It is a natural progression and it happens every year right about this time. It is a happy time and a sad time all at once. It is the promotion of Minor League baseball players from one level to the next and it is, of course, exactly what every Minor League baseball player hopes and dreams will happen to them at least six times during the professional career. When it happens everybody is happy – moms, dads, wives or girlfriends, brothers, sisters, friends, fellow teammates, managers and coaches, and of course Dodger executives. Another possible future star is on their way up to the Bigs and it is exactly why they play the game and have ever since they learned how to walk.

But it is also a sad time… sad for us fans of Minor League Baseball (or MiLB as it is more commonly known) because we tend to grow attached to these young men… kids, actually; kids who still play the game for the right reason – for love of the game. For them it’s not all about the money, not yet at least. Sure, it will be if they are blessed to be among that fraction of one percent make who actually make it to the Big leagues, but for right now it’s all about honing their God-given talents and learning how to play the game the right way, just as it has been done for over 120 years.

C.J. Retherford hitting yet another home run, this one against the High Desert Mavericks. Retherford hit 20 home runs in his 74 games with the Quakes.

Over the past two seasons, I have taken a huge interest in the Dodgers Advance Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, which is a bit odd when you consider that I am a Dodgers season ticket holder and attend almost every Dodger home game, and when you consider that I live 80 miles away from the Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter. Depending on traffic along the heavily-traveled 210 freeway, it can take me anywhere from one and a half to two and a half hours each way. This isn’t too bad on the drive down there, but that drive home can be a bit rough and I sometimes don’t get home until well after midnight. But there is just something magical about MiLB… something addicting about it. Sure, I love the thought of seeing and getting an autograph from the next Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter or who knows, maybe even the next Babe Ruth. But it’s the game itself that draws me. A pure and honest game that has remained basically unchanged since shortly after the Civil War.

During the 2011 season it was catching prospect Gorman “Griff” Erickson who I was drawn to; the year before that it was John Ely and Jerry Sands, who both eventually made it to the Major Leagues briefly before struggling and landing back in the Minors. Unfortunately for John and Jerry, there are several other incredibly talented kids within the Dodgers farm system who appear to have passed them on the organizational depth charts – which is the kiss of death and unfortunately a way of life for Minor Leaguers at every level.

This year is was C.J. Retherford who I was drawn to; a power-hitting third baseman (now there’s a novel concept) acquired by the Dodgers in 2010 from the independent leagues. I was immediately drawn to C.J. because of his extremely intense play and, of course, his incredibly powerful bat. In 74 games with the Quakes this season, Retherford hit .343 with 20 home runs, 72 RBI’s, .395 OBP, .633 SLG, and an incredible 1.028 OPS. When I saw C.J. putting up these kind of numbers and on a continual basis, I had little doubt that he would be moving up around the All-Star break (oh, I neglected to mention that C.J. was the Quakes lone selection to the Cal League All-Star team and that he was recently named the June Dodger Pride Award winner).

My biggest concern is that Retherford is 26 years old, which is very close to a baseball player’s prime but a bit on the old side for someone still in Single-A. Fortunately, the Dodgers have lessened this concern (a little, that is) by promoting Retherford to Double-A Chattanooga earlier this week.

Filling Retherford’s roster spot for the Quakes is first baseman Angelo Songco, who was himself on the Dodgers’ fast track. Unfortunately, Angelo suffered a serious leg injury late last season requiring a rod to be inserted into his leg. After a lengthy recovery period, Songco basically had to start over and he began the 2012 season back in Low-A Midland with the Great Lakes Loons.

Only time will tell if C.J. Retherford has the right stuff to make it to the Big leagues, but one thing is for certain (well two, actually), the Lookouts just picked up one heck of a good hitter and the Quakes now have one a heck of a huge hole in their line-up. But the good news is that there are a lot of kids like C.J. Retherford out there and maybe… just maybe one of them is the next Babe Ruth.