Remembering Trevor Time

Its the 8th inning of the game. The Padres are holding onto a 1 run lead and the opposing team is up to bat. I know that if we can get through this inning , we are going to get the Win. Just need to get through this inning!

I am sweating and on the edge of my seat watching our setup man battle through the hitters. Battling and struggling, but somehow we get out of the inning with the lead. Now we are up to bat, but I already have confidence that we are going to close this game out with the win.

It is the bottom of the 8th and I just want to finish off the inning to move into the 9th. I don’t want to score any more runs because I want to see Trevor out on the field. The 8th inning ends and we don’t even get a man on base.

We are between innings and the crowd starts standing little by little looking toward the bullpen. The anticipation has built up and then it starts “DING – DING – DING:, AC DC’s Hells Bells starts blasting! The crowd is going crazy and Trevor is jogging out slowly to from the bullpen to the mound. “Trevor Time” is flashing on the outfield scoreboard.

The Music. The Crowd. It is TREVOR TIME!!!

A couple of warm up pitches with the trademark leg lift. He finishes his warm up pitches, circles the mound, and takes off his cap and his long hair is flowing. Hat is back on and hops up on the mound to face the first batter.

Stares intensely into the catcher and winds up. High leg kick and a fastball for strike 1. Once again for strike 2. Everyone in the ballpark knows that the nasty change-up is coming, even the batter. High leg kick, ball in the dirt, and it is a swing and a miss for strike 3!

Bell rings and we get to the next batter. The batter swings at the first pitch to try and avoid the change-up and grounds the ball out weakly to short.

Bell rings again and the crowd gets on there feet. The first 2 pitches are strikes and the crowd is going crazy. Hoffman looks intensely in at the catcher and shakes him off a couple of times. High leg kick and its the change-up. Batter just stares the pitch into the catchers glove for strike 3.

Madness in the ballpark erupts and the team celebrates another day in the office. All the fans leave with the satisfaction of seeing Trevor Hoffman pitch and getting the victory.