On Saturday morning Derek took off while I was still in bed to go to the White Sox open tryout. I had to work early on Saturday and I was unable to go. I waited a long time for Derek to call or text. Finally he text me at about noon and said he was finished. I was already at work so I told him to meet me for lunch. So Derek came to Costco and we ate lunch in the food court together as he explained the day.
He said that at this tryout things were a lot different. You warmed up and tried out at pretty much the same time. He said there weren't too many people at this tryout. Derek then went on to tell me that he got on one mound to warm up and the mound next to it was the tryout mound. As Derek was warming up there were 4 men standing off to the side. Derek wasn't sure who they were, but they started watching him. Derek then got up to the tryout mound and the 4 men went behind the cage so that they could watch the balls movement. Derek started pitching and he said his knuckleballs were the best they had ever been! They were moving everywhere. His catcher was having a super hard time catching them. After about 5 pitches one of the 4 men said "wait one second pitcher" the scout then walked over to the catcher and started teaching him how to catch Derek's knuckleballs!!! Seriously this might seem like nothing, but it is huge!!!!! The scouts then started talking, laughing, and Derek started pitching again. The scouts moved their way out of the fence and off to the side to get a different angle on Derek pitching. The one scout with the radar gun asked Derek if he had a fastball. Derek said yes and threw it. After he threw it he looked back at this guy and the guy was looking at the 4 men and nodding his head yes at them. He then looked back at Derek and told Derek "again". Derek threw his fastball one more time and the same think happened and gentle nod yes. Derek was done. This tryout is and was way more frustrating then the dodger one because they didn't have a tryout game. They told all of the guys that their minor league teams get here in Az this week and they would call people to fill in the holes. So it stinks because we have no clue what they thought.
Out of this whole try out experience I have realized that yes Derek could play at least minor league ball, yes he has a very unique interesting pitch that is a huge attention getter, but I have also realized that for someone to take him is a huge risk. Do you take the guy who can throw 95mph who is inconsistent (other guys), or do you take the guy that throws a pitch that is inconsistent consistently (derek)? Also someone once told Derek if he took Derek on his team he would have to get a knuckleball catcher, trainer, and coach....
Seriously I just wish someone would take a chance! We are not getting our hopes up for a call because they are so far fetched, but that would be amazing!
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