has come up big time and time again. At one point last week, we had won four consecutive contests, which marked a season-high for the club. The falters in the late innings that seemed so common just a few weeks ago have not been seen and confidence is brimming from everyone in association with the team.
On a personal note, I was named the closer for the Diablos just before our series in Shreveport last Monday. In the mean time, I have chalked up two saves in two opportunities and have put out the fire in several critical situations. I was originally unsure about this role but have accepted it and am very comfortable being in it. Closing definitely calls for a different mindset, which I love.
My work on the pitchers mound has been so much more productive since I came off of the IL at the beginning of July. I've pitched on six different occasions (all out of the bullpen) and have thrown scoreless outings in five of them. Across the 11 innings I have thrown so far since coming off the IL, only two walks and seven hits have been yielded. I'm documenting these statistics on here only because it finally feels good to post good numbers after the landslide I was on at the beginning of the year. Although I'm a firm believer that numbers don't necessarily speak everything about a pitcher, it does make you smile to look back after putting up good numbers...especially after everything I've been through this past year.
I mentioned in previous posts that baseball does not define me as a person. At one point in my life, I really thought that baseball was my number one priority in every aspect of life. My Christian values, family, and friends always seemed to take a backseat to the game I loved so much. Baseball still is a huge part of my life but because it's not taking over my life like it had previously, I have understood how important it is to have a balanced lifestyle.
I think that my new outlook on baseball (and life in general) is much like the way a lot of my teammates have changed their play as well. The atmosphere around the clubhouse isn't one of pressing anymore but rather a team filled with the energy and confidence it needs to succeed. The pre-game and post-game danceoffs have turned to be pretty comical and has really loosened up the mood.
As previously stated, this new Diablos team is one that is moving in the right direction. El Paso stands eight games back from Pensacola in the standings but with the Pelicans sliding and us one the move...a race to the finish could be seen. Let's hope we can build on tonight's 15-0 thrashing of Grand Prairie.
I'd like to conclude this post with a pair of quotes from the mouth of legendary basketball coach, John Wooden. Wooden, who passed away recently, offered some of the most inspirational words I have ever heard. His legacy, much like Jimmy Valvano, will last forever in my heart.
"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."
God Bless.
