It's not everyday in a city of 12,000 people, or even an area of roughly 75,000, that you may personally know a Major League Baseball player, or even say that you saw one pitch one summer during his college days. That's why it was a big deal Sunday, when news came that Anthony Bass was going to start for the San Diego Padres this evening in Colorado.

Bass is from Dearborn, Michigan, and went to college at Wayne State University in Detroit. But in the summer of 2007, he was a pitcher for the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox (renamed the Marysville Gold Sox in 2010).

Bass had a stellar summer, compiling a 6-2 record, and a 1.92 earned run average. He was selected in the fifth round of the Major League draft the following summer. When Padres' starter Aaron Harang got hurt this week and was placed on the disabled list, Anthony got the call.

Bass became the third Gold Sox to make the majors since 2003. Dallas Braden was the first, but even though he only pitched one game in a Gold Sox uniform, the team, town, and area were proud when Braden threw a perfect game last year on Mother's Day. The Gold Sox first MVP, Tommy Everidge, played 24 games for the A's in 2009. It was just a cup of coffee as they say, but Everidge homered twice during those two-dozen games, and hit a double off the green monster at Fenway Park in his debut.

Now you would figure a 23 year-old like Bass would become a very busy guy once he received the news of his call-up. Think how many coaches he has had, from tee ball to little league to high school, plus all of his summer coaches through the years. But Bass still took time to text and call the Gold Sox owner and Gold Sox manager. Team owner Tom Lininger even decided to fly to Denver for tonight's game.

Bass pitched well for the Padres tonight, allowing only one run in five innings. The game was delayed by rain in the sixth with San Diego leading 2-1, and the rain would end Anthony's night.

Several dozen people gathered at a Yuba City sports restaurant to watch the game. The crowd included a couple of Wayne State pitchers who are out here for the summer. Who knows? One of them may become Marysville's next Anthony Bass.

Moron Baseball (I mean More on Baseball): I wrote last week about how MLB Commissioner Bud Selig may expand the playoffs as early as next season. I saw a note today that he is considering moving the Houston Astros to the American League. That would re-align baseball so there are 15 teams in each league. The problem is, you'd always have to have an interleague series, or have one team take three days off in a row. And why the Astros? Who knows. That would mean no NL teams in Texas. I'm not worried yet. Selig can't be that stupid, can he?

NBA: I'm glad it's over. Congrats to the Dallas Mavericks for defeating LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat...There were two ways to read the presentation of the Larry O'Brien championship trophy. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban had the trophy handed to Mavs original owner Donald Carter. A classy move by Cuban on Carter's behalf? Or a classy move by Cuban to spare commissioner David Stern from having to give the trophy to Cuban?...I know the objective is to get the call right, but after a scuffle broke out during a timeout in the first half last night, referees went to the replay to figure out how to dole out the punishment. Seven minutes later , three technical fouls were called, resulting in one free throw. Good thing I taped the game and could fast-forward.