Rojo Rides into the Sunset

I think I was hooked on minor league baseball when I won a "Mr. Meat Smoker" by playing baseball bingo at Ray Winder Field in Little Rock, Arkansas. The crazy promotions, the players who you might see in the big leagues some day, the cheap seats where you can sit and still see the players without binoculars. My guess is that many regular readers of this blog share my admiration of this part of America's national pastime.

When I was approached by Clint Musselwhite of the Round Rock Express a week ago Thursday to see if I'd be interested to be a part of their little project involving Rojo Johnson, it took me about a half a second to respond "That sound like fun!"
As Clint explained to me what they were planning to do it sounded like minor league baseball at its finest and I was excited to have been asked to be a part of it.

I mentioned in a previous post that the nine days between the time I was let in on the joke and Friday morning when I saw the video of Johnson's appearance in the game were by far the most fun I have had in 2.5 years with Farmstros. A few highlights:

Writing the song allegedly sung by Venezuelans when Johnson pitches (El Tira La Pelota) while carting my kids home from school. My son (1st) and daughter (Kindergarten) attend a dual language school in Houston ISD. I had the idea for a song, but obviously it had to be in Spanish, not only did the kids provide a translation, they provided one that rhymed and had a good beat. Take that public school critics.

Hearing that Reid Ryan among others in the Round Rock office love what I am doing with Rojo Johnson. It was a highlight to be appreicated for what I was doing. Yet, I told the Express staff numerous times, if you really love what I am doing, tell your friends colleagues and anyone you meet on the street who needs creative marketing ideas all about me.

Falling out of my chair when I heard a caller to Sports Talk 790 in Houston on Thursday say that he was going to buy a Rojo Johnson jersey. The host at the time, Matt Thomas, had no idea who Johnson was or if he did, he is pretty good actor). Needless to say, it took me about five seconds to call in ready to give him and 790's listeners the skinny.

Having to put the phone down to save my daughter's cookies. My daughter's birthday was Thursday and I was in the middle of baking cookies for her. At the exact moment Thomas was going to my call...the timer went off! I couldn't have made this up! I decided to save the cookies. Fortunately, I was able to get a call through several minutes later and add my part to the story.

My son getting injured while impersonating Rojo Johnson Wednesday afternoon. He was working on his best Billy Ray fastball in the front yard and singing the song he helped write when his push-off ankle collided with a stake and was lacerated. After a trip to the urgent care center and two stitches, he was ready for the big Finale! To clarify, my son getting hurt was not a highlight, but in retrospect, now that his ankle is well on its way to healing, that part of the craziness was quite memorable.

Seeing the video from the game Friday morning. The whole family gathered around the computer before school on Friday watching Billy Ray Johnson enter Dell Diamond from the bullpen. I got goosebumps when the song we had written started playing in the background.

Perhaps when the South Houston High School Class of 1987 voted me Most Likely to Succeed, this is what they were talking about.

Thanks for Following the Astros of the Future with me