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| Boys of summer |
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| Written by Marc Aceves | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Friday, 13 June 2008 | |
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Pirates swing into a new season of baseball Patterson Pirates baseball player Rudy Lozano knows that a lot of men, especially as they get older, enjoy slow-pitch softball. He’s just not one of them. “A lot of us have been playing baseball our entire lives,” Lozano said. “Baseball is a sport that we all enjoy playing, and we all really believe that we can still be competitive at it.”  Bring on the heat: Patterson’s Josh Hamm delivers a pitch during the latter half of Sunday’s game against the Stockton Astros. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator For the past seven years, Lozano — who once played America’s pastime while attending Patterson High School — has gathered with teammates at the park to rekindle a childhood love. The scent of leather and the feel of a wooden bat is something that can never be taken away. “This season, we added a few new players,” Lozano said. “We wanted to go in a younger direction. I think that we have a solid team up and down the lineup.” The Pirates, formerly of the Central Valley Mexican Baseball League, recently began their first season playing in the Cal-Mex Baseball League. “Competition in the (CVMBL) wasn’t what we wanted it to be,” Lozano said. “Only half of the teams were solid, and we really wanted to challenge ourselves a bit more than that.” Players and management began searching for a new league and eventually opted for the Stockton-based CMBL. “There are a lot of ex-college players in the (CMBL),” Lozano said. “The players were better. The teams were better. We figured that we might as well try it out.” The CMBL is made up of 16 teams from all over the Central Valley. Each team plays 22 games, and rosters are distributed evenly, so there is a competitive balance within the league. This season, the Pirates will rely heavily on their pitching staff. Former Cal State Stanislaus pitcher Drew Barrett has emerged as the team’s top starter. “He’s our ace right now,” Lozano said. “He throws pretty hard, typically reaching the mid 80s.” James Tease, formerly of Modesto Junior College, also looks to play an important factor in solidifying the starting rotation.  In position: Pirates baserunner Jose Garza slides safely into second base under the tag of the Astros short stop. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator “The difference between the two types of bats is very noticeable,” Lozano said. “Only a handful of our players have used (wooden bats) before. What used to be a single off the end of an (aluminum bat) could now just be a soft fly-out with a (wooden bat).” Still, the Pirates seem to have adjusted to their new sticks. They own a 2-3 record, having lost those games by a combined total of four runs. “We’ve been right in each of our games,” Lozano said. “Right now, we are still learning how to mesh together. Our team chemistry is great, and I think that we’ll just improve with each game.” At a time when Major League players apparently can’t earn enough, Pirates players pay for all of their own equipment and uniforms. A quick check of the roster takes the irony a step further. An observer might recognize some of the names on the Pirates’ lineup card. Some of them used to be collegiate athletes. Others were high school standouts. One thing, however, remains a constant — they are all still baseball players, playing because they love the game. This is serious baseball. “We’re just trying to feel out the league this season,” Lozano said. “This is a very big and very deep league. Eventually, our goal will be a championship, but this season, we are really shooting to make the playoffs.” The uniforms might fit more snugly, the bases might seem farther apart and aches might dig deeper. But it’s competitive baseball played for fun — and played all-out. No, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson is not roaming left field, and Archie Graham is surely not winking at the pitcher, but to the Pirates’ players, this field has much of the unexplainable aura and mystique of a certain baseball diamond resting in a cornfield. To reach Marc Aceves at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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