Gamboa shines as his big-league dream comes true

Lou Souza received the voicemail on his phone around 10 p.m. The El Capitan High School athletic director and former Merced High baseball coach was half asleep when he heard Eddie Gamboa’s voice on the message.

“He basically said, ‘Coach, I just wanted to let you know I’m going to be able to throw the knuck in the big leagues,’ ” Souza said.

Gamboa was finally going to get his opportunity.

On Sept. 2, the former Merced High star made his major-league debut with the Tampa Bay Rays against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It was a long time coming for Gamboa, 31.

The 2003 Merced graduate has spent close to nine years in the minor leagues since being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2008 in the 21st round out of UC Davis. Since then, Gamboa has played in 236 games and pitched more than 900 innings in the minors before his September call-up.

“You look at the the year and you’re having success,” Gamboa said from his offseason home in Rocklin. “You’re doing everything they ask. So I don’t want to say I’m super surprised because I felt I deserved it since April.

“It was an opportunity after playing nine seasons in the minor leagues. You always feel you’re ready to go. That first outing, there is so much pressure. It’s almost surreal. I got through it. I was able to get a couple more outings.”

Gamboa gave up a hit, two walks and an earned run in one-third of an inning against the Blue Jays in his debut. However, the knuckleballer was impressive in his other six relief appearances to close the season

Gamboa followed his debut with three scoreless innings against the Orioles. He threw two shutout innings against the New York Yankees. He made two appearances against the Boston Red Sox, giving up one unearned run in three innings.

He finished the season with 13 1/3 innings pitched, surrendering two earned runs for a 1.35 ERA. Gamboa struck out 11, walked eight and gave up nine hits.

All those years spent in the minors, all those bus rides and long nights spent in hotels all over the country were worth the opportunity Gamboa got to spend in the majors this fall.

“Absolutely, I soaked it all in,” Gamboa said. “I never felt I wasn’t going to make it. I know it sounds weird, but even before I became a knuckleball pitcher, I felt my other stuff was good enough to make it.”

“His mentality, his time in the minor leagues, he was always going to try to adapt and find a way,” Souza said. “He was so close with the stuff he had. When he starts throwing the knuckleball, he goes to Phil Niekro to learn. He was going to do whatever it takes. He saw he had to find a way, and his mentality was to do whatever it takes. He’s going to outwork guys. He will out bus-ride guys.”

Shortly after Souza got the message Gamboa was being promoted to Tampa Bay, he worked on finding a way to see him. New York ended up being the place, and Souza flew to watch the Rays play the Yankees for a weekend series.

Souza didn’t get to see Gamboa pitch, but he got to hang out with him on the field at Yankee Stadium and spent time with him in the Big Apple.

“It was priceless,” Souza said. “He treated me so well in New York. It’s the kind of thing you hope for. How many guys bust their tails and never get that shot?”

Gamboa was the fifth player this year from Merced County to pitch in a major-league game this season. The others were Tampa Bay teammate Dylan Floro (Buhach Colony), the Mariners’ Cody Martin (Dos Palos), the Pirates’ Curtis Partch (Merced High/Merced College) and the Astros’ Doug Fister (Golden Valley/Merced College).

Why so many from Merced County?

“I know for me, I had great coaching coming up in Merced,” Gamboa said. “I played for Lou Souza and Scott Winton, coaches who know the game and taught the fundamentals. I was fortunate to have coach (Chris) Pedretti work with us when we were growing up, because I played with his son, Joel.

“I also think playing for Rollo (Adams) and the Volunteers helped get us ready to be professional baseball players. All the traveling we did, going to tournaments in Las Vegas, prepared us for the next level and taught us about being responsible.”

It was the second time Gamboa was called up to the majors. He was promoted to the Orioles for two games last spring but didn’t get into a game.

This time, he got to pitch and he pitched well. It’s memories he’ll never forget.

The memory of calling his parents to let them know he was finally getting his shot. There was those three scoreless innings Gamboa pitched against his former team.

“In a secretive way, it meant a lot,” Gamboa said. “It was a bittersweet moment for me. For one, I knew everyone on the other team. It was a weird feeling being out there that night. It almost felt like a backyard baseball game.”

Gamboa said one of the best moments came in the regular-season finale, when he pitched against the Texas Rangers with his mom, Oralia, and sister Araceli in the stands.

“My mom and sister flew out to Texas and got to see me pitch at the highest level,” Gamboa said. “My mom hadn’t seen me pitch since 2008, so that meant a lot. She’s afraid of flying, but she toughed it out and flew out to Texas.”

Gamboa’s performance could only help his chances of being considered for the Opening-Day roster next season.

“I’m not satisfied,” Gamboa said. “The goal wasn’t just to get there and then now I can retire. The goal is to get there and stay as long as a I can. I’m going to try to make that happen.”

This story was originally published October 10, 2016 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Gamboa shines as his big-league dream comes true."