Inside The Huskies

Let Stevie Tell You How Baseball Dreams Are Made — He's One of the Lucky Ones

The University of Washington baseball player was drafted recently by the Oakland A's. Nine hundred other guys weren't.
Dan Raley|
Let Stevie Tell You How Baseball Dreams Are Made — He's One of the Lucky Ones
Let Stevie Tell You How Baseball Dreams Are Made — He's One of the Lucky Ones

While nearly all sporting activities have been put on hold for like the first time in forever, this is how baseball dreams come true. 

This is how University of Washington pitcher Stevie Emanuels, as shown in the accompanying video, has made it happen so far, step by step:

You grow up in Seattle's Eastside suburbs.

You play three years for a Little League team called the A's.

You become a star for Interlake High School.

The University of Washington gives you a scholarship.

You grow into a 6-foot-5, 210-pound pitcher. 

The Huskies convert you from setup man to closer to starter.

You hit 95-96 miles per hour on the radar gun.

You strike out 38 batters in your first 22-plus innings of the spring.

The scouts like you.

The batters don't.

Baseball America pegs you as the 105th baseball prospect in the country.

You decide to turn pro.

No problem.

Ah, but one unexpected problem.

The covid coronavirus pandemic hits.

It cancels out your college baseball season.

The virus disrupts everything.

The Major League Baseball season is postponed.

The minor-league seasons likely are canceled.

Yet there will be a June draft.

Baseball will hold five rounds, down from the usual 40.

A lucky 160 players will be selected, down from 1,000-plus.

You and your younger brother Josh, another aspiring pitcher, throw at the local elementary school.

You work out in the family garage where there's a makeshift gym.

You have advisors, rather than agents, to retain your amateur eligibility if needed.

You have 15 family members over to the house on draft night.

You're the 157th player taken.

Three picks from the end.

It doesn't matter.

You only need to be one of the 160.

Nine hundred others are the disappointed ones.

You answer calls from the A's, the UW, well-wishers.

Husky teammates come over to congratulate you.

You're part of Moneyball now.

You've seen the movie and read the book.

Soon you will head to Arizona.

You will take a physical and sign a contract.

You will return to Mesa if they can organize something competitive.

At some point, you expect to go somewhere to A ball.

There's high and low A ball.

You prefer high A.

You hope to be in the big leagues soon.

In maybe a handful of seasons.

Oakland is known for quick promotions.

You go into your room and fetch that old A's hat that you once wore.

It still fits.

The A's have always been a good fit for you.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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