Tri-City ValleyCats outfielder Pat Adams had an unforgettable final professional at-bat last Sunday. As he rounded the bases at Grizzlies Ballpark in Sauget, Ill., he couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of how crazy and memorable the story would be if this turned out to be his last at-bat. At the same time, he questioned whether retiring was the right decision after hitting a home run.
Tri-City vs. Florence
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, Troy
In the ninth inning of Tri-City’s 24-12 victory over the Gateway Grizzlies, Adams hit an impressive opposite-field grand slam to left field. Surprisingly, no one in the ValleyCats dugout knew that Adams had decided to retire from independent baseball during his sixth season. He waited until the team returned to Troy to inform manager Pete Incaviglia, sharing his thoughts and feelings in Incaviglia’s office on Tuesday morning.
Adams reflected on his decision, admitting that retiring left him uncertain about whether he would regret it or not. However, he felt that he wasn’t performing up to his own standards and needed to make a change. The 26-year-old outfielder had been traded to the ValleyCats just 10 days prior, and his performance during his short time with the team showcased his potential.
With a batting average of .257, no homers, and five RBIs in Lake Country, Adams knew that this season was crucial for getting signed by a Major League Baseball organization. However, seeing his teammate Carson McCusker, who was hitting .426 with 11 homers, still unsigned made Adams question his own chances. Taking into account his responsibilities at home and his desire to pursue a new career path, Adams made the difficult choice to retire.
Adams currently resides in St. Clair Shores, Mich., with his wife Nicole. They are planning to start a family, and Adams wants to pursue coaching full-time. With a journalism degree from Wayne State, he has already been coaching travel teams for the past two years and intends to offer private lessons. Additionally, he will begin applying for coaching positions at the college and professional level.
Adams expressed his immense passion for baseball and explained that his decision to retire was driven by a combination of factors, including his own self-assessment of his performance. Although his wife supported his decision, she jokingly mentioned that his retirement would disrupt her summer plans.
Adams’ father, Patrick, understands the challenges of the minor league life, having been drafted by the Chicago White Sox and spending eight seasons in the minors himself. Pat Adams only played one game at Bruno Stadium this season before going on a road trip, and he initially thought his career would end with outs. However, a late-game rally by the ValleyCats gave him one more opportunity, resulting in a memorable grand slam and his final minor league home run. He shared the exciting news with his wife after the game.
Despite the rainout of the ValleyCats’ game against Florence on Friday, they will play a single-admission doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The Wizard Night and fireworks promotions originally planned for Friday will instead take place at the July 21 home game against the New York Boulders.
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