Major League Baseball

Vargas vs. Weaver: Two ex-Dirtbags to square off in ALDS opener

Published Oct. 1, 2014 9:28 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

In the fall of 2003, a shaggy-haired southpaw walked on to the Long Beach State Dirtbags practice field. There, he met a right-hander with long blonde hair and a long delivery. The duo established themselves as two of the best pitchers in Division I as well as the best of friends. 

But come Thursday night, that friendship will briefly turn into a rivalry, as they will oppose one another on the pitching mound at Angel Stadium in the first game of the American League Division Series. Jered Weaver, pitching for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; and Jason Vargas, pitching for the Kansas City Royals. 

It's Dirtbag vs. Dirtbag, meeting only 15 miles away from where their friendship began 10 years ago.

"On the field, Dirtbags," Weaver said Wednesday during the team's workout. "It's pretty funny in how it's come full circle. We're playing together and now here we are battling against each other in the postseason."

Their pitching coach at Long Beach, Troy Buckley, noticed the two of them hanging out together early on. They were two very different players: Weaver was fiery and flashy, the headliner of one of the most successful pitching staffs for a team that has historically been full of them; Vargas was determined and mature. 

"Those two guys, they hit it off pretty good," Buckley, now the Dirtbags head coach, said. "I think the maturity in Jason was something that Weave really respected. The work ethic, the maturity, the ability to do things the right way. ...

"Vargas would come to practice in the morning on Saturday or for workouts on Tuesday afternoon and he would have a cup of coffee. We would all be looking at him like, 'Look at this guy, looking like he's a five-year vet.'"

For Weaver, 2004 was the year he became a sensation. He won nearly every major award and, as college baseball finally was starting to grab a foothold with the public, Weaver became its face that season. Fans in the Southland (Los Angeles) have followed his career from day one to the day he became the face of the Angels. Long Beach locals still remember the game where Weaver struck out 10 straight to start the game.

ALDS preview: Breaking down Angels vs. Royals

READ MORE

But Weaver never hogged the spotlight, Buckley says, and the attention was never a distraction.

"It was just attention from all aspects. And back then, the media wasn't even as crazy as it is now with the social part of it," Buckley said. "But he prepared for every start. And he gave us a chance every single time out. It wasn't about the draft, it wasn't about where he was at, it was about the things that he wanted to accomplish to win."

For Vargas, that was the year when the former two-way player worked to establish his future as a pitcher. 

"I think what people forget that year was that was Jason's full year committing to pitching," Buckley said. "He had been a really good athlete before that process. You could put him on first and he had dabbled on the mound but there was really no commitment to one area. That was the thing — for this guy not ever having pitched full time at the Division I level, for him to do what he did was pretty impressive."

The two only played at Long Beach State for one season. Both were drafted following the 2004 Super Regional run, Weaver in the first round and Vargas in the second. They were reunited briefly last season when Vargas played for the Angels. Their lockers were next to each other. Vargas' kids would laugh and play with Weaver much like they did with their dad in the clubhouse. 

"That's one relationship I've held on to throughout the years," Weaver said. "He's one of those special guys that comes into your life."

It's not the first time the former Dirtbags have played against one another; it's happened a handful of times when Vargas pitched for the Mariners. Buckley always hopes for the same outcome and Thursday will be no different.

"I always say, let's go eight innings for both of them and lets go 1-1, then let's see how the bullpen handles it from there on out," he said. "I root for them both. These guys care about winning it right. That's why it's special."

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball