Many from the Battlefords and surrounding baseball communities can remember their at bats against Andrew Albers, one of the best pitchers to come out of the Northwest, whether it was in batting practice or playoffs, he was tough to hit.
In the prairies a team never knows how long their baseball season will go, depending on the weather and teams that join and drop out of the leagues annually, but if you were from the Battlefords and Andrew Albers was on your team there was a good chance you would be playing for a championship.
Albers has moved from the minor baseball ranks of the Battlefords and has made the climb to AA baseball with the Minnesota Twins organization.
Since being called up to the New Britain Rock Cats nearly two weeks ago, the left-handed pitcher is among the team leaders in pitching statistics. In 11 innings pitched, Albers has 10 strikeouts with a 1.64 ERA while giving up just two runs and nine hits in four appearances at the AA level.
Prior to the 2011 season, Albers made just one appearance at the minor league level. That was in 2008 with San Diego Padres' rookie team in the pre-season. Albers' 2008 season was cut short and in 2009 he was simply a fan and student of baseball instead of a pitcher, as he recovered from Tommy John surgery on his left arm.
"It was tough at times," said Albers of rehabbing in 2009. "There were times I wasn't sure if I'd play again, but I tried to work hard and stay focused."
Albers played in the Canadian-American Association Independent League with the league leading Les Capitales de Quebec. Albers was second in the league in saves and had the best ERA in the league with a 1.40 mark in 57.2 innings pitched.
Albers recalls his time in Quebec as a little different, but a good time and good for his career as the Capitales main focus was on winning and he was back and looking to continue his promising baseball career.
"Now," says Albers, "the minor league's focus is more on development of players."
The 25-year-old was the oldest on the Fort Myers Miracle, the A-league organization of the Twins, which he started the 2011 season with. He pitched 52.1 innings and had an 1.55 ERA. After being called up to AA, Albers is still one of the older players on the team, but after four years of college at the University of Kentucky, a year of rehabbing and one year in Quebec it appears his career is back on track. He is dominating he mound, just as he did to so many ball players around the area for years.
"I just hope to continue to throw well and stay up in AA this season," said Albers.
Albers has been coming out of the bullpen, making middle-relief appearances with both Fort Myers and New Britain and says for now he is fine with that.
"However I can help the team is fine with me," said Albers. "Coming out of the bullpen is working well and if that is what they want me to do that works for me."
Among the highlight of Albers' first season in the minor leagues, another highlight in 2011, was the opportunity to play with Joe Mauer, the Minnesota Twins' catcher who rehabbed an injury in Fort Myers for a week nearly a month ago.
"I never got a chance to throw to Joe, but he is a great guy and I had a chance to watch how he carries himself and prepares for games and chat with him a little bit," said Albers.
Albers was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 12th round of the 2004 amateur draft. He was drafted again in 2008 by San Diego after re-entering the amateur draft and was selected in the 10th round. Albers signed as a free agent in March with the Twins and hopes this is the organization where he will continue to expand his career and help him move up the ranks.
