Byrnes Already a Hit
Ex-Modesto Star Singles In First-Ever Major League At-Bat
Published August 23, 2000
Section: SPORTS, Edition(s): ALL, Page: C4
By: BRIAN VanderBEEK, BEE STAFF WRITER
When Eric Byrnes broke into major league baseball on Tuesday with a single in his first at-bat, the Modesto A's clubhouse was excited, but far from surprised.
Players, coaches and media all know Byrnes as a player who refused to be denied. If there was a hurdle ahead, he'd clear it. If no such hurdle was on the horizon, he would invent one, then find a way to beat it.
"When I first saw him, he took batting practice for two days in Medford," said Modesto manager Greg Sparks, who was Byrnes' first professional manager in Southern Oregon.
"After I saw his approach and his swing I decided that he should hit ninth in the order, and he did. So he hits ninth in Portland that first game and goes 3-for-4. The next night he was hitting third."
One afternoon last August, Byrnes looked around the Modesto A's clubhouse in search of such a challenge. Fellow outfielder Gary Thomas just happened to be within eye-range.
But what would be the test? Thomas didn't golf, so that was out. A card game was too common.
Since an off-day was coming up, Byrnes suggested they both go fishing and match angling skills, then proceeded to boast he'd never been out-fished.
There was one problem: Byrnes grew up in affluent Redwood City, Thomas in Houma, Louisiana -- the heart of the Bayou.
History did not record the outcome of the match, but since that's the case, it's safe to assume Thomas prevailed.
The point of this? Byrnes is a young man who thrives on challenges.
When Stanford didn't come through with a scholarship, he bolted to UCLA and thrived in games against the Cardinal. When UCLA teammate Troy Glaus emerged as a young star with the California Angels, it made Byrnes that much more intent on hastening his climb into the big leagues.
After winning the California League batting crown at .337 in 1999, Byrnes began the 2000 season in Midland. He hit .301 with five homers and 37 RBIs through June, then was promoted to Sacramento. There, a .346 average with nine homers and 43 RBIs in a little more than a month earned him a trip to Oakland when Jeremy Giambi got hurt.
The challenge now will be for Oakland to find a reason to send him down, especially with rosters expanding next week.
"He's an unorthodox kind of player, but he's found a way to make it work through strength and hard work," Sparks said. "Did I have doubts he'd make it to the big leagues? He had the right attitude, but it was kind of ugly watching him play.
"There was never a doubt in his mind that he'd make it, and that's for sure."
Originally printed in the Modesto Bee...I paid to view this article.