While interning for the Inland Empire 66ers during the 2009 season, I figured I'd see some memorable moments and get to meet at least a few players that one day will make it to the big leagues. I did not, however, believe that infielder/outfielder Elian Herrera would be the guy from that team proving to be most crucial (other than catcher-turned-closer Kenley Jansen) to the Dodgers success this year.
To add some perspective to my cynicism, some of Herrera's teammates on that '09 team were outfielders Scott Van Slyke (son of former Pirate and Cardinal Andy Van Slyke), Preston Mattingly (son of Dodgers manager Don Mattingly) and Trayvon Robinson (a September call-up of the Seattle Mariners last season), and third baseman Pedro Baez (a former top-10 Dodgers prospect currently at AA Chattanooga).
When outfielder Tommy Giles (who is now out of professional baseball) was promoted to AA Chattanooga in mid-May of 2009, Herrera took his spot on the 66ers. While Herrera put up a solid .290 average in his 99 games played in San Bernardino and played almost flawless defense at second base and all three outfield positions, he never did anything overly spectacular that would draw fans and scouts to pay particular attention to him as a guy who could be a key contributor to a first-place team in the National League West. In fact, other than Robinson, who was also promoted to Chattanooga mid-season, Van Slyke was the only position player on the team who showcased above-average potential to be a major leaguer, finishing the season as the first player in Inland Empire's history to collect 40 doubles, 20 homers, and 100 RBIs in a single season (he finished with 42, 23, and 100).
If someone would have told me in 2009 that three seasons later Herrera will collect the game-winning hit in the ninth-inning against Jonathan Papelbon to hand the Dodgers a win in Philadelphia over the Phillies, I wouldn't have believed you, yet that very thing happened just last night. The fact that Herrera has never won a player-of-the-week, player-of-the-month or player-of-the-year award, nor been named to an All-Star team in any of his nine full seasons of professional competition, makes his hot start in the majors all the more improbable.
It will be interesting to see if Elian can continue to reach base consistently and remain a key cog at the top of the Dodgers lineup, not only to provide the team a higher likelihood of winning, but to ensure he keeps his job when the likes of Justin Sellers, Mark Ellis and Matt Kemp return from the disabled list.
Regardless of what is to come, Herrera has already beaten the odds by making it to "The Show" and taking full advantage of the opportunity given to him. Who knows, the way things have gone for him so far, he may wind up leading the Dodgers to the World Series with a series of clutch hits in the playoffs.
Here's hoping.
Click here to view Dodgers.com's story on Herrera's surprising play.
Click here to view Herrera's MLB.com player page.
Click here to view Herrera's MiLB.com player page.
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