Rakeville Times: A Man and a Mentor

Hitting the ball like he used to hit the mirror, Josh Hamilton hasn't had a chance to play much for Rakeville, but he is not discouraged thanks to a player who took a similar path to EHCC stardom. Well, without the cocaine, hookers and tribal tattoos.

A Man and a Mentor
By Aviator McShadeless, Rakeville Times

Chase Utley knows exactly what Josh Hamilton is going through. Drafted in the second round of the 2005 draft, Utley was only a platoon player before coming to Rakeville.

“I was checking the lineup everyday,” said Utley. “I had no clue whether I would be playing or not. All I knew was that if I did get in the game, I had to do everything possible to make a mark.”

A mark is an understatement. Utley eventually won the job outright by mid-season, and has been considered the best second baseman in the EHCC ever since.

“You could see the talent in every at bat,” said Jack Reed. “It was really astounding. It first we thought it was just a hot start, but he kept on hitting. Despite his inconsistent playing time, we kept him in our starting lineup because he was still better than anyone else we could get while only playing half the games.”

Now, Josh Hamilton is hoping to secure a starting job, and like Utley, he has done everything he can to make an impact. In the first two weeks, Hamilton has hit .278 with three homeruns. As his playing time increases, so does his average. Stolen bases are the only thing that’s missing.

With Andruw Jones, Vernon Wells and EHCC rookie of the year candidate Delmon Young in the outfield, the Rockets will let Hamilton develop as a utility player.

“We are lucky,” said Reed. “With Utley, we needed him in our lineup, but Hamilton doesn’t have that pressure on him. I’m sure at some point this season we’ll realize he is too good to keep on the bench, and we will find a spot for him.”

In other news, Rich Hill has lived up to his draft pick. In two starts, the left-hander has two wins with a 0.64 ERA. He leads a Rockets pitching that is first in every category except saves, where Rakeville closers place second to Peoria.

In the Peoria game, almost every Rakeville starter blasted at least two homeruns. Missing from the offensive explosion was catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman David Ortiz, who only had one. “I have been a bit of a sissy,” said Ortiz.

The surprising release of Kei Igawa, has yet to be explained by the Rakeville front office, but Igawa was more telling. “They said I was good, but they don’t like Japanese people. They are very racist,” he said, despite the Rockets signing fellow islander Kaz Matsui to replace him.