Castillo Looking for Springboard
Carlos Castillo spent his 27th birthday in the presence of greatness Saturday as the Mission Viejo Vigilantes minor league baseball team began spring training at Capistrano Valley High.
Castillo, a pitcher released by five big league organizations in seven years, pitched last season in Taiwan. As he tries to further his career, he is sure he is in the right spot.
“It’s an honor to play for Buck [Rodgers, the Vigilante manager],” Castillo said. “Anything he has to say will probably go in an encyclopedia in the future.”
Rodgers’ task leading up to the May 23 season opener at Saddleback College--against the Chico Heat--is to pare down the squad from 30 players to 22.
Pitchers and catchers reported Thursday after Rodgers watched about 50 players try out for the team in recent weeks.
“You can tell who wants to play and who doesn’t, who wants to get back,” said Rodgers, who played eight seasons in the majors and managed 12. “Nobody likes rundowns, cutoffs and relays, but everyone went through them real good. Nobody dogged it, everybody got their work in and we were out of here in a couple of hours.
“This is the kind of baseball where, if you don’t want to play, we’ll say bye.”
The Vigilantes begin their second season in Mission Viejo as part of the Western Baseball League, which is made up of teams not affiliated with major league baseball organizations.
The Vigilantes were 39-51 last year in the Southern Division of the Western Baseball League, finishing fourth in the first half of the season and third in the second (with a 21-24 record).
The Vigilantes won consecutive league titles in Long Beach before moving to Orange County.
Castillo, who played at Cypress College, had shoulder surgery three months ago and is hoping to attract the attention of a big-league club.
“You can see how bad I want to play,” Castillo said, a bag of ice strapped to his right shoulder. “I paid for my own surgery.”
Josh Gingrich, 25, a pitcher who graduated from Edison High in 1991, was also among Saturday’s excited players.
“It’s the best summer job you can have,” Gingrich said. “For three months, your only responsibility is to get up and be at the yard and play baseball.”