Family Ties Inspire Laird at La Quinta
Brandon Laird, a junior third baseman at Westminster La Quinta, remembers making a pact with his older brother, Gerald, while attending a Dodger game as a boy.
“We’re going to play here one day and hit one out,” they vowed.
Last September at Edison Field, Brandon was in a seat above the first-base dugout when Gerald, a rookie catcher for the Texas Rangers, hit his first major league home run.
Brandon was screaming so loud that some Angel fans became annoyed until he told them, “That’s my brother.”
At 16, Brandon couldn’t be more proud of his older brother. At 23, Gerald is equally proud of his little brother.
At 6 feet 2, 205 pounds, Brandon hit eight home runs last season. Last summer, he played for the U.S. national youth team that won the gold medal in Taiwan. He is projected to be one of the region’s top players this season.
“He’s got legitimate power,” La Quinta Coach Dave Demarest said. “The ball jumps off the bat.”
On Tuesday against Hacienda Heights Wilson, Brandon hit his first home run of the season and struck out nine in six innings of pitching.
Brandon has a long way to go before he might be given a chance to join his brother in professional baseball, but he’s certainly taking advantage of opportunities presented to him.
Gerald has brought him into the Ranger clubhouse before games, and he has observed batting practice on the field.
“It’s great,” Brandon said. “I look up to him. He’s my idol. If I ever need help, I ask him. He opened a lot of doors for me. He showed me the way. He’s always on me to give 100% all the time.”
Brandon spent a week visiting Gerald in August at his new home on a lake in Peoria, Ariz., near the Rangers’ spring training facility. It was a time devoted to brothers hanging out, catching up and going fishing rather than playing baseball.
“He always says he’s the better fisherman, but I have to show him,” Brandon said.
Representing his country against Cuba and Taiwan with the U.S. national youth team tested Brandon in ways he had not experienced before. It left him with the feeling he could play with anybody.
“It really boosted my confidence,” he said. “It was a great experience. I was like, ‘Wow, I got to represent my country.’ The people treated you like stars.”
He obtained a passport and took a 14-hour plane ride. He learned that 7-Elevens in Taiwan are just like the ones here, except for one detail: “They didn’t have Slurpees,” he said.
With La Quinta’s top two players from last season, Ian Stewart and Ian Kennedy, off to the minors and USC, respectively, Brandon is being counted on to become a leader and major contributor. He figures to play around the infield and pitch.
Brandon’s work ethic is something to admire. Even after practice, he’ll go running or take extra batting practice.
“I love it,” he said. “I play every day and every chance I get. Even when I’m not playing, I’m at my grandpa’s house playing with my cousin” Michael Duarte, a 10-year-old aspiring baseball player.
Life keeps repeating itself in this family of baseball achievers.
Brandon doesn’t mind when people label him as “Gerald Laird’s little brother.”
“He’s made it and I’m proud of it,” Brandon said. “Hopefully, someday I’ll be where he is.”
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At the Southern Regional boys’ basketball playoff game between Woodland Hills Taft and Mission Viejo on Tuesday, the Taft public address announcer asked whether anyone would be interested in singing the national anthem.
Tim Ahlering, Mission Viejo’s 6-9 senior center, stepped forward to volunteer and received a loud ovation for his superb rendition.
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Ed Croson, football coach at Lake Balboa Birmingham, must think he’s going to have one of the top teams in the City Section this fall, because he has put together a nonleague schedule that most coaches would hide from.
Birmingham will open the season against Southern Section Division III champion Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Next up is Valencia and standout junior quarterback Michael Herrick. Then comes Encino Crespi, the top-seeded team in the Division X playoffs last season. Game 4 is against Newhall Hart, the Division II champion, and the fifth game is against Los Angeles Dorsey, the City title favorite.
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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
