Most of the team was blindsided early this year when Jon Widerski announced this would be his last season playing baseball. Widerski dealing with small injuries off and on and the angelic sirens calling from the golf course were too loud for Jon to overcome. 2022 would be his last season playing baseball. The rally cry for the rest of 2022 was “Win it for Jon” but who would have thought that Jon would win it for us?
If you were build a timeline of the Grays history the first practice Jon Widerski showed up and was quick to deposit a couple balls over the fence would be a checkpoint. From then on the Grays turned into contenders, winners. Everyone in the dugout instantly looked up to Jon even though it took him two seasons to put a sentence together. They all wanted to be better ballplayers, better men. The other checkpoints that followed, post season homeruns, winning the Triple Crown, the endless picks at First Base, we learned about exit velocity from Widerski missiles that would sizzle through the infield, and good luck to any infielder getting in front of those. Watching Jon Widerski play baseball the last eight seasons was pure joy. But it wasn’t over.
This post season belonged to his final farewell. Sure, Alex Gonzalez had a homerun to remember, the pitching of Gonzalez, Jack Nelson, Fritz Coyro and Billy Diaz throughout the postseason was first rate. The many mouth agape plays Dan Skog made or Joey Olson imposing his offensive will to win. This was Jon Widerski’s playoffs.
The following weekend the Grays met up with the Mammoth in the Semi-Finals but fell short 4-1 which set up a Losers Bracket matchup with the Lakeville Lobos and Minnesota Amateur pitching phenom Matt Meyer. The night game was set at beautiful Delano Municipal Stadium. The Wolves were not going to out slug one of the best pitchers in the state, but the plan to grind out at bats, work full counts. Up the pitch out. Knock Meyer out of the game. Jack Nelson got the start and pitched three scoreless innings, pitching two hit ball. Billy Diaz came in the fourth and continued to be sharp as the Lobos and Grays had a scoreless match, each team making plays in the field saving innings and runs from each other. Back and forth. Play after play. It was a battle reminiscent of the 87 World Series. It wasn’t until the top of the sixth when the Lobos finally scratched a run across to take a 1-0 lead. The battle continued. It was still one-nil going into the bottom of the last chance when Joey Olson’s scrappy infield single knocked Meyer out of the game – after throwing over one hundred some pitches Meyer finally headed to the dugout. Goal accomplished. Now we just have to complete the other goal, win.
The feeling of overwhelming hope filled the Grays dugout as Jack Nelson singled, then Alex Gonzalez drove in Olson with a line shot through the infield to tie the game up 1-1. Nelson made it to the third bag with one out and Jon Widerski coming up to the plate. Tom Stephney subbed in to run as Jon Widerski slowly walked to the plate, sizing up the situation. The many award stickers on his helmet intimidating the crowd behind him. Many late Saturday nights, many early Tuesday mornings Widerski would smack a ball off a tee imagining a Lobo pitching to him. Imagining game scenarios like a Little Leaguer with his first bat and glove. Thwack, an exit velocity something over 90 would go flying against the net. Over and over again. Thwack.
Widerski worked the count full, every eye in the park was on this next pitch. Time stopped as the three-two pitch was served. The classic shift forward from Widerski and his massive strong swing swung and connected with the ball sending it hard into the ground like an oil well drill bit, the Delano grass rejecting the ball sending it back into the air as the hard high chopper sailed over the third baseman’s head dropping into left field, Widerski running down the baseline with his first in the air in complete triumph, Tom Stephney stomped on home plate for the 2-1 win. Massive cheers. The dugout emptied to pile on Widerski at first base. The Minnoka Grays were going to the AAA Championship for the first time in franchise history. It was chiefs kiss on top of an amazing career of Jon Widerski. Proof that years of practice, tee work and good karma can pay off in such a big moment. Triple Crown, so what. Jon Widerski just sent the Grays to a Championship game. The same Grays/Lakers who only won two games its first year in existence.
The Grays celebrated late into Saturday night feeling high off one of the best baseball games they’ve been a part of. The following night didn’t have the same magic, maybe we were still exhausted and euphoric from the night before, maybe we didn’t sacrifice that chicken. But the Grays lost to the defending champions Mammoth. The Wolves just missed their goal. But sending Widerski off into the sunset with another story of his legendary status as a ballplayer and human being won’t be short sighted from this post season run. No one who suited up for the Grays lost this season and we were all blessed to witness one last Widerski legend.