Stop Medicaid fraud
March 29, 2016
Faye Pizani
March 30, 2016
Last week, the Tampa Bay Rays made national headlines when they traveled to Cuba for a one-game series against the Communist country’s national squad.
By now, that’s pretty well-known.
But what isn’t known is the ripple effect that game had on a local standout who is hoping for continued growth through the team’s farm system in the 2016 season.
Houma native and Tampa Bay prospect Justin Williams played for the Rays’ Major League club last Wednesday – the first time he ever got a shot to suit up and play for Tampa in an official MLB game. He got his shot to compete after Tampa had travel issues getting home from Cuba on Tuesday night, which left the team in need of players for the next day’s game.
Williams made the most of his opportunity, roping an RBI single to right field in the ninth inning to help Tampa score a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
The local said the entire experience is one in which he’ll never forget – an afternoon that he hopes is just a prelude to a career filled with MLB success.
Williams, 20, is currently rated as the No. 14 prospect in the Rays’ loaded farm system. He’ll likely start the season with Tampa Bay’s AA-squad.
“It’s just a really good feeling,” Williams said of his big week. “It tells you that the hard work that you’re putting in is starting to pay off. It was cool. It’s something that you really never forget. To see that uniform and to know it’s mine? That’s something that just makes you sit back and say, ‘Wow. This is awesome.’”
For Williams, the entire thing happened out of the blue.
He said he showed up to the Rays’ Spring Training Complex in Florida last Wednesday at his usual 6:45 a.m. timeslot. Williams said he was fully prepared to encounter a day filled with workouts and baseball fundamentals.
After getting his work in, Williams said he got a call from one of Tampa’s coordinators, who told the Houma native that there was a change in plans for the day.
“He said, ‘OK, the major league team had trouble at the airport in Havana, so we need you to play today for us in Ft. Myers,’” Williams said. “So, I’m sitting there excited as can be, while trying to keep myself focused. We had 30-45 minutes to get ready. I was mentally prepared from that point on.”
Focus and mental preparedness are two things that Williams said were the focal points to his offseason push.
The local prospect was one of four Rays= prospects invited by the team to play for an offseason team in Australia.
While down under, Williams said he learned a lot about his game, and what it takes to be a consistent professional player. Tampa Bay saw some return on their investment, too. While playing in Australia, Williams hit a towering home run that went viral immediately on both local social media and around baseball circles.
“I’ve learned over time that everyone who plays this game at this level has physical ability,” Williams said. “It’s all on the mental side that determines if you have success, man. I’ve really worked on my mental approach to the game. This offseason, I’ve worked so hard on playing the right way, and playing hard.”
He showcased those talents on a huge stage in his spring training gig.
The game started slow for Tampa, as Minnesota grinded out runs in both the third and sixth innings to take a 2-0 lead.
Williams entered the game in the top of the seventh as a pinch hitter. His first-ever at-bat as a Tampa Bay Ray came against Ryan O’Rourke – a journeyman reliever who’s had a couple cups of tea in the Big Leagues.
Williams chopped a softly hit grounder to second baseman Danny Santana, who flipped the ball to first baseman Max Kepler for the third out of the inning.
Williams hustled out the ground ball, but was gunned out at first.
“I just thought to myself, ‘I want one more at-bat,’” Williams said.
He got it in the ninth.
After taking a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning, Tampa rallied again in the ninth, using an RBI double from Mayo Acosta to go up 4-2.
With two outs, Williams came up for a second time with Acosta still on second base after his powerful hit.
This time, the local faced off against Trevor May – a two-year starter for the Twins’ big league team.
After a couple pitches, Williams was behind in the count 1-2.
Knowing that Williams is an aggressive hitter, May threw him a two-strike changeup, hoping to get Williams to swing and miss.
The pitch hung — high in the strike zone.
“Exactly where you want it to be as a hitter,” Williams said, while reliving the story. “I knew it was a great pitch to hit.”
“Smack!”
Williams’ bat sounded like a cannon after he hammered the ball to right field – one of the hardest-hit balls of the game.
Acosta scored on the RBI single, which gave Tampa a 5-2 lead – the final run scored in the game.
In the heat of the moment, Williams said he was too focused on the game to be overly sentimental about what was going on.
“I just wanted to drive the run in and get a bigger lead,” Williams said with a laugh.
But once it was over, and he was back in the locker room, Williams said he had a moment to soak it all in.
“I just thought about my parents and my family and how much I love them, and how much I appreciate them always supporting me and doing anything they could to help me,” Williams said. “I miss those guys so much. I really do. Last week was my brother’s birthday. I want to wish him a Happy Birthday and tell him that I love him. … They’re all a huge part of this – just as much as I am.”
But with emotions no longer raw, Williams said he’s hungry for more.
The local said doesn’t yet know where he’s going to begin the 2016 season, adding that the Rays wait until the last day of spring training before handing out player assignments.
But no matter where he’s shipped, Williams said he will be ready.
In three minor league seasons, Williams has hit a combined .315 with 12 home runs and 131 RBI over 247 career games.
Last year, he played in A-Ball and advanced A-Ball, hitting .277 with seven home runs. A lot of his best work came at the end of the season when he found his stride and got used to some adjustments he’d made in his swing.
Williams said he has high hopes to continue moving up the ladder toward the ultimate goal – playing with the Rays full-time.
“People think you get drafted and you play in the Big Leagues the next day,” Williams said. “That’s not exactly how it goes, you know? There’s a lot of steps and a lot of hurdles to climb. I just want to keep working, keep getting better and keep getting closer and closer to my dream.
“I tasted it this week, and it just reminded me that I want it more now than ever before. I’m ready for the season. I can’t wait to get out there and play.” •
