Joe Beaulac signed his Trapper contract on the hood of a car by headlight in Florida early this season. Mike Bible's college credits didn't transfer from one school to another school's scholarship program, and by the time he learned that, he had no place to play, so the Trappers found him. The head of a Houston Astro tryout camp was an ex-catcher who didn't like knuckleballers because they made catchers work so hard, so Billy Wells was released without much of a look. The Trappers were glad to get him.
As the Trappers open their home season - their fifth season - at Derks Field Wednesday against Idaho Falls, they'll do it with a collection of discovery stories.When head man Van Schley and Manager Barry Moss tell you they've beaten the bushes for players this season, they mean it.
Beaulac, a first baseman, attended a joint Trapper/Miami Miracle tryout camp, and when Moss told Beaulac the Traps were interested and asked where he'd be, Beaulac answered that he was heading to a tryout camp held by Boise of the Class A Northwest League.
"No you're not," Moss told Beaulac, and he and Schley produced a contract on the spot in the dark, having him sign on a car hood. Beaulac was the first new player signed (the four returnees notwithstanding).
Moss was put onto Bible, a 20-year-old catcher, by the father of another player he'd been scouting who was later drafted by Cincinnati. Moss was told of Bible's credit-transfer problem, then later got word Bible just wanted to sign with a pro team. Though he's the second-youngest Trapper (Jim Troup, 20, is the youngest), Bible started the two games so far and had a two-run homer Tuesday.
Pitcher Scott Singelyn is another "find." He went to Pepperdine but never pitched there because of injuries and grades, but ex-Trapper Manager Jim Gattis and current Trapper coach Darren Garrick both thought he was "at least a top 10 prospect," says Moss. "I don't think the scouts even knew he was ready to sign."
Moss picked up short-relief ace Scott Bray while en route from southern California to Salt Lake City last week. Bray expected to be drafted, but wasn't. Moss didn't know if Bray had been drafted but suddenly got the feeling he ought to stop at a pay phone and check. He was rewarded for that inkling.
Troup was recommended to the Trappers, who normally sign only college graduates, by a San Francisco Giants scout who knew the Fullerton Junior College player didn't want to return to school. The scout said, "You'd better look at this guy," and the Traps liked what they saw.
At a Chicago tryout camp, Schley and Moss watched catcher Shaun Sanderson make some impressive throws. A little later, Moss saw the same guy making plays at shortstop. "I actually ran to Van," says Moss, excited about such an oddly versatile player. "A very valuable player to have," says Moss, who later found Sanderson can play second and third, too. "I don't know how, but I'll get him in some way," Moss says.
And then there's second baseman Ed Garczyk. Moss and Schley had gone to scout a tournament at the University of North Carolina, but they concluded that everyone there they wanted would be drafted and unavailable. Schley suggested they drive 50 miles to an NAIA regional.
Some scouts were watching Garczyk, but the first ball hit to him bad-hopped and hit him in the eye. The scouts left. Schley and Moss stayed, then came back the next day. After all, Garczyk had hit .400 and stolen some 20 bases that season.
Schley and Moss had to leave before the game was over. Moss wanted to leave his business card for Garczyk, but couldn't get anyone's attention in the dugout, so he asked a man shooting videotape on top of the dugout if he'd give Garczyk his card. You bet he did. It was Ed Garczyk Sr.