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Chad Reineke: An 'enjoyable' 2009 season

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By LYNN GROLL

groll@crescent-news.com

Despite making just one start at the big league level, the 2009 season was the most enjoyable to date for Ayersville High School product Chad Reineke.

Reineke was a major piece on the winningest team in all of minor league baseball this past season with the Sacramento River Cats (Oakland Athletics' Triple A affiliate). He helped the River Cats to their eighth Pacific Coast League South Division title in the last eight years and a playoff berth.

"Overall, I thought it was a pretty good season," said Reineke. "It was probably the most enjoyable season I've had, I had a lot of fun and was on a really fun team, as far as the guys in the clubhouse. We all got along real well and we were winning a lot of games. As far as just playing ball, it was the funnest time I've had.

"Personally, I felt like it could've been a little better," added Reineke. "But overall, I'm happy with the way things went. I got to make one start with the A's. I thought I threw the ball pretty well, it's just one of those things where I have to work my way into somebody's team and try to stay up there."

Sacramento swept Tacoma in the opening round of the PCL playoffs before Memphis denied the River Cats their third straight PCL crown in the league championship series.

"It was fun, it really was," explained Reineke. "Once we clinched, we clinched really early, so the last two weeks of the season we kind of sputtered a little bit and guys kind of lost that edge a little bit. We swept the first round of the playoffs and it was just fun to play games that mattered for something. It doesn't matter if it's the big leagues or Triple A or whatever level, if you're going to be there, you want to try and win the championship.

"The second round, the first few games could've went either way and they happened to go Memphis' way," added Reineke. "It's tough to go down in the first two games of a five-game series. I felt like it could've been us up 2-0 going back to Sacramento, but it wasn't that way."

Reineke went 9-4 with Sacramento in 22 starts and 30 appearances overall. He allowed 134 hits in 125 innings to go along with 91 strikeouts and a 4.75 ERA. He also saved two games for the River Cats.

The 13th-round pick of the Houston Astros in 2004 also made one emergency start with the Athletics on Aug. 5. He picked up the victory against the Texas Rangers before being sent back down. Reineke went 2-1 with the San Diego Padres in 2008 and then was traded to the Athletics in April.

"As far as my stats, I think my stats could've been a little bit better," said Reineke. "The one thing I was really happy with was I stayed strong the whole season. I just felt good throwing the ball again this year. I'll get my rest this offseason and then I feel like next year's going to have to be a big year for me. I'm hoping that my shoulders back to being where it was a couple years ago. I look forward to next year and try to make something happen."

Going into the offseason healthy is a major plus according to Reineke after he spent last offseason rehabbing a shoulder injury.

"Instead of worrying about getting healthy and resting, right now I'm just worried about resting my shoulder," said Reineke. "Hopefully I go into spring training healthy and stay healthy all of next year. It's a big difference going out and pitching and the last thing on your mind is pain or anything. It's just a huge difference."

Off the diamond, Reineke is taking another step in his life a week from Saturday when he marries Hicksville native Kelli Battershell.

"I think the best thing is, for the first time since Kelli and I have been together and since I've been playing pro ball, she's going to be with me next year wherever I go," said Reineke. "I just feel like that's going to have a big impact on how my season goes next year. It's tough being half-a-country apart from your fiancé or wife.

"After a bad game, you're off by yourself instead of having someone there to talk to you and help you step away from the game a little bit. I'm really excited about having Kelli with me next year. It's just another big step in my life. It's been a long time coming, we've been together over six years. I'm excited to share everything with her next season, the ups and down of the season instead of being by myself and not having to talk to her over the phone."