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A5 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 SPORTS BASEBALL Harber holding out hopes for a 2020 season By GARY HENLEY The Astorian Conor Harber plays professional baseball in another country. But when it comes to the 2020 season, he’s in the same boat as every other ball player. Little leaguers, high school, college and professional players — unless they play in Korea, they’re all waiting for that fi rst pitch of 2020. Harber spent the 2019 season with the Acereros de Monclova (the Monclova Steel- ers) of the professional Mexican League. And it was one fun season for Harber, both individually and team wise, as the Acereros won the Mexican equivalent of the World Series. Harber, in fact, started the seventh and deciding game of the championship series for Monclova, ultimately a 9-5 victory over the Yucatan Lions. Currently, the Mexican League season has been postponed, “and we’re not sure if we’re even going to have a season,” Harber said last week. “It’s not looking too good.” The 2020 Major League Baseball season was set to open in late March, while Mon- clova was scheduled for an April 6 season opener. Harber and his teammates were just get- ting into spring training when everything was put on hold. “I was down (in Mexico) for three weeks before everything kind of hit,” he said. “Our season had already been postponed until May 11, then they pushed it back another month.” Right now, “it depends if they open it up to crowds,” said Harber, as the Mexican League is very fan-dependent. So, Harber headed back to his home turf to wait things out while staying in baseball shape. “I’m just trying to stay busy,” he said. “After every season, I usually give myself a month-and-a-half off just to relax, take my mind off everything and give my body a break.” He starts working out in mid-Decem- ber, and by mid-January is throwing bullpen sessions. After the high school season was can- celed, Harber gained a new group of work- out partners. “Right now I’m throwing with some of the high school seniors who will be mov- ing on to college. (Warrenton’s) Jake Mor- row has been catching us. He’s trying to get ready for the fall at Linn-Benton.” Meanwhile, “I’m just waiting to see what happens with the Mexican League.” Harber was looking forward to his sec- ond season with Monclova, where his pitch- ing blossomed in last year’s post season, along with the Acereros, who rallied from Hailey Hoff man/The Astorian Conor Harber plays baseball in Mexico. the brink of elimination in three straight playoff series to win the title. In the fi rst round, Monclova trailed Mon- terrey three games to two in a best-of-seven. Harber was the winning pitcher in Game 6 to tie the series, and Monclova won Game 7, 5-2. In a best-of-seven against Tijuana, the Acereros trailed two games to none, then won four of the next fi ve (Harber got the win in Game 7) to advance to the champion- ship series, another seven-game affair, with Monclova rallying again to defeat Yucatan in Game 6 and Game 7. “The regular season was fun, but once the playoffs rolled around … it’s a lot different,” Harber said. “I can’t get too specifi c, but they were doing stuff in the crowd and on the fi eld, if you saw that in the states, some- one’s getting sued for it.” Monclova had never won the champion- ship, “so it was special for everyone in the town,” Harber said. “They threw a big party afterwards. Nothing like I’ve ever expe- rienced. A parade … we only went 2 or 3 miles, but there were tens of thousands of people. It’s a lot of fun there, for sure.” The traveling, on the other hand, is not. “The bus rides and the airplane rides start wearing you down,” he said. “Two-hour bus rides to the airport, and then a three-hour plane fl ight. We have to do that about twice per week.” Harber has certainly paid his dues when it comes to miles traveled. After graduating from Astoria, he played collegiately at Western Nevada and Oregon. He was selected in the MLB draft by Bal- timore in 2013 and Tampa Bay in 2014, but did not turn pro until he was taken in the 16th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015. His minor league career began with the Helena (Montana) Brewers, followed by stops with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Carolina Mudcats and the Biloxi Shuckers. After he was released by the Brewers in the spring of 2019, Harber hooked up with Monclova. OREGON CAPITAL INSIDER Only 26, Harber still has an agent and has not given up on his m ajor l eague hopes. “With the post season I had last year, I was kind of hoping to be seen,” said Har- ber, who has not ruled out playing in Korea or Japan. “I thought that might be an opportunity if I keep doing well. A couple guys off our team have gone over. It’s harder to get in there, but guys are being picked up all the time and going back to the states and play- ing for m ajor l eague clubs.” A lot of it, he said, “is just timing. If you’re doing really well and if a club is short on pitching, they will scoop guys up. It’s just being ready to go when they need someone.” For now, Harber would just like to be on the mound, in any game in any country. “I’m still staying healthy. Hopefully we’ll get a season so I can get a little base- ball in this year.” We’re investing in Salem coverage when other news organizations are cutting back. Get the inside scoop on state government and politics! OBITUARIES Marc Allan Walter APPLIANCE Dunedin, Florida 1959 — 2020 Marc Allan Walter, age 60, passed away expect that his cat, “Murphy,” was not far suddenly on May 7, 2020. behind. Murphy would spend every hour of Born in Lyons, Kansas, in 1959, Marc the workday in Marc’s offi ce, which often was a resident of everywhere. Not ran past dinnertime. If you were one to spend too long in one place, a client, it was not uncommon to he had the pleasure of living on hear Murphy in the background either coast and several places in during calls. between. Though if you were to To honor Marc, his best friend ask him, the years that included Murphy and everyone who makes any measure of snow were not of bonds like this possible, the family much consequence. requests a donation in lieu of fl ow- Marc is survived by all of ers to secure.oregonhumane.org/ those who loved him, and will doggiedash/stephanie be remembered as a loving hus- A private graveside service will Marc Walter band, father, papa, friend, the best be held at Evergreen Cemetery in fi re protection engineer God ever Seaside, Oregon. blessed this planet with, a man of the sea and Hughes-Ransom Mortuary is in charge a restless wanderer. of the arrangements. Please visit hughesran- Everyone who knew Marc could usually som.com to leave messages of condolence. SEVENDAY FORECAST FOR ASTORIA TODAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY PACKAGE DEALS APPLIANCE AND HOME FURNISHINGS 529 SE MARLIN, WARRENTON 503-861-0929 Over Mattresses, Furniture & More! 30 Y E A R S IN C L AT S O P COUNT Y SUNDAY MONDAY HOURS OPEN: MON-FRI 8-6 * SATURDAY * SUNDAY 10-4 We Service What We Sell REGIONAL FORECAST Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. Seattle 64 50 67 51 68 52 63 50 Clouds and sun; Partly sunny Partly sunny Clouds and sun nice 63 48 58 49 61 48 Showers possible Showers possible Showers possible Aberdeen Olympia 66/47 69/51 Wenatchee Tacoma Moses Lake 70/45 ALMANAC UNDER THE SKY TODAY'S TIDES Astoria through Sunday Tonight’s Sky: Virgo is rising in the east in late evening, contain- ing only one bright star, Spica. Astoria / Port Docks Temperatures High/low ................................ 65/47 Normal high/low .................. 61/47 Record high .................. 84 in 1993 Record low .................... 38 in 1923 Precipitation Sunday ..................................... 0.00” Month to date ........................ 3.15” Normal month to date ......... 2.62” Year to date .......................... 35.21” Normal year to date ........... 32.91” Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020 Time High (ft.) Time Low (ft.) 3:28 a.m. 5:33 p.m. 8.4 10:51 a.m. -0.6 6.6 10:45 p.m. 3.4 Cape Disappointment 3:12 a.m. 5:08 p.m. Source: Jim Todd, OMSI Hammond SUN AND MOON Sunrise today .................. 5:32 a.m. Sunset tonight ............... 8:54 p.m. Moonrise today .............. 8:46 a.m. Moonset today ............ 12:03 a.m. First Full Last New 3:21 a.m. 5:19 p.m. Warrenton 3:23 a.m. 5:28 p.m. Knappa 4:05 a.m. 6:10 p.m. Depoe Bay May 29 June 5 June 12 June 20 2:21 a.m. 4:24 p.m. 8.2 10:01 a.m. -0.7 6.5 9:48 p.m. 3.8 8.5 10:20 a.m. -1.0 6.7 10:13 p.m. 3.5 8.8 10:35 a.m. -0.5 7.0 10:29 p.m. 3.5 8.7 11:52 a.m. -0.5 6.9 11:46 p.m. 2.9 8.1 9:32 a.m. -1.2 6.4 9:21 p.m. 3.6 City Atlanta Boston Chicago Dallas Denver Honolulu Houston Los Angeles Miami New York City Phoenix San Francisco Wash., DC Wed. Hi/Lo/W 78/64/pc 77/60/pc 86/70/c 75/61/t 76/51/s 85/74/pc 83/68/t 89/62/s 87/77/t 77/60/pc 103/76/s 81/56/s 80/64/pc 77/67/t 82/64/s 84/68/t 77/64/t 79/51/pc 86/74/s 86/66/t 88/63/s 88/76/pc 77/64/pc 109/80/s 77/55/s 80/69/pc Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow fl urries, sn-snow, i-ice. 77/55 Hermiston The Dalles 83/55 Enterprise Pendleton 69/46 78/53 81/53 La Grande 73/49 75/52 NATIONAL CITIES Today Hi/Lo/W 70/50 Kennewick Walla Walla 77/55 Lewiston 83/51 72/48 Salem Pullman 82/51 Longview 64/50 Portland 74/53 71/51 Yakima 82/54 71/49 Astoria Spokane 80/53 Corvallis 76/53 Albany 75/52 John Day Eugene Bend 76/53 75/48 74/53 Ontario 75/59 Caldwell Burns 78/49 75/58 Medford 85/58 Klamath Falls 80/49 City Baker City Brookings Ilwaco Newberg Newport Today Hi/Lo/W 74/47/sh 67/53/pc 61/50/pc 74/51/pc 62/50/pc Wed. Hi/Lo/W 78/48/s 69/56/s 64/53/pc 80/52/pc 64/51/pc City North Bend Roseburg Seaside Springfi eld Vancouver Today Hi/Lo/W 66/53/pc 81/57/pc 63/48/pc 76/54/pc 73/52/pc Wed. Hi/Lo/W 66/53/s 84/57/s 68/50/pc 79/52/s 78/53/pc