It?s a most wonderful feeling: normality. The Oxford dictionary defines it as ?the condition of being normal; the state of being usual, typical, or expected.? With the beginning of baseball season, its back to normality.
Baseball is back.
This upcoming baseball season will once again bring normality to the lives of many. Maybe none more so that the baseball players and fans who live in the Alamo City where the San Antonio Missions, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, make their home. This season will provide opportunities to many different parties. For manager Rick Sweet it is a chance to continue a historic career, for shortstop C.J. Hinojosa it is an opportunity to break through into the majors, or it could even possibly be a first date between two young fans. The transition from winter to spring will bring along with it not only a change in temperature, but a change in mentality and routine. Come April 9th, its baseball season; finally.
In their first year as a Triple-A baseball team the Missions finished with an 80-60 record. The team fell just short to the Round Rock Express, who have been playing at the AAA level for sometime now. During the course of last season, the Missions played exceptionally well at home, finishing the season with an amazing 49-21 record. However, troubles on the road would contribute to the team narrowly missing the playoffs. The Missions finished the season with a 31-39 away record. The team was able muster an above .500 record in divisional play with a 25-23 record at the end of the year.
As to be expected, there will be a good mix of old and new faces surrounding the clubhouse. A notable face making his return as manager will be Rick Sweet, the now second year manager of the club. Alongside Sweet will stand the pitching coach, Coach Henderson, the athletic trainer, Coach Tucker, the strength and conditioning coach, Coach Emmick, the hitting coach, Coach LeBoeuf, and lastly the team coach, Coach Ned Yost IV.
The team roster will be no exception?to?the mixture of new and old. Outfielder Keon Broxton will be a newcomer to Nelson Wolff Stadium. Broxton will bring an excellent source of baseball?knowledge?and a veteran presents, as he has played?since 2009 making multiple trips up to the Bigs.?On the flip side, pitcher Jesus Castillo will be playing his first season at the AAA level. Castillo played at the A?and AA level for the past 3 years.?Bubba Derby will be back pitching for the Missions, going 7-8 with a 4.99 ERA over his 115.1 innings pitched last year.?Additionally,?San Antonio native?and Texas A&M alum,?Blake Allemand will not be playing for the Missions again after last seasons?.219?batting average and?4 homers in 73 at bats.??
To those of us who have had the pleasure of going to Mission games and then missed them for the duration of the off season, getting back to the normality of attending games is right around the proverbial corner. The Missions, to the advantage of the fan, have a total of 31 games that fall on either a Friday (11), Saturday (10) or Sunday (10). The team will also play 9 Monday games, 9 Tuesday games, 9 Wednesday games, and 12 Thursdays games.
Those looking to attend a game or two and not break the bank, the Missing will host Two Dollar Tuesday’s, as well as Dollar Night on Thursdays. Some of the more festive games will include a game on Easter Sunday when the Missions take on OKC. As well the Missions will play on Memorial Day against Iowa. One of the more eventful games will be the July 4th game against the Sounders when the club will have fireworks and festivities.
The end of the previous season saw the Missions going 4-6 in their last 10 games, including losing the last two. The Missions will look to start off the season on a very different note on April 9th, when our baseball club takes on OKC in San Antonio, with the first pitching coming at 7:05pm.
San Antonio Missions 2020 Schedule:
https://www.milb.com/san-antonio/schedule/2020-04
For more on previous season for the Missions check out:
