May 28: West Hits Two Bombs, Says Off-Season Weight Loss a “Payback to a Great Organization.”

During this past off-season, Kevin West lost 25 pounds and got back into “rookie shape.” Lean and mean, he came to training camp ready to rip it up.

Wednesday night, after an occasionally rocky first 10 games of the season, West exploded. The big right fielder pounded out a three-run homer, a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly, drove in six runs and scored two as the Goldeyes beat Gary 7-5.

With the win, the Fish won their second-straight, improved to 8-3 on the season and remained in sole possession of first place in the Northern League.

For a guy who feasts on fastballs, West hit his two homers on off-speed pitches from RailCats ace Tony Cogan, a former reliever with the Kansas City Royals.

“The first home run was off a curve ball and the second was a change-up,” West said. “That guy (Cogan) is tough, maybe one of the best pitchers in our league, but there was no secret to what happened. I just stayed back on the pitches and got the barrel of the bat on the ball. I didn’t swing any harder than I normally do. I just got the barrel of the bat on it.”

West’s first home run was a three-run bomb that tied the game 4-4. The second, a two-run shot, gave Winnipeg a 7-4 lead.

So far this season, West – who hit .317 with 18 homers and 74 RBI last year – is hitting .279 with four homers and 13 RBI. Still, we’re only 11 games into a gruelling 96-game season and the 6-foot-2, 200-pound, 29-year-old from Florida is slimmer and better prepared for a long campaign.

“I didn’t prepare last year like I normally prepare because I had no idea what independent ball was,” said West. “I didn’t understand it, didn’t know how good it was and I didn’t realize what I was coming into. I was just lucky that I had a good year in 2008.

“I mean, I was so fortunate that this place fell in my lap. The owner, the staff, the entire organization, I just can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I can’t imagine anyplace else outside of organized baseball that anyone would want to play.

“At the end of last season I figured the least I could do to pay back this organization was to prepare and dedicate myself to the game as if I was playing big league ball. I just figured I owed it to the people here.

“And now I’ve come into a situation in which the team is so much better than last year’s team. I’m not calling anybody out, but this year, we’re not in a situation where Brent Metheny and Kevin West have to produce big numbers every night in order for us to win. How many games have we already won this season because the seventh, eighth and ninth hitters have won it for us? This is a good team in every respect.”

Immediately following Wednesday’s game, the Goldeyes boarded the bus for Joliet, where they’ll open a seven-game road trip Friday that will also take them to Kansas City.

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RICHARDSON READY TO PLAY ON A WINNER

There is no question where catcher Dustin Richardson stands when asked about this year’s Goldeyes team.

“We’re going to win,” Richardson said the other day. “I mean it. This is a great team. We can hit, play defence and the pitching is really good. I really believe this team is good enough to win the league championship.”

Based on his play through the first 11 games of the campaign, there are a number of people around the team who wonder if Richardson is going to last the season in Winnipeg.

“If Dustin Richardson is still here with us at the end of the season,” said teammate Kevin West, “it’s an injustice to Dustin. That guy can flat out play ball.”

If he does remain in Winnipeg for the season, no one should wake him up. After going two-for-three with a home run and two runs scored on Wednesday, the 24-year-old is now hitting .436 with 17 hits, six doubles and a home run.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people and like anybody else here, I’d like to sign with an organization,” he said. “But I need to put up some numbers. I lost last season (with a serious head injury). I need to catch a lot of games and show the scouts I can play a full season. I’d also like to win. It never hurts to play on a winner and I think this will be the year.”