BILLINGS — The Billings Mustangs are playoff bound, and a single word is behind one of their best summers in recent memory:
"Yessirrr."
The catchword started jokingly before gaining traction.
"Actually it's something our hitting coach says quite a bit to the guys," manager Craig Maddox told MTN Sports with a smile, referring to Joel Hartman. "It's just a little saying that the guys have kind of embraced throughout the summer."
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The word has since moved beyond the dugout. Midway through the season, the team made it official by putting "Yessirrr" on practice jerseys.
"We decided to do it to kind of give our guys a little spark in the second half (of the season)," Maddox said.
The spark appears to be working. Thanks to a hot first half of the season (36-11), the Mustangs are not only playoff bound sitting second overall among 12 Pioneer League teams — they are guaranteed to host an opening-round series next month.
"Probably the most fun I've ever had playing ball," pitcher Julian Garcia admitted.
Garcia is a big reason for the team's success. He leads Mustangs pitchers with a 7–1 record and ranks second in the league in both wins and strikeouts.
"I throw five pitches. I'm confident in all of them, and yeah, I think the splitter has taken the cake this year a little bit," he said.
Garcia has also shown durability, throwing eight innings in his last outing and already recording a complete game this season.
"When I get ahead (of batters), I just try to go right after them," he said.
His thick beard has become as much a part of his identity on the mound as his five-pitch arsenal, garnering the question on whether it's about style or superstition.
"When I let the beard grow, I usually let it eat for a while. Yeah, it kind of goes hand-in-hand with the pitching. If I'm throwing well I don't like to shave it off," Garcia said.
He is scheduled to take the mound Tuesday night when the Mustangs (47-18 overall, 11-7 second half) open a six-game series in Great Falls at 6:30 p.m.
