Minors, Hits, Homeruns, and Heroes (May 2009)
So after starting the season in the big leagues and playing in three games, I was informed that they needed my roster spot for a pitcher, meaning I had to go down to the minor leagues. I was kinda bummed, but its part of the game. It was an opportunity to play everyday and get a bunch of at bats, which is always a good thing. You must be down for at least ten days, so I took it as a chance to work on some things and embrace the challenge. Other then the hour and a half commute to the park!, I really enjoyed it. Waking up at 6a.m. to catch the 7a.m. train sucks, but at least I was home every night for Sara’s yummy cookin. We have an American manager in the minors by the name of Len Sakata (10 year major league veteran), which makes a huge difference because you know what’s goin on and what to do. I struggled at first, but ended up turning it on after a couple of days, playing good D, and hittin the ball really well. It was kinda hard watching the big league game every night on T.V., seeing Gary and the other guys playin without me, and me not knowing when I would be back with the team. I just stayed positive and after ten days, Bobby called me and said I would be starting in centerfield the next day! WooHoo! I had yet to get my first big league hit (0 for 3), so I was pumped to get the ball rollin. I started the next night and in my third at bat I got a first pitch fastball out over the plate and drove a sharp line drive into centerfield for my first big league hit!! It was a huge weight off my shoulders, because everyday is an opportunity and your never sure when you will get another one.
We left for a road trip the next day to Fukuoka to play the SoftBank Hawks. I was in the lineup again since our second basemen (Tadahito Iguchi) had injured his quad. We were playin in the Yahoo Dome, a super cool, ultra modern dome in downtown Fukuoka. We were facing a tough lefty and my first at bat was with runners on first and second and 2 outs. I got a changeup out over the plate a drove another sharp single up the middle for my first RBI!! Yay! I added a double my next at bat for my first extra base hit!
Two days later I was in the starting lineup again. We were facing one of the top left-handed pitchers in Japan(Sugiuchi). He led the league in strikeouts last year and was one of the aces for the world champion WBC team. After my first two at bats, I realized why he is so successful. He has great command, a nasty changeup, a very sharp slider, and he pounds the inner half of the plate. He shattered my bat my first at-bat, and then struck me out after a ten pitch battle my second at-bat. By my third at-bat, our team had 3 hits and he was in complete control. I was leading off, and the third basemen was playing WAY back. I decided that trying to bunt off this guy wasn’t too bad of an idea. I squared around to bunt, but he threw a ball. I then changed my mind, I wanted to hit. He threw a nasty back door slider that made me change my mind back into bunting. I squared to bunt the 1-1 pitch, but it was a ball too. Now I don’t know what to do, the third basemen is playin in left field, but I also have a good hitters count. I say “F--- It”, and get ready to swing. The next pitch was a slider intended for the inside corner, that hung just enough out over the plate and BANG! I clicked it just right and the ball exploded off my bat down the left field line. The only question was whether it would stay fair. With a little body language, I got it to stay true, splashing down about 15 rows deep. My first HOMERUN!!! I floated around the bases.
We returned home a day later for a six game home stand. I continued to play pretty much every day since Iguchi’s leg was still hurting him. I mixed in some hits during the home stand, but kinda cooled off going into the final game. The last game was on Mothers Day. A Sunday day game with a sold out crowd. (30,000 crazy fans and blue skies, it don’t get no better). While stretching before the game I look up in the right field bleachers and see a HUGE picture of MY face with “We Love Lambin” written above it! Ha. There was also a big sign with “Area 43”, and another one sayin “Big Bangin Rusty!…43!“ (How they got my nickname is beyond me). I never imagined in a million years I would have banners with my face and name on it. What a crazy feeling!!! I just bowed and waved my hat in appreciation. The fans really are unbelievable.
We were facing an American pitcher by the name of Darrell Rasner (he was in the starting rotation the entire season for the New York Yankees last year). I faced him during Spring Training and knew that he had a nasty cutter and a really good changeup. In my first at bat, I took a fastball for ball one. I got another fastball the next pitch, right down the middle, and put every inch off my body into it. I hit it perfect, a majestic blast that sailed deep into the right field bleachers! The place erupted! I once again floated around the bases. This really got my juices flowin, I was a ball of energy the rest of the game. My next at-bat I worked the count to 2-2 and got another fastball out over the plate and smashed it off the right field wall. The ball bounced straight to the right fielder so I knew I had to get on my horse to get into second. My knee has been kinda hurtin and it really hurts to stop once I’m running, or to slide feet first, so I decided a head first, Pete Rose/Superman dive into second would be the least painful. Well I jump about 6 feet in the air and belly flop in ball of dust into second and the crowd goes bonkers. (They love any kind of flare or theatrics in this country, they eat it up.) It still hurt my knee, but at least I earned some points with the fans. So now I’m really pumped. Anybody who has played with me knows that I am easily excitable, so a homerun and a double has me rockin and rollin. I take the field to play defense and our young phenom pitcher (Karakawa) is dealing, and has a shutout goin. The first batter of the inning laces a liner to my left, I take one step and vault myself, completely outstretched, and I feel the ball rip into the pocket of my glove. I hear the crowd roar before I even hit the ground. (When you make a great play, they chant your name until you acknowledge the crowd. I of course give them a deep bow and a huge grin.) The next hitter pops up to me and the crowd roars again. I cant stop smiling. I’m having so much damn fun, it doesn’t make sense. Just when I think it cant get any more fun, the next batter smashes a ground ball to my left, between me and the first baseman. I have to take a deep angle to get to it. I field the ball in shallow right field, spin to my left and fire as hard as I can at our first basemen who was late getting to the bag because he went for the ball too. It’s a bang bang play and the umpire punches him OUT! The stadium COMPLETELY erupts!!! I throw up my fist up and let out a Braveheart yell as I sprint full speed off the field yelling at the crowd and pumping my fist! HA…How fun is that?
We went on to win the game as our young stud threw a complete game shutout. After the game they named me and him co-MVP’s of the game. What this means is, you have to go up on this little stage in the middle of the field and do a “Hero’s Interview”. I have my interpreter repeat my answers. I thank all the moms, say I love my mom, and tell the fans that they are the best in the world. They cheer at all my answers and I cant wipe the smile off my face. After the interview, you have to sign a couple balls and throw them into the crowd. One of the balls has to be thrown in the right field stands, so I run out there and for some reason I turn into a WWF wrestler. I’m doin the Hulk Hogan, “let me here ya”, motion with my hand to my ear, getting the crowd roaring and begin for me to throw the ball in there direction. I get the crowd all riled up and fire my ball at the guys with the huge Chase Lambin pictures and banners. Well after I toss the ball, they start singing my song. I have completely lost my mind by now, caught up in all the emotion, and start dancing right in the middle of the field! I finish with a Blake McGinley heel slap dance move and raise the roof like I was Arsenio Hall! The crowd is goin bonkers. Who knew I was such a ham? After that, we had to run down the right field line and high five all the fans on the railing. Well the people where stacked 3 and 4 deep on top of each other (Picture Cal Ripken), all tryin to just touch my hand. This is all goin on while my name is being bellowed by the entire stadium…. which was still full 20 minutes after the game ended!!! My head is spinning as I finally make it back to the dugout. Gary is there waiting for me with a huge smile from ear to ear. He was dying laughing at all my antics. We figure we might as well live it up while we are here. (I cant wait to see him win MVP, the stadium might fall down!) Right before I duck into the clubhouse I find Sara in the stands(looking absolutely gorgeous by the way) and give her a huge smile and wave. We have been thru so much together. I am so thankful she is here to share these moments with me. I wouldn’t be acting like a WWF wrestler if it wasn’t for her! HA!
The craziness didn’t stop there. Me and Sara had to have a security escort to leave the stadium! Since we ride our bikes, we have to leave along side all the fans. Pandemonium broke out as we were makin our way thru the crowd. You woulda thought we were David and Posh Beckham! They all just wanted to touch us! They love jewelry, so they were all tryin to touch Sara’s ring!…how funny. We finally make it thru the crowd and back to our cozy little apartment. What a day. I still shake my head when I think about it. I just hope there will be many more just like it. I will keep you posted.
See Ya on Down the Road,
Chase
We left for a road trip the next day to Fukuoka to play the SoftBank Hawks. I was in the lineup again since our second basemen (Tadahito Iguchi) had injured his quad. We were playin in the Yahoo Dome, a super cool, ultra modern dome in downtown Fukuoka. We were facing a tough lefty and my first at bat was with runners on first and second and 2 outs. I got a changeup out over the plate a drove another sharp single up the middle for my first RBI!! Yay! I added a double my next at bat for my first extra base hit!
Two days later I was in the starting lineup again. We were facing one of the top left-handed pitchers in Japan(Sugiuchi). He led the league in strikeouts last year and was one of the aces for the world champion WBC team. After my first two at bats, I realized why he is so successful. He has great command, a nasty changeup, a very sharp slider, and he pounds the inner half of the plate. He shattered my bat my first at-bat, and then struck me out after a ten pitch battle my second at-bat. By my third at-bat, our team had 3 hits and he was in complete control. I was leading off, and the third basemen was playing WAY back. I decided that trying to bunt off this guy wasn’t too bad of an idea. I squared around to bunt, but he threw a ball. I then changed my mind, I wanted to hit. He threw a nasty back door slider that made me change my mind back into bunting. I squared to bunt the 1-1 pitch, but it was a ball too. Now I don’t know what to do, the third basemen is playin in left field, but I also have a good hitters count. I say “F--- It”, and get ready to swing. The next pitch was a slider intended for the inside corner, that hung just enough out over the plate and BANG! I clicked it just right and the ball exploded off my bat down the left field line. The only question was whether it would stay fair. With a little body language, I got it to stay true, splashing down about 15 rows deep. My first HOMERUN!!! I floated around the bases.
We returned home a day later for a six game home stand. I continued to play pretty much every day since Iguchi’s leg was still hurting him. I mixed in some hits during the home stand, but kinda cooled off going into the final game. The last game was on Mothers Day. A Sunday day game with a sold out crowd. (30,000 crazy fans and blue skies, it don’t get no better). While stretching before the game I look up in the right field bleachers and see a HUGE picture of MY face with “We Love Lambin” written above it! Ha. There was also a big sign with “Area 43”, and another one sayin “Big Bangin Rusty!…43!“ (How they got my nickname is beyond me). I never imagined in a million years I would have banners with my face and name on it. What a crazy feeling!!! I just bowed and waved my hat in appreciation. The fans really are unbelievable.
We were facing an American pitcher by the name of Darrell Rasner (he was in the starting rotation the entire season for the New York Yankees last year). I faced him during Spring Training and knew that he had a nasty cutter and a really good changeup. In my first at bat, I took a fastball for ball one. I got another fastball the next pitch, right down the middle, and put every inch off my body into it. I hit it perfect, a majestic blast that sailed deep into the right field bleachers! The place erupted! I once again floated around the bases. This really got my juices flowin, I was a ball of energy the rest of the game. My next at-bat I worked the count to 2-2 and got another fastball out over the plate and smashed it off the right field wall. The ball bounced straight to the right fielder so I knew I had to get on my horse to get into second. My knee has been kinda hurtin and it really hurts to stop once I’m running, or to slide feet first, so I decided a head first, Pete Rose/Superman dive into second would be the least painful. Well I jump about 6 feet in the air and belly flop in ball of dust into second and the crowd goes bonkers. (They love any kind of flare or theatrics in this country, they eat it up.) It still hurt my knee, but at least I earned some points with the fans. So now I’m really pumped. Anybody who has played with me knows that I am easily excitable, so a homerun and a double has me rockin and rollin. I take the field to play defense and our young phenom pitcher (Karakawa) is dealing, and has a shutout goin. The first batter of the inning laces a liner to my left, I take one step and vault myself, completely outstretched, and I feel the ball rip into the pocket of my glove. I hear the crowd roar before I even hit the ground. (When you make a great play, they chant your name until you acknowledge the crowd. I of course give them a deep bow and a huge grin.) The next hitter pops up to me and the crowd roars again. I cant stop smiling. I’m having so much damn fun, it doesn’t make sense. Just when I think it cant get any more fun, the next batter smashes a ground ball to my left, between me and the first baseman. I have to take a deep angle to get to it. I field the ball in shallow right field, spin to my left and fire as hard as I can at our first basemen who was late getting to the bag because he went for the ball too. It’s a bang bang play and the umpire punches him OUT! The stadium COMPLETELY erupts!!! I throw up my fist up and let out a Braveheart yell as I sprint full speed off the field yelling at the crowd and pumping my fist! HA…How fun is that?
We went on to win the game as our young stud threw a complete game shutout. After the game they named me and him co-MVP’s of the game. What this means is, you have to go up on this little stage in the middle of the field and do a “Hero’s Interview”. I have my interpreter repeat my answers. I thank all the moms, say I love my mom, and tell the fans that they are the best in the world. They cheer at all my answers and I cant wipe the smile off my face. After the interview, you have to sign a couple balls and throw them into the crowd. One of the balls has to be thrown in the right field stands, so I run out there and for some reason I turn into a WWF wrestler. I’m doin the Hulk Hogan, “let me here ya”, motion with my hand to my ear, getting the crowd roaring and begin for me to throw the ball in there direction. I get the crowd all riled up and fire my ball at the guys with the huge Chase Lambin pictures and banners. Well after I toss the ball, they start singing my song. I have completely lost my mind by now, caught up in all the emotion, and start dancing right in the middle of the field! I finish with a Blake McGinley heel slap dance move and raise the roof like I was Arsenio Hall! The crowd is goin bonkers. Who knew I was such a ham? After that, we had to run down the right field line and high five all the fans on the railing. Well the people where stacked 3 and 4 deep on top of each other (Picture Cal Ripken), all tryin to just touch my hand. This is all goin on while my name is being bellowed by the entire stadium…. which was still full 20 minutes after the game ended!!! My head is spinning as I finally make it back to the dugout. Gary is there waiting for me with a huge smile from ear to ear. He was dying laughing at all my antics. We figure we might as well live it up while we are here. (I cant wait to see him win MVP, the stadium might fall down!) Right before I duck into the clubhouse I find Sara in the stands(looking absolutely gorgeous by the way) and give her a huge smile and wave. We have been thru so much together. I am so thankful she is here to share these moments with me. I wouldn’t be acting like a WWF wrestler if it wasn’t for her! HA!
The craziness didn’t stop there. Me and Sara had to have a security escort to leave the stadium! Since we ride our bikes, we have to leave along side all the fans. Pandemonium broke out as we were makin our way thru the crowd. You woulda thought we were David and Posh Beckham! They all just wanted to touch us! They love jewelry, so they were all tryin to touch Sara’s ring!…how funny. We finally make it thru the crowd and back to our cozy little apartment. What a day. I still shake my head when I think about it. I just hope there will be many more just like it. I will keep you posted.
See Ya on Down the Road,
Chase
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