Written the week of July 13-19, 2026

The All-Star break included the minor leaguers, so many Hooks players hopped on planes and left for Alabama, Missouri, Washington, and other places after Sunday’s game. On Monday I grabbed a bat and headed to the batting cages. I joined a friend and his son and proved it is never too late to learn.

What did I learn?

That an inside pitch is my hole. I’d be happy if that was the only hole in my swing, but that’s the one that became obvious. Nevertheless, I enjoyed swinging a bat again.

On Friday Ellen and I traveled to the home of a longtime friend, Jack Massengale, and watched two games that night. On Jack’s TV we watched the Orioles at Astros. On our phones we watched the Hooks at Missions. Both were close games with disappointing outcomes. Jim Cologna joined us via text.

When Lucas Spence appeared on the television screen, it took a second for me to recognize the face and then realize the moment. Lucas, who’d been with the Hooks in June, now appeared in the lineup for the Astros in mid-July. He started in center field and got his first major league hit, a single into right center. He would make it as far as 3^rd base with one out, but he’d never score.

I am reminded of meeting a player in April at Whataburger Field then reconnecting with the same player in September at Milwaukee’s Miller Park when the Astros came to town. The year was 2011 and the player was J. D. Martinez.

I saw his Hooks teammate as well in Corpus Christi and in Milwaukee, but I never got the guy’s name until much later. By the time the player became the heart of the Astros’ playoff run, I knew Jose Altuve’s name very well.

Saturday we traveled to San Antonio to catch games 2 and 3. We had something to deliver to the Hooks players before game 2, so we arrived at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium two hours before the gates opened.

Ellen worried about getting into the ballpark that early. After all, no one was around to even let us in. When I strode forward, she reluctantly followed. A San Antonio Missions employee did stop us at the gate, but when I stated our purpose and mentioned JJ Jimenez’s name, he smiled and ushered us into the ballpark.

Another employee, hearing JJ’s name, led us to a building, where we waited.

JJ Jimenez is the Director of Ticket Sales for the San Antonio Missions and a long-time friend. We met at a Hooks game in 2018 when she and her friend sat behind me.

During a San Antonio home game, JJ will be the bundle of energy buzzing around the stadium helping get things done properly. She has been a joy and a blessing to know over these 8 years.

She generously helped Ellen and me get the gift delivered to the players as well as taking care of some other game-related issues.

I talked with Wayne, the camera guy, and Robert, the usher, while waiting for players to come out before the game. Robert lamented the disappointing year the Missions were having, and I commiserated with him. After all, both teams tied for last place in the 1^st half of the season. Now both were battling to stay in contention for the 2^nd half.

Bryce Mayer, newly promoted Nolan DeVos, and Will Bush were the first players to warm up. Bryce would start the game, Nolan would relieve him in the sixth, and Will would catch.

When another fan saw Bryce and Nolan warming up, he asked who was starting. I said, “Bryce Mayer is the starter today.”

“You sure? I know DeVos will be pitching, so if he’s not starting, he’ll come in early, maybe after the 2^nd.”

“I don’t think so. Bryce is a solid pitcher, and he’s usually good for 5 or 6 innings.”

“But didn’t he just come off the IL?”

“Nope. He pitched against Frisco in our last series.”

I never planned to be that guy who knows all about the players, but this season I can’t help it. I’m around, observing all the time, and, for the most part, I pay attention to what’s happening before the game, during the game, and after the game.

Before the game, since it would be Nolan DeVos’s first game in Double-A, I asked if he would sign my ticket. He said, “After the game.”

Well, we’ll see about that.

On this particular day, I had a lengthy conversation with Brett Gillis about pitching and umpiring. Someone earlier mentioned Single-A ball now had ABS, Automated Ball-Strike System, instead of umpires, which I didn’t believe was true, but I could neither confirm nor deny. After my conversation with Brett, I can now confirm that ABS in Single-A is a false rumor.

The catalyst for my conversation with Brett was watching a game at home and seeing when a batter or catcher looked disgusted by a called 3^rd strike or 4^th ball. You can imagine which player was disgusted by what call. I went to the Gameday Live feed to see the pitch-by-pitch coverage. I had to stop because the behind-the-plate umpiring was so uneven.

I honestly believe ABS would slow down and hurt the game at the Double-A level. Umpires are working their way through the system and need time to develop their skills in the same way pitchers and batters do. All of them, players and umpires, are evaluated for their performance on the field. The better umpires, like the better players, typically get promoted to the next level. All are ultimately wanting to get to the Show.

I’ve got questions and reservations about the accuracy of Gameday. How does it find the location of a pitch? Is it ABS-based? Is it, like I’ve seen in the stands at both professional and college games, a guy tracking pitches? Does it depend on where the game is played? In other words, how does Gameday record each pitch?

Now on to game 2 in San Antonio. For the first six innings, neither the Hooks nor the Missions did much, and both teams remained scoreless. In the 2^nd inning Bryce Mayer gave up a walk and a double, but with runners at 2^nd and 3^rd, he coaxed Chris Sargent to hit an easy fly to center fielder Joseph Sullivan III for the 3^rd out. That would be the closest San Antonio would get to scoring until the 8^th inning.

In the 7^th, our guy Will Bush walked. Walker Janek singled to advance Will to 2^nd. Janek had been out for months and had just returned after the All-Star break. Cameron Sisneros doubled to plate both base runners. Tyler Whitaker followed up with another double, and Sisneros scored. When the smoke cleared, we had a 3-0 lead. In the 8^th, we’d add to our score with a 2-run homer by Janek.

The 8^th inning had been trouble for us in the Frisco series, and it would be the tough inning for us on Saturday. Nolan DeVos struck out six batters over three innings and would breeze through the 6^th and 7^th. In the 8^th, the Missions would strike out, single, ground out, single, single, walk, and get a wild pitch to score 2 runs.

In the 9^th inning, Amilcar Chirinos would look a little shaky by walking the first batter he faced. Ellen worried and had that oh-no-here-we-go-again feeling. I assured her that Chirinos sometimes starts shaky, but he always settles down.

He did settle down, retiring the next three batters with a strikeout, fly out, line out, to record the save.

After the game the Missions put on a drone show based on the Harry Potter theme night. Ellen and I watched along with a crowd of 5,000 fans plus all the players. It was worth staying “after the game.”

Ah, yes, “After the game.”

The lights never came back on after being turned off for the show, but I could pick out Nolan DeVos. He was the one player signing autographs. Even in the dark he recognized me, paused from signing with a crowd of fans, came to me, and signed that night’s ticket. He is a man of his word.

Sunday’s game 3 would be the rubber match. If by some strange happenstance San Antonio and Corpus Christi tied for the 2^nd-half playoff spot, the winner of this game would own the tiebreaker.

They had tied for last place in the 1^st half. Now could they end up tied for first? September will give us the answer to the question, but this game did have playoff implications, remote as the possibility appears mid-July.

In fact, Jim, Ellen, and I would text back-and-forth during games 2 and 3 about the playoff implications. The ushers and I would talk as well. Despite how poorly both teams played in the 1^st half of the season, their fans still hold on to the faintest of hopes. By Sunday’s end, one fan base would be more hopeful than the other.

Sunday before the game proved a target rich environment for storylines, starting with waiting in line for the gates to open.

We arrived on the 3^rd-base side of the stadium, where a small crowd had already gathered and where the most shade trees grew. I said that we’d go to the 1^st-base gate, and Ellen, looking at the sparse shade in that direction, asked, “Why?”

I gave her an answer, but she was reluctant to move from the obviously nicer spot.

When Reid Ryan came out the 1^st-base-side gate, I recognized him, stopped him, and told him about our first encounter, which happened eight years earlier. I knew Ellen wouldn’t remember him, and I was amazed that he remembered her.

In 2018 Reid Ryan came to Whataburger Field delivering World Series rings to all those in the Astros’ organization, including the Hooks’ general manager, players, grounds crew, etc.

As he returned from the field into the stands, I thanked him for what he had done for the Astros. At that time in 2018, he was Astros Team President. Now, he’s co-owner of the San Antonio Missions along with Bob Cohen. I’d meet Bob later, a gracious guy and long-time Astros fan.

Back in 2018, Ellen was walking along the Cotton Club corridor when Reid Ryan approached from the other direction. She knew who he was, and she asked for a special favor. “My husband would really be jealous if you let me take a picture with you while I’m wearing your World Series ring. Would that be okay?”

I know I’ve written about this already, but at the first telling of this story I didn’t know we’d be meeting Mr. Ryan again.

I want to note something I’ve seen in some great leaders, and Reid Ryan demonstrated this characteristic on Sunday. After he left us, and on his way back into the ballpark, he stopped to pick up trash.

I’d later tell him about my observation, then mention that I’d seen our general manager, Brady Ballard, doing the same thing at Whataburger Field. Reid hired Brady to manage the Astros’ spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, and from that position Brady would move to Corpus Christi to replace retiring Hooks’ President Ken Schrom.

Writing all of this reminds me of when I was telling Brady about my trip to spring training 2025. In describing the layout, I learned he knew all about it. He helped design the facility.

When Ellen and I went into the ballpark, we received bobbleheads based on an anime character. Neither of us knew anything about the character, and Ellen does not like bobbleheads in the first place. To her they’re pointless, useless knickknacks. When handed her bobblehead, she said, “You can keep it. We already have one.”

I had no plans on keeping mine, but I also knew we’d have no difficulty finding someone who did want it. It turns out our son was happy to receive Ellen’s.

I gave mine to JR, a vendor at Nelson W. Wolff Stadium, and we exchanged stories about being in the army. He served about the time I did in the 70s, but he also joined the reserves and deployed to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm.

When I went down to the field, I met Jedidiah, a Missions’ fan, but that day he was decked out in bright colors. I told him if I came to another Missions game, I would be able to find him easily. He then told me that he usually wears San Antonio gear, but, since he planned to get Walker Janek’s autograph, he felt it would be impolite to wear the home team’s colors.

Jedidiah is a very thoughtful young man, and his thoughtfulness was on display in a story he shared about an encounter he had with a rehabbing San Diego Padres relief pitcher, Jhony Brito. Brito was on the team roster during my 3-day visit to watch the Hooks vs. Missions games in late May.

Jedidiah approached the player and asked, “How do you pronounce your first name, sir?”

Brito replied, “Jhony.” (It’s pronounced Johnny, despite the spelling.)

“Mr. Jhony, sir, may I have your autograph?”

“You’re very polite, young man.”

“Yes, sir. My grandparents taught me to ask how a person pronounces his name, and to ask politely.”

“Your grandparents sure taught you well.”

It was a good lesson for me too.

We continued to talk about how players sometimes can be rude, but we also talked about special times. I said, “Those moments are memorable.”

He said, “When they’re rude?”

I said, “Nah! Those guys are forgettable. The guys who sign are the ones worth remembering.”

I would get three players to sign my ticket on Sunday: starting pitcher James Hicks, catcher Jason Schiavone, and first-time starter Kenni Gomez, our right fielder.

I asked James if he had the most wins as a pitcher. He said, “I’ve only got three.”

I replied, “You’ve got four.”

“I do?’

“Yup!”

Would he get number five?

Yamal Encarnacion led off the first with a triple. For most everyone else it would have been a double with the hope the Missions made a bad throw to third, but Yamal must drink Red Bull, because he sure can fly.

Manager and 3^rd-base coach Ricky Rivera didn’t windmill on Yamal. He made more of a “c’mon, c’mon, hurry and get here!” gesture. Yamal did hurry and get there.

Trevor Austin grounded out, but any ball in play would get Yamal home. Hooks 1-Missions 0.

In the bottom of the 1^st, James Hicks would give up three singles and a run. Hooks 1-Missions 1.

In the 2^nd, Tyler Whitaker would be stranded after a single and stolen base. Of late, he’s been hitting well. His grand slam walk off doesn’t seem to be the end of his streak, but perhaps a glimpse of things to come.

In the bottom of the 2^nd, Hicks would get a 1-2-3 inning, and, yeah, baby, you know I do love me those 1-2-3s.

Corpus Christi would send 6 batters to the plate and score a run. I love those 1-2-3-4-5-6 innings when we’re batting. The more numbers the merrier. Hooks 2-Missions 1.

Hicks would repeat his 1-2-3 feat in the 3^rd and 4^th innings.

Starting Missions pitcher Andrew Thurman would end his night giving up a walk and a single to lead off the 4th. With one out, Tyler Whitaker would steal 3^rd and Max Holy 2^nd. Yamal would record his 3^rd hit of the night, sending both Tyler and Max home. Hooks 4-Missions 1.

We’d do nothing in the top half of the 5^th, and Wyatt Hoffman would hit a 2-out triple in the bottom half. Joseph Sullivan III made a heroic effort to corral the hit but came up empty, ball skipping past his outstretched glove to be retrieved by a teammate. It was a risky move, but Hicks erased the Missions’ chances by getting Carson Tucker to ground out to end their at bat.

In the 6^th, Yamal Encarnacion would get his 4^th hit of the night but the Hooks wouldn’t score.

Hicks pitched the 6^th inning, but he gave up a double, walk, and single to narrow the lead to 4-2. A beautiful 4-6-3 double play, Encarnacion to Holy to Bush, silenced the home crowd, and we moved on to the 7^th, Hooks 4-Missions 2.

This time the Missions relief pitcher, Garrett Hawkins, would get the 1-2-3 inning. James Hicks faced one batter in the 7^th and, after giving up a walk, handed the ball over to Railin Perez, who retired the side without giving up a run.

Now we’ve come to the shaky inning of late, the dreaded 8^th inning. The Hooks went down in 1-2-3 order, but the Missions weren’t that obliging. Hudson Leach replaced Railin, and an error allowed the first batter he faced to reach 1^st base. A force out, ground out, and single would allow San Antonio’s 3^rd run of the night to score from 2^nd. Hooks 4-Missions 3.

Yamal would get his 5^th hit of the night in the top of the 9^th, but we wouldn’t extend our lead, so now the score was 4-3, with Jose Guedez entering to close out the game. A ground out, ground out, strikeout ended the night, and James Hicks had his 5^th win of the season. I’ll have to tell him when I see him.

The Hooks headed home to Corpus Christi with a 2-game winning streak and one game out of first place. After wandering from place to place, three different beds on three different nights, Ellen and I headed home as well.

Corpus Christi Hooks -San Antonio Missions                    L

Corpus Christi Hooks 5-San Antonio Missions 2               W

Corpus Christi Hooks 4-San Antonio Missions 3               W

Texas League South 2^nd-half standings

Frisco                              12-9

Midland                           12-9

Corpus Christi                  11-10

Amarillo                          10-11

San Antonio                     10-11