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Kilby inching closer to fulfilling childhood dream
  
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By Marcos Rodriguez - Citizen Sports Writer
Ballplayers often have childhood memories of an athlete that peeked interest in their respective sport. For Brad Kilby, it was watching former San Francisco Giants first baseman Will Clark play on television when Kilby was only 4 years old.
Ever since then, he’s wanted to play professional baseball.
The hard work of the Sacramento River Cats relief pitcher is paying off. Kilby, a graduate of Laguna Creek High School, can feel his dream inching closer. Despite only being with the River Cats since April, Kilby knows he belongs.
“I wasn’t too surprised,” said Kilby on receiving a call-up to the River Cats. “I’m a left-handed pitcher. I get left-handed and right-handed batters out and I have a 90-mile-per-hour fastball.”
It was always Kilby’s dream to play for the River Cats, but now that it’s happened he wants more. Ideally, he would like to be called up by the Oakland Athletics by the end of the season. The safe bet would be in September when the rosters expand for the final month of the season.
Kilby’s baseball path began about a decade ago when he played for Laguna Creek. Yet it wasn’t until his senior year that the college world took notice. Kilby’s last season with the Cardinals wasn’t so much about his pitching as it was his hitting. He led the Sac-Joaquin section with his .522 batting average and showed enough to warrant a baseball scholarship from San Jose State University.
Over his four years at San Jose State, Kilby was able to perfect his pitching mechanics as a credit to pitching coach Doug Thurman.
Thurman’s grooming of Kilby prompted Oakland to draft the closer in 2005. .
One of his former Laguna co-head coaches, Mark Nill, boasts about Kilby’s competitive nature and how that has carried him throughout his time in baseball.
“He’s the ultimate competitor. He wants to win at everything,” Nill said. “He wants that final step real bad, too.”
Kilby said receiving the call-up from a professional team would seemingly put him in a state of shock, but he definitely believes he’s physically ready. The only tweak to Kilby’s game might be his mental approach and its affect during games.
The idea of finishing his career at the Triple-A level would be a disappointment to Kilby.
“If I don’t get to the pros it would be disappointing. My family is proud of me already, but anything short of the big leagues is a failure,” he admitted.
His former Laguna Creek co-head coach Todd Melton said that players like Kilby always want to be put in the clutch situations down the stretch. They want to decide the game with a swing of their bat or a decisive pitch.
That’s why he thinks Kilby can achieve his ultimate goal, but it will take even more dedication.
“He’s already in Triple-A,” Melton said. “He’s right on the verge of making it, but nobody makes it as a pro without hard work.”
At Laguna Creek, Kilby and his teammates learned that “if you always expect the best out yourself then you’ll succeed.” The lesson came easy for Kilby as it was part of the values that his family had instilled in him at a young age.
This instruction, whether it be from family or coaches, has allowed him to take another step toward his goal.
“Basically, each level has prepared me for a step toward the pros,” Kilby said.
Until then, Kilby can only worry about his role with the River Cats, where he has a 4-2 record and a 3.86 ERA since joining the team. His goals for the team are not only to reduce his earned run average, but also to have a successful season.
“I want to make the playoffs and win another championship for the city of Sacramento,” Kilby said.
Kilby’s run through the minor leagues has been a constant road trip. After playing at San Jose State, he went on to play for the short-season Vancouver Canadians for a year before moving back to the United States to pitch for the Kane County Cougars for one season.
From there, he relocated to play for the Phoenix Desert Dogs until the March spring training camp.
Although Kilby might not be called up until September, it appears his long-awaited childhood dream will be fulfilled all before the age of 26. At least that’s the plan.
Ever since then, he’s wanted to play professional baseball.
The hard work of the Sacramento River Cats relief pitcher is paying off. Kilby, a graduate of Laguna Creek High School, can feel his dream inching closer. Despite only being with the River Cats since April, Kilby knows he belongs.
“I wasn’t too surprised,” said Kilby on receiving a call-up to the River Cats. “I’m a left-handed pitcher. I get left-handed and right-handed batters out and I have a 90-mile-per-hour fastball.”
It was always Kilby’s dream to play for the River Cats, but now that it’s happened he wants more. Ideally, he would like to be called up by the Oakland Athletics by the end of the season. The safe bet would be in September when the rosters expand for the final month of the season.
Kilby’s baseball path began about a decade ago when he played for Laguna Creek. Yet it wasn’t until his senior year that the college world took notice. Kilby’s last season with the Cardinals wasn’t so much about his pitching as it was his hitting. He led the Sac-Joaquin section with his .522 batting average and showed enough to warrant a baseball scholarship from San Jose State University.
Over his four years at San Jose State, Kilby was able to perfect his pitching mechanics as a credit to pitching coach Doug Thurman.
Thurman’s grooming of Kilby prompted Oakland to draft the closer in 2005. .
One of his former Laguna co-head coaches, Mark Nill, boasts about Kilby’s competitive nature and how that has carried him throughout his time in baseball.
“He’s the ultimate competitor. He wants to win at everything,” Nill said. “He wants that final step real bad, too.”
Kilby said receiving the call-up from a professional team would seemingly put him in a state of shock, but he definitely believes he’s physically ready. The only tweak to Kilby’s game might be his mental approach and its affect during games.
The idea of finishing his career at the Triple-A level would be a disappointment to Kilby.
“If I don’t get to the pros it would be disappointing. My family is proud of me already, but anything short of the big leagues is a failure,” he admitted.
His former Laguna Creek co-head coach Todd Melton said that players like Kilby always want to be put in the clutch situations down the stretch. They want to decide the game with a swing of their bat or a decisive pitch.
That’s why he thinks Kilby can achieve his ultimate goal, but it will take even more dedication.
“He’s already in Triple-A,” Melton said. “He’s right on the verge of making it, but nobody makes it as a pro without hard work.”
At Laguna Creek, Kilby and his teammates learned that “if you always expect the best out yourself then you’ll succeed.” The lesson came easy for Kilby as it was part of the values that his family had instilled in him at a young age.
This instruction, whether it be from family or coaches, has allowed him to take another step toward his goal.
“Basically, each level has prepared me for a step toward the pros,” Kilby said.
Until then, Kilby can only worry about his role with the River Cats, where he has a 4-2 record and a 3.86 ERA since joining the team. His goals for the team are not only to reduce his earned run average, but also to have a successful season.
“I want to make the playoffs and win another championship for the city of Sacramento,” Kilby said.
Kilby’s run through the minor leagues has been a constant road trip. After playing at San Jose State, he went on to play for the short-season Vancouver Canadians for a year before moving back to the United States to pitch for the Kane County Cougars for one season.
From there, he relocated to play for the Phoenix Desert Dogs until the March spring training camp.
Although Kilby might not be called up until September, it appears his long-awaited childhood dream will be fulfilled all before the age of 26. At least that’s the plan.
