SAN FRANCISCO - A day after being officially called up to the San Francisco Giants, Sam Coonrod found himself at the center of attention on the mound at Oracle Park.
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His lifelong journey of playing in the big leagues had finally come to fruition.
He had been in the minor leagues for five years working his way up through the Arizona League all the way to Triple-A with the Sacramento River Cats. Through hard work, patience, and faith, Coonrod had made it to the show.
“I would just like to thank my parents, friends, coaches, and wife for all they have done for me. The family was very excited. They waited 26 years for this, and it was a dream come true for them as well,” Coonrod said. “But most of all I would like to thank God, Jesus Christ for giving me the health and ability to play the game. It’s been a life long dream to play in the big leagues, so I feel very fortunate to be here.”
He couldn’t have asked for a better setting and even a better debut.
In front of 37,017 fans, which included his family, who flew out from St. Louis early that morning, Coonrod pitched in the top of the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks and retired the side in order throwing 19 pitches. He ended the inning by striking out Kevin Cron with an 82 M.P.H. curveball on a 1-2 pitch that foul-tipped into the glove of longtime Giants catcher, Buster Posey.
Coonrod and Posey already had an understanding of how to communicate between pitches. That mainly consisted of Coonrod listening and reacting to whatever the six-time All-Star and former National League Most Valuable Player called for.
“I’ve thrown to Buster before so I had an idea of what to expect,” Coonrod said. “Obviously, you just trust whatever sign he puts down, and you go to work. It’s reassuring throwing to someone of that caliber.”
It was a 48-hour whirlwind for Coonrod, but since then, reality has set in.
Despite his shutout inning, the Giants lost 6-2, which completed a sweep by the D-Dacks. The Giants are currently sitting in the last place of West Division at 21-33 and have lost seven consecutive games. Even Coonrod would come back down to earth.
Two nights later against the Miami Marlins, he gave up two hits, including a solo home run to Curtis Granderson and walked a batter.
“This league is very tough. Much tougher than fans realize. So I’m trying to learn as much as possible,” Coonrod said. “I talk to a lot of the guys about what they do and how they do it so I can make adjustments.”
He’ll continue to have to make physical and mental adjustments to keep his place in the Giants bullpen just like every other reliever in the Major Leagues.
No matter what he does, Coonrod will have the support from his home town in Carrollton. He’s understandably idolized by just about every current and former player in the Hawks baseball program and beyond. He was part of the only team in school history to win a state championship back in 2011 sporting a dominating 33-1-1 record. That team helped prove that Carrollton can be successful in baseball and have won six regional championships since 2011.
“My mom told me Carrollton was very excited; I expected that because Carrollton is made up of some great people,” Coonrod said.
Coonrod’s now proved that it’s not impossible for somebody from Carrollton, let alone a community with less than 3,000 citizens that an athlete can make it to the highest level in a sport. In 2010, when Coonrod was a junior at Carrollton High School, he had the support of his former coach and Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer, Greg Pohlman, who believed that Coonrod would one day make it to the big leagues.
“I remember when I was a junior in high school coach Pohlman told me I could play in the big leagues, and I’m sure many people would have laughed at that if they heard him say it,” Coonrod said. “Well, he was right all along.”
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