In Chris Mazza’s life, baseball comes first followed closely by his other passion: Fishing.
“This off-season I was fishing almost every day,” said Mazza.
The right-handed Mazza also said he never liked fishing growing up until his wife and in-laws, from Fort Myers, introduced him to it later on. Now, when Mazza isn’t on the mound, he’s on the water.
“I think the biggest adrenaline rush is when you get that fish hooked and every time it could be the biggest fish ever caught,” he said.
Well, one day last summer, Mazza reeled in a huge catch, but it was no fish.
After being demoted to AAA Durham last year Mazza took a day to fish with his brother-in-law in Estero Bay but before the two could even drop anchor Mazza’s phone rang. It was Rays manager Kevin Cash.
“I answered it and he asked where I was right now,” Mazza recalled. “I said ‘Fort Myers.’ He goes ‘can you make it up?’”
Quickly, Mazza realized his day on the water was over as he raced back to shore and then to Tropicana Field. When Mazza arrived the Rays’ game against the White Sox was in the second inning and Mazza was told to go in during the top of the fourth.
“I think I pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings,” he remembered. “I had a couple of strikeouts. I think I pitched the first inning with the wrong hat on.”
So even though Mazza’s day on the water was cut short his pitching career might have just been prolonged.
“I think that is my best fishing story without actually catching a fish,” Mazza joked.
This offseason, the Rays signed Mazza to a new minor league contract with an invite to the big league camp.
“Anytime I have the opportunity to go pitch in the big leagues you take it like it’s going to be the last day up there and you don’t take anything for granted,” said Mazza.
Now with Spring Training about to start, Mazza will have a chance to show Kevin Cash and the Rays what he can do, not in the water, but on the mound once again.
Full article can be found at: https://nbc-2.com/news/sports/2022/03/10/rays-chris-mazza-turns-fishing-trip-into-mlb-call-up/