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Teagarden's whirlwind of a week

BY JUSTIN THOMAS, Staff writer

Published: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 5:53 PM CDT

For many athletes, making the United States Olympic Team is a dream come true.

For others the dream is playing sports professionally, or even better, coming up with the game-winning play.

Former Carrollton Creekview and University of Texas catcher Taylor Teagarden has now checked all of these off of his list. And he did it one week.

What he called “a whirlwind of a week” began when Teagarden � representing the Oklahoma Redhawks in the Pacific Coast League, a minor league affiliate of the Texas Rangers � played in the XM All-Star Futures Game on July 13 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York.

“It started with the futures game,” Teagarden said. “I was just having a good time in New York and was ready for the PCL break, but I guess I turned a few heads at the futures game and was later invited to play on the Olympic Team.”

Teagarden was playing for the U.S. team in the game that features minor league stars from the U.S. playing against international minor league stars. He received a walk in his only plate appearance and completed two double plays by throwing out would be base stealers on strikeouts. His U.S. team fell, however, to the international stars, 3-0.

But, the dream week was just beginning and continued for Teagarden on Thursday night.

“I was heading to Oklahoma City when I got a call from the Rangers saying �Get your stuff ready and catch a flight, you need to be up in Minnesota on Friday night,’” Teagarden said.

The Rangers arranged a flight Friday morning, and Teagarden was in the starting lineup Friday in Minneapolis to face the Twins, catching Rangers starting pitcher Kevin Millwood.

“I just got there and tried to get a feel for the Metrodome during batting practice,” Teagarden said. “I hadn’t caught Millwood since spring training, so I wanted to get a feel for how he was throwing. I was a little nervous my first at bat, but I settled down after that.”

The Rangers went on to lose the first game of the series, 6-0, with Teagarden going 0-for-3 in his big league debut.

Max Ramirez, another Rangers rookie catcher, started at catcher in Game 2 of the series, a 14-2 Twins victory, but Teagarden found himself back in the lineup for the series finale Sunday with Rangers starter Vicente Padilla facing Minnesota’s Scott Baker.

The teams were in a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning, with Baker in the midst of a perfect game when Teagarden stepped to the plate with two outs.

“(Baker) was getting some quick outs and really just mowing through us,” Teagarden said. “I was able to work into a full count, and I had a good feeling he was going to try and come with his best fastball. I just wanted to put a nice swing on it. He got it down a little, and I was able to get under it and hit it out.”

Teagarden said he had a big smile when he got back to the dugout, where he was greeted with high fives and cheers from his teammates who saw his first professional hit give the Rangers the lead and change to momentum of the game.

“It was just a great feeling, but I knew I had to relax and go out there and catch the rest of the game.”

And he did just that, catching a shutout, with his solo homer holding up as the only run in a 1-0 Rangers victory.

Monday, Teagarden was sent back to the minors, as he prepares for the Olympics beginning Aug. 8 in Beijing, China. Olympic rules stipulate players who will compete in the Olympics must be in the minor leagues by July 22.

“I had a great time in Minnesota, but it’s a win-win situation,” Teagarden said. “I get a chance to play in the Olympics, and then I’ll be back ready to help the team wherever they need me.”

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