[rpriske]

March 30th, 1985

I was in the lineup facing Pascual Perez and the Braves.

Hey, Chili is back. That is good news. Now it is just Bob Brenly still sidelined.

I lead off with an easy fly ball to Mike Cole in centre.

In the 2nd I came up with two out and Tom O'Malley on 1st and grounded out to Paul Zuvella at 2nd.

I didn't have a defensive play until the 4th when Bob Horner popped up to me with the bases loaded and one out. It was a big out, though not difficult.

In the 5th I came up with one out and empty bags, now facing Jeff Dedmon. He struck me out.

I am hitting .184. Terrible.

Terry Harper hit a single past me that inning. No error, but I need to make those plays if I am going to hit this badly. Chris Brown bailed me out with a good play on the next batter.

Alejandro Sanchez pinch hit for me in the 8th.

We lost 7-2.


March 31st, 1985

We faced the Padres but I didn't start.

For the first time since that happened, I was brought in, later in the game. Oddly, after Ty Gainey was pinch hit for by Robby Thompson, Nestor Pena brought me in to play Left Field in the 9th.

I stood out there for three batters until he pulled me back out on a double switch for the pitcher.

I think his thinking about me has changed. I am a filler player now - not a starter.

Oh, we won 5-4.


April 1st, 1985

Maybe I was wrong. The insecurities of a young ballplayer are very high.

Today I started in my usual spot against John Stuper and the Cardinals.

He struck me out to start the game.

I think my anxiety is getting to me. I am not this bad a player. It nearly caused me to blow a simple grounder by Andy Van Slyke. I recovered in time, thankfully.

I came up in the 2nd with 2 on and 2 out... and struck out again.

Also in that inning I speared a nice liner by David Green with two men in scoring position. Big play. They ended up scoring anyway, on a Super double, of all things. We were trailing 3-1.

In the 4th I came up trailing 6-3 with Steve Nicosia on 1st and one out. I grounded out to Terry Pendleton at 3rd. I guess it was a productive out, moving up Steve.

Not good enough.

Things got worse in the 5th when I was too slow fielding a grounder by Oddibe McDowell out he outran me for a single. Thankfully he never scored.

John Castino pinch hit for me in the 6th. Earlier than usual?

We lost 9-4.


April 2nd, 1985

Our last spring training game. Spring has been terrible for both the team and me personally.

Today we face Bob Owchiko and the Cubs. I need a big game. A BIG game.

I lead off the bottom of the 1st, reading on an error by Bob Dernier in CF. No hit, but I will take it. Then Chris Brown also reached on an error and the Cubs were giving us a big chance. On a 1-0 count to Chili I stole 3rd, for my 5th stolen bag of the spring. Brownie moved up on the throw. We now had two guys in scoring position without a hit. Chili cashed me in on a sac fly. In the end we scored 3 that inning.

In the 2nd I came up with one out and none out and grounded out to Ryne Sandberg.

In the 3rd I took a grounder off Shawon Dunston and tried to start a double play by Dunston outran. We still got one.

In the 4th we went the other way, with Kenny Oberkfell starting the double play and me turning it. This time it worked out. (Though Bob Owchinko is hardly the speedster that Dunston is.)

In the 5th I took a throw from John Rabb to gun down Dunston trying to steal. Good throw Rabbie!

Later that inning, now facing Tom Filer, I lined out to Bob Dernier in centre.

In the 8th Tony Armas put one into CF that I thought I could have reached. Maybe not.
He ended up being the tying run for the Cubs.
Jeff Jones grounded to me with the go-ahead runner on 3rd but I played it well, got the out and held the runner.

In the bottom of the 8th, tied at 3, Mike Aldrete hit for me.

My spring was done.

We lost 4-3 in 10.

We finished our spring 6-22, the worst record in either league.


My final stats were were no better. .164 / .198 / .218

Only two extra base hits (a double and a triple), 3 RBI and 5 runs scored. I stole 5 bases and was caught once.

The only way I make this team is because, well, the whole team is struggling. Hard.