Marauders' Baker Takes Pride in Younger Brother's Exploits

Aaron Baker knows that there are people back home in Denton, Texas, keeping tabs on his progress, but the Bradenton Marauders first baseman is glad to know that those same people are starting to take notice of another ballplayer with the same surname.

Baker’s younger brother, Abel, has been instrumental in Grayson County College of Texas’ run to the Junior College World Series. The left-handed hitting catcher has batted .359 with seven home runs, 31 runs scored and 58 RBI this season.

Of the 58 RBI, three came on a bases-loaded triple that fueled a six-run top of the ninth for the nation’s second-ranked team in an eventual 12-6 victory over Howard College in the Southwestern District junior college baseball championship game. The 58 RBI also rank 19^th among all Division I junior college baseball players.

"It’s been great," Aaron Baker said of Abel’s accomplishments this season. "My mom has always said that he has kind of been in my shadow, so it’s good for him to get the spotlight without my name being attached."

The Bakers’ maternal grandfather, the late Jerry Mays, was a defensive lineman for the Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, a six-time All-AFL selection and a member of the All-AFL team. While football was in their bloodlines, baseball was the sport they most vigorously pursued.

"My dad has always been like a coach to me and my brother Abel," Aaron Baker said. "Our baseball coach growing up, Kevin Hubbard, would always have us travelling around and playing in tournaments. He was teaching us college drills when we were like 10 years old. Receiving that baseball IQ and knowledge has helped quite a bit."

When friends and family converge on Grand Junction, Colo., to watch Abel and his teammates begin World Series play against Chipola (Fla.) on May 29, Aaron and the Marauders will be wrapping up a seven-game road trip in Daytona Beach against the Chicago Cubs’ Florida State League affiliate.

"He’s a very talented and gifted individual who really loves the game and has his head right on his shoulders," Aaron Baker said. "I’m just looking forward to his next stop whether it be (NCAA) Division I or professional baseball."

If Abel Baker is selected this June by a major league team in the First-Year Player Draft and makes the decision to play professional baseball, he does not have to look very far for perspective. Aaron Baker has had varying degrees of success since becoming the first University of Oklahoma player in 10 years to put together three consecutive 50-RBI seasons and the Pirates’ 11^th round selection in the 2009 draft.

Aaron Baker did not hit his first professional home run until his 31^st game as a member of the 2009 State College (Pa.) Spikes, but he hit seven home runs in July 2010 for the West Virginia Power en route to ranking sixth among South Atlantic League players with 18 homers. He batted .341 in the month of April and had a 10-game hitting streak snapped in the Marauders’ 5-2 win over visiting St. Lucie on May 4.

However, a 6-for-35 performance over a 10-game stretch from May 13-22 has lowered that average to .265 for the 2011 season. He has also committed a crucial error in the top of the ninth inning that enabled visiting Dunedin to register a 5-4 victory on May 19.

The error came when Baker failed to corral a throw from pitcher Diego Morales that should have resulted in the third out. It should be noted that the second out came when Baker completed Morales’ pickoff of Kenny Wilson.

"I’ve had a few bad nights here lately, but that’s just part of the game," Baker said before the Marauders completed a seven-game homestand with a 6-4 loss to Dunedin that represented the team’s fifth straight setback. "We have some guys on the team that are having really good nights. Just have to lean on your teammates at times because they’re going to pick me up when I’m down. My teammates would probably expect me to pick them up when they’re down.

"It’s definitely a team sport and a team game. It’s very difficult to stay hot for a long time. You’re going to have your peaks and your valleys. During those valleys, you have to remember to keep your head up. You just have to stay strong mentally and keep chugging along."