Giants’ Tomlinson finds job helps him cope with family tragedies

Recommended Video:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It was not like Kelby Tomlinson to miss FanFest. He has been a team guy from the moment the Giants selected him in the 12th round of the 2011 draft and stuck a uniform on him.

Tomlinson had a good reason to stay home in Oklahoma, an incredibly sad one, too.

On Feb. 6, the Tuesday before FanFest, Tomlinson and his wife, Tiffany, learned that one of Tiffany’s two brothers was killed at home in Burden, Kan., when the truck he was fixing shifted into gear and rolled over his head. T.J. Prater was 35.

“He was Tiffany’s older brother, the guardian,” Tomlinson said Friday morning. “To get to Tiffany I had to get him on my side. Once I got him, we were like best friends. We were really close.”

Three days later, the night before Prater’s funeral, Tomlinson got another call that his paternal grandfather, Harold Tomlinson, had died of kidney failure during the end stages of dementia. The family knew Tomlinson’s grandpa was dying but did not tell Kelby for fear of overwhelming him after Prater’s death.

Before Tomlinson flew to Arizona to start spring training, he attended two funerals in five days.

“Those were just two tough moments,” Tomlinson said. “It just almost didn’t seem real.”

Kelby Tomlinson, 37 set to take batting practice, as the San Francisco Giants hold spring training workouts at Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday February 28, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Kelby Tomlinson, 37 set to take batting practice, as the San Francisco Giants hold spring training workouts at Scottsdale Stadium on Sunday February 28, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Giants’ Tomlinson finds job helps him cope with family tragedies 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

As with so many players when tragedy strikes, baseball was Tomlinson’s soft landing spot. The 27-year-old walked into a clubhouse full of love and support, which he in turn needs to provide Tiffany even if she is “tough,” as Tomlinson put it.

“It was kind of nice to get out here and get back to baseball and get your mind off things, just get going,” Tomlinson said.

“I do remember the first time I was driving up to the field in spring training, I was thinking it’s going to be different without T.J. He’s one of my biggest fans. And he was always calling, always talking about the games, being in touch. Just not having him here is going to be a definitely different year.”

Tomlinson will not grieve his grandfather any less, of course, but the loss of a young, healthy family man is always harder to accept. Prater and his wife, Sheena, had three girls, the oldest now 7, the youngest seven months.

Prater cut hair for a living in an old-fashioned Midwestern barber shop, with the big metal chairs, a barber pole and straight razors for shaves — the perfect vocation for a gregarious fellow.

“He could just talk, man. He was everybody’s best friend,” Tomlinson said. “He had over 1,000 people at his funeral. He impacted people. He was just amazing. His wife said when they would go to Walmart and they needed something that would take five minutes, he would be there like he was a politician running for mayor, and he wasn’t even running for mayor. He cared about people, loved people.”

Tiffany is with Kelby in Scottsdale. They’ve already had moments when they expected Prater to walk through the door, or send a text and needed that extra split second to realize it would not happen.

“That’s when it gets hard,” Tomlinson said.

One of those moments would have come Thursday night, when Tomlinson, playing shortstop, ranged deep into the hole and made a bazooka throw to first to retire a Mariners hitter.

Tomlinson also had a couple of hits. He helped himself as he competes for a backup infield spot. He is guaranteed nothing, even after spending parts of three seasons in the majors, but could be the first among equals, especially if he continues that kind of shortstop play.

Having Brandon Crawford as a shoulder to lean on can’t hurt. Crawford learned all too well in 2017 about leaving real life behind and competing at a high level. He lost a sister-in-law in April.

“He’s one of the best shortstops in the game, and I watch him all the time,” Tomlinson said. “Being behind him the last three years, I’ve gotten to be close to him. He’s always somebody I look up to and try to imitate through life on the field and away from the field, too.”

Grieving athletes often find sanctuary on the field. Crawford said that was so last year. Tomlinson said it Friday. Infield coach Ron Wotus has seen it.

“I’m glad to see him having so much fun out here on the field after going through such a difficult time,” Wotus said. “You couldn’t even tell that he had that rough winter.

“He’s opening up as a person. He continues to be a better teammate, and his whole knowledge of the (shortstop) position, I think he continues to get better.”