Lee
Gronkiewicz debuted as coach of the Columbia Blowfish on Thursday,
watching his team fight hard but fall 3-2 to Florence. The former South
Carolina closer was proud of his troops although they didn't get the W.
After just being hired that morning, he figured he'd had enough good luck for one evening.
"What
is today?," wondered Gronkiewicz, still seeming flustered after a
whirlwind 48 hours. "I got a call Wednesday afternoon from (Columbia
owner) Bill Shanahan. He touched base with me and I drove in from
Atlanta.
"We met (Thursday) morning. He was ready to make a move
and he really appreciated what coach (Tim) Medlin did but he was
wanting to make a change."
Medlin, the only coach in Blowfish
history, was 77-114 in three-and-a-half seasons, including 10-20 this
year. Shanahan made the call, hoping for a strong second half as the
Blowfish attempt to improve on a last-place first-half finish in the
Coastal Plain League's South Division, and second-worst overall record
among the entire league.
Enter Gronkiewicz. He's bounced around
the minor leagues since he left USC in 2001, making Toronto's roster
for one game in 2007. Gronkiewicz has been out of baseball since having
Tommy John surgery but hopes to catch on with a team once he's fully
healthy, which should be in around two weeks.
Until then, he was
hoping to catch on with a college team and had put out several feelers.
Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner knew that his former closer was looking
around, heard of the Blowfish's predicament and recommended him to
Shanahan.
Gronkiewicz has never been an assistant coach, much
less fully in charge. But there he was on Thursday at Florence's
American Legion Field, filling out the lineup card and directing the
Blowfish against the Redwolves.
Columbia held a 2-0 lead after
two innings but only got two hits the rest of the game. Florence
squeaked ahead on a third-inning RBI single from Steven Neff, which
turned out to be the game-winning run.
Irony, how you mock. Not only is Neff a USC player, but he also lettered at Lancaster High School, Gronkiewicz's alma mater.
"I
thought that my guys played hard," Gronkiewicz said. "We were
aggressive and we got on base. Obviously, we didn't get enough runners
on."
Gronkiewicz is best remembered for his role on USC's 2001
team, when he recorded 19 saves for a squad that advanced to the
championship game of the Super Regionals. He ended his three-year
career with a 4-2 record, 2.64 ERA and 22 saves.
His one stint
in the majors was successful -- he threw four innings, giving up two
hits (one a home run), two walks and striking out two. He has a career
2.25 ERA in the major leagues, but was sent back down after the year.
The
surgery and rehabilitation limited what he could do, so he's a free
agent hoping to catch on somewhere after he's fully healthy. For the
next 14 games, he'll lead the Blowfish as they try to successfully
finish the season.
"I definitely think that when my playing
career is over, I'm going to have a future in coaching," Gronkiewicz
said. "I really enjoy working with players who have a hunger for
knowledge. My baseball career started when I was three years old. I
have a lot of knowledge to give young kids."
He'll have to use
it right away -- his next game is tonight, when he takes on a squad of
USC alumni at Capital City Stadium. He was supposed to play for it
before he got the call to coach; now he'll try to beat some of his
former teammates.
Gronkiewicz is already learning how to
coach-speak. During Thursday's first inning, Columbia had a run in and
a man on first with one out. Trent Still hit a bouncer toward the gap
between first and second base as Matt Leeds ran for second.
The
second baseman charged as the ball bounced toward Leeds, who seemed to
be hit by the ball before it was gloved. Leeds was called out by rule,
but then the umpire pointed toward Still, who had safely reached first,
and also called him out.
Snuffed out of a potential big inning,
Gronkiewicz walked across the field to get an explanation. He was told
the call was runner's interference, which meant the runner and the
batter were out. He didn't argue.
He coached.
"Not quite sure if that's a rule or not," Gronkiewicz said, "but I'm sure the umpire made the right call."
NOTES:
Fireworks will follow tonight's game, which has a 7:05 p.m. first
pitch. … Neff was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two walks. … USC pitcher
Brandon Miller threw one inning for the Blowfish and gave up one walk
and hit one batter, but had no other damage. … USC signee John Taylor,
normally a pitcher for the Redwolves, played one inning at third base.
