North Battleford鈥檚 own Andrew Albers got the call to the Big Leagues from the Toronto Blue Jays Friday morning, and joined the team in Cleveland for the opening game of their three-game series against the Indians.
It was a short stay, however.
Albers was optioned back to AAA Buffalo at the conclusion of the game, a 9-4 loss. He did get into the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after Jays starter Mark Buehrle was pulled.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to have one pitch back,鈥� Albers said of his outing Friday night from Durham, NC. 鈥淯nfortunately I came in, made a bad 0-1 pitch and gave up a three-run homer to the first guy I faced. Just have to be better than that early on but other than that it was a good outing. It鈥檚 just hard to feel good about it after giving up a three-run home run.鈥�
Albers pitched 2.2 innings, giving up one hit and two walks.
He says while he was hoping to be called up to the Majors sooner rather than later, he wasn鈥檛 expecting it this early in the season.
鈥淚 was actually pleasantly surprised by it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of guys down here throwing well and up there they鈥檙e having some troubles just getting innings.鈥�
He barely had time to process the fact he was being called up.
鈥淚t was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I got a call at night and was on the road early in the morning,鈥� he said.
While he would have liked to spend more than one day with the Blue Jays, it鈥檚 out of his control.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really sure what the deal was going to be,鈥� he admitted. 鈥淭hey told me they were going to use me out of the bullpen. If the game went a little bit different I might have been up there for a few more days. I threw an extended amount of innings and they needed someone fresh the next day so that鈥檚 just part of the deal.鈥�
Despite meeting his Blue Jays teammates during spring training, he says he tries to tread lightly in the club house.
鈥淵ou just try to fit in and keep your nose clean,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to be the loud guy right off the bat when you don鈥檛 know the guys very well. You just get yourself ready to play and everyone respects that.鈥�
Albers says he didn鈥檛 receive any advice when he was told he was being sent back to Buffalo, but he knows what the situation is.
鈥淭here鈥檚 possibilities of being called up in the future. It鈥檒l all depend on how the season goes and how healthy guys are. That鈥檚 what it comes down to when you鈥檙e in AAA, it depends on whether or not you鈥檙e fresh when they need a guy and things of that nature,鈥� he said.
As for his season with the Buffalo Bisons, Albers says while the wins and losses don鈥檛 look so good, he feels comfortable with the way things are going.
鈥淚鈥檝e been throwing well. Unfortunately the results haven鈥檛 quite been there as far as wins, but I feel good about most of my outings and I feel like I鈥檓 throwing the ball pretty well. Hopefully I can continue to build on the success I鈥檝e had early and just keep it going,鈥� he said.
Albers has a 1-4 record with Buffalo so far, but his ERA is just 2.86. He pitched Tuesday night against the Bulls, going five innings giving up one run.
