Pacific Palisades resident Kathy Lingg was able to watch her sons Scott (left) and Tyler play each other in a Triple A ballgame in Nashville.
In Nashville As Their Parents Watch in Person
Parents who have sons in little league baseball enjoy it when their sons are on the same team or are playing against each other. But as their kids go off to high school and “retire” from team sports, this opportunity may not happen again.
But one fortunate couple in Pacific Palisades, Kathy Lingg and Steve Heineman, have been able to watch their sons play against each other in minor league baseball. This occurred July 11-14 at First Tennessee Park in Nashville.
Older son Tyler, who played at UCLA and was drafted in the eighth round in 2012, currently plays Triple A ball for the New Orleans Baby Cakes. The 5’11” 205-pound catcher was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Miami Marlins organization in June.
Younger son Scott was selected in the 11th round of the 2015 draft after playing for the University of Oregon. Playing for the Nashville Sounds, an affiliate of the Texas Rangers, the 6’1” 200-pound outfielder is batting .440 after 24 games.
Both of the Heinemans are just one level away from playing in the Major Leagues.
In the series opener on July 11, Tyler was his team’s designated hitter (and has a current average of .321). Scott, who played right field, had two hits an RBI as the Sounds won, 11-7.
The next day, the Baby Cakes scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning and won 7-4 in front of a sellout crowd of 10,208. Scott Heineman singled in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 18 games.
On July 13, Tyler was the catcher for the Cakes and his brother played right field for the Sounds. Scott slugged his fourth home run of the season and was now hitting .431 (31 for 72) with 4 home runs, 4 double, 2 triples and 12 RBIs during his on-base streak.
The Sounds won the game, 3-2.
Tyler did not play in the final game of the series and Scott, who was in right field, went hitless as the Cakes won, 9-3, to even the series at two games apiece.
The series was “just great,” said their proud father. “We got to visit both boys and we got to see them play. Kathy was thrilled.”