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And, at first, it can be difficult to pinpoint where it’s coming from.

But if you glance hard enough (or have some binoculars and a press box view), you’ll spot 43-year-old Jeffrey Lange sitting in the bleachers along the first base line, trumpet in hand.

He’s sitting by himself, carefully analyzing the game, awaiting the perfect moment to play a short tune like John Cena’s “The Time is Now� or Star Wars’ “The Imperial March� for the crowd.

“You really have to know baseball and love baseball,� Lange says. “Get in and get out as fast as you can. I try to have stuff ready to go and memorized. I’m like, ‘OK, there’s a big play next. I’m gonna play something. I’ll have something in my mind ready.’ Because once it happens in front of you, it’s too late to say, ‘Oh, wait, hold on.’ So, you gotta plan ahead and just watch baseball.�

Lange, a poker dealer who lives in Phoenix, has played his trumpet at baseball games for the last two years.

The opportunity to play at a baseball game happened in 2023, when the World Baseball Classic made its way to Chase Field.

“A friend of mine said, ‘Hey, did you see that they allow musical instruments at the game?’ And it was like a light bulb going off on top of my head,� Lange says. “I said, ‘Wait a minute, I’ve seen what they do in Japan. I’ve seen what they do in the Dominican (Republic). As far as bringing music to the game, I could be the one to do stuff like this.’ So, I’ve just been working on it and I really enjoy doing it. It’s so much fun.�

Since his baseball trumpeting journey began two years ago, he has played at numerous ballparks and stadiums, including in the Caribbean where he was invited to play at an invitational baseball tournament.

When Lange heard about the World Baseball Classic qualifiers coming to Tucson this week, he knew he had to come down and play.

Before heading to any ballpark, he always researches what instruments are allowed on site.

He didn’t see anything online about Kino Veteran Memorial Stadium prohibiting trumpets, so when he showed up to Sunday’s opening day, his heart sank when he saw the “no noisemakers� sign at the entrance.

He headed to guest services, who got him in touch with the head of stadium security so he could explain what he was up to. After chatting, they allowed him to bring his trumpet in.

Once in the stadium, Lange scopes out the seats and finds the perfect spots along the first base line on Sunday and the third base line on Tuesday.

He sets up two phones, in front and behind him, to record the moments he plays throughout the game.

He uploads all of his clips to his YouTube account ““ to help spread the love of baseball and a good tune or two.

But Lange isn’t recording his trumpet content to make a quick buck or become famous, he just wants to bring a fun energy to baseball games.

“I’m just hoping to grow it a little bit, but it’s all for fun,� he says. “I don’t want to even try to make money off this, because I just feel like, if it stays as a hobby, then it stays fun. I don’t want it to feel like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna try and make a couple dollars’ and it turns into something where I feel like I have to do it.�

Although Lange won’t be in attendance for the final qualifying game on Thursday, he says his experience at WBC has been “very positive.�

Lange plans to return to Tucson soon to play at Tucson Saguaros games, a professional baseball team in the Pecos League.

“I’ve met a lot of great people down here so far that have come up and asked, ‘Hey, who are you? What’s going on? What is this? This is great.’ Everything’s been positive,� he says. “I met people from up north in Scottsdale and Phoenix, some locals here in the Tucson area and I met some folks from Germany who traveled out here with the team. So, everyone seems to really be enjoying the World Baseball Classic and I hope it continues to grow.�

Lucas being Lucas

As Manny Ramirez wrapped up an interview session with reporters, his youngest son, Lucas, stepped into the cage for a round of batting practice. Just as Manny turned around to watch, Lucas smashed a ball off the wall in right-center field.

Lucas is the mirror image of his famous father — a toolsy outfielder who, unlike Manny, bats left-handed.

That’s no accident. Although Lucas is a right-handed thrower, Manny trained him to be a left-handed hitter. The majority of pitchers are right-handed. Their breaking balls wouldn’t tail away from Lucas.

“I hit with my dad every day,� said Lucas Ramirez, who started the first two games in right field for Brazil in the Tucson World Baseball Classic qualifier at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“He’s my hitting coach. He’s the one who taught me my swing. Even though I’m a lefty, I still got his right-handed power and some of the mechanics that he (uses).�

Lucas is wearing No. 24, the number his dad wore for most of his illustrious MLB career during which he hit 555 home runs. In the past, Lucas has worn No. 66, a true mirror image of the No. 99 his father wore with the Dodgers and White Sox. If Lucas should make it to MLB someday, the reverse of 24, No. 42, will not be available; Jackie Robinson’s number has been retired across MLB.

The majors are a long way away for Lucas Ramirez, who just turned 19 years old and is in his first full season with the Angels organization after being drafted in the 17th round last year out of American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida. Ramirez was committed to Tennessee but decided to turn pro.

“He was really close,� Manny Ramirez said. “We talked. He said, ‘I want to be a baseball player. I want to go out and play.’ I said, ‘I’ll back you up 100%. Go and do it.’�

Lucas Ramirez is gaining valuable experience playing for Brazil, which will face Germany in the final game of the WBC qualifier Thursday night. The winner will go to the WBC next year along with Colombia, which swept its three games here by a combined score of 23-1.

Manny Ramirez is from the Dominican Republic. Lucas’ mother, Juliana, is from Brazil.

“I love my mom,� Lucas Ramirez said. “She does so much for me. I’m glad I can represent her country.�

And what’s it like when Dad can watch you play?

“It’s great. It’s the best,� Lucas Ramirez said. “I love it when my dad comes to watch me. It gives me extra luck. I always hit a home run when he’s here.�

Ramirez did not homer in pool play but did have three hits in nine at-bats, including a double.

By the numbers

3: Consecutive trips to the World Baseball Classic for Colombia.

23: Combined runs scored by Colombia in three games in Tucson.

7: RBI recorded by Colombia centerfielder Jesus Marriaga, who is 6 for 12 at the plate this week.

3,566: Attendance for the China-Brazil game on Tuesday, the highest-attended game of the Tucson WBC event.

$1.12 million: Cost of the Pima County-funded improvements at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium leading up to the World Baseball Classic qualifiers. The new scoreboard over the left field wall cost $700,000. The playing surface and grass cost Pima County $425,000. New grass was installed at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium for the first time since 1998, when it was Tucson Electric Park.