When you’re keeping up with the Stockton Ports this season, don’t forget that they’re not the only hardworking team in the Oakland Athletics organization. As we get to the mid-season point, catch up with how all the other A’s affiliate teams have been doing so far in the 2011 season.

Just north of us, the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats currently lead the Pacific Coast League with a 45-26 record as of June 20.. The River Cats boast some big hitting stats among A’s affiliates. Outfielder Jai Miller leads the Cats’ in home runs with a total of 15, followed closely by Matt Carson with 14. Also, keep an eye out for A’s number two prospect Chris Carter, who has been coming back from a rehab stint with the Stockton Ports, and infielder Adrian Cardenas who leads the team with a .332 average and is second on the team with 78 hits.

In Texas, the Midland Rockhounds had a 26-42 record by June 20, sitting 22 games behind the Texas League leading San Antonio Missions. Despite being short in the wins column, the Rockhounds roster includes A’s organization leader in batting average (.343) and hits (92), Jermaine Mitchell, and top A’s prospect Grant Green, who sits at a .287 average with 72 hits and 32 RBI.

The Single-A Burlington Bees of Burlington, Iowa clinched their first half crown in the Midwest League with an impressive 45-25 record . Burlington’s biggest offensive threats are Josh Whitaker (batting .308 with 19 doubles and 22 RBI) and Tony Thompson (batting .290 with 7 home runs). The Bees pitching staff has also been stellar with season long dominance from Blake Hassebrock who leads the team with a sparkling 1.71 ERA.

From being drafted by the A’s in 2009, to playing two seasons in Stockton with the Ports, to his current position on the Midland Rockhounds roster, it’s been a steady climb through the system for shortstop Grant Green. To the Oakland A’s, he is this year’s top prospect. But to the people who knew him growing up, he’s the same kid he’s always been; he’s just growing into the talented athlete he was always going to be.

“Grant is today what he was as a kid,” said his mother, Valerie Green. “He was always very competitive. He has an older brother who played baseball, and so he always had to do everything his brother did.”

Grant was a baseball fan from a very young age. His mother says that some of the first pictures of him show him wearing his father’s glove, which was almost as big as him at the time. As he grew up, he kept following the example of his brother.

“From the time he was old enough to stand and put a glove on his hand or have a bat in his hand, that’s what he did, because his brother was two years older than him and he always had one, so Grant just kind of grew up doing the same thing,” said Valerie.

With two young, competitive athletes in the same household, it wouldn’t be surprising if there was some sibling rivalry taking place. However, Grant’s mother insists that there was never any of that, save for the two years they spent playing against each other while Grant was at SC and his brother was at San Diego State. Even so, they have always been best friends.

In fact, the whole Green clan gets along very well, swapping funny stories when they’re all together at the dinner table. Since Grant’s entrance into professional baseball, more silly stories from his youth have popped up in interviews – sometimes to the surprise of his parents.

“I think in one of the interviews that came out, they wanted to know Grant’s biggest lie or something,” said Valerie. “And apparently, when Greg and I went out one night, the kids were playing baseball in my kitchen! And when we got home, the front cover of the microwave was broken. And so they said, ‘I slipped and hit it by accident.’ But apparently, they were playing baseball and something hit it and broke the cover. Those kinds of funny things, they used to do them in the house all the time. That’s just the kind of kid he is.”

That same kid who was damaging kitchen supplies during rounds of indoor baseball with his siblings was turning heads with his real athletic performances on the ball field. People could tell early on that he was going to be something special.

“Grant was an 11-year-old when he went with the Placentia Mustangs to Florida and won the AAU National title down there as an 11-and-under,” his mother recalled. “From that moment on, Greg said, ‘He’s going to make it.’ He played pony baseball at the Garden Grove Pony League, and I would stand there next to parents and the dads would look at me and say, ‘We’ll be paying to see him play.’ It’s not that it didn’t register with me, but, you know, he’s my son. So you always think your son is incredible. It was a very good feeling [to hear others say it].”

The predictions turned out to be true, with Grant now in his third season in the Oakland A’s organization. And if that wasn’t surreal enough for his family, they will now have a traditional piece of baseball memorabilia in Grant’s likeness: his very own bobblehead.

“I was up there in Stockton when they did a jersey night for Grant,” said Valerie. “His grandmother and I had driven up so we could be up there to get jerseys. That was pretty unbelievable, to see people walking around with your kid’s name on their backs. And then to see these bobbleheads – oh my gosh! Who would have thought? As a kid growing up, I was really into going to ballgames and getting those bobbleheads and having them on your dresser. But to see your son as a bobblehead is pretty incredible.”

The increasing attention that Grant is drawing as an athlete could be overwhelming for some, but he has kept a level head about it.

“He’s a kid at heart. He’s a really good, humble person,” said Valerie. “I hear these interviews that he gives, and what he says – that’s just him. It’s not ‘I’m saying this for the interviewer.’ It’s just him. And when they say, ‘What do you miss the most?’ he says, ‘My mom’s lasagna, my mom’s fried chicken.’ He would tell that to you, or to his best friend, or to his sister. What you see of him is exactly what he is every day.”

Every night Dan Straily pitches, you can bet that there is a sea of support tuning in to listen to his every move. Straily may be just popping up on Stockton’s radar, but he has been catching the attention and support of his family for years; a fact which he does not take for granted.

“It’s really nice to have that support system behind you,” said Straily. “This is a long, long season. You are out here for half a year, and to know that every fifth day, or sixth day that I am pitching, that I just have a vast number of people listening. It really is awesome.”

One of the biggest things that Straily can count on from his family is their love of the game. Every chance they get, Dan and his family break down his starts, asking him about certain plays and his mindset throughout the game. Staying positive, he says, is the key message that his family tries to impart upon him.

“They are a very positive group,” Straily said of his family. “We always try to find the good in everything. Even some of the days that aren’t as good as we hoped for, we still try to find good things in it. They may not know the exact ins-and-outs of baseball, but they definitely know the game, and they just love talking about the game.”

Being able to discuss the game with his family brings them all closer together. Straily recognizes that this has created a special bond between them all.

“I talk to them a lot the day of the game, but afterwards as well,” he said. “And it kind of brings our family more together. Not every family member gets a chance to talk all the time, especially mine, being pretty far spread out.”

Even when Straily doesn’t get to speak with his family, he knows that they are tuning in on the airwaves. With family tuning in everywhere from Oregon to Illinois, he takes comfort in knowing that they are checking in on his progress. He says that his family is immensely grateful to have the broadcast coverage of the games, being their eyes when they can’t be there to see themselves.

But you can bet that they aren’t just listening in – they are turning out in waves to watch him pitch all across the California League.

“I have yet to have a start without someone there watching that I know,” he said proudly. “My family is 12-for-12 or 11-for-11, whatever it is. Everyone has a support system. My support system just makes it really well known to me, and to whoever is around. They’re at the games, they are the ones yelling loudest for me. And that’s just how it’s always been.”

Straily wholeheartedly welcomes the enthusiastic support of his family and friends from the stands, or from wherever they are able to listen. It means a lot to him, and hopes to return the support himself one day.

“Some guys get embarrassed about it, but I don’t,” he said. “That’s probably going to be me someday, out there rooting on my kid, being ecstatic and happy for them. It’s just an awesome feeling having that many people out there supporting you.”

1.      Favorite memory playing at the Banner Island?

Clinching the 2nd half of the 05′ season and having a champagne celebration in the locker room

2.      Have you had any favorite coaches or mentors along the way? 

Scott Emerson was a great pitching coach I have been around. He is definitely a players coach. I have also played under great coaches and managers who have had great MLB careers such as Larry Parrish, Leon “Bull” Durham, and Craig Lefferts.

3.      The Nike Shoe collection…. how did it start, how many shoes do you have and what is the rarest shoes you have?

I have about 160+ pairs of shoes. My rarest is the Nike SB “What the Dunk”. There were 333 pairs made in the world. They resell brand new for around $2000. I always was a fan of the Nike Air Jordans and would save money and ask from parents for the holidays or birthday gifts for shoes. From there it just took off and I have been collecting ever since.

4.      Which player did you most idolize and pattern your game after?

I was always a fan of Ken Griffey Jr growing up. He plays the game hard and was never involved in the PED scandals. Too bad I was not a good enough hitter in high school to swing like Griffey.

5.      What facets of your game do you most wish to improve upon?

I just want to improve on making quality pitches and repeating my mechanics. Staying healthy is also a plus.

6.      You are Miami sports fan specifically the Heat of the NBA,  give us your prediction of the  CHI vs MIA series and who would you rather the Heat play the Dallas Mavericks or Oklahoma City Thunder in the Championship?

Of course I want the Heat to win in the least amount of games against Chicago. I would like to see a rematch of Miami and Dallas. Also since I’m currently in Dallas I’m pulling for them so that there may be a chance I can go to the games. (Since the interview, Scot has moved to Taiwan, but he must be pleased with the Finals!)

7.      Who has the best walk-up song, and why?

Jon Hunton, an ex Athletic and Port, has a song Big Bad Jon which is very suitable for him being 6’9.

8.      Favorite place to eat in Stockton?

Podestos subs or In N out.

9.      Finish this sentence: the only thing that would make me scream like a little girl is…..

when people sneak up on me and jump out and scare me. Our pitching coach got me yesterday. I was waiting in my car for my roommate and my coach snuck up behind the car and bang on my window. I screamed so loud, and he laughed louder.

10.  If I was forced to sing karaoke, I would sing?

Anything by Guns N Roses or some Vanilla Ice. I have a smooth running man dance I can throw into the mix too

11.  Any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

I tend to listen to some music on my ipod prior to the game. Some teammates notice me talking to myself in the dugout too prior to the game when I’m pitching. I just like to remind myself of the things I need do while I’m on the mound.

12.   If they made a movie about my life I would want___________ to play me & why?

Tough question, couldnt really think of an answer

13.  My first car was a_____________?

1994 Ford Explorer

14.  You are very active on Twitter! Which celebrity/athlete do you most enjoy following and why?

I used to follow a lot of celebs on twitter, but some were “over-tweeting” and I had to drop them. I like following baseball insider guys. I like to know current transactions and possible trades.

15.  Your blog gives fans an inside look at life at a professional baseball player and tells stories that fans otherwise would have never known. What propelled you to start the blog?

I always enjoyed creative writing and when I was with Oakland, the folks at scout.com asked me to keep a blog. From there I did one with the Tigers, and finally MLB got in contact with me while I was in the Arizona Fall League. Its been a lot of fun for me and I have received great feedback from the fans.

 

When you go to enjoy a Stockton Ports home game at Banner Island Ballpark, you enter a distinct game day atmosphere. Sunshine, the sounds of fans, friends and family, and, of course, the smells of delicious ballpark food. Have you ever wondered who it is that is behind all of your favorite dishes at the park? Meet Stockton Ports stadium chef Bert Reed, the man working behind the scenes to keep fans’ taste buds and stomachs satisfied.

Q: What made you decide to go into culinary arts?

A: I think I was probably about 12. My mom let me take over the grill, because she had to go to the store. And, I mean, I burnt the meat up, but actually, we all ate it, and from there, I fell in love with it. I tried warehousing and it was too hot. I went to school for that for about a year, worked in warehousing for about two years, and decided I couldn’t do it because of the heat. So I decided to go back to school for culinary arts.

 

Q: What sort of training and experience did you get before coming to the ballpark?

A: I had nine months of training from the San Francisco Culinary Arts. [I worked at] the Macaroni Grill, basically little restaurants around here, locally.

 

Q: How did you come to be the stadium chef for the Ports?

A: Actually, I got hired on by my brother-in-law, and I was a sous chef. And when he went to another job, the position was open and they offered me the position. I knew everything here, so it kind of worked out perfectly. I was ready for it. They asked me if I wanted it and I took it and ran with it.

 

Q: What are your duties?

A: My duty is to cook for the luxury suites that we have here. We do picnics out back at the Black Oak and the Jackson Rancheria. We do a basic tri-tip, ball tip, baked beans, potato salad. I cook for all stands, the [Tecate] Cantina, Home Plate. So all the food is actually prepped in my kitchen, and is sent out. So everything you’re probably tasting out here came from me.

 

Q: How much influence do you have on the menu? Do you bring in new ideas?

A: Yes, all the time. Especially with our Comcast menu, we try to change it every week. We bring in our own ideas, and I have a sous chef. We sit down and we go over ideas, what’s going to be right for the price, because we charge $15, so we want to please the people. So we’ll go over a menu and some ideas, we’ll watch a little Rachael Ray, and we’ll steal from her and put it on the menu [laughs].

 

Q: Have you had to meet any special dietary needs or requests?

Not so far. I’ve had a lot of people ask what’s in our meat, or basic questions like that. We add a lot of vegetarian meals, we’ll give them a fruit salad, and there’s cheese pizza. Those are the only ones I ran into, and that wouldn’t be a problem, but that had a different menu and plan.

 

Q: What has been unique about working at this ballpark?

The atmosphere. I just love the spirit. The people, the employees are so great, the atmosphere is good. I like the crowd. And I like people to smell the food and say, “Mmm,  that smells good.” I like to see people happy, and food usually does that, it usually makes you happy.

 

Q: And has that been your favorite thing about working here?

A: Yeah, that’s basically it. I’ve been here probably five or six years, and the Ports front office is great. I know most of those guys, some of them came, some of them have left – they’re excellent to work with. Ovations always has excellent staff. I’ve been working with them outside of the ballpark for years, and it makes the job a lot easier. When you’re around people that enjoy being around you, like I said, it’s always a fun atmosphere. I even got out there and danced on the field one year. That’s another story though!

 

Q: What food or dish would you recommend to fans visiting for the first time?

A: I would recommend people to go to the Tecate Cantina. It’s great food, most of it’s handmade, so there’s no canned food. It’s fresh. There’s chicken, we chop it up and season it, and the beef, same way. So it’s good, and it’s the best buy in the park. Also, our sausage cart. We have footlong, all-beef Miller dogs. $8, you get your choice of onions, peppers, seasoned up on there, and that’s a good deal too. And I would like to challenge anyone to eat two of those things!

 

Q: Is there anything else you would like Ports fans to know about you and what you do?

I would just like them to know that it’s always fun here at the Ports. There’s great food, always, I know that firsthand. But I just want everybody to know that it’s a real family atmosphere and, I mean, come out and try it. I guarantee you’re going to enjoy it. And, other than that, go Ports!