Vincent Towns talks about his baseball journey on Giants Warmup

We are back here on K and B are Carrie Crowley hanging out with you getting a set for Giants

baseball on the radio coming your way this afternoon.

The Giants trying to take one from the raise.

It has been a very tough start to this road trip.

The Giants 13 and 19 fans miserable.

The team feeling even worse after four consecutive losses to open this disappointing road trip.

The Giants trying to salvage this series in Tampa with backs back wins.

We will see if they are able to do that today.

Nevertheless, we continue on.

We try to bring you good stories around baseball on a weekly basis.

We try on Giants warm up when we've got the extra hour on the weekends to dive deep in

a great stories from around the country and over the course of the last week.

One stood out in particular Vincent Towns pitcher for the Hagerstown flying box cars

in the Atlantic league made news because he became the oldest pitcher in Atlantic league

history at 53.

He is throwing his knuckleball for the flying box cars a great team name, by the way.

Vincent has been playing in men's leagues for 30 plus years now and believe it or not,

he was a 1991 draft pick of the San Francisco Giants, a 36th rounder out of high school in

Maryland.

He topped out in rookie ball.

It didn't work out for him.

He went back and got a construction job, but he has never given up the dream and now he's

pitching in Atlantic league baseball.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Vincent yesterday and here's our conversation

with the big right hander.

All right, Vincent.

Let's start off with this.

You make an appearance for the Hagerstown flying box cars a couple of days ago out in independent

ball.

Tell us a little bit about your journey back to affiliated baseball and what this has been

like for you.

I was been exciting.

I waited a long time for this and I finally got my opportunity for a second chance 34

years later.

34 years later.

So take us back to the very beginning.

You were drafted out of high school by the San Francisco Giants, right?

Yes.

Yeah, what was that experience like?

Did you have any idea that you'd be drafted coming out of high school?

No, I didn't.

I played a couple of years in high school with 11th and 12th grade and then a few scouts

approached me.

I think one was San Francisco and another was Astros.

And I guess that Giants wanted me and Astros like me as an outfielder, but I got drafted

as a pitcher.

Yeah, drafted as a pitcher, 36th round.

So you're 18 years old and I guess at that point you get on a plane from Maryland to Arizona.

What was that experience like for you?

It was a new experience.

I haven't did that much traveling to the far west like that.

So it was new and it was exciting and I enjoyed it.

Yeah, 1991 pitching in in rookie ball down in Arizona, hard to believe, but 35 years ago.

And do you remember any of your teammates from that team?

Do you remember the manager coaching staff, anything like that?

I remember a few.

I remember a few.

Yeah, looking at it, it looks like Marcus Jensen made the major leagues.

Carlos Valdes made the major leagues, Mike Myers ended up getting there.

Any friends that you still keep in touch with from that team?

Oh, yeah, there's a few.

I talked to a few a few days ago.

Yeah, that's pretty cool.

So you ended up pitching one more season in the Giants rookie ball affiliate 1992, 19 years old.

How did it end for you?

What were those conversations like and what did you decide to go do after baseball?

Well, I played that 92 season.

I didn't get released until I believe it was 93 or even it was sometime happened in 92 season

and by 93, I was out of baseball.

So I was depressed, but life goes on.

So I just got me a regular job in construction and I played in Hinsley's baseball until now.

Yeah, that's what I've been reading about.

So you've been playing in Hinsley baseball for the last 30 plus years, where around the

country have you been playing?

In a DC area.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So DC area league.

Yeah.

So tell me a little bit about what the league is like and did you get noticed by people?

Have you always been one of the best pitchers out there?

To be honest with you, during that time period, probably from 93 to maybe 2014 in the league,

I was probably one of the best hitters.

I led the league, but that was with aluminum bats and stuff like that.

And I went in face in 95.

I faced 90, a few times where there's more like 80 or something like that, but I became

a better pitcher later.

I say maybe 10 years later.

Yeah.

So I was reading over the weekend that you're throwing knuckleballs now.

Have you always thrown the knuckleball?

No.

I started throwing knuckleballs consistently probably about 13 years ago.

Wow.

Wow.

How did you pick up that pitch?

How did you learn it?

I knew about it since I was in high school.

I watched a few people throw it and had a grip.

And I watched Nick Rowe, I watched videos.

And then I just started throwing it myself.

I taught myself how to do it.

Oh my goodness.

That's really cool.

So when you started throwing that pitch, was it immediately like your career and mens league

baseball had changed?

Were you immediately the toughest guy to hit or did it take a while for you to really

get comfortable with it?

Well it took a while because that knuckleball, even now, is hard to throw for strikes.

So half the time you do, half the time you just don't.

Wow.

So I guess let's fast forward to the opportunity in the Atlantic league, Hagerstown Flying

Box Cards.

You make your debut over the weekend.

How did that opportunity come about?

Did they contact you?

Did you contact them?

What was that process like?

Well I've been going to trials that I've got released for 30 years.

So every year I would go just to see what would happen and this year was a little bit different.

So I went and it was a two day trial here in Maryland.

So I went, I tried out the first day and then the second day we threw against live hitters

and I did well.

And so they drafted me in the first round, the first pick that day.

Yeah, I saw that first round, first pick in the Atlantic league.

What was that feeling like for you been going for 30 years?

That had to be so rewarding.

Oh, and it was.

I put in a lot of work and it paid off.

But I was excited and I was nervous because it was April 1st.

So I didn't know if it was, I didn't know if it was a trigger or something like that.

Oh, that did turn out not to be.

My goodness, that's quite something.

That's really such a cool story.

So tell me a little bit about what it's been like to be on an Atlantic league team for you

to get your jersey, to be in the clubhouse with these guys who all have a baseball dream.

What's different about this from playing in the men's leagues?

Well, the level of competition is much greater around a lot of younger guys, faster guys.

But as far as the game, the game is still the same.

You throw, you hit, you catch, you win or you lose.

And the traveling, I enjoy doing that.

Yeah, absolutely.

So what does travel look like in the Atlantic league?

Are you guys taking buses around or are you flying anywhere?

Well, tell us a little bit about this league.

Yes, it's the same as any other minor league, you just, you travel.

You travel, go to different stadiums in play.

I haven't done that much traveling yet.

But since I've been there, what I've experienced has been great.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, it was just a couple of years ago, like Pablo Sandivall was playing in the Atlantic league.

There's a lot of really good players.

I mean, look at your roster, Chris Wright.

He was in the Giants Farm System just a couple of years ago.

Do you look around and kind of pinch yourself a little bit?

Like these are guys who have major league stuff or have had brushes

with professional baseball.

What's that like?

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Yeah, this league is not a amateur league.

It's not a low level league.

It's a league of major league ready guys.

So a lot of guys get picked up from this league.

So the league is great.

I think it's like trip away level.

So it's not a league of instructional league.

It's a major league ready league.

Yeah.

Ready can get called by a major league team at any time, just waiting for opportunity.

It's amazing stuff and you're 53 years old.

The oldest player to appear in the Atlantic League and you broke a record set by Roger Clements,

one of the all-time greats of seven time, Sai Young Award winner.

What does that mean to you?

I mean, you're in the same conversation now as someone like Roger Clements.

Well, that's a great honor.

I'm going to always remember it.

I made the history books and I'm going to enjoy every second of it.

Yeah, absolutely.

So I got to ask, you know, being from Maryland obviously spent the last 30 plus years on the East Coast.

You know, do you still keep up with the San Francisco Giants and all the team that drafted you?

Yeah, I watch my major league baseball.

I follow them.

Well, yeah, you know, they gave me my first shot, so I can't forget them.

That's pretty incredible.

I mean, I guess just one last one for you, Vincent.

You know, which players have you enjoyed watching over the past few decades since you've been out of baseball?

Which pitchers have you enjoyed watching?

Are there any knuckleballers who inspired you?

Oh, yeah, we're feeling equal.

He's the greatest knuckleballer and a weight-filled and guys like that.

And yeah, there's not many knuckleballers to remember because there's only a few.

Amazing.

Well, it's pretty incredible.

And we wish you the best of luck this season.

Vincent Towns pitching in the Atlantic League for the Hagerstown flying box cars.

Really appreciate you spending some time with us and look forward to following along with your season.

A 1991 draft pick of the San Francisco Giants and still pitching.

And no other teammate of yours can say that.

How cool is that?

Oh, that's great.

That's great.

I hope it inspired a lot of guys.

I'm pretty sure next year a lot of teams are going to be.

Having a lot of old guys trying out.

I love it.

I love it.

Well, thank you so much for joining us.

We wish you the best of luck this season.

OK, thank you.

All right, what a fun story.

Vincent Towns, if you just tuned in and missed the introduction there,

he is the right-handed pitching for the Hagerstown flying box cars of the Atlantic League.

53 years old, Vincent Towns, and he is the oldest pitcher in Atlantic League history.

He's not given up the dream of 36 round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants way back in 1991

out of a high school in Maryland.

He pitched in Rookieball in 91, Rookieball in 92 in Arizona and decided, you know what?

Probably not going to continue up the ranks.

He was released in 1993, got a construction job, and ultimately found his way back to baseball.

He's been pitching for a while in men's leagues across the East Coast.

And now he has been signed drafted by the Hagerstown flying box cars

of the Atlantic League.

He's got the knuckleball, and I cannot wait to see what he does this season.

So appreciate, Vincent, for stopping by and joining us on the other side.

Michael Monterey, all of SF Giants fan digest will stop by and talk to us.

Michael and I have the opportunity to catch up on Friday as well.

We'll break down the series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The nightmarish week that has been for the San Francisco Giants as we get you closer

to first pitch here on the leader this afternoon, coming your way 310 PM Pacific time.

Land and Rube goes to the Giants when Rube has pitched.

It has typically been a win day for this ball club.

And they certainly need one five and one with a two five five earned run average.

37 strikeouts on the season.

His whip is below one opponent's batting average below 150.

Rube has been sensational.

And the Giants need that to continue against the tip may raise who are hot 19 and 12.

They send Griffin jacks to the Mounts day bullpen game for the raise.

He's one and two on the season 635 earned run average 12 strikeouts eight walks.

A lot of base runners allowed by Griffin jacks who by I say bullpen game.

He is trying to pitch out of the rotation for Tampa.

So maybe we'll talk about that.

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We continue to get you set for Giants baseball.

Michael Montgomery all on the other side.

Appreciate Vincent's time right here on KBR.

The sports leader.

The United States soccer federation presents the US soccer podcast.

My name is David Goss and I'm joined by my co-host Megan Clemenberg.

And now we're giving people an inside look at the World Cup.

Time's ticking.

I think you can feel the intensity.

All the guys are wanting to really take their claim and they want to be on that World

Cup roster.

There's no doubt about it.

Hosting a World Cup on home soil comes with its pressures, but we're just really excited

just as a people are.

The US soccer podcast presented by Henko follow and listen on your favorite platform.