Former pro baseball players call Canyon Lake their home

BY Ron Martel

The Friday Flyer has discovered at least nine former professional baseball players that call Canyon Lake home. The Friday Flyer salutes these extraordinary athletes, their achievements and what the game meant to them. Last week, The Friday Flyer featured Paul Pettit, Jim Merritt, Jerry Wood, Jerry Johnson and Bobby Kielty. This week, The Friday Flyer features Greg Harris, Edgar Carroll, Rick Greene and Brett Tomko.

Baseball is a game where even the best hitters fail 70 percent of the time and can do even worse during a slump. Even the best pitchers in the game sometimes lose their fastball or their control. Tommy Lasorda once said, “About the only problem with success is that it does not teach you how to deal with failure.” ABC sports once called it, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

Greg Harris

Greg Harris was the first pitcher in the Major Leagues (modern era) to pitch to batters both right-handed and left-handed in the same game. Mizuno sporting goods made him a few special two-thumbed gloves, one of which is on display in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Photo by Donna Ritchie

Greg was the first pitcher in the Major Leagues (modern era) to pitch to batters both right-handed and left-handed in the same game. From an early age, Greg’s all-star Little League coach, Canyon Lake Mayor Pro-Tem Jordan Ehrenkranz, witnessed Greg’s potential first hand. In Greg’s freshman year at Los Alamitos High School (near Long Beach), Greg’s baseball team played the CIF Championships at Dodger Stadium.

Greg also starred in football, running back a 93-yard kickoff return in high school to break his dad’s record. In the stands, Greg’s dad told Jordan, “Enjoy it, as this might be the last time you’ll see this kid in a football uniform.” Greg became a college baseball All-American and then in 1981, began his career in the New York Mets organization.

Assigned to the minor leagues in Jackson, Mississippi, Greg, who was already ambidextrous, began to occasionally throw left-handed on off days to give his right arm a break.

By 1986, playing for Texas, word got out about his feat and Mizuno sporting goods made Greg a few special two-thumbed gloves. Manager Felipe Alou told Greg he could pitch left-handed in a game if he could throw 80 mph, throw a curve and throw strikes. Greg passed all three tests with flying colors.

American League President, Dr. Bobby Brown contacted Greg to explain seven new rules developed for a switch-pitcher, especially when facing a switch hitter. This sounded a lot like George Carlin’s seven words you can never say on television. Nevertheless, these “Greg Harris” rules were mostly meaningless, as he was not allowed by his managers to switch-pitch in a game until 11 years later.

1995 was Greg’s final season. As he would finish with a 2.61 ERA over 45 games, he was finally given clearance to attempt the impossible. As he warmed up in the bullpen with both arms, the crowd grew delirious with anticipation. They greeted Greg with thunderous applause, knowing they would witness something historic.

First up was Reggie Sanders, batting right-handed. Greg pitched him right-handed and quickly got him out. Up next was the left-handed Hal Morris, so Greg moved his glove to his right hand and the ball into his left. His first left-handed pitch sailed three feet outside and bounced off the backstop. The crowd groaned. Greg regained control but still walked Morris.

Next up was lefty Ed Taubensee. Greg continued to pitch from the left side and retired him on a ground out. Facing right-hander Brett Boone, Greg went back to his right arm and quickly retired Boone to end the inning.

At age 39, Greg enjoyed a 15-year career in the majors, playing with the Mets, Reds, Expos, Rangers, Phillies, Red Sox and Yankees. He was fortunate enough to have pitched in the World Series with the Padres.

Greg is in the process of writing a book about his distinctive experience. The glove Greg wore on that momentous day is on display in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. It will reside there indefinitely as a reminder of the singular mark one man-made on the game we all love.

Edgar Carroll

Edgar Carroll signed with the Dodgers in 1971. During his career, Edgar learned how to get up and dust himself off after being repeatedly knocked down. This has been one of life’s lessons that served him well. He said he is grateful for meeting so many good people that he can call friends to this very day. Photo by Donna Ritchie

Edgar signed with the Dodgers in 1971, playing for El Segundo High School, alma mater of George Brett and so many other major leaguers who played for John Stevenson, winningest coach in California high school history. At 17-years old, the outfielder/pitcher was sent to “A” ball in Medford, Oregon, where he traveled to games by bus and earned $5 per day for meal money. Over the next couple years, Edgar played for Spokane, Bakersfield and Waterbury, Connecticut. He also played winter ball in Mesa, Arizona, and Mexico.

The dream-come-true for this local boy was playing spring warm-ups in Dodger Stadium and spring training at Vero Beach in a Dodger uniform with all his hometown heroes. After a couple of years, Edgar injured his arm and was sent to Bakersfield for recuperation. He trained, recovered, began to regain his form and even pitched a no-hitter in 1973 while playing winter ball in Los Mochis, Mexico. Then in 1974, Edgar snapped his left ankle. He was treated and then operated on by renowned sports surgeon, Dr. Frank Jobe.

After an inordinate amount of training and rehabilitation, Edgar once again recuperated and regained his power and accuracy. Unfortunately, in 1975, he injured his arm once again and was released by the Dodger organization the following year. However, Edgar believed he had more in the tank.

To prove it to himself, he practiced with Bakersfield J.C. and played in an industrial league, pitching well enough to be signed by the Brewers. He played in the Eastern League and eventually made it to AAA Vancouver, then back to Mexico for winter ball.

In 1980, pitching as a reliever, Edgar was moved back to AA, then he was asked to play again in Mexico. At 26 years of age and now married, he decided to pass and was released. Edgar joined the postal service, became a policeman and is now a successful real estate broker. Some thrills for Edgar was hearing Hall of Fame Dodger manager Walter Alston call out his name in the dugout. He also was able to fly on the Dodger jet and enjoyed the thrill of playing on the same field as Pete Rose and Hank Aaron.

Edgar is grateful for the opportunity to have competed against the very best in the game. In one picture, Edgar is jogging in uniform at Dodger Stadium with Tommy John, Ron Perranoski, Al Downing and his good Canyon Lake friend, Rick Greene.

During his career, Edgar learned how to get up and dust himself off after being repeatedly knocked down. This has been one of life’s lessons that served him well. Mostly, Edgar is grateful for meeting so many good people that he can call friends to this very day.

Rick Greene

For Rick Greene, it was all worth it to just walk through the tunnel of Dodger Stadium, in uniform, and hear his name called by John Ramsey, longtime Dodger Stadium announcer, “Number 43, Rick Greene!” Now in tribute, Rick’s grandson, a star youth pitcher, wears number 43. Photo by Donna Ritchie

Rick graduated from Chino High School in 1971 as “All-Everything.” Rick was captain of his football, basketball and baseball teams, where he had lettered varsity three years in each sport. He was Student Body President and selected to the All-CIF Baseball team.

Rick was drafted by the Dodgers in the third round and sent to rookie summer camp in Ogden, Utah. Two years later, he met Connie just before leaving for summer baseball camp and they were married soon after he returned. These lifelong soul mates have now been happily married 46 years and still treat each other as newlyweds.

Rick recalls a bus trip to play Great Falls, Montana. In the middle of nowhere, the bus broke down. Back on their way, it then caught fire. They escaped and barely made it to the game, only to lose by 17 runs.

Winter ball was in Mesa, Arizona, where he did well enough to be promoted to “AA” El Paso. It was exciting to play at the Dodgers Training Camp in Vero Beach, Florida, where he met so many good friends, including Edgar Carroll. They played together in Bakersfield and at winter ball in Arizona.

Rick had a good year but was developing a sore elbow, which turned out to be bone chips. Dr. Frank Jobe operated on Rick the week before fellow Dodger Tommy John had his celebrated procedure.

Rick began the 1974 season in Bakersfield where he did well but injured his shoulder once again. Treated with cortisone shots, he moved to relief pitching where the fewer innings gave his arm some rest.

Rick already had a good fastball, slider, curve and changeup, but knuckleball specialist Charlie Hough taught Rick the legendary “floater.” Just after Rick thought this pitch might restore his status, he was released by the Dodgers organization before receiving the needed shoulder surgery that troubles him to this day.

Rick has since had a successful career in sales and has fond memories of playing in such places as a field adjacent to the Amarillo Stockyards in Texas. On a warm day, the odor was horrific. A game in Midland, Texas, was called for an invasion of locusts. Then, he played through dust storms in El Paso. He also recalls alligators and giant land crabs “playing through” their ball fields in Florida.

For him, it was all worth it to just walk through the tunnel of Dodger Stadium, in uniform, and hear his name called by John Ramsey, longtime Dodger Stadium announcer, “Number 43, Rick Greene!” Now in tribute, Rick’s grandson, a star youth pitcher, wears number 43. It is difficult to tell who is more proud of whom.

Brett Tomko

Brett Tomko played in the MLB for the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. Photo provided by Anneda Schultz.

Brett starred in baseball and basketball at El Dorado High School in Placentia. He was drafted by the Dodgers in 1994 but chose to attend Florida Southern College. There, he pitched to a 15-2 record, 1.35 ERA and struck out 154 batters in 126 innings. He led that team to the 1995 Division II National Championship by pitching two complete game shutouts.

Brett was named Tournament MVP, NCAA Division II Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year (since renamed the Brett Tomko Award). In 1995, Brett was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. He pitched for three years in their minor league system before being called up to the Major Leagues in 1997. Brett quickly earned a position in the Reds starting rotation for three years.

In 2000, Brett (and three other players) was traded to the Seattle Mariners for superstar Ken Griffey Jr., which makes him the answer to a great trivia question. The next several years, Brett played for Seattle (two seasons), San Diego Padres (32 starts), St. Louis Cardinals (won 13 games), San Francisco Giants (two seasons), Dodgers (two seasons), back to the Padres, KC Royals, and back to the Padres for the third time in June 2008.

In 2009, the Yankees signed Brett to a minor league contract with AAA Scranton. Brett was pleased to compete and have some fun. There, he excelled once again but the Yankees traded him to the Oakland A’s.

In his first start with the A’s, Brett faced the dreaded Yankees and defeated them. He was arguably playing the best baseball of his career. With a 4-1 record, he posted a 2.95 ERA with 22 strikeouts and only six walks.

Then, in his sixth start of that season, which would be his last, he pinched a nerve in his arm. He finished that day but a of couple hours later had no feeling in his right arm. Back to rehab, AA and AAA, Brett realized recovery could be more difficult this time.

On the cusp of his 15th MLB season, he then dislocated his shoulder. Brett rehabbed again, finished the year and regained his form. But, these injuries and his age were working against him. Refusing to call it quits, over the next few years, Brett was able to sign with the Rangers, Reds, Diamondbacks, Royals and Rockies.

Brett now lives in Poway full time thoroughly enjoying his family and their vacation home in Canyon Lake. After 18 years of professional baseball, 14 Major League seasons and 100 Major League wins, Brett was able to walk away knowing that when it was time, he had exhausted every single avenue.

Summary

Major League Baseball player Greg Harris is pictured with Canyon Lake Mayor Pro-Tem Jordan Ehrenkranz, who was Greg’s all-star Little League coach in Los Alamitos. Photo by Donna Ritchie

Yogi Berra may have summarized the sport best, “Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical.” Over the past few weeks, these athletes collectively expressed that all the fun and games became something so much more. Against all odds, each chose to throw themselves into the arena. Suddenly, chapters of their lives were divided into nine-inning segments.

Often playing with a broken body and sometimes a broken heart, these boys of summer came from everywhere but spoke a common language. Surrounded by equally talented athletes, they were willing to ride dirty buses for long hours to play in the heat, the cold and blinding dust. Often injured, their limbs would be wrapped and shot with cortisone for the right of passage and even a badge of honor to this field of dreams.

Armed with their God-given talent and a dogged compulsion to persevere, each transformed himself into a human spectacle to be second-guessed by coaches, scouts and sportswriters. They could be cheered one day and jeered the next. Why not? From the comfort a fan’s barcalounger, the task was simply to swing hard, run fast and turn left.

The great Willie Mays once noted, “Baseball most truly is disguised combat. For all its gentility, it’s almost leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps.” So, these players can proudly say they played with and against the very best in our great American pastime. This was their achievement and nobody can ever take that away.

These elite athletes owed this quest to the little boy inside, as well as to their family, friends and coaches who supported them along the way. None of them were fooled into thinking their quest would win a war or cure cancer. But they won the peace and made us all feel better about ourselves each time they played.

That wonderful baseball song says, “You Gotta Have Heart,” and they certainly won ours. Thank you, Paul Pettit, Jim Merritt, Jerry Wood, Jerry Johnson, Bobby Kielty, Greg Harris, Edgar Carroll, Rick Greene, and Brett Tomko. You have all of Canyon Lake rooting for the home team. Canyon Lake proudly salutes you.

Columnist’s note: A few months ago, Edgar Carroll asked if I could help him contact Paul Pettit, who I knew through the Fine Arts Guild. We thought a story about former professional ballplayers in Canyon Lake could be of interest but had no idea the list would grow to nine players.

I am an avid baseball fan who played sandlot ball as a kid and now play senior softball. I looked forward to each of these interviews like it was Christmas morning and relished hearing their first-hand experiences about the game I love.

On my very best day, I couldn’t hold a candle to these tremendous athletes but fully appreciate their abilities and challenges. I am proud and honored to help share their stories.