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Rutledge remains humble despite early success with Rockies
Exhausted and heartbroken from a Super Regional loss,nba jerseys cheap, he graciously granted interviews.
Earlier that week the University of Alabama junior had been drafted by the Colorado Rockies, and while he didn’t let on at the time, he had played his last game in crimson and white.
Two years later he’s relaxed in a black swivel back chair in front of his locker in wholesale nfl jerseys the visitor’s clubhouse inside Turner Field. Two hats hang over his No. 14 black and purple Rockies jersey. He looked like he’d been there for years, like he belonged. A full fledged major leaguer.
Same old Josh, steve nash jersey but, my oh my, how things have changed.
Rarely do players move through the minor leagues as swiftly as the pride of Cullman advanced, and rarer still do third round picks. But that’s the thing with Rutledge. Just when you think he’s tapped out his potential, he keeps on advancing and proving the doubters wrong. He began 2012 at AA Tulsa and was once again an All Star.
Then came the call.
During the fourth inning in the first of a four game July series in Little Rock, ty lawson jersey Ark., Rutledge banged another hit. After being forced out at second, he trotted back to a seat in the dugout. But before he could reach the steps, he was cut off by his manager, who without reason took him out of the nfl jersey game.
His parents, Tony and Cheryl Rutledge who had taken the week off from work to travel and watch him play,nba jerseys cheap, were confused.
were thinking, would he take him out?’ Tony Rutledge said. then I said,mlb jerseys cheap 091, getting called up.’ My wife said I was crazy, but why else would they take him out? I don’t think he really found out until after the game. He just sat there and stewed. sat on the bench steaming. did I do wrong?’ he wondered. Then the realization hit him.
knew nfl jerseys wholesale it could be one of two things either a promotion or a trade, Rutledge said.
After the game the Rockies told him to pack his bags, he was heading to Denver. He exited the locker room, and when his eyes met his father’s he couldn’t contain his smile.
parents just started crying, he said.
had to catch a flight the next morning, but I still wasn’t sure if I was going to be activated or not. So we played a little waiting game the next day until finally at 2 or 3 in the afternoon they called and told me to come to the field. I ended up harrison barnes jersey getting to the field, and they told me I was starting. bags with his equipment didn’t arrive, so with borrowed cleats and batting gloves from two time All Star Troy Tulowitzki, a borrowed glove for Jordan Pacheco and a borrowed bat from DJ Lemahieu, Rutledge settled in July 13 for his first major league game starting at shortstop.
Slotted eighth on the lineup card, he strolled to the plate in the bottom of the second inning to face three time All Star and 2008 American League Cy Young winner Cliff Lee. He promptly rapped an RBI double to center field. He finished the game a slick 2 for 2 with two RBIs and a stolen base in a 6 2 Rockies win.
It was all too surreal for the 23 year old, who first started swinging a bat at age 4 playing soft toss with dad.
standing on second and Jimmy Rollins is congratulating me. That was pretty cool. first 16 games were pretty cool, too.
He completed the month of July with 24 hits in 63 at bats (.381) with 10 runs scored, 11 RBIs and three nfl jerseys cheap stolen bases. From July 29 through Aug. 2, he homered in four straight games, becoming the first rookie Rockies player to do so.
His 53 game new nba jerseys MLB career has been filled with little surreal moments like that, including his first game in Dodger Stadium on mlb jerseys Aug. 7, when he had his career night, going 4 for 5 with three doubles and three RBIs.
Then came last week in Atlanta, when seemingly the entire town of Cullman and countless friends and family turned out to Turner Field in support of their hometown kid.
There were No. 14 Rutledge jerseys and homemade shirts sparsed throughout the crowd. When Rutledge came out to stretch and take warmups, dozens of family and friends and former teammates and coaches stretched beside the third base dugout to say hello,nba jerseys cheap, get autographs and take pictures.
His first at bat drew a surprisingly loud cheer for a visiting player.
bet you there were 500 people from Cullman there that week, said Brent Patterson, one of Rutledge’s high school coaches. not a stretch. There were so many people at the fence trying to talk to him. I didn’t want to bother him. He had a game to get ready for.
I finally talked to him I told him, pretty cool looking at you in that big league uniform, I gotta be honest.’ I told him I was proud of him and I loved him. I’m a fan like everyone else.
was so giddy, but he didn’t want to talk about the game. He wanted to talk about his girlfriend and other stuff. He doesn’t make too big a deal of it. Rutledge’s mind, it’s where he belongs.
It’s that confidence that’s paved the path from Cullman to Tuscaloosa to the majors, from Class 5A Player of the Year,cheap nfl jersey 888, to Freshman All American to cheap nhl jerseys from china Major League Baseball player.
No. 1 thing with Josh, to me, that doesn’t surprise me with how well he’s doing is he just has that confidence about himself, UA coach Mitch Gaspard said.
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