Jeff Jeffords clearly is enjoying being a minor-leaguer.
The former Lamar and South Carolina standout is in his second season in the Cincinnati Reds organization and likes the life that goes with it, including long bus rides, staying in cheap hotels and showing up to the park three or four hours before a game.
“It isn’t that bad. I could be working 9 to 5 every day,” Jeffords said. “When you have the dream to play in the majors, no one tells you about the years in the minor leagues. But it is one thing you have to do and I’m enjoying it.”
Playing this season with the Class A Dayton Dragons is a little better location than his stop in Billings, Mont., last season. Fans pack Fifth Third Field on a nightly basis, and the Dragons lead the Midwest League in attendance with an average of 8,633 per game.
Some of those fans include members of Jeffords’ family, who have been visiting him this summer.
“It’s a lot easier getting yourself ready to play every night when you know you will be playing in front of a packed house,” said Jeffords, a member of Lamar’s Class A champion baseball and football teams during his senior year. “It’s a great atmosphere.”
Jeffords is well aware of the highs and lows of playing minor-league baseball, especially this season.
For the first month and a half of the season, Jeffords’ earned run average stayed under 2.00. He also pitched a scoreless inning in last month’s Midwest League all-star game.
That success has been tempered with days when Jeffords wasn’t at his best. Two weeks ago, he had one of his worst outings as a professional, giving up six earned runs in 2/3 of an inning in a loss to Fort Wayne.
“You realize you play 140 games and one bad game makes your numbers look bad,” Jeffords said. “You start thinking about the next time you go out there.”
Being a reliever, Jeffords knows he can be called upon to pitch the next day.
“When you have a bad day, you want to get back out there as soon as possible and it really starts messing with you,” Jeffords said.
Jeffords has bounced back. In his last three appearances, he has pitched eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and a save.
In 28 appearances, Jeffords is 2-3 with a 3.83 ERA and three saves. He has 51 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings and batters are hitting just .217 against him.
Jeffords is likely to spend the rest of season with the Dragons. He could start next season with Sarasota in the Advanced A Florida State League or Chattanooga in the Double-A Southern League.
Jeffords says working with Dayton pitching coach Doug Bair has helped. Bair spent 15 seasons in the majors and won the World Series with the Cardinals in 1982 and Tigers in 1984.
“Coach Bair knows a lot,” Jeffords said. “It’s been a great experience. I’ll play as long as I can until they tell me I’m done.”
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