Scott Boras, the often detested and ostracized sports agent, couldn’t hold back the tears.
He just couldn’t.
He, along with the rest of Major League Baseball, just lost a kid.
Angels right-hander Nick Adenhart, 22-years-young, was killed, along with two others, in a hit-and-run accident in Fullerton, Calif., early Thursday morning.
Adenhart and his lanky 6-foot-3-inch, 185-lb. frame had just befuddled a much-improved Oakland A’s lineup a few hours before.
Six innings, seven hits, three walks, five strikeouts8212;no runs.
He was dealing.
His curveball was undetectable, his splitter unhittable and his coolness on the mound unmatchable.
The Silver Springs, Md., native had a feeling that his fourth career major league start would be something to remember.
He told his dad.
“He summoned his father the day before and he said, “You better come here because something special’s gonna happen,'” Boras said in Thursday morning’s statement.
Tears flowed from the oft-stoic Boras.
“He was so elated,” Boras said. “The fact that he felt like a major-leaguer.”
Adenhart was drafted in the 14th round of the 2004 draftout and spent time in single-A ball with the Orem Owlz in 2005.
He gradually worked his way up the minor-league system and last year pitched 145.1 innings for the Salt Lake Bees organization.
“Nick Adenhart was a great young man with a promising future,” said Bees general manager Marc Amicone in a statement. “He was a joy to be around and will certainly be missed. This is a sad day for the Salt Lake Bees and the entire Angels organization.”
The slender Adenhart was a workhorse.
He once again worked his way up the ladder and received rave reviews from both the Bees and, more importantly, the Angels.
He was lauded as the Angels’ No. 1 prospect and he showcased all this spring.
Adenhart spun a near-perfect spring training performance going 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA over a slew of six starts, striking out 18 on the way to making his case for a starting spot in the talented Angels rotation.
He made his name figure alongside names such as John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders and was penciled in as the No. 2 starter of the season because of some rotation injuries.
His name was heard.
He made Jason Giambi look like a rookie during one at-bat.
A’s outfielder Travis Buck was fishing.
Sometime around 12:30 a.m., the silver Mitsubishi Eclipse in which Adenhart was a passenger was broadsided at an intersection. Hours later, Adenhart, the smiley-faced pitcher, was pronounced dead at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center.
Shockwaves were sent to all corners of the sports world.
“It’s tough to lose somebody like that at such an early age,” Bees manager Bobby Mitchell said. “We all loved him very much.”
This was not the same circumstance as Darryl Kile, Cory Lidle or Thurman Munson.
Twenty-two-years-old.
Delivering a remarkable first start of the season by the youngest pitcher on an active major league roster.
A half-hour after the accident, the driver of the minivan that took the life of three innocent people was apprehended.
Suspended license on account of previous drunken-driving convictions.
Preliminary results indicated the driver’s blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit, police Lt. Kevin Hamilton told The Associated Press.
Twenty-two-years-old.
Ninety-eight pitches, 61 strikes, six innings, seven hits, three walks, five strikeouts8212;no walks.
The world of sports might seem like a dancing mirage of wealth, fame and invisibility.
Unfortunately, Adenhart had to remind us all how every second matters.
As soon as the Angels pulled Adenhart, the bullpen came in and blew the 3-0 lead he had possessed.
The one-year vet was right.
Something special did happen.
Tonight’s game between the Angels and A’s has been postponed in honor of Adenhart.
“He lived his dream,” his family’s statement said.
Anaheim will have an Angel eternally among them8212;each and every time they take the field.
Chris Kamrani
Associated PressLos Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Adenhart 22, was killed in an early morning traffic accident on Thursday April 9, in Fullerton, Calif.