Rondy Clemson : a simple life (MLB 2006)

[xanadu71]

January 2005. Somewhere in Wyoming. A phone rings in a little house.

- “Clemsons’ house”
- “Mr Rondy Clemson ?”
- “Yeah. Who wants him ?”
- “Hi, I’m AJ Preller, Manager, Professional and International Scouting of Rangers Organization”
-“Hmmmm…”
-“I have a bad news and good news for you”
-“Hmmmm…”
“Ok. The bad news is that I haven’t got a contract for you but the good news is that Buck Showalter wants you at Spring Training in 2 months. So, are you happy ?”
-“Why ? I’m just a pitcher of youth league in my state not a professional. I’m only 18 years old. And I don’t know if my father will be ok.”
-“I give you a rendez-vous in Arizona next spring. Take your chance, it’s not a joke.”

March 2005. Arizona.

Arizona, here I am ! Sun, warm, the weather’s better than in Wyoming.
I haven’t realized yet that I’m here for Baseball. I’m here in front of the door of General Manager of Texas Rangers : Buck Showalter. I knock…

[xanadu71]

Re: Rondy Clemson : a simple life (MLB 2006)

-“Yeah, c’mon.... Ah Clemson. My newest lefty. Take a sit and listen to me. I’ve heard about you by a friend of mine. I want to see you. Getting added to the Spring Training is the easy part. Let’s see if you can make the full-roster.”
-“Ehh, thank you coach...”
-“It’s not “coach” for you, it’s Mr Showalter. At least, not yet. One last thing, here’s your list of objectives for Spring Training. You’ll start March 19^th and 24^th against Blue Jays and Twins. Your number will be #69. Show me what you can do. And now, GET OUT AND GET BACK TO WORK !”>
>

Starter for 2 games, it’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare. I’m always a young boy. I’m looking at my goals : >>

1>>	Allow less than 4 runs in a game
2>>	Strike out 6 batters in a game
3>>	Have less than 2 earned runs in a game
4>>	Record the win in a game
5>>	Throw a shutout in a game
6>>	Have an ERA of 2.00 or less in a game
7>>	Have a BA against lower than .300 in a game
8>>	Pitch a no-hitter in a game
9>>	Allow no more than 3 homeruns in a game
10>>	Pitch a rare perfect game

WOW ! It was the only word that came to me.> >

Saturday, March 19^th>>

Two weeks of training and that’s the moment : my first game like starter for a professional team : Texas Rangers against an another professional team : Toronto Blue Jays.
I feel like if was on the moon. I’m in weightlessness. Everybody’s looking at me. Some laugh, others are sceptics. I’m on the mound and I hear 2 words : “PLAY BALL” and that’s the beginning of my story... I hope...
5 innings later and I come back on the bench. I’m tired cos’ the pressure but we lead.
4 innings and that’s the end and... WE WIN ! First game, first victory ! I stay calm but inside of me, I’m like a volcano !
No team mates congratulate me but the Coach comes towards me :
-“By getting the win, you might have a spot in the rotation”. Period. Nothing else.
I’ve never sleep this night, I was so excited.> >

Here’s my stats :
lace w:st="on">TEXASlace> Rangers 7 (3-2) @ TORONTO Blue Jays 3> >

W>>	L>>	ERA>>	SV>>	IP>>	H>>	ER>>	BB>>	K>>
1>>	0>>	1.80>>	0>>	5.0>>	3>>	1>>	1>>	2>>

I’ve accomplished goals #1, #3, #4, #6, #7 and #9.>
>
Thursday, March 24^th>>

2^nd game against the TWINS. 2^nd Start and 2^ND VICTORY. Incredible and I don’t realize yet. My start was shorter but good.> >

Here’s my stats :
lace w:st="on">TEXASlace> Rangers 7 (5-5) @ MINNESOTA Twins 2> >

W>>	L>>	ERA>>	SV>>	IP>>	H>>	ER>>	BB>>	K>>
1>>	0>>	0.00>>	0>>	3.2>>	4>>	0>>	0>>	1>>

> >
And my totals for Spring Training :>>

G>>

W>>

L>>

ERA>>

GS>>

CG>>

SHO>>

SV>>

SVO>>

IP>>

H>>

R>>

ER>>

HR>>

BB>>

K>>

2>>

2>>

0>>

1.04>>

2>>

0>>

0>>

0>>

0>>

8.2>>

7>>

1>>

1>>

0>>

1>>

3>>

After my shower, the pitching coach speaks to me :
-“Hey, Clemson, Coach wants you in his office. NOW !”> >

The door is open. I approach...
-“Enter, enter, son. How are you ? Ok. Let me introduce you Thomas Hicks, the owner of the team”
-“Hi, son. Let’s make quickly, my time is precious. Buck spoke to me about you. We have a proposal for you. You were definitely turning heads this Spring training. We think we have a star on the team. So here’s a contract : 30 000 $ for a year.”
-“ Do you know lace w:st="on">Oklahoma Citylace>, son ?”
-“No but for 70 000 $ for 2 years and a team option I’m ready for lace w:st="on">Alaskalace> if you want.”
-“Hmm, 70 000 $. It’s much money for you but... OK you can sign !”
The Owner gives me his pen : “You can keep it” and I sign.> >

Oklahoma City, 2 days later, in front of SBC Bricktown Ballpark, home of the lace w:st="on">Oklahomalace> RedHawks Triple A
>>

2 men wait for me : Bobby Jones, Manager and Lee Tunnell, Pitching Coach :>>

>>-“Welcome, son. You have many lessons to learn. You are young and we are here for that. You come to live in my house. You will have your house if you get the Major League. You’ll begin on the bench like Long Relief Pitcher. Lee will give you your season’s goals. The season starts in No questions allowed. See you later, son.”
-“Bye... Coach”. Nothing. I said the right word.

[xanadu71]

Re: Rondy Clemson : a simple life (MLB 2006)

-“Yeah, c’mon.... Ah Clemson. My newest lefty. Take a sit and listen to me. I’ve heard about you by a friend of mine. I want to see you. Getting added to the Spring Training is the easy part. Let’s see if you can make the full-roster.”
-“Ehh, thank you coach...”
-“It’s not “coach” for you, it’s Mr Showalter. At least, not yet. One last thing, here’s your list of objectives for Spring Training. You’ll start March 19^th and 24^th against Blue Jays and Twins. Your number will be #69. Show me what you can do. And now, GET OUT AND GET BACK TO WORK !”>
>

Starter for 2 games, it’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare. I’m always a young boy. I’m looking at my goals : >>

1>>	Allow less than 4 runs in a game
2>>	Strike out 6 batters in a game
3>>	Have less than 2 earned runs in a game
4>>	Record the win in a game
5>>	Throw a shutout in a game
6>>	Have an ERA of 2.00 or less in a game
7>>	Have a BA against lower than .300 in a game
8>>	Pitch a no-hitter in a game
9>>	Allow no more than 3 homeruns in a game
10>>	Pitch a rare perfect game

WOW ! It was the only word that came to me.> >

Saturday, March 19^th>>

Two weeks of training and that’s the moment : my first game like starter for a professional team : Texas Rangers against an another professional team : Toronto Blue Jays.
I feel like if was on the moon. I’m in weightlessness. Everybody’s looking at me. Some laugh, others are sceptics. I’m on the mound and I hear 2 words : “PLAY BALL” and that’s the beginning of my story... I hope...
5 innings later and I come back on the bench. I’m tired cos’ the pressure but we lead.
4 innings and that’s the end and... WE WIN ! First game, first victory ! I stay calm but inside of me, I’m like a volcano !
No team mates congratulate me but the Coach comes towards me :
-“By getting the win, you might have a spot in the rotation”. Period. Nothing else.
I’ve never sleep this night, I was so excited.> >

Here’s my stats :
lace w:st="on">TEXASlace> Rangers 7 (3-2) @ TORONTO Blue Jays 3> >

W>>	L>>	ERA>>	SV>>	IP>>	H>>	ER>>	BB>>	K>>
1>>	0>>	1.80>>	0>>	5.0>>	3>>	1>>	1>>	2>>

I’ve accomplished goals #1, #3, #4, #6, #7 and #9.>
>
Thursday, March 24^th>>

2^nd game against the TWINS. 2^nd Start and 2^ND VICTORY. Incredible and I don’t realize yet. My start was shorter but good.> >

Here’s my stats :
lace w:st="on">TEXASlace> Rangers 7 (5-5) @ MINNESOTA Twins 2> >

W>>	L>>	ERA>>	SV>>	IP>>	H>>	ER>>	BB>>	K>>
1>>	0>>	0.00>>	0>>	3.2>>	4>>	0>>	0>>	1>>

> >
And my totals for Spring Training :>>

G>>

W>>

L>>

ERA>>

GS>>

CG>>

SHO>>

SV>>

SVO>>

IP>>

H>>

R>>

ER>>

HR>>

BB>>

K>>

2>>

2>>

0>>

1.04>>

2>>

0>>

0>>

0>>

0>>

8.2>>

7>>

1>>

1>>

0>>

1>>

3>>

After my shower, the pitching coach speaks to me :
-“Hey, Clemson, Coach wants you in his office. NOW !”> >

The door is open. I approach...
-“Enter, enter, son. How are you ? Ok. Let me introduce you Thomas Hicks, the owner of the team”
-“Hi, son. Let’s make quickly, my time is precious. Buck spoke to me about you. We have a proposal for you. You were definitely turning heads this Spring training. We think we have a star on the team. So here’s a contract : 30 000 $ for a year.”
-“ Do you know lace w:st="on">Oklahoma Citylace>, son ?”
-“No but for 70 000 $ for 2 years and a team option I’m ready for lace w:st="on">Alaskalace> if you want.”
-“Hmm, 70 000 $. It’s much money for you but... OK you can sign !”
The Owner gives me his pen : “You can keep it” and I sign.> >

Oklahoma City, 2 days later, in front of SBC Bricktown Ballpark, home of the lace w:st="on">Oklahomalace> RedHawks Triple A
>>

2 men wait for me : Bobby Jones, Manager and Lee Tunnell, Pitching Coach :>>

>>-“Welcome, son. You have many lessons to learn. You are young and we are here for that. You come to live in my house. You will have your house if you get the Major League. You’ll begin on the bench like Long Relief Pitcher. Lee will give you your season’s goals. The season starts in No questions allowed. See you later, son.”
-“Bye... Coach”. Nothing. I said the right word.