Written the week of July 6-12, 2026

The first-half season champions come to town for a six-game series at Whataburger Field. The Hooks have not played the Frisco RoughRiders well in 2026. Frisco swept us 3 games to none in the season’s opening series at home. We split a second home series 3-3, and now we’re playing them at home for the third time. We’ll play a final series at Frisco July 28-August 2.

For certain, if Corpus Christi wins the second-half race, we will be seeing Frisco in September. They clinched their playoff spot in June. Now we have to play well enough to secure our spot for a chance to hang a league championship banner.

Before I recount this week’s games, I want to invite you into my mind and how I think. This probably should come with some sort of warning label, but the best I can do is this: Read at your own risk. After all, you are entering the Twilight Zone of Tom’s brain.

All of this starts from the perspective of my declaration, The Hooks are going to win the Texas League championship, and my recent mornings in the gospel accounts, specifically Luke 10:1-10. I’m only giving you context for how I mull things over.

First of all, from the beginning I’ve made a bold statement about where I believe this Hooks season is going. I’ve never hidden that. That belief caused me to start writing about the experience of being a fan of a Minor League Baseball team. I’ve enjoyed the journey despite the doubts and detours it has taken.

Second of all, I have to address my bold statement. It is either a lie born out of frustration, the bluster of a disheartened fan, or the whisper of God. I don’t know which, because I’ve experienced both in my life. Sometimes I tell myself lies that I believe, and sometimes God whispers His truth in my soul. Lies and whispers are hard to distinguish. Often only one thing separates them.

And that thing is what happens in the end. When I wrote in my journal on July 11, 1985, “One year from now I’ll be holding my son” (and I added daughter, as well), I felt—and hoped—that God had whispered in my soul.

Daniel was born on July 10, 1986. I didn’t hold him until July 11, because our son is adopted. I had to wait a year to know whether what I wrote was a lie or a whisper. Praise God, it was a whisper.

Third, in this particular case, the returns are too early to call. I have to wait and let the story play out. I am willing to let go of the outcome and am freed from having to make a lie the truth. The truth itself will be revealed by season’s end.

Fourth, I always love doing this first, second, third listing of thoughts. I never know how far I’ll go until I get to the end. I think this is the end.

Back to fourth. What I’ve learned is this is not my story. I’m committed to recording the season, but the story belongs to both the God who is a part of every story, yours and mine included, and the Hooks’ players and coaches. They control the outcome, not me. All I have to do is my very simple part. Write!

The bonus has been that I’ve had the joy of riding the roller coaster of following a minor league team and meeting some great people along the way.

Let me begin with those who’ve made this a delightful week. It certainly hasn’t been the games thus far.

On Wednesday I met a couple of ladies who were waiting to get autographs. I never got their names, but I did get their stories.

They’ve been friends since 7^th grade. One was from Tennessee traveling with her husband. The other flew in from Kokomo, Indiana, where the two ladies grew up. They were on a baseball trip that included stops in Frisco, Austin, Midland, and Corpus Christi.

Of the three players they wanted to see, Ronel Blanco, Walker Janek, and Tyler Whitaker, only Tyler was actually in Corpus Christi that day.

On Thursday the real fun happened. Three boys and a little girl stood at the rail waiting to get autographs. Kaeden held a small rubber baseball, the stress-reliever type of squishy toy, and had players signing it. He also bragged about the wristlet with a cross he was wearing. He didn’t remember who gave it to him, but he was very happy to have it.

Later when Joseph Sullivan III came through the tunnel, he said, “That’s the guy!”

I heard the rest of the story when Joseph and I sat down to talk about faith and baseball. I mentioned Kaeden, and he said that Kaeden came up to him after the game. Joseph offered him another wristlet. Kaeden said, “I already have one,” but he took the gift and gave it to another boy.

That happens a lot with kids. They’re willing to share the extra whatever with another child who doesn’t have that whatever.

I had two batting practice balls to give away that I kept accessible for the right time. Thursday the right time showed up in the form of these boys.

I offered Kaeden the first ball, and he accepted. I offered Eli, a good friend’s son, the second. He declined. He already had a ball.

The youngest of the three boys was walking away when I offered the ball to Eli. He returned a few moments later and said, “Can I have the baseball?”

“Oh, how rude of me. I’m sorry. Of course, you can.”

His mother asked if her son could also borrow a marker.

“I’m sorry. I don’t loan out my markers.”

She visibly slumped and apologized.

“I give them away. It’s a gift.”

Big smile. “Oh! Thank you!”

I want to say what I’ve said in a previous article. Being kind has a way of returning to you later. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive.”

I’ve found His words to be so true even in the smallest of acts.

The little girl at the railing held out her bright pink glove to the players, and some noticed her and signed. Others didn’t because she was so small and quiet. She turned away in sad disappointment after a player stopped to sign baseballs, hats, gloves, and whatever else kids held out but he missed her. To reiterate, she was both tiny and unassuming.

Trey Dombroski, when I got his attention, returned to the little girl and autographed her pretty glove. She smiled as she turned to her mom, holding her glove like a treasure. Trey Dombroski had made her day.

I overheard a player say to the two older boys, “After the game.”

This is a common response to a request for an autograph. I’ve heard it quite often. If a player says that, I don’t expect him to actually stop after the game, but I will return to the tunnel to see if he’ll keep his word.

The boys are experienced enough to have come to the same conclusion. Ballplayers often say things that they either mean but forget or never meant in the first place. These boys interpreted “after the game” as the player didn’t mean it. Under similar circumstances I lean that direction, but I allow for forgetfulness. I know I’m guilty of both.

You can figure out what this lesson means for you, what you say, what you mean, and why. For me, it’s better to say nothing than to make a promise I won’t keep. As an extrovert though, I break my promises or keep them with an inner groan all too often.

At this point in my writing week, I’ve seen three games and, so far, we need to skip the 8^th inning. That would solve a host of problems. Well, only one problem needs to be solved, but I’ll save that for you to figure out after the recaps.

First thing! Oh, here he goes again.

We miss two specific players in the lineup. Lucas Spence went on a hitting tear in Midland, and the offense exploded. For his excellent hitting he was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A Sugar Land.

Drew Brutcher remains on the Hooks’ roster, and he too did well in Midland. He did so well for all of June that he was featured as the Astros Minor League Player of the Month. He isn’t on the 7-Day IL, but he hasn’t played the first three games of this series.

Secondly, most of the team has gone on a sabbatical when it comes to consistent hitting. We had 9 hits in the first 3 games to Frisco’s 28. Frisco outhit us a solid 3 to 1. We struck out 45 times, averaging 15 strikeouts per game. Frisco wasn’t much better with 41 strikeouts in that same timespan.

Thirdly, two Hooks’ players tried to make up the deficiency, and this is based on memory more than the box score. Our guy Will Bush gave us the lead in a couple of games with early home runs. He hit safely in all three games, with a double on Thursday night to extend his extra-base-hit streak.

Yamal has had a power explosion lately. Last week at Northwest Arkansas he hit his fourth home run of the season, and the only one I wasn’t present to see. Thursday night he went 2 for 3, with a home run into the visitors’ bullpen. I did see that one, and it knotted up the game, 2-2 in the 7^th.

Now we come to the 8^th inning problem.

In game 1, Will Bush hit a 2-run homer in the 1^st to give the Hooks a 2-0 lead. Marcus Lee Sang homered in the top of the 2^nd to make it 2-1 Hooks. Corpus Christi led 2-1 going into the 8^th. Nic Swanson entered in relief and plunked the 1^st batter, Franyer Chavez, then Rafe Perich homered to left field to give the RoughRiders a 3-2 lead.

We had 6 outs to make up the difference and managed only a single over the final two innings. Frisco 3-Corpus Christi 2.

In game 2 the Hooks led 3-1 going into the 8^th. Rafe Perich led off Frisco with his 2^nd home run of the series. Now we led 3-2. No problem. Let’s just get the next 3 outs.

A single, walk, pop out, single tied it up 3-3, but all we needed now was a double play. Slow-footed Arturo Disla obliged and hit an easy grounder to the 2^nd baseman. Yes!

Nooooo! A bad toss botched the double play and kept the inning alive. Now the bases were loaded. A 2-run single made it 5-3, Frisco. A 3-run homer made it 8-3.

Over the next two innings, the Hooks managed only a hit by pitch. Final score, Frisco 8-Corpus Christi 3.

In game 3 our guy Will Bush homered again in the 1^st inning. Frisco would hit 5 singles to take a 2-1 lead in the 2^nd. Corpus tied it up in the 7^th when Yamal Encarnacion homered into the visitors’ bullpen.

We were tied going into the 8^th. Uh, oh, we’ve seen this movie before, and it didn’t end well. Max Wagner hit a 2-run home run and Frisco led 4-2. The RoughRiders would add a run in the 9^th on a wild pitch. Final score, Frisco 5-Corpus Christi 2.

Leading after 7, leading after 7, tied after 7, loss, loss, loss!!!

For the rest of the series, the 8^th inning called in sick. Its replacement was any other number you’d prefer.

In game 4 the 33^rd inning followed the 7^th. Let’s see how that turned out for us.

Something happened in the bottom half of the 1^st inning during our time at bat, then never made an appearance again in the game. Our guy Will Bush struck out.

This anomaly was so subtle Ellen didn’t notice it despite the fact she tracked every Frisco pitch to our batters. I didn’t notice it at all, despite being at Whataburger Field. When I searched the box score at home to find out how a particular player did, I discovered the anomaly.

Our guy Will Bush struck out once? That’s the anomaly?

No, it’s the fact that he was the only Hooks’ player to strike out during the entire game. After averaging 15 per game, Corpus Christi’s whole lineup struck out once in game 4.

I sat out in the right-center field berm seats just in front of the flag poles on Friday night. I had met Robert, Kassy, and Kinber, their youngest, during an earlier series at Whataburger Field. Now they were joined by their three older girls, ages 12, 11, and 9. I was in right-center because they were there and I couldn’t pass up the fun.

Their girls love the Astros and know baseball. When I mentioned Yordan Alvarez and started to explain who he was, an exceptional Astros’ player, I stopped. Kynzly didn’t need an explanation. She knew who he was.

Players threw them baseballs throughout the night. The previous night they collected 9 balls, including Will Bush’s first-inning home run.

That was the berm. What about on the field?

In the 1^st inning James Hicks pitched a 1-2-3 inning, and you know how I love those. Joseph Sullivan III caught a sharply hit fly ball against the wall. The Hooks would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, and of course, that doesn’t thrill me.

Different names but same result in the 2^nd inning. 1-2-3 Frisco, 1-2-3 Corpus Christi.

In the 3rd inning, Max Wagner hits a ball that flies in my direction to right center. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be a home run, but it does look like Wagner’s going to be running awhile. Then right fielder Yamal Encarnacion came flying toward the fence, stretched, and plucked the ball out of the air for the first out.

According to Ellen who was watching at home, the announcer said nobody else on the roster would have made that catch except Yamal.

James Hicks hit Arturo Disla with a pitch but otherwise breezed through the Frisco lineup. Frisco pitcher Ben Anderson didn’t do much breezing in the bottom half of the inning, and Corpus Christi led 1-0. Tyler Whitaker homered in the 5^th to make it 2-0 Hooks.

In the 6^th and the 8^th, oops, 33^rd innings, Corpus Christi added four more runs to lead 6-0 going into the top of the 9^th. Hudson Leach came in as the 8^th-inning reliever. My text to Jim and Ellen: 1-2-3 in the 33^rd, as refreshing as a cool drink of water on a hot day.

In the top half of the 9^th, Arturo Disla doubled and came home on a Corey Joyce single, spoiling the shutout. Amilcar Chirinos would strike out the last two batters, and the Hooks would win 6-1.

This would be the most complete game for the team at the plate, on the mound, and in the field. Would they keep it up on Saturday?

During Friday’s game everyone, including the announcers, knew we had problems in the 8^th inning. As we cruised along with a 3-run lead going into the 8^th, the announcers would, from time to time, remind the listeners of the previous three nights’ results, all losses. Would Friday’s win change the perception about 8^th-inning struggles?

From the start, Trey Dombroski threw a whole lot of pitches through 3.1 innings. In the 1^st, he’d give up a single, double, and hit by pitch to load up the bases, and, Houdini-like, escape without giving up a run.

This was not going to be an easy night, not an easy night at all, for Dombroski or the Hooks.

We’d score in the 1^st thanks to a Yamal Encarnacion walk, steal of 2^nd, steal of 3^rd, and run scored on Jason Schiavone single. We’d score two more in the 2^nd when Joseph Sullivan III walked then scored on a Tyler Whitaker double. Tyler would score on a Marcus Brown single.

In the 3^rd and 4^th innings, Frisco would tie up the score, 3-3. We’d retake the lead in the 5^th on Cameron Sisneros’s 2-run homer. We’d extend the lead to 6-3 in the 7^th.

Then came the 8^th.

It turned out Arturo Disla wasn’t so slow-footed. He smacked a triple to right center. Malcolm Moore doubled then went to 3^rd on a fielding error. Two singles, a walk, and a sacrifice fly later, the score is Corpus Christi 6-Frisco 6. Ugh!

We don’t go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8^th, but we don’t score either.

In the 9^th, I have moved to the left field berm. I’d love to be in the rockers, but they’re reserved for a party.

With Frisco up, I’m annoyed by a little girl. I enjoy children. Most of the time, even on a bad day on the field, they are a lot of fun in the stands, but this girl, maybe a 1^st grader, is annoying the heck out of me.

Why?

Because she kept chanting, “Hit a home run. Hit a home run,” while Frisco batted.

She didn’t care about who won or lost. She just wanted a ball. I said to her, “I wish I had a ball to give you. If I get one, I’ll give it to you.”

She looked at me, faced the field, and chanted, “Hit a home run. Hit a home run.”

With Rafe Perich on 2^nd, Arturo Disla did. Frisco 8-Corpus Christi 6. Ah, not again!

Did the home run quiet the little girl?

Nope! She looked at her parents, who’d tried to quiet her earlier. “I said hit a home run and he listened to me.” Then she started chanting again. Grrr!!!

A fly out, strikeout, pop out finished the top half of the 9^th.

My text to Jim and Ellen: We need 2 on and a 3-run home run. Let’s go, Hooks!

Our guy Will Bush led off with a single. Jason Schiavone singled. Cameron Sisneros doubled, Will scored, 8-7 Frisco. Frisco chose to walk Joseph Sullivan III. This choice will lead to a debate between Ellen and me on the way to church the next morning.

Bases were loaded with no outs. A walk, a sacrifice fly, a ground out would all tie up the game. A single would win it. We wouldn’t get any of those, nor the 3-run home run I said we needed.

Whitaker walloped a grand slam into the rockers! Corpus Christi 11-Frisco 8.

I whooped, hollered, and giggled like a schoolgirl. This was the most exciting game I’d seen in a while. Definitely the most dramatic win of the season.

Sunday was a 2:05 PM game. Ellen and I wore pink shirts for Pink in the Park. The Hooks were decked out in special Pink in the Park jerseys that would be auctioned off after the game. Proceeds would go to a local charity addressing breast cancer.

Yamal Encarnacion would walk, steal 2^nd, steal 3^rd, and steal home when Frisco’s catcher tried to catch Cameron Sisneros stealing 2^nd. Encarnacion would score all the runs for Corpus Christi. They just wouldn’t be enough.

Arturo Disla homered in the 2nd. Rafe Perich homered in the 3^rd and 5^th. Dylan Dreiling homered in the 5^th. Corey Joyce homered in the 6^th. Keith Jones II homered in the 8^th.

Ellen asked why Frisco hit so many homers.

First, they made good contact.

Second, it was a hot day. Balls travel farther with higher temperatures.

Third, a strong breeze blew out to left field. This one happens most games.

There’s a strong breeze for us to. Why can’t we do that?

I reiterated that Frisco made good contact.

Let me highlight a player for Frisco, Arturo Disla. Ellen noticed on Sunday that he and our guy Will Bush seemed to know each other. Arturo, from the Dominican Republic, played college baseball at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. Will played at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. Both play first base, and first basemen seem to talk to everybody. Whether they played against one another in college or since being signed to a professional contract, they seemed familiar with one another.

What stood out from the first game about Arturo Disla was his size. He was a large man somewhat in the shape of actor Kevin James. A fan kept looking at Arturo’s less-than-athletic appearance and yelling for the pitcher to throw strikes. “He’s an easy out. You don’t need to be afraid of him. He can’t hit. C’mon! Throw to him.”

I made an assumption about his speed in an earlier comment, “slow-footed Arturo Disla,” and I was wrong. His weight played a part in that statement, but the fact that he didn’t go for 2^nd on what I believed to be a double played a more significant role in that statement. The triple in Saturday’s game erased any nonsense in my mind about his speed.

But I never assumed that he couldn’t hit.

His stat line came up every time he stepped into the batter’s box. At this writing, he’s hitting .288 with 9 home runs and an OPS of .889 at Double A. He hits for average with power and gets on base.

His 2-run homer on Saturday night that gave Frisco the lead in the 9^th was the talk of the next day. Anyone who saw it said the same thing. “I never saw anyone hit a ball over the leftfield scoreboard.” As far as I know, you can still retrieve the ball on the other side of the fence, because it cleared Whataburger Field by a lot.

Although the Hooks started and ended 2 games out of first and Midland retained their 1^st-place position, Frisco remains the team we’re really chasing. We have San Antonio and Amarillo to worry about before the Frisco series comes up at the end of this month.

Let’s see if the Hooks can solve the 8^th-inning problem before then.

Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

—Natasha Bedingfield

Frisco RoughRiders 3-Corpus Christi Hooks 2                  L

Frisco RoughRiders 8-Corpus Christi Hooks 3                  L

Frisco RoughRiders 5-Corpus Christi Hooks 2                  L

Frisco RoughRiders 6-Corpus Christi Hooks 1                  W

Frisco RoughRiders 8-Corpus Christi Hooks 11                W

Frisco RoughRiders 11-Corpus Christi Hooks 3                L

Texas League South 2^nd-half standings

Midland                           11-7

Frisco                              10-8

Corpus Christi                  9-9

San Antonio                     9-9

Amarillo                          5-7