Big League Ace

I’d imagine that in some respects, being a sportswriter is pretty similar to having a “normal job.”

There are people you like working with, and people you don’t. 

There are places you like to travel to for work and places you can’t wait to get out of.

And there are days that suck and days where everything seems to go your way.

Yesterday was one of those days where everything just seemed to work out.

I got to Yankee Stadium at around 9 AM yesterday, still somewhat pinching myself over the fact that I’d somehow lucked into being able to cover the last Red Sox-Yankees game to ever be played at the historic ballpark.

I was up to do a story on Brett Gardner, who starred for the Thunder during both the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

And not only did I get my story on Gardner, which you’ll see on this blog and in the paper soon, but an Alfredo Aceves story fell in my lap as well.

Imagine my surprise when I entered the Yankees clubhouse and I saw the former Mexican League standout sitting in a locker to my right.  He was talking with some of his new teammates, was getting sized for a jersey by one of the clubhouse guys, and meeting pitching coach Dave Eiland all in the span of a few minutes.

But he also recognized me from covering him in Trenton earlier this year, and waved me over towards him.  We chatted for a few minutes, and then I turned my recorder on and got some quotes for the paper and the blog.

Here’s what he had to say…

Mike Ashmore: At this time last year, you were pitching in the Mexican League.  Now, you’re sitting here at Yankee Stadium wearing pinstripes.  What’s this all like for you?

Alfredo Aceves: “This…I’m proud.  It’s an honor to be here, it feels good.” 

Ashmore: When did you start to feel like this moment could become a reality for you?

Aceves: “I don’t know, it just happened.  I was trying to pitch good in Triple-A, and that’s all.  I can never, never think of another place…I can’t think of the big leagues if I’m in Triple-A.  I have to do my stuff in Triple-A before I get here, and now I have to do my stuff here.”

Ashmore: How did you find out that you were going up?

Aceves: “Dave Miley called me at night and said, ‘Congrats, you’re going up.’  My pitching coach called, and Nardi Contreras, and Butch (Wynegar), the hitting coach.”

Ashmore: I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since you were in Trenton.  You were there for a couple months, what was your experience like there?

Aceves: “It was good.  They had a great team, man.  A great team, a lot of funny guys that worked hard.  Good players, good friends.  Good city, good weather.”

Ashmore: Have the Yankees told you anything about how they’re going to use you?

Aceves: “No, not yet.”

And then the reporters left the clubhouse to take part in Joe Girardi’s pre-game press conference.  After speaking to David Ortiz and Justin Masterson in the Red Sox clubhouse, I came back over to the Yankees side a few minutes after Girardi’s session had ended, and saw that Aceves was swarmed by a group of about 20-25 reporters.

I might have been the only reporter that he knew in there, so I’m very grateful that he was willing to speak with me individually before dealing with the masses.  Aceves was always a very friendly guy while with the Thunder, and it’s good to see that if only for a day, the big leagues haven’t changed him just yet.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com