Christensen making a minor life

Fort Myers grad now with Miracle

By GLENN MILLER
Fort Myers News Press Mike Christensen is a traveler, in more ways than one. He was once a baseball Traveler with a capital T. Also a Kernal, a Storm and an Angel. Now he’s a Miracle, as in Fort Myers.

The Fort Myers High School graduate played in the Anaheim Angels farm system for five seasons. There were stops with the Provo Angels and Cedar Rapids Kernals. He played for the Lake Elsinore Storm and the Arkansas Travelers.

His travels took him to the Pioneer League and Midwest League. He played in the California and Texas leagues. Despite all that mileage, Christensen never reached Anaheim. The Angels released him in November.

It was time for this Angel to look homeward.

In January, the Minnesota Twins signed him. He started at third base for the Miracle on Tuesday and hit a two-run homer in the team’s 6-3 victory against the Lakeland Tigers at the Lee County Sports Complex. The victory improved the Miracle’s record to 6-0.

After the Angels selected him on the 36th round of the 1998 draft, his career kept him far from home. Now, he’s playing at the Lee County Sports Complex, a short drive from where he played Little League and high school ball, and later at Edison Community College.

“I’m thrilled to have him on this coast, much less right here,” said his father, who is also named Mike.

Christensen, who will turn 27 on May 24 and was once nicknamed “Doogie,” compares himself to Crash Davis, the Kevin Costner character in “Bull Durham.” Crash was a career minor-leaguer who mentored younger players and provided capable offense and defense.

Although he’s old for the Class A Florida State League, Christensen hasn’t given up his baseball dream.

“I know that if I put up numbers I’ll probably be out of here,” Christensen said, meaning that if he produces he’ll be promoted to Double-A. “That’s hopefully the plan for me. Right now it’s just a little bit of a guy who’s been there, done it, that type of thing for me.”

On Opening Night last week, Christensen arranged for 21 passes for family and friends. Now, his mother, Mary, watches his at-bats with the same anxiety she did when the oldest of her six children was a Little Leaguer.

“Every time he’s up to bat you hold your breath,” Mary Christensen said.

Since Mike was playing T-ball, Mary has known that baseball held a spell over him. “It’s been his whole life,” she said.

It once got him in trouble. When he played for Edison, the school played the Twins in an annual exhibition. The day before the 1996 game at the Sports Complex, Christensen jokingly predicted that his team would beat the Twins.

Twins All-Star center fielder Kirby Puckett read the comment in The News-Press the morning of the game. Outfielder Marty Cordova, then with the Twins, used to work out with Edison players in the offseason. He talked to Christensen before the game.

“He’s like, ‘Doogie’, which was my nickname, ‘what are you doing, why did you say that?’ ” Christensen said. “Marty, I didn’t say anything. I was joking. ... And he’s like, ‘Kirby is really upset about that.’ ‘Oh, God, tell him I was just joking.’ So throughout the entire game, for the first five innings, while Kirby was still there, I don’t think he ever shut up. He was talking to me the whole time when I was at third. ‘Doogie! Doogie!’ ”

What else did Puckett say to the 19-year-old at third?

“Nice glasses,” Christensen said, repeating Puckett’s ribbing. “I had glasses back then. ‘This is a professional baseball team. You can’t win.’ ”

The old pro was right. Puckett hit two homers and the Twins beat Edison 16-7. Each time Puckett jogged past Christensen, the kid kept his head down.

Colorado Rockies scout John Cedarburg, who coached at Edison before it dropped its sports program, remembers Christensen as more than just a good player.

“He has a wonderful heart,” Cedarburg said.

That was one of the attractions for the Twins when they signed him.

“He’s a low-maintenance guy,” said Miracle manager Jose Marzan. “You don’t have to worry about him very much. You know he’s going to give you a good effort and he’s going to follow the rules. He’ll try to do everything he can to make himself better and to make the team better. He’s the type of player you want on your team.”

Christensen’s come a long way since Edison and being the focus of ribbing from a future Hall-of-Famer. He is a seasoned pro with 538 games on his resume.

After all the games, teams, towns and leagues, Christensen still remembers the thrill of putting on a pro uniform for the first time and getting paid. Does he still have that feeling?

“I really do,” Christensen said. “It’s never gone away for me.”

AT THE BAT: Miracle RF Jason Kubel was 2-for-3, with a double and two RBI. ... LF Renyel Alvarez was 2-for-3, with two RBI and two runs scored, and hit his first homer of the season.

ON THE MOUND: Four Miracle pitchers combined on a seven-hitter. ... RP Victor Moreno pitched the sixth and seventh innings and didn’t allow a run. He improved his record to 2-0. ... RP Josh Daws pitched the ninth, struck out two and picked up his third save.