July 28, 2005
The Notre Dame Summer Baseball Diaries would not be complete without a visit from rising sophomore Tony Langford, one of the more colorful members of the Irish squad. Langford was a pleasant surprise as a two-way player last spring and currently is back in his home state of Texas, playing for the Euless LoneStars.
Langford has been used primarily as a pitcher (with spot DH duty) and has helped his team inch close to a postseason bid in the Texas Collegiate League. Langford’s 2.86 summer ERA ranks 3rd-best among Euless pitchers with 20-plus innings and he is averaging better than a strikeout per inning (29 Ks in 28.1 IP). Three of his 11 appearances have come in a starting role and he has won both of his decisions to go along with a pair of saves and 24 hits allowed. He has played in parts of 20 games as an offensive/position player, batting 2-for-18 in the wood-bat league with 4 RBI and a double (4 R, 3 BB, 4 Ks).
The LoneStars are one game out of a playoff spot with three games left to play. The Coppell Copperheads (30-15) have locked up the first playoff spot in the Tris Speaker Division while Euless (25-20) is chasing the McKinney Marshalls (26-19) for the final spot. The final games for the LoneStars are July 29 at McKinney and then a home-and-away vs. Coppell on the 30th and 31st.
Euless posted a key 5-4 win on Wednesday over McKinney, with Langford picking up the save after striking out one of the three batters he faced in the 9th. The LoneStars then lost to Coppell the next day (3-0), missing a chance to forge a tie for the final playoff spot.
Tony Langford provided one of the more memorable moments of the 2004 season, blasting a pair of late-game home runs (including the game-tying blast, pictured) to help the Irish rally for extra innings in the series finale at Rutgers.
|
 |
Langford does not have the new persepective of playing this summer in an unfamiliar state – something certainly experienced by his classmate Ross Brezovsky, a Florida native who already has sent in his diary from Hays, Kansas (look for his entry on Sunday) – but he still has a few tales to share from the dog days of summer:
Notre Dame 2005 Summer Baseball Diaries – Entry #4 (Tony Langford; Euless LoneStars, Texas Collegiate League)
“Hello Irish fans. This is Tony Langford reporting from Fort Worth, Texas, the best state in the country I may add. This summer has been quite unique for me relative to other teammates that I have spoken with this summer. Unlike most of my teammates, I have been very fortunate to live with my family this summer while playing ball. There is nothing more convenient than having your own car, personal room and those who are closest to you over the summer.
“My typical day involves going to my summer job ever in the morning and later lifting with Josh Stroud, who helps me with strength and condition throughout the summer. After that, it is time to be at the field to take batting practice.
“On my very rare off days, I get to enjoy going to Eagle Mountain Lake to water ski, tube and fish with my friends from high school. I lucked out because my ex-girlfriend from high school has a lake house.
Tony Langford has been reunited with several former teammates and opponents from his high school days, as a member of the Euless LoneStars.
|
|
“The Euless LoneStars have had an up-and-down season but lately we have been playing very well. A couple of the guys that are on my team, I have previously played with or against throughout high school.Chance Corgan, who is a starter for Texas A&M, is one of the guys that I had grown up playing with. He has one of the nastiest sliders I have seen in college baseball. It reminds me of the hitters’ foolish reactions to Jeff Manship’s curveball this past season. Our players will laugh every time someone takes a huge hack and misses by a foot.
“Another teammate of mine is Stan Widmann from Clemson, who I not only played with through high school but grew up with as well. Stan and I will always be giving one another a hard time about something on the field. Ever since I grew my hair out long, he has been in my ear about it. He claims that my hair looks too goofy and I look like a girl. I have never really grown my hair out long, so I kind of like the new look, I’m not going to lie to you. I’m sure I will hear some comments from the guys when I get back at school about my hair. It is not up to par with Dan Kapala’s, I am sure of that.
“Currently, our team is one game back from being in second place in our division. If we are to finish our last few games strong and win, we should be in the playoffs. There are eight teams total in the Texas League and the teams that are in our division are the Highland Park Blue Sox, The McKinney Marshal, and the Coppell Copperheads.
“Our team tends to do really well against the Coppell Copperheads, who are currently in first place, but we always struggle with the Blue Sox who are dead last. I have never quite figured out the reasons why.
“The league as a whole has a lot of southern talent from schools such as Rice, Texas and Texas A&M. I have really enjoyed playing for the LoneStars this summer but really look forward to seeing the guys back at school and playing fall ball. I will miss leaving my home state but will be really excited to start up a new season with the Irish.
The Texas Collegiate League playoffs begin on Aug. 1.
|
|
“There is one thing I will truly miss doing in the bullpen in which I cannot bring to Notre Dame. My teammates and I over the summer are thrilled throughout our long games that always tend to go into extra innings when we play some unique practical jokes on each other. Some guys are totally clueless and it can be pretty hilarious. Great times, let me tell ya.
“Anyways, I would like to thank all of the Irish fans for your support throughout last season and look forward to a great upcoming season this spring. I don’t have many other crazy stories to relate but I wish all of my teammates the best with the rest of this summer and hope everyone is excited as I am to return to campus. GO IRISH!”