verdugo288

Colin James came up with the idea for this blog.  I will also be submitting stories as well.  I had the Team from 1990-93.  In the four years our win-loss record was 63-25.  The last two years we went 38-6.  The REAL authors of this blog are anyone who played or coached for us and created the great memories and stories that we have.  I never realized it at the time it was happening, but we created some history, and frankly, we have some great stories to tell. 

None of us made any money from this.  We were there because we loved it.  It was the purest form of competition, no money at stake.  All we were playing for was the glory.  I am the luckiest guy on earth.  I had The General helping me.  Unbendingly loyal, always there, The General loved the game and was a huge part of our success.  He never second-guessed me.  He was the glue that held it all together.  I am lucky to this day to still be able to say he is my friend.

Then a couple of guys who played for us in 1990 became coaches.  Hank and Weapon.  These two guys were just looking to beat-up whoever the opponent was.  I have never seen anyone with a stronger will-to-win than Hank. General and I first saw him in a Colt-League game in 1987 or ’88.  He was pitching against our team that day.  We fucking hated him.  You know why?  Because  we had plans to kick some ass at the field that day and Hank ruined our plans.  Not only did he ruin our plans for that day, he rubbed it in.  Yes-sir-ree…………looking back on it all I can see that I hated Hank because he was JUST LIKE ME.  We didn’t REALLY hate him….we just wanted him playing for us!!!   I still tell stories about Hank to this very day and while it may sound insulting, what I say about him it is the highest compliment I can give.  I simply say “he can’t hit, he can’t run, he can’t throw and he can’t field…..all he knows how to do is BEAT YOU.”

The Weapon could do it all.  He could hit for power, hit for average, run, field and had a cannon of an arm.  That’s why I named him “The Weapon.”  Weap had been kind of jacked around at the High School he went to.  I don’t think the coaches liked him.  They held him back on the JV team his junior year.  What a waste.  No matter what the coaches did to knock him down, he just kept getting back up.  Kept showing up at the field because he loved the game.  I think that’s what our Team kind of evolved into….a place to go for those who loved the game. 

We used to go through kind of a Q and A before the games to make sure everyone knew what to do on first and third situations depending on whether a right-hander or a lefty was on the mound.  I’ll never forget what Weapon said one day when it was his turn to answer the question.  His answer summed up “The Weap” himself and I believe really kind of became the attitude of our Team for the next three years.  I asked him “What are you gonna do in that situation?”……..Weap’s answer was simply “I don’t know, I’m just here to kick ass!”  As a coach, you just can’t get pissed when someone says something like that.  What a great answer……….

When I was thinking about putting this team together in 1990 I went to a High School Non-League game to specifically watch this kid we later named BullOxen.  A friend of mine was with me that day.  BullOxen was WILD!  Bouncing pitches, behind in the count, walking people.  They pulled him after one inning.  As we left, my friend said to me something like “well, I don’t think this guy is the answer”……….I said “Call me crazy if you want, but I’m building the fucking team around that guy!……did you see that nasty fucking curveball he has?…………and he doesn’t back down!…………..I love the guy!”  I guess I was right about BullOxen, he was a three-year All-Star for us and after three brilliant seasons with us, he joined the coaching staff.

I will be telling more stories on this blog about all of you….if you’re invited to the Reunion, you’ll be getting some ink here.

That’s the story of our coaching staff.  I sometimes wonder just how many coaches we would have ended up with if I had kept that team another four years or so.  General and I never even formally asked Hank, Weap, or BullOxen to join the staff.  It was a known fact that they’d be there.  They loved it as much as we did.  And that’s about all the criteria that needed to be met to be a part of our deal……and we were blessed to have them there. 

All I’m doing here is telling the stories.  It was you guys who created the stories.  You guys are the Authors of this blog.  I’m just writing it down and hopefully it will bring a smile to the face of anyone who loved the game as much as we did………

Gee