Logan Forsythe dug his cleats into dirt and, with bat in hand, walked on short-cut grass toward the batter's box Tuesday evening in Tacoma, Wash.
The Triple-A Tucson Padres second baseman was ready to lead-off the fifth inning against the Tacoma Rainiers — right until he heard someone call his name from behind.
The call of a lifetime.
Forsythe, 24, had been summoned to make his major-league debut.
Confused, he turned around and saw Tucson manager Terry Kennedy waving him over.
"I didn't know what to think," Forsythe said. "I thought I did something wrong."
About an hour earlier in San Diego, Padres second baseman Orlando Hudson strained his right hamstring when running out a first-inning double against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Local
The 34-year-old was bound for the disabled list, and Forsythe was selected to help fill his void.
In Tacoma, the unknowing prospect walked toward Kennedy.
"The whole team was grouped in at the end of the dugout, and I was like, 'What is going on?'" Forsythe said. "And he stook his hand out, shook my hand and said, 'Congratulations,' and took me out of the game right there. It was pretty neat ... I enjoyed it."
Forsythe debuted less than 24 hours later.
On Wednesday afternoon, he dug his cleats into dirt at Petco Park, fittingly in the fifth inning, and on a 1-2 pitch, grounded out to Pirates shortstop Ronny Cedeno.
Padres manager Bud Black said Forsythe, a 2008 supplemental draft pick out of Arkansas, has a "good head on his shoulders" and hopes he doesn't change his game now that he's at the next level.
Forsythe was batting .291 with a .410 on-base and .488 slugging percentage this season in Triple-A. He also hit four home runs in 88 at-bats, but his patience and knack for doubles — he smacked 22 in Double-A San Antonio last season — are more likely to carry over during his stint with the Padres.
Given what Hudson, who was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, brought to the team offensively, Forsythe's patience would be welcome.
Hudson led the Padres with a .360 OBP and 10 steals at the time of his injury.
"He runs well," Black said of Forsythe, a natural third baseman. "I think he's the type of player that fits the style of game that a lot of our players need to play. I think he's going to be a good defender. I think he's going to steal a base, and he handles the bat. He's a guy who can be plugged in and do the types of things offensively and defensively that we need to do."
Just call his name.
