June 29, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - June 11 changed him forever. The 2009 UCF baseball season was completed and so was his four years as a Knight. Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft continued to roll along as it reached the 43rd of 50 rounds. And that's when Chadd Hartman knew it was official.
The Windermere native was indeed a professional ballplayer.
Selected by the San Diego Padres, Hartman immediately entered a time in his life he would not forget. It actually all began, though, when he attended Olympia High School.
"The scout that drafted me was a guy I knew from high school so he knew of me and the potential I had," said Hartman, a 43rd round pick by Cleveland in the 2005 draft. "He liked my athleticism and he knew I was only asking for a chance to play, nothing more. I was invited to a workout at PetCo Park in San Diego a week before the draft. There were about 20 position players that attended. I did really well but I knew that it would still be a slim chance to be selected. I had a workout with the Diamondbacks a few days earlier but I had a feeling that if any team was going to draft me, it was going to be the Padres."
Hartman, who hit .245 in 164 games and had five homers and 58 RBI as an outfielder with the Black and Gold, still had to endure the draft process. Apparently Law & Order may now be a good luck charm.
"I just finished working out with Brandon Romans at the field so I went home, made some lunch and laid on the couch to listen to the draft," described Hartman. "I was still waiting for other players from our team to be called and then hopefully my name. I was watching Law & Order on my TiVo when I heard my name and I jumped off the couch and gave a big `whoo!'
"I texted my girlfriend, Malorie, first then my parents, then my phone didn't stop ringing for the next two hours - texts and phone calls from friends, family, and relatives all saying congrats. I couldn't sit or stand still for the rest of the day I was so excited. My parents were extremely happy because they know it has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and how slim of a chance it was going to be made it even more special. Dreams really do come true.
"The scout called later that night and told me when I had to fly out. I had to fly to Eugene that Sunday so it gave me a few days to celebrate with my friends who were still in town."
As one of the best weeks of his life wound down, it was time to focus on baseball.
"The week before our first game we had a mini-camp with roaming instructors going over some fundamentals and drills," reflected Hartman. "I was trying to take in all that I could. I actually have everything saved on my computer so I can pass it along to my brothers. I learned so much within that week. I was anxious for the first game to begin. One thing they said to calm all of us down was, `You all made the team, so just go out there and perform.'"
Assigned to the short-season Class A Eugene Emeralds in Oregon, Hartman wasted little time cracking the starting lineup. Hosting the Salem-Keiser Volcanoes, he found himself in right field in front of over 5,000 fans on Opening Day June 20.
"The first game meant more to me than my first college game," admitted Hartman. "I was on the Opening Day roster, something that didn't happen in college. Nothing beats Opening Day. I was nervous and excited in BP but I knew I had to slow the game down in order to have a successful night. This is my job now and the field is my office. Not too many people can say that."
Hartman would treat his office like a giant playground in his second game two days later, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of runs. Yet it was his first at-bat that made his minor league experience just as memorable.
"I was the leadoff guy in the second inning, I was DH that night, and two home runs were already hit by lefties," said Hartman. "Our hitting coach told me that I have to be more selective on getting pitches to drive rather than pitches to hit. I was swinging at balls up in the zone my first game and not getting on top of them. I did the same on the first pitch of that at-bat and fouled it off.
"I said to myself, `Make him throw it down.' He threw me three-straight balls to make the count 3-1. I heard my hitting coach say get a pitch to drive. The pitcher grooved the next fastball down the middle and I took it well over the scoreboard in right center. My teammates kept saying, `Chadd did you get all of it?' and, `Could you hit that ball further?' I knew it was gone off the bat so I watched it a little then ran around the bases. I still had to calm myself down because there was still plenty of game left to play and I had more at-bats to think about."
It took all of two games to put one over the fence. And somehow things just kept getting better for Hartman.
The Padres have a total of three different Class A affiliates: short-season Eugene Emeralds, Fort Wayne TinCaps and advanced Lake Elsinore Storm. They also have the rookie league Peoria Padres, one step below Class A. Typically recently drafted players get assigned to the two lowest levels and slowly work their way up.
Not Hartman. The TinCaps, the first-half champions of the Midwest League's Eastern Division, decided to make some roster adjustments on June 25 and the UCF product would be the only player getting called up to the team.
"We just left the hotel for the field and our manager Rid (Greg Riddoch) points to my seat and says I need to talk to you. I had my iPod in and I asked, `Me or Matt (the pitcher next to me)?' He was pointing to me. The first thing going through my mind was what did I do, am I in trouble?
"He joked around at first and said, `Chadd I heard there was a girl in your room last night and you know we don't allow that.' I said, `Rid no there wasn't!' My heart dropped as he said that. He then said, `No I'm just messing with you, I called you up here because you have been called up to Fort Wayne so get with Nate to discuss the travel, pack your things after the game, good luck and congratulations.'
"My heart dropped even further because I didn't expect this after just two games but somebody up above believes that I can contribute to this team so I'm not going to question their decision. This does come with the job though. You never know where you will be tomorrow. The team was messing around with me after that saying how I'm in the big leagues now and don't forget about the little people. I couldn't stop smiling the rest of the night."
From the Pacific Northwest to the Midwest. And UCF is certainly not a stranger to competing around the Great Lakes region. Fort Wayne now not only carries the likes of Chadd Hartman on its roster, but the Knights' starting catcher from 2008, Robert Lara, also is suiting up with the TinCaps. Meanwhile, the Cedar Rapids Kernels have two of UCF's starting position players from the '08 campaign: Dwayne Bailey and Tyson Auer.
"It does make me feel a little more comfortable with Lara as a teammate," said Hartman. "I made friends in Eugene quickly so I didn't expect it to be a problem in Fort Wayne. But you always feel more comfortable the more people you know. I still have to treat this as a business and not social time. My goal is to make it as far as I can, have fun along the way, but make the most of every opportunity I can."
Now playing with almost 7,000 in the stands June 27 against the visiting South Bend Silver Hawks, Hartman may not have been written into the starting lineup that night. However, with his team holding a 7-2 lead in the eighth, he was ordered to pinch-hit and in his first plate appearance with his new club, Hartman singled to center field.
There certainly are not many stories like his. A player's first professional game, first hit, first home run, first promotion. It all happened so fast. And UCF fans everywhere will definitely be rooting for Hartman every step of the way as his journey through the minor leagues continues.