Mind Games Are Starting to Work for Glendenning

It seemed like a daily routine back in 1998.

Mike Glendenning would sit at his locker and listen to Shreveport Captain teammate Jalal Leach spew confidence.

“They’re not going to get me out,” said Leach, a former Pepperdine outfielder. “Not me. Not today.”

Glendenning, a career .253 hitter with 495 strikeouts in 1,672 at-bats, rarely had that kind of confidence.

Until this season.

The former Crespi High and Pierce College outfielder appears to be on his way from all-or-nothing to all-everything.

After spending two seasons bouncing between Class-A San Jose and double-A Shreveport, Glendenning is finally hitting his stride, as well as outside sliders and fastballs.

The San Francisco Giants’ 10th-round selection in 1996, Glendenning is among the Texas League leaders with a .384 average, seven home runs and 24 RBIs.

Glendenning has always been a power guy, averaging a home run every five games.

The difference this season is consistency.

Before Saturday’s game at Midland, Glendenning had reached base in 20 consecutive games and hit safely in eight consecutive games and 16 of his last 17.

“It comes down to experience,” he said. “I’ve learned what pitchers are trying to do to get me out, and I’m more mentally prepared now.”

Glendenning attributes much of his successful mental approach to what he learned alongside Leach, who has moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization.

“I would look at him and think, ‘He’s hitting .350 in double-A. Why can’t I?” Glendenning said.

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Pity former area pitchers Bryan Corey and Barry Zito.

As members of the Sacramento River Cats, they are in the middle of a 36-game road trip, the longest in baseball this year.

The extended trip was caused when construction fell behind on Raley Field, the new home stadium of the Oakland Athletics’ triple-A affiliate.

Opening day has been pushed back to May 15. An April series scheduled for Raley Field was instead played at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland.

Judging by their numbers, Corey and Zito might be a little road weary.

Corey, formerly of Thousand Oaks High, is 1-1 with one save and a 5.40 ERA.

Zito, who played at Pierce, is 1-2 with a 6.64 ERA.

Things could be worse. The Sacramento Solons played the last 88 games on the road in 1948.

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Catcher Frank Charles, formerly of Montclair Prep and Pepperdine, is attempting to launch his own website.

Charles, who plays for the triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs in the Houston Astros’ organization, is building a site that will focus on fitness and nutrition as it relates to baseball.

“It’s a lot more work than I expected,” he said of Hardballfitness.com. “But I’m excited about the site and what it can become for players from Little League all the way up to the major leagues.”

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Players aren’t the only ones attempting to work their way up the professional baseball ladder.

Four umpires from the region have been assigned to work in the minor leagues this season.

Ryan Bleiberg of Simi Valley and John Bullock of North Hollywood are working in the California League; Ryan Houchen of Canyon Country was assigned to the Northwest League; Jim Wolf of West Hills, who split time last season between triple-A and the majors, will work in the Pacific Coast League.

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Dan Cey, former El Camino Real infielder, is due to be activated by the triple-A Salt Lake Buzz on Monday.

So far, it’s been a pretty forgettable season for Cey, who is on the seven-day disabled list with an unspecified injury.

He is batting only .185 (five for 27) and has the misfortune of playing the same position as the hottest player in the Minnesota Twin organization.

Second baseman Jay Canizaro was named the Pacific Coast League player of the week last week and is batting .357 with a league-best 27 RBIs.

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Three players from the region were among 25 players and coaches suspended and/or fined Wednesday by major league baseball for their involvement in the April 23 brawl between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox.

Pitcher Jim Parque of the White Sox, from Crescenta Valley, was suspended for three games; catcher Robert Fick of Detroit, from Cal State Northridge, was suspended for five games; pitcher Jeff Weaver of the Tigers, from Simi Valley, was fined an undisclosed sum.

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Among the minor league leaders entering this weekend:

International League (triple A)--Chris Sheff (Pepperdine) of Norwich (Mets) was third with a .373 average and fourth with a .448 on-base percentage; Bob Scanlan (Harvard-Westlake) of Indianapolis (Reds) was first with four saves; Jon Garland (Kennedy) of Charlotte (White Sox) was eighth with a 2.42 ERA.

Eastern League (double A)--Sean Douglass (Antelope Valley) of Bowie (Orioles) was fifth with 24 innings pitched; Former JetHawks Jim Horner, who had five home runs, and Kevin Gryboski, who had five saves, lead the league in those categories for New Haven (Mariners).

Southern League (double A)--Mike Rossiter (Burroughs) of Huntsville (Brewers) was second with six saves; Angel Aragon (Channel Islands) of Mobile (Padres) was first in losses with four. California League (Class A)--Pete Paciorek (Glendale College) of San Bernardino (Dodgers) and JetHawk Juan Silvestre are tied for the lead with six home runs. Silvestre is first with 28 RBIs; Brandon Parker of the JetHawks is first with six saves and teammate Jeff Heaverlo is first in strikeouts with 31. Lancaster’s .277 team average leads the league.

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Short hops: Kevin Nykoluk and Ryan Hankins, from Simi Valley High, are having a reunion this weekend.

Nykoluk and St. Louis Cardinal affiliate Potomac conclude a three-game Carolina League series today at Chicago White Sox affiliate Winston-Salem, Hankins’ club. . . .

The Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Independent Northern League traded the rights to former infielder Chad Thornhill, rom Cal State Northridge to New Jersey.

Thornhill played for Sioux City, another independent, last season.