Lodi Baseball Club players, host families forge special bond

The relaxing acoustic guitar tunes can be heard from the dirt driveway parting the 25 acres of grapevines surrounding Claudia Jordan's house in Acampo.

Inside, Kris Koerper's songs provide an upbeat soundtrack as his brother Joe, 19, and their Lodi Baseball Club teammate Jake Fuller, 20, shuck corn and Jordan prepares tri-tip for grilling. While dinner's cooking the three collegiate players — with 21-year-old Kris' guitar always within an arm's reach and a kitten so young it is yet to be named draped over Fuller's shoulder — discuss life, religion and their big league aspirations.

It's an affable atmosphere, a perfect pairing for players focusing on the fun, more laid-back atmosphere of collegiate summer baseball.

Jordan serves as a host for the three players. She was Fuller's host mom last summer, but decided to add the two brothers from New Mexico this summer.

With Jordan's 16-year-old daughter Tess living with her father in Alaska for the summer and her 15-year-old son Nick living the busy life of a teenager, the spacious house could have been a lonely haven for Jordan this summer. Instead, she's got three food-loving — they go through 180 eggs and five gallons of milk a week and make pasta two pounds at a time — chore-doing, summer-time sons to keep her company.

"Jake is already like a son, so I figured I might as well have some more," said Jordan, who's lived in the Lodi area off and on since 1974 and works for Constellation Wines. "These are nice guys. They don't do drugs. They don't swear. They are such good influences on my kids. I couldn't have hand-picked them any better. I am very lucky."

Fuller and the Koerper brothers are three of many players that are staying with host families in the Lodi area this summer. Jordan's household is the only one with three players, but three other families are hosting two players each.

Return hosts

Many host families housed players last summer when they played for the Lodi GrapeSox and enjoyed the experience so much, they signed on again this summer.

Barbara and Cliff Mettler housed Lodi pitcher Justin Cooper last year and this summer are doing it once again. They will also play host to his brother Brandon, who's joining the team next week.

Barbara says she and her husband were interested in hosting because they have a big house without children around anymore. She says they enjoy Cooper and have gotten to know his family and stayed in touch throughout the year. Barbara also says Cooper has made them bigger baseball fans.

"He gets into the house and ESPN goes on immediately and stays on until he goes to bed or leaves," she said. "He has taught us a lot."

Jordan formed a close bond with Fuller last summer as well. His parents, Janet and Greg, came out to stay with Jordan for a vacation last summer and Janet's been back to stay since even when her son wasn't there.

George Cecchetti and Karen Chandler took in Lodi third baseman Tanner Moore last summer and wanted to do it again this summer. Moore and his teammate Dustin Torchio are both being housed by the two and even help the couple with their Cecchetti Olive Oil, Co. business in Lodi.

Returning the favor

The host families enjoy helping the players out and the players are very appreciative of it. The Koerper brothers and Fuller recently wrote Jordan a note thanking her for taking care of them and signed it "Your Boys."

"She is a second mom, a mom away from mom. She is a very good provider," Fuller said of Jordan. "I feel like it is almost like my house. I don't feel like an outsider. She is very welcoming."

Fuller, an outfielder who will be transferring from Grayson Community College to the University of Central Arkansas in the fall, and the New Mexico State-bound Koerper brothers, all help Jordan around the house. They clean and do dishes. They do yard work. They go to the store. Kris even goes to play guitar and sing for Jordan's elderly parents, who own most of the 25-acres and live next door.

All three players have their own rooms in Jordan's house. Fuller stays in Tess' room with Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn posters on the walls. Kris sleeps in a pink guest room with polka-dot and even the word PINK written in dark pink on a bright pink wall. Comical surroundings for grown male athletes who stand well over 6-feet and weigh 200 pounds and change.

When the players aren't eating or playing baseball, they are enjoying the perks of being Lodi Baseball Club players. They have free gym memberships, physical therapy and get many other hookups from businesses around town.

Baseball in Lodi

One common factor drew the Koerpers, Fuller and many of the Lodi Baseball Club's players to the team — manager Leon Lee.

Kris, who along with his brother is a member of the Church of Later Day Saints, left for his Mormon mission after high school and will be a 21-year-old freshman for New Mexico St. in the fall. He knew the only way to get back into baseball was to play for Lee, who as a former Japanese League star and major league hitting coach and scout, has a multitude of baseball knowledge to pass on.

"Personally, he has taken my mental game, my whole perspective to the next level," Kris said. "So many coaches influence you and everything you learn is just a process and now it is just kind of opening up because of Leon."

Joe will also be a freshman at New Mexico St. Fuller will be a sophomore at Central Arkansas. All three know they'll be better players when they return to their college teams because of Lee's tutelage.

All three also said they are enjoying playing baseball in Lodi. Thursday through Sunday nights, they play their games. On Wednesday nights, they have practice.

On some off nights, Fuller stays up playing Guitar Hero or other video games with Nick and his friends. Other times Kris sits on Jordan's porch strumming his six string and working on his songs, which he plans on recording when he gets back to New Mexico after Lodi's season ends Aug. 4.

"I hear him play the guitar as I go to sleep," Jordan said. "I am going to miss that."

If things go as Kris plans, Jordan will hear it again in nine months.

"I want to come back so bad," he said.