Kary Booher

News-Leader

Call it a summer love. Mitch and Tiara. A former Navy officer, now 28, and a 23-year-old. And, soon, they're going to have to say goodbye.

"I'm going to miss her," said Mitch Harris, a Springfield Cardinals reliever whose gal made certain that the pitcher arrived daily to Hammons Field.

The gal being a 1991 GMC van. It's pushing 112,000 miles and on loan from a Cardinals' front-office executive.

In other words, of all the "What I Did This Summer" stories, Harris' could well rank right up there.

"The backstory is I got here with no vehicle and my roommate offered a free vehicle," Harris said, proving that not all pro athletes have the cash to cruise sports cars that run on jet fuel. "This is much better."

Better, because the van has served as a reminder of the grind through the minor leagues, the journey he badly wanted to experience.

Harris covered an inning in Springfield's 4-3 loss to the Tulsa Drillers on Monday night, his 31st appearance in the Texas League this season. That's kind of a milestone.

If you recall, after being a 13th-round draft pick in 2008, Harris spent five years and wrote three letters urging the Navy to approve a transfer into the reserves after he graduated from the Naval Academy.

But the Navy wouldn't budge after, in 2008, the alternative services options for student-athletes was placed on hold.

Harris finally received the OK in spring 2013 and, after a stint in the lowest levels of the minors last summer, he arrived to Double-A Springfield on May 17 this season.

That's when he met David West, an account executive for the Double-A club. West purchased the van last September for about $2,700 from stadium usher Herschel Bledsoe. West soon introduced Harris and Tiara, the name of the van.

"Since the first of the year, I've had a couple of Springfield Cardinals ask if they can drive it," West said. "The guys love it."

The van has been part of a mostly encouraging summer for Harris. Because of his age, he needed to reach Double-A and show some staying power.

He hit some speed bumps but also showed some success, delivering 19 scoreless outings and allowing only two of 12 inherited runners to score. Opponents also hit only .228.

He's done it by adding in a cutter and a split-finger fastball.

"I can't even begin to say how pleased I am with the progress he's made this year," Springfield pitching coach Randy Niemann said, emphasizing Harris' fastball is up to 93 to 95 mph, the same as his college days.

"He's started getting his cutter to where it's a real usable pitch and then a good pitch where he can throw down in the zone for swings and misses," Niemann added. "He's worked his tail off."

As for this winter, he'll assist a recruiting station in a harsh winter locale near — wait for this — Miami, Fla.

"Who knows? Maybe I can get that Lamborghini if I can get to the big leagues," Harris said. "You've got to work for it to get out of (the minors) and get to the big leagues and get something that has AC and goes more than 55 mph."