Simons learns about big league life

For Zach Simons, life is fun and a learning experience.

Simons, a 2003 graduate of Glenns Ferry High School, is a member of the Tri-City Dust Devils pitching staff, after being taken in the second round of the Major League Baseball Players' Draft last month.

Simons made his first trip back to the Boise area last week, when the Dust Devils came to town to face the Boise Hawks. A lot of Glenns Ferry fans and Zach Simons' well-wishers were among the 2,569 fans that watched Simons and his Dust Devils take on the Hawks on July 14 at Memorial Stadium in Boise.

The Glenns Ferry native was pleased with the fan support.

"Oh, man! You couldn't ask for a better crowd to be out here!" Simons said after the game.

"Just comparing it, if I get the opportunity to get a Big League start, to compare it up there with that one, how many people (from this area) are actually going to see that one, you know. It means a lot more personally, for them to be out here."

Simons had a rocky start, giving up a two-run home run in the first inning, and the Hawks scored an unearned run in the second, but after that, he settled down and pitched four scoreless innings, going six innings on the night, giving up three runs (just two earned) on six hits, striking out four and walking just one.

"I started off kind of slow early and a little bit excited, and jumped the gun a little bit, and kind of left my slider up a little bit, and (Chris) Gaskin, he's a really good hitter and he kind of got a little bit of it and put it over the wall, but other than that, I kind of settled in around the third inning and put up zeros, kind of settled in a little bit and my stuff working for me a little bit better and stayed low, and good things happen when you stay low."

The 2003 Idaho Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year says Minor League Baseball is a lot different, but he's intent on making the most of it to get better and learn and make the adjustments he has to make to go as far as he can.

"The daily grind, coming out every day and trying to learn something and trying to perfect something. Personally, you're never going to be able to perfect a craft, I feel, but you're going to be able to learn something new every day, and put that towards your game to come out there and kind of put something together and become a better pitcher, a better ball player in general."

The Minor Leagues, especially Class A variety like the Northwest League,is noted for their long grueling bus rides. Simons says it is not over exaggerated, but he keeps it in perspective.

"The bus rides are everything that they're talked about. They're terrible, you're sleeping on the floor, six or seven hour bus rides, but, you know, you've got to love it, I mean, it's a dream that, at the end of the tunnel there's a much bigger prize, and it's guys that keep coming out every day and knowing that are the ones that make it, so you've just got to love it."

One aspect of the Minor League game that Simons has had a bit of a difficulty adjusting to is not being able to swing a bat. There is a designated hitter that hits for the pitcher in the Northwest League. Simons, who hit over .500 as a high school player with both the Pilots in Glenns Ferry in high school and the Mountain Home Royals American Legion baseball team, and who hit .400 at Everett Community College, would like to hit, but once again, puts things in perspective.

"It's really difficult, because I loved hitting so much, but pitching's my calling now, and that's what I'm paid to do, and it's my decision and I'm going to try and do it to the best of my ability and become the best pitcher out there. I'll get to hit when I make it to the Big Leagues, so I'm going to try to work my hardest to get there so I can swing the bat again."

Simons, who was 2-0 going into the game, did not figure in the decision at Thursday night's ball game against the Hawks. The Dust Devils, who were leading the Eastern Division of the Northwest League at press time, battled back to tie the game at 3-3, finally winning the game, 5-3, in 11 innings.

The Dust Devils next road trip to Boise to face the Hawks will be Aug.t 30-Sept. 1.

Time will tell if the Dust Devil roster will still include Zach Simons, or whether he will have moved on up in the Rockies system by then.