What’s it like in the minors? We followed a Shuckers player for a day

We’ve seen their game-winning home runs cut through the cool night breeze and dip in front of the oversized Barq’s bottle in center field; seen the dive up the middle, flip to second for the forceout; seen them slide across home, fingertips narrowly swiping the plate as red dirt kicks up in a cloud.

We’ve seen all the plays that brought the crowd to its feet with drink-spilling excitement.

But what’s it like in the dugout or the player’s sanctuary — the clubhouse? What about at home, before they head to one of the Southern League’s cathedrals?

The Shuckers are like many other minor league teams. They have players who signed out of high school and others who are college-educated. Some are predominantly Spanish-speaking, but communicate through the international language of baseball. Some are bonus babies who hit the jackpot when they signed their first professional contract. Others went undrafted and had to fight to prove they belong.

But somehow they all get along. In fact, they’re one of the best teams in Double-A baseball’s Southern League for a second consecutive season.

One of the infielders who has helped the team remain in the running for the league crown in 2016 is Chris McFarland. He agreed to let a Sun Herald reporter tag along June 13 and see what an average day is like for a Shuckers player.

9 a.m.: Rise and shine

Nothing screams “life of luxury” quite like being a minor league ball player. The long bus trips are infamous, and the Shuckers’ 54-game road trip in 2015 is now the gold standard.

Back in Biloxi, many of the players who don’t have families with them room together. McFarland typically rooms with infielder Nate Orf and outfielders Victor Roache and Tyrone Taylor in a two-bedroom apartment off the beach.

McFarland and Orf split a room, Roache gets the other one, and there’s a bed where a dining room table should be — that’s Taylor’s.

This week the quartet has another roommate. Outfielder Johnny Davis was called up from High-A team Brevard County Manatees because Roache is on the disabled list.

He gets the couch.

It’s almost like the college experience 23-year-old McFarland missed out on. Instead of attending Rice University, he was drafted in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB draft and opted to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers.

On this particular Monday, the Shuckers are coming off of a late 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the visiting Birmingham Barons. Some of the guys take a little longer to get up and get going. A couple of them wander the mall before returning to the apartment for lunch. The game plan had originally been to play a favorite past time — “Call of Duty” — but that was hindered by a slow Internet connection. Instead, the guys settled for a little lounging around before heading to MGM Park around 2 p.m. for the scheduled 7:10 p.m. first pitch against the Barons.

2 p.m.: Walk in the park

The term “fraternity” works on multiple levels when describing the clubhouse culture.

There’s definitely plenty of “guys will be guys” going on with music blasting, dudes playing retro video games, ESPN on the flat screen and others playing cards or reading.

But it’s also a big family, not just with the Shuckers but all of baseball. It’s not hard to play six degrees of separation and end up with only two or three degrees between players from any team.

With Oklahoma State and South Carolina playing on the TV earlier in the week, one Shucker strolls up and comments he actually played against the batter in high school.

“Oh really?” another said. “What year is he?”

A conversation ensues about whether or not they’d played against one another. Everyone’s connected somehow, in some way.

“It makes the baseball world small,” McFarland said. “You pretty much know somebody on every team — or somebody who knows them.

“... It’s fun. I guess the best thing is the stories. That’s one of the things I’ll have forever, the memories and stories.”

On this particular day, reliever Jorge Ortega is in charge of the wireless speakers in the clubhouse — which he uses to blast Latin music. He kicks up his feet on the couch while others meander around. Some get grub. Others work out or sit in their locker stalls.

In baseball there’s a lot of hurry up and wait.

It’s important to find things to do so the downtime — and constant presence of teammates — doesn’t drive you mad.

2:30 p.m.: Lineup’s posted

The lineup is posted in the clubhouse. McFarland isn’t on it for a third straight game.

Still, he had to prepare in case he was called upon. It also means he’ll have more time as the unofficial team barber.

“I usually try to think I’m going to have a chance to play, even if it’s (in a game with) the DH. That’s a good thing about this year, first time doing the double switches,” said McFarland, who is hitting .193 with a .230 on-base percentage in 56 games. “I’ve talked to older guys like (Brandon) Macias about it, like what to do and how to stay loose.

“I try to stay loose. During the game I may head to the cage and take like 20 swings. I just have to keep my mind focused in the game.”

3 p.m.: Time to get dirty

Because rain is expected — what’s new? — the Shuckers bump up their infield work an hour to 3 p.m. It would have been the first time in days they could take batting practice on the field — but the impending rain ruins that. They’ll take BP in the cage under the stadium around 5:45 p.m. instead. It’s another one of those sacred areas that’s off-limits to non-Shuckers.

On the field, manager Mike Guerrero and hitting coach Sandy Guerrero hit grounders to the fielders while the pitchers get limber in right field.

As Shuckers trickle onto the field, Barons are getting doing a little lifting in the visitor’s dugout. As a couple of Barons pump iron, one of the Shuckers jogged onto the field, joking to anyone within shouting distance, “what is this, a prison workout?”

McFarland rotates with Nick Shaw to get work at second base. Javier Betancourt and another newcomer, Gabriel Noriega, get reps at shortstop.

Throughout the workout, both Guerreros keep things light, giving the guys a hard time if they boot a ball and then roaring with cheers if there’s a web gem.

4 p.m.: The barber’s in

McFarland walks into the open area of a bathroom, dragging a chair, a brief case and a wireless speaker. The speaker was for tunes; the chair for Macias; the brief case for his tools.

McFarland doesn’t proclaim to be a pro, but he’s more than a fly-by-night barber. It’s a hobby that could lend itself to a cool nickname.

“It started in high school. Sometimes I would just cut my own hair to save some time, save some money,” McFarland said. “I bought a cheap pair of clippers and then a better pair. … Some of the guys asked if I would cut their hair, I said, ‘I don’t know how, but I’ll try.’

“I guess I was OK at it because a couple other teammates asked me to cut their hair and it just kind of started. It’s funny — I never would have expected to be cutting hair part-time while I’m at the field.”

There’s a steady group of teammates who return for McFarland’s craftsmanship. Sometimes he actually has to turn teammates away because he doesn’t have enough time.

Macias is first up today. Ortega and double-play partner Betancourt have reservations for the chair later.

You have to be pretty brave to let a teammate cut your hair, right?

“It’s just hair,” Macias said, inspecting McFarland’s work in the reflection on his phone. “It will grow back.”

6 p.m.: A phone call away

Leaning against a long, cinder-block hallway under the stadium, McFarland FaceTimes his wife, Sascha. With kids clamoring for autographs in the background and music booming over the stadium’s sound system, they quietly discuss things, both relevant and not to the day’s events.

Their final chance to catch up before the night’s first pitch is both a quiet and poignant moment. Even on a team of almost 30 players it can get lonely.

The daily grind away from family and friends can be tough, but McFarland makes a point to stay in touch.

“It’s difficult because some days you’re in such a routine, and we play everyday — sometimes we don’t get any time off but maybe twice a month,” McFarland said. “You’ll look at the calendar and it will have been seven days and I haven’t called my mom yet.

“You just have to find the time to talk to your friends back home. It kind of helps to pass the season by.”

Technology such as FaceTime and Snapchat immensely helps players like McFarland.

His 6-year-old son, Teagan, has started T-ball. McFarland raves about the player he’s becoming. He showed such a strong arm from third base that he was moved to first base to protect the other kids. Even there he recently made an impressive snag on a one-hopper that made a sly grin spread across his dad’s face.

It’s also moments like those — ones where dad is seven hours away from Lufkin, Texas — that make him ask if they’re doing OK or need him to return home.

“I almost cried the other day, hearing my son say, ‘No, dad, I want you to play baseball,’” McFarland said. “Just hearing that, it makes you want to stick it out, grind it, play the game as long as you can. You kind of have to take this game and just be a kid. It can be tough. I’m struggling this season, but you have to grow, adapt and stay positive.”

7:10 p.m.: “And the home of the brave”

The guys sign a few more autographs for children as they trot onto the field for warmups.

After the national anthem, McFarland takes his spot along the dugout’s railing, next to Roache.

The Shuckers end up dropping their lone contest in the five-game series, 9-2. The Shuckers still remain on pace with the rival Pensacola Blue Wahoos for the South Division’s first-half title. Playing against the Barons, affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, both lineups feature designated hitters, which also means a drastic decline in opportunities to pinch hit, pinch run or enter as a defensive replacement.

“If I’m not playing, I’m trying to learn the game and pick up something on the other team’s pitcher,” McFarland said. “You try to think of it as a coach sometimes. Some of the best players ... I’ve heard stories where Cal Ripken Jr. was calling pitches at shortstop.

“You try to do stuff like that (to stay engaged).”

10:10 p.m.: That’s the game

After heading into the clubhouse to change and cool down, McFarland walks out for one last chat.

At Brevard County last season, McFarland played in 137 games, hitting .274 with a .317 on-base percentage, 20 stolen bases and 46 RBIs. He hit .284 with 30 stolen bases and six homers the year before with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

He’s not having the season he’s accustomed to, and sitting out three consecutive games isn’t easy. But McFarland said he understands it’s all part of the game. And while his friends sometimes stand between him and his ultimate dream, he doesn’t look at them as competition.

“Everybody wants to get to the Big Leagues. My thing is, just work as hard as you can,” he said. “Wish everybody the best of their abilities and let the results take care of the rest. I wish the best for all my teammates.

“Even if I’m not playing well, I hope my teammates play well.”

Looking ahead

Two days later, the Milwaukee Brewers activated Macias from the seven-day disabled list and reinstated him with Biloxi, necessitating a corresponding move. Shaw, a 27-year-old teammate, opted to retire.

I had previously asked McFarland what he’d be doing if he wasn’t climbing the minors.

“I’ve picked up a number of jobs in the off season. One time it was helping one of my old teammate’s dads with gutters. I worked at my church this past off season. I’ve worked in retail,” McFarland said. “I’ve done all kinds of stuff. That’s not mainly what I do, though. I give lessons to kids and stuff. That’s what I like because I can see them grow and it also helps me with my game.”

Does life outside baseball ever cross his mind?

“I’ll say I want to do this or that, but it changes,” he said. “I want to have my mind focused on baseball. Of course you want to have a plan B, but I feel like the Lord will direct me whenever that time comes.”

This story was originally published June 29, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "What’s it like in the minors? We followed a Shuckers player for a day."