Reporting from Baltimore — As Dean Albany peered out at the Camden Yards mound Tuesday night, he did not see Angels left-hander Joe Saunders or Baltimore Orioles right-hander Adam Eaton.
He saw 14-year-old Nick Adenhart, a gangly right-hander who, back in 2001, was trying out for the Orioleanders, an elite youth team composed mostly of high school juniors and seniors from Maryland.
"The first time I saw Nick was on this mound," said Albany, an Orioles scout who coached Adenhart on that youth team for four seasons.
"He was unbelievable. He was the youngest player at the tryout, and he was the best kid out there. The fluidness, the easy delivery. He looked like he was in charge."
Adenhart went on to star at Williamsport (Md.) High and received a $710,000 bonus to sign with the Angels in 2004, only weeks after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery.
Adenhart reached the big leagues as a 21-year-old in 2008, starting three games before being sent back to triple-A Salt Lake, and he opened 2009 with the Angels.
Then, on April 9, hours after his first start of 2009 in which he threw six shutout innings against Oakland, Adenhart was killed in a traffic accident. His death stunned the Angels, their fans and Adenhart's hometown, which is located about 80 miles west of here.
On Tuesday night, Adenhart's father, Jim, his grandparents, and about 30 family members and friends, including Albany, attended the Orioles-Angels game in Camden Yards as guests of both teams.
Most were wearing Angels jerseys with Adenhart's No. 34 and name on the back. Nick's father and grandparents also met with Angels Manager Mike Scioscia at the team hotel Tuesday afternoon.
"Nick would have been a great plumber, electrician . . . he would have been good at anything he did," Albany said. "He was a special kid. He won't be forgotten around here."
Albany shakes his head when he considers the randomness of the accident that killed Adenhart and two friends, who were broadsided by an alleged drunk driver in a Fullerton intersection shortly after midnight.
"If one more person would have shaken his hand and said 'Good job' after the game, if he would have put his bag in the car differently, they wouldn't have gone through that intersection when they did," Albany said. "It's such a shame.
"That kid had moxie. When I watched him pitch against the A's that night, he looked like a savvy veteran."
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com
