The propeller series. The legendary battle between Tulsa and Wichita has concluded after an electric 30 game series.
The structure of the series allowed us to fall behind 15-13 in the series and still have a chance to win. If the series ended in a 15-15 tie then whoever wins the last game of the series would be the winner.
Spoiler alert. We won on Saturday and Sunday to claim the first ever Propeller of the Propeller series. My contribution was 1.2 innings pitched in a losing effort. That is my role around here and a well deserved role. Pitch when we are losing.
I have been bad this entire season throwing the ball near the strike zone. When I first arrived in Wichita I was coming off the worst performances of my season/career and was questioning why the Twins would offer me an opportunity. They showed me my fastball stats and then said hey maybe throw this other fastball because it will be harder to hit and overall a better pitch.
How silly of me to think that a simple grip change would change anything. This past week I was making progress with it and feeling great in my bullpens and catch play. I even threw a few good sinking fastballs in the game against Tulsa for the first time as a Wind Surge. The movement plot finally showed a true sinking fastball on it. Things were looking up for me if I get the ball over the plate and it’s weird how I tell myself to throw it down the middle. Aim center mass of the catcher. I can’t even do that right now.
The frustration this year is the same as every year. Physically capable and not mentally capable to not let things go sideways. I have been good at bouncing back after a tough outing and after last night in Arkansas I will need it.
Yesterday the game was close which meant I wasn’t going to pitch and then the game got out of hand which meant in the middle of another pitcher warming up I got to warm up instead. I am now referred to as “the other guy” when they need a pitcher which is a great confidence booster in itself. The best part of it all, which I learned a few years ago, is nobody else cares. Nobody will remember this game and nobody cares if you do good or bad at the end of the day. Other teammates don’t care, the coaches write their reports to make it look like you suck less, and we go through it again the next day.
I know why I am the other guy. I don’t throw strikes consistently enough this entire season. The player plan goals aren’t even high levels of “in the zone” and I haven’t been able to reach them yet. When I throw one at the catchers chest it sinks down below the zone. When I throw it at face hoping it will sink down to his glove then it goes straight at his face and stays out of the zone. I can usually balance that out most days with my breaking pitches getting them to chase but even last night was a struggle with that.
Which is a strange contrast from 2019 when I felt the same mentally and was ahead of league average in walks. What happened to that guy I have no idea. There is no secret sauce or quick fix for me that when it happens will make me a better pitcher. The plan is taking from the poor outings and using that information to improve. Every throw is information.
The problem is when I am done for the day I don’t know what I was feeling. It is a feeling during the game, and then when I’m out of the game it is like what the heck just happened. I prepare the same way, I get my body ready the same way, and then some days it works great. Some days it’s awful. Which Mitchell will show up? I don’t remember the last outing I had without a walk or two. The one job of the pitcher to throw it in the zone and I can’t do it consistently after seven years.
If you’re still reading after this negative review of myself then thanks. I appreciate it. I think other guys go through similar questions but never address them or act like it isn’t an issue. To me being aware of the negative or the fact I’m 30 and still here, or the fact I’m sucking, I need to be aware of that because if I act like nothing is wrong then nothing will change. I have to make changes or else I won’t make it through the end of the year. Maybe everyone else is a great actor or they never doubt themselves in the same way I do but so far I haven’t had anyone to talk through this with.
The good news for the Wind Surge is we have a good lead in the division. We play Arkansas 12 of the last 18. If we play .500 ball we should be a lock for the playoffs. The playoffs in AA are the top two teams in the league not the top from each side of the division. My plan is to be a good teammate, pitch when they ask, not suck if possible, and then go from there. It beats spending all my time worrying and then next thing you know the career is over and it’s like welp that sucked what now? I’m sure the coaches will want to see me bounce back which I’ve been solid at so far this season. I haven’t spiraled out of control and piled bad outing after bad outing since I have been with Minnesota.
The final three weeks are here and now I am playing for self pride. The stats this year already suck, can’t change those, but I work hard to have fun as we wind down. The team is great, we win, the guys are great, we laugh it up, I just want to contribute to the team and help us win. Leave the team knowing I gave my best effort and didn’t go out pouting.
Thank you for reading where my brain is at currently. It feels better to write it out and reflect on it so when I look back I will know what I was actually feeling instead of blurring the truth. I’ve read through this a few times and made edits and I’m capturing what I feel after a bad game. Time to move on for sure. I don’t think this is end of the career after the stint with Minnesota. They have shown me a new fastball that with an offseason of work and electroshocks to my brain will be a real weapon in 2022.
Thank you again for reading and I look forward to filling everyone in on the playoffs of the AA central.
A Baseball Blog 
Mitch , you deserve to be where you are. Stop thinking and throw the ball! You know how to throw strikes, just go do it and have fun trying. In this crazy Covid world , you are a source of relief for the folks who come to watch baseball and escape. GO have fun and win the palyoffs.
Thank you! It’s been a good year I am going to write a nice conclusion on Sunday and then report live from the playoffs.
Keep writing it will help you put the past behind and focus on the here and now !!! You got this !!!
I look forward to the playoffs. # 1 seed is a nice spot to be in . stop to enjoy the moments. We live on a huge molten rock, that spins at 1000 MPH each hour , every day and most folks don’t think of the danger, if it varied for a few seconds or moments.. We take it for granted that the days will come and go. Make sure you enjoy the moment. The twins think you should be there Mitch. Have fun and prove them right. Its 4 years since your Lowell days and its been a heck of a ride.