River Dogs historic team selection needs support, not complaints

There’s a firestorm comin’ over the Columbia Basin River Dogs’ historic decision to create a select team to finish the season as the organization’s premiere representative at the Washington Senior Babe Ruth League state tournament, the Northwest Regional, and hopefully the national tournament in Jamestown, N.Y., Aug. 4-11.

For the first time in River Dogs history, there are two senior teams. Ironically enough, both lost in the semifinals of last year’s Senior Babe Ruth World Series in Ephrata, finishing in a tie for third in the national tournament.

Coaching staffs decided the best course of action was to select the top 18 players for the River Dogs “A” team and the remainder will formulate a “B” team.

You already know where I’m going with this because the fallout is bound be loud and vocal.

But the fact is, the best baseball minds in the Columbia Basin put their heads together to come up with the A-Team. Dave Johnson is a charter member of the Washington Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. Randy Boruff is the 2017 Lefty Gomez Babe Ruth League national volunteer of the year and state BRL commissioner. Mike Rios coached the 1998 River Dog team that won a national championship. Seven guys from that team were drafted. Donnie Lindgren won a NWAC East championship at Big Bend and was named the Columbia Basin Big Nine Coach of the Year in his first season at Moses Lake High School this past season.

I’m really hoping we can get past the, “My kid’s better than your kid,” and root for both teams the rest of the summer. Baseball is rough enough, great players get cut every day … not good enough, so to speak. B.J. Garbe was the greatest player ever to come out of the Columbia Basin. National tournament player of the year (1998), Gatorade National Player of the Year (1999), drafted fifth overall in the 1999 Major League Draft. With all that national acclaim, all that physical talent, ya think it wasn’t disappointing to see his baseball career stall in Double A baseball? B.J.’s one of the most humble guys I know. The game he loved turned on him, but he turned the page with grace. He’s a CEO and successful businessman here in town.

I talked with Jason Cooper last summer when he blew into town for the Senior Babe Ruth World Series for a reunion with the guys from the 1998 River Dogs team. Coop told me, “I played baseball right up until they told me I couldn’t play anymore.” Cooper made it all the way to Triple A ball in Buffalo. Ya suppose he was a little disappointed he didn’t get the call to join the New York Mets? He’s a scout for the Chicago Cubs these days, the only kid from Moses Lake to have a MLB World Series ring.

Gabe Boruff never could catch the break he needed to rise in the Kansas City Royals organization. In his final game as a professional, he went 3-for-3, threw out two runners and was cut the next day. What’s a guy gotta do to catch a break? Gabe went on to coach in the West Coast League and Washington State University.

Since when has life been fair? Baseball’s rough, people play, players get cut, better players than we’ll ever know don’t catch the right break.

I would hope Columbia Basin baseball fans support both teams on their journey to Jamestown, since both teams will play in the Northwest Regional in Gillette, Wyo.

Here’s a thought: Vince Young thought he should have been the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, but the committee chose Reggie Bush. Young in turn led the Texas Longhorns to the BCS national championship in one of the greatest college football games of all-time.

Didn’t get selected to the River Dogs A-Team? Beat the Big Dogs and go to Jamestown to prove them all wrong. But please show the same class and dignity our real A-Team (MLB draftees) has shown and not ruin somebody’s summer with complaints.

Rodney Harwood is a sports writer for the Columbia Basin Herald and can be reached at rharwood@columbiabasinherald.com