The Third Ring: Calgary, 2009

My third championship came in the strangest season of the three.

The first half

I started 2009 with the Victoria Seals and went 8–0 before the break. I finished the Seals' season 9–2. In mid-July I flew to Boston for a look from the Red Sox and left without a deal. I wrote about that here.

I'll be honest about what came next. I lost some focus. I started partying hard, my second half was 1–2, and I knew it.

Calgary

I was traded to the Calgary Vipers late in the season. I didn't pitch well for them in my two regular-season starts.

In the playoffs I was 2–0. I went six innings and gave up one earned run against Edmonton. In the championship series against Tucson I battled, and gave up four earned in five and two-thirds, but we got the win.

We beat the Tucson Toros three games to one for the Golden Baseball League title, finishing it in our own park.

What I said at the time

In late September, from a hotel room in Newark, where I'd gone to pitch in the Atlantic League playoffs, I recorded this:

I'm really thankful for my life... the full circle that has come from day one of getting the surgery. And winning three championships now in three years.

Three seasons. Three titles. Every one of them on a replaced hip.

If you're trying to work out what yours can do, that's what the coaching is for.