Happily the weather is clearing on Thursday so the game against the GCL Red Sox should be played as scheduled.
Much like the games over the last two days, 21-year old Javier Brown's professional baseball career got off to a postponed, and painful, start on June 19 when a foul ball flew into the dugout and hit him in the side of the face.
It was the kind of pain his father could relate to, as Javier Brown Sr. played professional baseball with the Milwaukee Brewer's organization. "Not only do you have to be able to play the game, but you have to be lucky and stay healthy," Brown Sr. was quoted as saying the Pacific Daily News. Luck was definitely not with Brown Jr. when the ball flew into his face.
Brown Sr. was not really keen on his son following in his footsteps, knowing the tremendous amount of stress his son would be under in his quest to make it to the big leagues. As a result, it was Javier's Mom, Jeanette, who was responsible for introducing her son to the game.
Once it became obvious that Brown Jr. had a talent for the game however, things changed. The older Brown would take his son out to the ballpark so he could learn from other professional ballplayers.
Academically ineligible to play for Grossmont Junior College, Brown Jr. would play in the Mexican Leagues instead. "I think (playing in Mexico has) been a big advantage for me," Brown Jr. said in the same article "It's helped me prepare a lot mentally and work on my off-speed pitches. They're real crafty there; they really hit their spots with their off-speed stuff."
Now, if you've gone over to read the article in the Pacific Daily News, you're probably wondering what a California native has to do with Guam. While Brown Jr. has never been to Guam, his grandparents are originally from the island. If he should ever make it to the major leagues and the money the MLB promises, Brown Jr. has a dream.
"I want to go to Guam and open up a baseball academy," Brown Jr. said in a sister article, also from the Pacific Daily News "I'm sure they have a lot of talent on the island and they just need the resources."
Javier has a way to go to realize his dreams though. The start of his career temporarily delayed by injury, Javier is only 2-for-5 through 2 games with 1 RBI. Still, he shows solid defensive skills, good speed and a potentially strong bat.
And while the path through to the majors is long, the goal is certainly not unreachable, as GCL alumni Justin Morneau demonstrated with his recent All-star game appearance.
Aside from picking up the hardware in the home run derby, Morneau crossed the plate with the game winning run in the 15-inning extravaganza that was played at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.
So hang on in there Javi, and try not to hit any more balls with your face. Bats work so much better!
DSL Reds 7 at DSL Twins 2
W: J. Aquino (5-1, 1.51); L: L. Parra (3-1, 1.61); SV: S. Gerson (2)
HR: None.
Adrian Salcedo scattered four hits and a walk over 6 inning while fanning 3 to blank the DSL Reds, but Leonardo Parra, in relief gave up 5 runs, 2 earned, on 4 hits in 1 inning as the Reds took advantage of Twins errors to notch a 7-2 win.
Lesther Galvan doubled in the bottom of the first with one out on the board and moved to 3rd on Jean Carlos Mercedes ground out. Oswaldo Arcia singled him in to give the Twins an early one run lead.
The top of the 7th would do them in however and they'd only take one more run in the bottom of that stanza. Manuel Soliman singled and advanced to 2nd on a fielding error by the Reds' Miguel Rodriguez. Eliel Sierra's ground ball to second plated him. Sierra would move to second on a throwing error, but Jhonatan Arias ground out and Randy Pina and Carlos Vasquez went down on strikes.
The Twins only managed five hits, with Galvan picking up the only extra base hit.
The DSL Twins face the DSL Rockies on the road on Thursday. Start time is 10:30 AM Dominican Time.
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