I attended the Inland Empire 66ers meet the team barbecue at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino. Several years ago the 66ers, Class A affiliate of the Angels, also held this event and it was a decent turnout. This time the place was packed.

The $15 per person ticket included an all you can eat buffet with a chance to eat and mingle with all the players on the team. My main focus was meeting the coaching staff and some of the top prospects.

Former major leaguer Denny Hocking returns to the 66ers as team manager.

Former major leaguer Matt Wise returns as the teams pitching coach.

According to MLB Prospects Watch, pitcher Victor Alcantara is ranked 16th in the Angels organization.

According to MLB Prospects Watch, infielder Roberto Baldoquin is ranked 3rd in the Angels organization. The cuban signed with the Angels in the offseason.

On April 28, 2014, Randal Alexander Grichuk made his Major League debut with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Randal started his career in the Angels organization, then was sent to St. Louis along with Peter Bourjos in the deal that brought David Freese and Fernando Salas to Anaheim.

Randal spent the entire 2012 season at Class A Inland Empire, where he hit 18 home runs with 71 runs batted in.

I want to wish Randal the best of luck in the big leagues.

The Bakersfield Blaze made a trip to San Bernardino for a short series against the 66ers. I attended the first game of the series to meet former major league pitcher Tom Browning, who is the pitching coach for the Blaze.

Tom had a pretty good major league career that included pitching a perfect game, an All Star appearance, and World Series title.

I also had Tom sign my book, Tom Browning’s Tales from the Reds Dugout.

I didn’t purchase the book just to get it signed. I actually read it and found many parts in the book very interesting and funny. An example is below.

From Tom Browning’s Tales from the Reds Dugout. Chapter 6.

“A few times a year, the Reds offer discounted ticket prices for local college students. Back in the 1980’s, the students would pack the place, and they were a wild bunch of kids. I’m sure beer sales were brisk. 

“I remember Dave Parker playing right field during one of those nights. Out of nowhere, a big purple dildo came flying down from the stands. The thing must have been two-feet long. It hit with a thud right behind Park and finally rolled to a stop on the warning track.”

Facts about Tom

• Full name is Thomas Leo Browning
• Drafted by the Reds in the 9th round of the 1982 amateur draft.
• Won a career high 20 games in 1985.
• Pitched a perfect game on September 16, 1988, against the Dodgers.
• 1990 All-Star.
• 1991 World Series champion.
• Had a 12 year major league career.

Wikipedia

The lake Elsinore Storm made a trip to San Bernardino for a three game series against the 66ers. I attended a game to meet former major league catcher Rod Barajas, who is the hitting coach for the Storm.

Rod didn’t begin the season as the Storm hitting coach, he got the nod midway through the season after a promotion from the Arizona League.

It seems like only yesterday Rod was in a Dodgers uniform.

I had some unfinished business with former major leaguer Jaime Quirk. The first time I met Jaime I didn’t have a camera. He played 18 seasons in the big leagues.

The Stockton Ports were in town for a four game series against the 66ers. The ports have a number of top prospects on their current roster, which meant I had to make it out to at least one game.

I did meet most of the top prospects and also met former major league pitcher, John Wasdin, who is the Ports pitching coach.

Facts about John

• Full name is John Truman Wasdin.
• Attended Florida State.
• Drafted in the 1st round of the 1993 amateur draft by the Oakland A’s.
• Appeared in a career high 53 games for the Boston Red Sox in 1997.
• Had a 12 year major league career.

Baseball Reference