Cal notes: Ports' Calabuig living a dream

It's not often that a baseball player gets drafted and promoted to a Class A Advanced team less than a month later. It's even rarer when that player makes an immediate impact.
But that's just what San Diego State product Chase Calabuig did.

Calabuig was selected by the A's in the 27th round of this year's Draft and assigned to the Rookie-level Arizona League. He hit .406 with a triple, three doubles and five RBIs in 32 at-bats before getting the call to the Stockton Ports.
The outfielder debuted with the Ports on July 8 at Inland Empire, hit safely in each of his first 10 games and reached base in 29 of his first 34 California League contests. Through Friday, he was batting .263 with 10 doubles, 26 runs scored and 15 RBIs in 42 games.
"I'm just trying to do the best I can," Calabuig said. "The better I do, the longer I can stay here -- and that's the goal."
Calabuig is a native of Mission Viejo, California, so he knew about the Cal League growing up. Getting the news that he was coming to the circuit was "emotional," he said.
"I've always wanted to play in this league," Calabuig said. "The only Minor League [team] I ever knew growing up was the Storm. My conference in college, we played at Lake Elsinore all the time and we played San Jose State at the San Jose [Giants] stadium all the time. So I was just like, this is the league that I hopefully will get a chance to play in. I'll get to stay on the West Coast, my family will get to watch me play, my friends, and I get to show that I'm doing it -- I'm playing professional baseball at a really good level."
Calabuig's family already has attended several of his games. They were at his debut at Inland Empire, where he went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, as well as a couple of games in Stockton and Lancaster. But the most family members he had on hand was in Lake Elsinore, the closest stadium to Mission Viejo.

"I had the whole family [there]," Calabuig said. "It was cool."
For the most part, his transition from college ball at San Diego State to pro baseball with the Ports has been smooth.
"It's the same game wherever I've been playing, in college and here," Calabuig said. "The talent gets better, the tools are a little bit more improved in certain individuals and certain teams and there are some guys who throw a little bit harder. But in the end, it's the same game and you just got to put the ball in play and make things happen."
The most difficult part of the transition, he said, is dealing with the daily grind.
"I think the hardest part ... is just getting used to the routine of every day and taking care of the body," he said. "A little bit different than college stuff, but it's something that you can learn and apply to yourself, and it makes you better each and every day."
He's been adjusting well to the quality pitching, which has boosted his confidence. So has getting hits off pitchers who've spent time in the Major Leagues, like Padres right-hander Carter Capps.
"That was the one thing that was kind of in my head coming into pro ball, like what's it going to look like?" Calabuig said. "What's the difference between facing a good arm in college and a good arm in the league? I've been facing some of the big league rehab guys and it's just like, you can do it. It's no different. It's something that has built confidence in myself, where it's like if I can manage an at-bat against a big leaguer, I can do it against all these guys.
"So it's nice to have that confidence in your back pocket. It helps out in the long run in such a mental game like baseball."
Getting those kinds of experiences this early in his career has been a blessing for the 22-year-old, who feels the need to progress quickly.
"I'm a senior sign, so it's better to get up here faster than later," he said. "I'm a little older than these high school guys, so I've got to start pushing my agenda a little bit further."
Getting signed by the A's was kismet of a sort for Calabuig, whose second cousin is former A's catcher Ron Hassey. And he was signed by his friend and former A's farmhand Anthony Aliotti, who also played for the Ports.

"One of my really good friends, Anthony Aliotti, played for the A's and I grew up playing baseball with him and training with him with my hitting coach. And then he ended up being the scout who drafted me," Calabuig said. "It was like one of those small world kind of deals where it all lined up perfectly."
Calabuig is looking forward to the rest of the season as well as the playoffs.
No matter what happens, though, he's proud of his first couple of months as a pro.
"A big goal was to prove to myself that I can play at this level," Calabuig said. "For me, so far, I feel like I've done a really good job of that. It's just kind of one of those things where I can walk away from baseball one day, saying that I did this and I played at this level, and that's something that I will be proud of."

In brief

Clubhouse pet: The Stockton Ports recently adopted a stray cat that immediately took a liking to the team. The black and white kitten, appropriately named Clubbie, showed up one day and was friendly to every player he met, including Chase Calabuig, who said the feline attached himself to his leg.
"I was immediately attached because it was like he chose me," Calabuig said.
Clubbie enjoys spending time in the clubhouse, sleeping wherever he fits and working out with the players. When the team is on the road, the daughter of clubhouse manager Vic Zapien takes care of him. And Zapien brings the cat to the clubhouse every home game.
"He brings him to the field every day for us and guys like [catcher] Collin Theroux, they're in love with him," Calabuig said. "It's like a release from the baseball aspect. You have a bad game, you cuddle up to the cat. The cat will lick you a few times and you feel a little bit better about yourself."
Ports broadcaster Zack Bayrouty provides Clubbie updates on his Twitter account, @ZackBayrouty.
Playoffs: With eight games left in the season, there are still some playoff spots up for grabs. The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes clinched the South Division first- and second-half titles, but the second postseason berth is a battle between the Lancaster JetHawks and Inland Empire 66ers, who do not meet the rest of the way. Stockton won the North Division first-half crown and has a chance to take the second half. But the Visalia Rawhide and Modesto Nuts are still alive.