verdugo288

When we put together the roster for ‘92 we had several multi-sport players. Cowsill and Kasey both playing basketball at CV. Dave Fielder played football…as did Ivan Moreno. Although Ivan had already graduated from High School he was already involved with summer workouts with his College Team for next season.

I knew going in that this would “bite us” here and there….(At least throughout the regular season). But I still felt that our abbreviated roster with only 14 guys on it could sneak through the season and not have any major issues and still win. Fortunately, we were able to pull that off.

As a side note, I don’t know what the hell Fielder told his coaches at CV (other than to pound sand?)….but what a salesman Thunder was! He only missed one game for us ….I think it was a passing league deal.

Whatever he told them definitely worked! Maybe he just said he couldn’t make it to whatever was going on with CV Football because he had more important shit going on with Verdugo! 😂

So when it came down to deciding the last few spots on our roster I think availability weighed in huge. I’ve always felt that the best ability is “availability”

We needed a guy who brought that to the table as well as having a great attitude. A guy with a “can do” vibe who was ready to go at any time.

We really couldn’t have ended up with a better guy to fill this role than John Gabrielson.

GABE!!!!

Absolute CLUTCH acquisition!

I really can’t say enough about what this guy meant to us.

I’ve always felt that with a ball club you can never have too much speed, or too much pitching, or too many lefties! Gabe ticked all the right boxes.

John was 18 and this would be his only season of eligibility with Verdugo. My only real regret with Gabe is that we only had him with us for one season.

This guy would have started for most teams around the league and probably never would have come off the field. Don’t get me wrong, he started a lot of games for us. And by the time we got to the playoffs and we were facing a right handed pitcher, Gabe was in the starting lineup for Verdugo…and he had earned it.

Gabe hit .410 for us. 16 hits on the season….all singles. 2nd in stolen bases with seven. Fourth on the ball club in on-base percentage at .510.

The most staggering statistic with Gabe was his ability to SCORE once he reached base. Of the 25 times he reached base in 1992, 17 times he scored! A .680 percentage. The only other player we had close to that was Hack Workman at .593.

Sometimes Gabe would start. Sometimes he would sit for entire consecutive games. Sometimes he would come into the game and hit in the three or four-hole after somebody got launched!

It never mattered….Gabe was always ready to go.

I led him off. I’d hit him in the nine hole. It never mattered. Gabe was always ready.

We pinch ran him….we used him as a late-inning defensive replacement. We DH’d him. He never bitched about anything. Every home game we played Gabe was always a part of the field prep crew. Before AND after the game.

He never won at flip. But he was always out there battling!

He tried to kick Spiro out of the Verdugo dugout!

Loved to slide and dive! Made some great acrobatic plays for us defensively! Always fun to watch!

Played all the outfield spots for us. Saw significant time at first base. Had two CLUTCH appearances on the mound for us the final weekend of the season. It was Gabe who was on the mound and got the final three outs against Sun Valley when we clinched our first playoff spot ever.

He picked up a win in the season final against Newhall-Saugus….our 20th win of the season.

Gabe went 4-12 for us in the playoffs as well. Finishing his summer for us with a combined regular season/playoff batting average of .392.

Gabe also FLEW to the Verdugo reunion back in 2011. From Austin, Texas!!! He told me he wouldn’t miss it for anything. And I’ll tell ya….it wouldn’t have been a true reunion if Gabe hadn’t been there.

Gabe was quirky. After all, he’s a lefty. Religious. Gabe represented all good things on earth….Mom, apple-pie….and….uhhhh….Verdugo!!!! Yes-sir-ree indeed he did!!

In terms of having some game and always being there for us, Gabe fit right in. But going into ‘92 we all wondered for sure just how this guy would REALLY fit in with us. Personality-wise…..

I will tell you how he did that right now…..

PERFECTLY!!!!

In his own way….Gabe fit in perfectly for Verdugo!

You’ve all heard me say “Verdugo had the greatest players who played in the greatest games”….

I remember at the reunion in 2011 things were winding down and it was getting late and everyone was starting to realize the night was over and saying goodbyes to one another. Gabe pulled me aside and said something to me.

He said “hey coach….you know something? Even though we didn’t win it all….we actually DID….you know what I mean?”

Maybe that was Gabe’s way of saying the same thing.

I remember just standing there and smiling after he said that. There was no reason to talk about “coulda-shoulda-woulda’s”….

There was just an understanding between us. The understanding between us as we stood there and smiled for a few seconds was “annnnnnd….they’ve done it!”

Just a coach and a player standing there content with the fact that once again “They’ve done it!”

I don’t know of too many Legion Teams that have held reunions. Probably most teams that DID win it all never did. And probably never will.

But we did. And many guys made long trips by car or by plane or whatever it took to be there. I was humbled and inspired by all of you who made an appearance at that unforgettable evening.

I don’t think anyone can understand what I felt that night. The manager of a ballclub about 20 years later in a big room surrounded by the greatest players who played in the greatest games….

Once again….the best ability was “availability”

And once again….Gabe was there. For Verdugo.

John….thank you for 1992.

Thank you.