Featherston's first hit at Angel Stadium a dramatic walk off (VIDEO)
Taylor Featherston's first hit at Angel Stadium was a walk off.
Talk about a dramatic start here.
Featherston, who has been learning his craft as a role player coming off the bench, hit a 13th-inning single to shallow right off Houston reliever Joe Thatcher to lift the Angels to a 2-1 win. After he threw a fist pump and Erick Aybar scored, Featherston jumped high and into the arms of the first player he saw - Daniel Robertson.
Robertson isn't the tallest player, but in Featherston's euphoria, none of that matter. And then there was the water bucket bath from Hector Santiago, his second postgame bath.
"I'll remember this day forever," Featherston said. "Special day for sure."
Featherston's first call after the game was to his girlfriend, who is working in Milwaukee. He was going to call his mom and dad after he was done with interviews.
There might be more calls coming as he finds his niche with the Angels.
"The more times you get at-bats the more comfortable you get," Featherston said. "If you're a player at this level, you want to be in this position. That's what it's all about. Game on the line. You want to be the guy to get it done or at least get that opportunity."
Angels manager Mike Scioscia couldn't have been happier for Featherston, too.
"Thanks, Sciosc," Featherston said.
"Of all the guys you want to see hit a walkoff, Taylor is at the top of the list," Scioscia said. "He's not getting a lot of playing time, but he's out here working at 3 in the afternoon on his skill set to try to stay sharp. He got one to fall in and I couldn't be happier for him."
Featherston, 25, has four hits in 42 at-bats this season and has made eight starts, playing either second base shortstop or third base. When he's not playing, he's still working. And on the bench, he talks to hitting coach Dave Hansen throughout the game.
"You really have to emphasize your drill work in the cage and make everything game-like," Featherston said. "Whether that's turning the machine up, fastballs in the cage. Constantly asking questions. Dave, one of our hitting coaches, played a lot of time in the big leagues coming off the bench. Picking a guy's brain on how they approach late-inning at-bats. I've learned a lot. It's a new role. Here we are 70 games in and I feel every time I go out there it's more and more comfortable and I'm getting better at my job right now."
Featherston grew up in Houston. His dad was an Astros, Rockets and Oilers fan. He played college baseball at TCU. He helped the Angels win the series against the Astros in thrilling fashion.
"It's always nice beating the Astros, for sure," Featherston said.
When Featherston was asked about getting his first hit at home, he paused and laughed. He thought about it and couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, oh man," Featherson said. "Took some time. Little more than we like. Couldn't have come at a bigger time. That's for sure. Hopefully, they come in bunches."
Featherston is working at it. The other day, he asked Albert Pujols if he had time to check out some video of his swing and give him some tips. He'd been missing pitches and wanted to see if Pujols could help him figure it out. Pujols obliged.
"... To have a guy like that sitting 15 feet away from you (in the clubhouse), I feel that's a great asset to have, especially the way he's (hitting) right now," Featherston said. "He sits down and said 'for sure, I've got time.' Talks about it. Looks at it. Gave me his honest opinion. Work on it. There's a lot of guys that aren't afraid to give knowledge. We're a family in here. We're just trying to win ballgames."
Much of what Featherston has had to do has been mental preparation, since he's not playing every day like he was just last year when he was at Double-A Tulsa.
He's happy to be here and work on his craft.
"It comes with accepting it, accepting the role," Featherston said. "That's how it is right now. there's three talented guys playing those positions who have done it a long time before me. I constantly have to stay ready. There's little traps to fall in but I'm learning how to avoid those and how to stay positive throughout the ups and downs and times you're not playing. At the end of the day, life is amazing. I'm here in the big leagues playing for the Angels. It could be a lot worse."
Nothing to complain about after a walkoff hit.
