Porcaro is back in the saddle for his fourth and final season of blogging. Today is his second entry for the 2015 season.
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We are 1,890 miles away from Milwaukee, yet the bad weather still follows us. Sitting here in my hotel room with Derek Peake and we just found out our game against Aoyama University has been cancelled due to rain. Hopefully things will work out and we can play them tomorrow. Guys were definitely excited to play against a different culture and have a chance to represent the USA!
Just got word Mike Fiers is starting for the Crew on Wednesday. Peake and I pulled up some YouTube videos to get some scouting in. Just kidding, we are actually watching a SportsCenter episode for the third time this morning.
Been a pretty good trip so far. Taking the second doubleheader from Grand Canyon says a lot about our team. Friday night was a tough one. We all felt like we should of left the stadium that night with two wins. I was really proud of the team for coming back the next day with high spirits. Langley stepped up by giving us a great start in game three. The at bats were phenomenal and the result showed that. Game four is where we really turned the corner. It was nearly the same situation as the first two games and this time we finished!
Reussy gave us a great effort in his first start of the year. The bullpen was fantastic that game and all weekend! McShane made some quality extra effort plays! The biggest play of the night was one you wouldn’t be able to find in the boxscore. A Grand Canyon player ripped a ball in the left field gap that off the bat, everyone thought was a double. Everyone except Luke Meeteer! Skeeter went diving head first to cut the ball off from getting to the wall. He got up and fired a seed to McShane, who threw a laser right on the money to myself as I tagged the guy out at second. That play was huge because it prevented GCU from a chance at having a big inning. It’s safe to say we found ourselves a centerman in Luke Meeteer!
Shout out to all the family and friends who have made their way down to AZ! Our section was louder than GCU all weekend. Props to PANTHER BASEBALL NATION!
This week’s ‘Call to the Pen’ features quite possibly the most interesting man on the team, Tell Taylor. Tell is one of the hundred fifth-year seniors on the team and calls Burlington, WI home. Tell and I go way back to our sophomore year in high school. I still remember the first time we played catch at our high school field. Pretty crazy that seven years later we get the chance to finish our college careers together, along with Cody Peterson, who also went to Burlington. Tell came into UWM as a smooth-fielding shortstop. This year he has made the transition to first base where he easily is the most athletic first baseman in the nation, in my opinion.
Paco: Telly, if I told you in high school that you’d be playing first base your senior year of college, what would your response have been?
TT: I would have said you’ve been smoking something funny.
Paco: But seriously, how’s the new home over at one bagger?
TT: Well, it’s different getting accustomed to a different position. I don’t quite have the instincts for the position yet… I like to forget to be the cutoff man in big situations (laughs). But I’ll be more efficient as the year goes on. However, I am the best looking first baseman on both sides of the Mississippi.
Paco: You hit the first dinger of the year two weekends ago against Maine, how many bombs can we expect from you this year?
TT: One every other game or so. 30 on the low end, 40 on the high end.
Paco: For people that don’t know, you have three siblings (Ty, Trent, and Teagan). Who is the most athletic in the family? (Fun fact: Teagan will be a freshman on UWM’s volleyball team next fall!)
TT: Either Ty or me. I would say Ty because his strength index is higher than mine.
Paco: Got any ideas on what you’re going to say to the Brewer’s players when they get to first base? (Question submitted by Peake)
TT: That’s actually a great question. I’ll be checking for cups at first base. Be on the look out Gomez.
Paco: You’re a big basketball guy. Lets say you’re going to the K dome for a pick up game. What four guys are you taking from our team to play with and why?
TT: Koenig is coming because he has a close relation to Bronson (not really). King because he’s a competitor and he can stretch the defense with the three ball. Peake for the same reasons and he was a state champ. Both guys play good D. Peake can shoot from the parking lot. I want Langley because he has a strong shoe game. He’ll supply the team with shoes. I want anyone but Goodman. Overrated!
Paco: You’re stranded on an island and allowed to have one item. What item would that be?
TT: Fully loaded helicopter so I can get out.
Paco: What inspired you to pose like this for your senior photo (below)?
TT: I thought my modeling career was going to take off. That was my first passion.
Favorite food: Sweet potato
Favorite movie: American Sniper
Favorite baseball player: Was Jeter. Andrelton Simmons now.
Pet peeve: Inconsiderate Drivers
Vacation spot: Norway
Celebrity crush: I don’t really have one.
Song you’d want to perform on a karaoke stage: I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys or Slow Motion by Juvenile.
