Anthony Contreras got a text Wednesday from Fort Wayne (Ind.) team president Mike Nutter. The IronPigs manager who spent five seasons in charge of the Tin Caps had not been in touch with his former boss in awhile.
But Nutter couldn't resist when Major League Baseball announced that Jen Pawol was called up from the minor leagues and this weekend in Atlanta will become the first female MLB umpire when she works the bases during Saturday's doubleheader between the Braves and the Miami Marlins, then calls balls and strikes on Sunday.
"[Nutter] said, 'This somehow this reminded me of you,'" Contreras said. "He sent me a picture of Pawol about her call-up and said, 'I went straight to the memory of when she threw you out of a game.'
"We then started reminiscing about those things. That's always fun."
Contreras collected his franchise-record 287th victory in Game 1 of Wednesday night's doubleheader against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, surpassing Dave Brundage.
The 41-year-old Lehigh Valley manager is not much into souvenirs, mementoes or awards. He's much more appreciative of the relationships he has collected during his time in professional baseball that included nine years as a player and 10 as a manager, including the last four at Coca-Cola Park.
"My parents are moving out of their house and going through boxes of stuff from when I was in college, my playing days," Contreras said. "They're sending me pictures of things. I've never been that guy to hold onto material things.
"The youngest of my two younger sisters said, 'You don't want to hang onto that stuff?' That's just not how I'm wired."
Contreras received a bag of goodies from the IronPigs staff and players after last night's win. It likely will end up where other memorabilia from his time in east Allentown landed -- in the back of his locker.
Other items you might find buried in that locker include a scorecard from Contreras' first victory in his first game on April 5, 2022, 7-3 over the Columbus Clippers.
Drew Maggi was the Opening Day shortstop. Jorge Bonifacio and Darick Hall were among others in that day's starting lineup.
"It's the relationships," Contreras said. "I stay in touch with D-Hall, [Scott] Kingery, Aramis Garcia, [Aaron] Barrett, Maggi. Brewer Hicklen, he was here for only a short stint in '23, but I remember the birth of his first child.
"When we were reunited [when Hicklen was recently re-signed by the Phillies], it brought back a lot of memories. The awards and such are a glimpse of the journey, but don't really register with me."
The IronPigs are 63-46 this season under Contreras. They had winning records in his first two seasons. He has 639 career wins including his five years in Class-A Fort Wayne and his debut season in 2015 with low-A Tri-City.
Contreras' introduction to the Triple-A level as a manager was an eye opener.
"There definitely were nerves after managing for so long in the lower levels," he admitted. "The quality of baseball, there is such a big difference. I'm dealing with guys who played as long as I did, guys who were in the big leagues.
"There was a lot less I had to worry about. The babysitting was kind of over. It wasn't like, 'Hey, you're up next.'"
Contreras does not remember his hits, his home runs, but accounts with great detail encounters in the clubhouse and many of the crazy things that happened on the field.
Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader was filled with many memorable moments that won't soon be forgotten.
Contreras and bench coach/first base coach Tank Adamson were ejected following separate arguments with crew chief Felix Neon. That left infielder Rafael Lantigua coaching first base for an inning while the team's strategy coach, who is not listed on the IronPigs roster, raced into the clubhouse to put on a uniform.
That strategy coach later coached third base when Adamson was ejected. Lantigua later entered the game as Lehigh Valley's eighth pitcher in the ninth inning of what supposed to be a seven-inning contest.
RailRiders infielder Ismael Munguia entered the game in the top of the ninth as a pinch runner for the ghost runner at second base in the 4-4 game. He scored, then came around to bat as the designated hitter and hit a grand slam off Lantigua.
Munguia then was called on to get the last three outs for a 12-9 victory in which the teams combined for 13 runs on six hits in the ninth.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre turned a 5-6-3 double play in the fifth inning, then left fielder Jose Rojas became the fifth infielder to start a 7-4-2 DP to end the eighth and keep the game tied.
Contreras won't cherish much of what he saw in Game 2 Wednesday, but continues to collect moments in which he has broken the news to players who received their first major-league promotions. There have been many in during his tenure.
Pitcher Mark Appel in 2022 was special because it was in front of the entire team. Hall's was cool because he put on the act of dressing down the entire team in a Syracuse hotel lobby in the wee hours of the night. Pitcher Mick Abel earlier this season was another unforgettable one because of what he endured the previous year in his first Triple-A campaign.
"Any time I can do it in front of the team and disguise it where I kind of build it up and hit everybody with it," Contreras said, "it's really fun. They sometimes get a sense, but I can disguise it as AC is pissed off about something."
Contreras sold Weston Wilson on a joke that he was going to Japan before giving him the good news in 2023.
"I get bigger goose bumps from that stuff than things happening to me," Contreras said. "I've always been like that. I never wanted attention. To this day, my sisters and my friends are like, 'Why don't you enjoy that?'
"I do. I just don't want to be there to get all the attention."'
Contreras got unwanted attention as a 15-year-old in his first pro baseball job and a ball boy in his hometown of San Jose, Calif. He borrowed a glove from manager Lenn Sakata, who was the last player to play shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles before Cal Ripken Jr. began his consecutive games streak, during pregame drills.
Contreras returned it, but it got buried in a bucket and took time for it to be found. In the meantime, Sakata jokingly rode the teenager about being a thief. Contreras admittedly collected mementoes from his time as the ballboy for the Class A California League team but was frightened by the thought of losing his dream job at the time.
He didn't.
He also isn't losing his job at Triple-A Lehigh Valley anytime soon as he collects accolades and memories.
Contreras made it clear that he values one collection more than the other.
Rehabbing infielder Alec Bohm (rib) took infield and batting practice prior to the game but was not activated.
Suspended LHP Jose Alvarado pitched a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts. He threw eight of 12 pitches for strikes and topped out at 99 mph. He has not pitched since May 16 after testing positive for an illegal substance.
RHP David Robertson struck out Yankees prospect Spencer Jones looking on a 92-mph fastball in the only batter he faced.
Right fielder Gabriel Rincones hurt his ankle running the bases after singling in the seventh inning. He was replaced in the field by Justin Crawford, who reached on an infield single in his only at-bat.
Top 4: Spencer Jones singled and scored on T.J. Rumfield's 14th home run of the season off Parkland graduate Gabe Mosser, who walked two and struck out three in 4 2/3 innings. RailRiders 2-0.
Top 8: Jorbit Vivas singled off the wall in right, took second on a forced balk courtesy of a disengagement violation and scored on Jones' single to right. Jones stole second, took third on a fly ball and scored on J.C. Escarra's sacrifice fly. RailRiders 4-0.
Bottom 9: Crawford reached on an infield single with one out, took second on defensive indifference and scored on Donovan Walton's bloop double to left. RailRiders 4-1.
TBA vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RHP Sean Boyle (7-7, 4.32) in a 7:05 p.m. start from Coca-Cola Park.