A Tribute to Rudy Yos...My Personal Ritual

I dont know what brought the topic of this blog. I just felt like writing something I guess.

We see a lot of athletes get into slumps or get on a streak, they start to get into rituals or have superstitious about everything they do.

According to Men's Fitness, "While his hitting power has cooled in recent years, Colorado Rockie Jason Giambi was a pitcher's worst nightmare in his prime. But even in his heyday the Giambino was prone to slumps. His solution for turning things around? A golden thong. That's right. Whenever the 6-foot-3 first baseman found himself in a funk, he'd slip his 240-pound frame into a tiny pair of butt floss before playing. More often than not, Giambi's weird superstition actually worked. In fact, his bikini bottoms became so well thought of, the five-time All-Star's teammate's would often borrow them to break out of their own slumps."

Also according to Men's Fitness, "Jason Kidd used to blow a kiss to his super hot wife, Joumana, before every free-throw. Cute, right? Well, after an extremely messy divorce, Joumana is now Kidd’s ex-wife. So he has adjusted his ritual accordingly. He still blows a kiss to Joumana, of course, but not before wiping his fingers on his ass. Now that’s contempt."

During the 2010 El Camino season, I remember two of my teammates, John Hein and Bobby Martin started taking Redline energy drinks before games (Don't judge us Logan Gelbrich) and next thing you know everyone started to buy into it, even some of the coaches. I brought another ritual/superstition to the team, where I started to bring soda flavored candy to almost every game. Teammates would get mad when I wouldn't bring them but hey, I provided it and money doesn't grow on trees. I don't know how much money I spent on those candy and how much we spend together as a team on Redline, but it lead us to the state championship.

I remember one of my coaches from El Camino Community College telling me that when he played professional baseball, he went on some 20+ game hitting streak and I forgot what it was but because of superstition, he said he ate the same food everyday until his streak ended. 

My good friend, a friend I call a brother, Andrew Pulido also has a ritual. Before he throws the first pitch of every inning, he kneels down on one knee and writes something on the back of the mound. He never told me or anyone what it is; only a select few know....

In August 2008, I met a guy from San Pedro (California) named Rudy Yos during the time I was trying out for El Camino. Before I met him, I saw this guy as a hard-ass, cocky guy, which he was. But once I started to get to know him, he was one of the coolest guys I met. I told this story many times, but for those of you who don't know, I got cut from the team my first year, along with 3 or 4 other guys, and one of them was Rudy. After I decided to go to a one-horse town Barstow to play baseball, Rudy called me and told me he was going to Barstow too.

Then in January 2009, I lived in an apartment with 3 teammates in Barstow, one which included Rudy. Rudy only ended up stay for 3 weeks at the school and went back to San Pedro. I didn't find the reason behind it but it probably had to do something with family; he just left one day and never saw him again. But during the 3 weeks we were roommates, we had talks about life and baseball. It was with this guy that I started to drink beer in the first place. I will never forget that moment in time because I will some what affect me about 2 years later...

Rudy Yos passed away on November 20, 2010 because of an overdose usage of drugs. I didn't want to believe it a first. It was about three or four months before that I talked to him on the phone while I was at Disneyland of all places. I had to cut the the conversation short and to this day, I wish I could have talk to him on the phone longer and caught up with him, and I regret that I forgot to call him back in that three to four months...

From the talks we had, he had a big heart, especially for baseball. Being teammates and roommates for 3 weeks showed me that Rudy would do anything to be on the baseball field.

Ever since Rudy had passed away, I promised myself I would do a ritual. Every time the National Anthem plays before every baseball game I play, I bow my head down, close my eyes and talk to Rudy and tell him I wish he could be on the baseball field with me, to look over me and the team and to keep us safe. After the song is over, I always look up to the sky hoping that he is watching over us.

Rudy is one of the reasons why it drives me to play baseball because like I said, he would do anything to be on a baseball field. So if you see me at a practice or a game, you'll know one thing about me that you didn't know.

To end this, I'll leave all my readers a quote: "Life is too short not to make the best and the most of everything that comes your way everyday."

Rest In Paradise Rudy Yos
April 21, 1989 - November 20, 2010

-Jun

Warriors '10

I wrote this piece on Facebook on Feburary 25, 2010 at 9:51 p.m. during the 2009-10 baseball season while I was at El Camino Community College. The one year I will never forget.

"I probably wrote this on facebook cause Ill probably want to read this later on this year and if i saved it on a computer and it crashed, i probably wouldnt have it for later, unless facebook discontinues.

Well its about half way into the season. not quite but its 5 days until conference play. We didnt end on a good note into it but were 9-3. so far, I think its a good start. Going into this season, i thought I wouldnt make the team, honestly. But hard work kept me in the game.

During the fall, i couldnt imagine how many good players were coming in and returning. I swear I thought I had no chance. But I worked hard and kept my head up. Went to go hit in the cages with Coop everyday. Tried (cause I gained weight) to run hard on everything. You know tried to do the little things. On individual meeting days, Coach told me I could quit, or be on the team but wont probably get any playing time. But right when i heard that choice, i quickly decided to stay with the team. I didnt know whether it was a good choice or not at the time but baseballs been there all my life until today and hopefully later, so I stuck with it. I remember Pops telling me that he is glad i made the choice i made to be part of something special. Then my first at-bat as a Warrior against my old team, Barstow, I hit the ball to deep left field and got a triple. Then i knew that i was part of something special.

This is probably one of the teams that came together the most out of all the teams I been with. We have our love and hates on this team but overall were all within each other. We are literally like one big family. Im not saying at Barstow we werent cool, but we didnt come together as one. For me, Im pretty much cool with everyone...except maybe Larsen. hes kinda of a quite guy. But this year means a lot to me. Although Im red shirting, Im learning alot already and trying to keep up to everyones level. In high school, I wasnt the best player around, and probably still am and I havent been on a winning team before. But I have that year to learn a lot of stuff thats happening on and off the field for next year. But if I learn that i might not get a lot of playing time, im thinking of hanging my cleats up but i dont know. After this season, im probably gonna miss this team the most of out all the teams i been with.

I know all you guys will probably make fun of me because you'll read this but to make this a memorable season for everyone on the team, lets take this all the way fellas. pick each other up when were down. go big or go home. Beat everyone in the way. 232 baby. Thats what were about to do."

Special shout out to the El Camino 2010 Dream Team.

-Jun

Just My Karma...

     For almost 17 years, my life has been revolved around baseball day in and day out. I never really played any other sports (besides basketball for about six to seven months). I worked hard every day, for the most part, and never looked back. I been hurt all the time since my Little League days back in 2001 in North Torrance, Ca; elbow problems, shoulder injuries, anything you can think of on the right arm. But thanks to my mother, she was always there to fix the pain and comfort me.

     In high school, I was really never hurt or injured, although during my first practice my freshmen year, I miss a fly ball in the outfield and the ball hit me straight in the head. Then, I was always self-conscious about getting hurt and played scared at time, to be honest, because I never wanted to play injured again.

     Then comes my college years. Long story short, I get cut from my first ever junior college I attended, but the coach helped me out by finding me another school to play at. Until I had a chance to play everyday in college, I had never took lifting serious. I had about three and a half months before being away from home and playing baseball so I became a member at a local gym and started to lift everyday.

     January 2009: The Snowball Effect. It was literally less than a month away from playing my first game with the new school I started to attend, Barstow Community College. I was in good shape. Felt stronger than I ever was and was also up for any challenges that came my way.

     The team wasn't even done with our first week of practice and I sprained my left ankle running the bases. I asked myself, "What did I deserve to get hurt?" I worked hard and gave all I got every single day. I rehabbed for the remaining days until our opening day and my ankle got better within that time and was ready to play the first game.

     I remember it was Feb 12, 2009 and I was playing second base against L.A. City College. During one of the innings I was receiving a double play and as I made the throw, the runner slid to the base late and I landed on my shoulders in a awkward position. At the time I didn't even think about it but when I looked back, this is when a serious shoulder injury would come to haunt me.
    
     Feb 13, 2009. I was a runner on third base. I think I was the only runner on base, I forgot, but I made a base running error by running home when it was hit right to the third baseman and it threw the ball home. I slid to home head first and that's when I really started to feel my shoulder pain come to me.

    The pain progressively gotten worse. It was March 19, 2009, that was when I played my last game as a starter that year. My shoulder got to a point where I couldn't even lift it up. Couldn't even throw a baseball 5 feet. I felt like all the work I put in was a waste.

    That was probably the most frustrated I been in my life. I had a couple more injuries after I transferred back to the first college I attended, El Camino College (Yes, I tried out again, but this time I made the team). I played two years there (red shirted one year) and both year I had elbow problems.

     Now I'm sitting here at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at my desk typing this at 1:16 am about my injuries. Why, you ask? It is because I worked so hard day in and day out to get here and I am sitting down right now with a strained shoulder, where if I try to raise my arm up, it hurts like no other. What did I do to deserve this? Why me? Did it have to be now, going into the 5 week of our season? I took care of my body to prevent injuries and I get injured...

     A fellow teammate once told me that everything happens for a reason.

     I sit here, frustrated asking myself, "What is the reason for this?"....

-Jun

First Thanksgiving Away from Home

This Thanksgiving was the first Thanksgiving away from home and not spending time with my family.

Before the week of Thanksgiving came around, two of my three roommates have left home for California for the holiday to spend time with the ones they love and care most. I would have loved to flew home for Thanksgiving but I still had class to attend and didn't have the money to by an airfare ticket with already spending about $500 to go back home during winter break.

After I got out of my last class on Tuesday, almost everyone on my dormitory hall have left, and by night it was just me and my roommate from California in the hall. Usually, the hall is loud and obnoxious. Although it does get annoying at times, it bring a little life to the hall. This time, it reminded me of a ghost town. No one was here. Just dead silence.

During this time, I had some time to think about what was going on with my life, what should I do to get ahead of school, and so on. But what I was thinking about most was that I wish I could be at home relaxing, worrying about nothing, and just sharing some laughters with my family.

Honestly, I was a little sad thinking about my family. I haven't seen them in about 3 months, with the exception of via Skype. Although I am a Japanese-decent, we celebrate Thanksgiving because it is a time where we all sit down at the dinner table and eat as a family. Usually, four or five days out of the week, someone is always missing at the dinner table since my mother, my sisters and I have different schedules.

Once Thanksgiving came around, I really didn't know what to do that day. It was only my roommate and I on the floor and most likely, restuarants weren't probably going to be open. But I got a called from one of my teammates staying on campus to come play basketball down at the outside court at the school. So my roommate and I went down to go play, an hour after he called, and ended up that everyone wanted to go back inside.

There were about 10 of us including my roommate and I that stayed here at Mount Mercy for the holidays (Not to mention, they are all from California except for one). One of them told us that they were doing a Thanksgiving potluck. I was pretty stoked to here that. I, then made a trip to Walmart with two of my teammates and got my recipe to contribute to the potluck; I made some garlic rice with spinich.

At the end of the day, all of us gathered around and said grace before we ate (which I never do at my house hold). It was a feast. I got full with only one plate down. I could have never been more appreciative and thankful for my teammates. The days I wish I could be home, they are the one that made days like those so special.

Overall, my Thanksgiving away from home and family wasn't such a bad experience. All I have to say is I am thankful for my family for support me in any shape or form, through thick and thin while I'm out here in Iowa, my friends for always being there for me whenever I need a person to talk to. And my teammates that I got to spend my time with this Thanksgiving.

I can't wait until I get to go home for Christmas break. It's so close I can taste it.

-Jun

From a big city to a big "small" city

I have lived in a suburb in Los Angeles, Torrance, my whole life and even though there is everything to do in the world, go to Major League Baseball games, go to an NBA game, go to Disneyland, Universal Studios, go to the beach, etc, I always complained that there was nothing to do out there.

I never thought I would be moving out of Torrance and was dying to get out of there. Until an oppotunity came upon me to play baseball at Mount Mercy University...IN IOWA!?!?! I thought to myself, "Iowa!? There's probably nothing to do out there."

Although I got accepted to University of Oregon and University of Hawai'i academically, I decided to sign my letter of intent with Mount Mercy University to continue to purse my career in baseball. I talked to a friend that went to college in Iowa and he really got me interested to coming out here. He told me that one, I get to play baseball. And two, I should just go out to where ever I'm going, in this case Iowa, and just experience something new because you only live once and might never be able to do this again. He also mentioned that Cedar Rapids was the second biggest city in Iowa so it shouldn't be that bad, and i could head out to Iowa City if I had free time to get more of a College scenery.

This is going to be my 12th week here in Cedar Rapids and I couldn't have asked for a better time here. I really didn't except much at first but my teammates and  the people I met at school has made it a pleasant experience so far.

However, I do miss spending time with my family and my friends back home. I'm not saying Iowa is a horrible place or anything, but I cant wait to go back home for winter break and spend some quality time with everybody.

Until then, I have to stay on the daily grind of school and baseball.

-Jun

First Time Playing Fantasy Football

Every year, my friends from high school would be talking about Football. Who was doing good, who was doing bad, who won the fantasy game of that week and bragging about their wins.

This year, I decided to join in a Fantasy Football with some friends I know. Although I have experience in Fantasy Baseball and Basketball, I thought I would participate in another sports this year.

These past four and a half years, I really never got to pay close attention to the National Football League since I was working at a restuarant on Sundays, which ironically, was when the games are on.

Ever since I decided to attend aschool in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Mount Mercy University), I was pretty excited that I wasnt going to have to work on Sundays and actually get to watch some football. Better yet, my roommates are all into football and two of my three roommates are in a fantasy league of their own so we all tune into the games that are on.

Although I know the basics of football (touchdowns, rushing yards, sacks, etc), I am not really familiar with the some of the rulings and regulations of football. So every time there is a penalty or a conflict during the game, I would feel stupid but ask what just happened on a certain play.

Now...it is week nine of 16 in the NFL and personally, my fantasy team is in 3rd place with a 5-3 record with a Monday Night Football game to be played this week. Its funny to reflect how I started off as a participant of little knowledge to knowing what everything goes on during the game.

So far, my experience with Fantasy Football is pretty exciting in comparison to Baseball and Basketball because football is only played once a week and you hope the player you drafted on your team does well for that week or you are screwed. In baseball and basketball, since the league plays almost everyday of their season, you just hope the players on your team are consistant, rather than expecting big things in one game for the week.

I recommend that people take part in Fantasy Football, especially for those of you who doesn't know the basis of football. As you play the game, you get the hang of it. Plus it give you something to do on a Sunday if you don't have anything to do.


-Jun

Not your typical so-called "gym"

This summer, I was introduce to a exercise I never knew that existed before...

It all started around late November early December when I asked who I call my friend and brother Taylor Gelbrich if his brother knew a lot about working out. You know, just curious about if I haven't done a lifting movement before. So I go to his brother, Logan, and I remember he asked me, "What's your goal in life?" I was thinking to myself, "What does this have to do with lifting?"

Logan mentioned that he was willing to train me to become fit at the time. I really didn't have time with school, work and wanting to go out with friends before they left for summer ball and whatnot. To be honest at the time, it was during baseball season and I wasn't lifting at all and I also didnt have the drive to get up to workout. It almost becomes a lifestyle. Not the kind I want.

As months went by, Logan kept on checking with me if I still want him to train me. I would come up with excuse and would have legitimate reasons why i wouldn't be able to make it. I think the most part was me being lazy and not having the drive to workout.

Then as the month of April came along, Logan mentioned that he was going to start up a workout in Santa Monica. I was thinking to myself, Torrance to SANTA MONICA!?!? Really? With L.A. traffic, that's going to take about an hour. My thought at first, "f-that!" At the same time, I did ask Logan for some workout tips before and I told him I was willing to train with him so I thought I give it a try.

After a hour long drive from North Torrance to Santa Monica on a early Tuesday morning with horrible L.A. traffic, I was late to my first ever class (I am never trusting Google Maps for directions again). I thought Logan was going to yell at me for being late and along with the other coaches, Annie Mello and Danny Lesslie. As I walked up to them, they just greeted me with comfort and just smiled and told me "Welcome to the bluffs!"

Logan told me to hope in the warm-up that was going on that day. I was doing thinking, "This is it? This is easy." I guess I spoke too soon. The workout came along and I remeber it well:
100m Farmers Carry
20 KB Cleaners
200m Run
20 KB Swings
100m Farmers Carry
20 KB Snatch

After the workout, I was exhausted. Never wanting to do the workout again, but with a little post pep talk from Logan and Danny, it all changed from there.

Since that Tuesday, I went to most of the classes during the week except during finals week and when I got sick. I changed me into a different person with a different perspective not just in a work out but in life as well. The coaches were a big part of this transformation. Without the coaching, I would be doing every workout or if I went to the gym and lifted, I would be doing evertything wrong. But not just the coaches but the other functional fitnessers that were always attending the class well influneced me in many ways.

I recommend everyone to at least go to a work out at the bluffs, but now they are located at a different location on Ocean Avenue and Marguerita Avenue at Palisades Park. It may be a drive from where ever you might be. And It might not be your typical lifting in front of the mirrior at the gym. But in the end, you'll get results that you would never have imagined you would have in the past year.

Check them out at http://www.ffotb.com/


Special thanks to Logan Gelbrich, Taylor Gelbrich, Danny Lesslie, Annie Mello, Nikki "MF" Pounds, Tyler Nilson, Lindsay Mathews, Crossfit LA.