Thinking of Rory Markas
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There are reminders everywhere.
On the Angel Stadium videoboard, where a pregame montage includes his call of the Angels’ only World Series title. In the dugout, where his former broadcast partner Terry Smith still conducts interviews. And in the clubhouse, where he used to roam.
The Angels miss Rory Markas, the play-by-play sportscaster who died in January at age 54. They also miss longtime scout Preston Gomez and pitcher Nick Adenhart, who also died within the last 15 months.
‘There’s not a day that goes by that you’re not in the clubhouse and something reminds you of those guys,’ Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said before his team played the Dodgers on Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. ‘Rory’s with us even though he’s not here.
‘Terry and I talk every day and you think of Rory, so there’s always things that bring you back to Rory.’
There will be another reminder of Adenhart, who was killed in a car accident last April, next week when the Angels present Jered Weaver with the Nick Adenhart Award -- for being the club’s top pitcher last season -- before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium.
-- Ben Bolch