The Grand Old Game

Interview: Chris Maxwell, GM, Bluefield Blue Jays (Short-Season, Appalachian League)

2012-01-29T11:47:00.001-05:00

Jan 29th, 2012-In minor league baseball, being a general manager isn't so much about overseeing the day-to-day operations of your team as it is...well, being the day-to-day operations of your team. In the minors, a GM has a hand in every single part of team operations, from ticket sales to promotions to meal money for the players. Even painting the stadium. Painting. That's right.

See, being a general manager in the minors means you generally manage everything. Sure, you have a supporting cast, and they're every bit as important as you'd expect them to be, but in the end it all falls on you to be sure that all the little details (as well as the big ones) are covered. It's not glamour and fame, and in order to be truly good at what you do you really have to love the game. It's probably the most important requirement for the job.

Bluefield has a man that fits that description, and fits it well. After the Orioles pulled out of their commitment to their Appalachian League affiliate, to the surprise and shock of many, Toronto was ready and more than willing to fill the void. Chris Maxwell is running the show for the brand-new Blue Jays affiliate in the tiny mountain town, and he's had a hand in everything. Just as it should be.

TheOrioles drew 1/3^rd fewer fans in 2010 than they did in theprevious season. What did you find was your greatest challenge interms of bringing fans out to the park, especially given the issuesthat sometimes occur when a team pulls out of a city without warning?

Ithink the original fear was after 53 years could the town accept anew team. I think the shock that came with the Orioles leavingcombined with the fact they had had several sub .500 seasons prior toleaving left a hole in a lot of fans hearts. The Blue Jays came inand embraced the town and the history here and the fans came out indroves to support us.

Giventhat each league and organization has their own way of doingbusiness, have you noticed any significant differences in your timein the Appalachian League when compared with your experiences in thePioneer League?

Thebig difference between the Pioneer league and the Appy league is justdistance and size. The Appy league is much closer knit simply becausewe are no more than 3 hours from each other. In the Pionner leagueyou have some 12 hour plus bus rides. The cities are larger in thePionner league but a lot of the feel of the games are similiar.

Isthere any one specific issue or complaint that you hear often fromthe fans regarding their experiences at the park?

Ithink we get just the usual type of complaints like the concessionlines are too long that sort of thing. You just address them one byone and try to get better.

Ifyou had the absolute, final say on all decisions in Toronto'sorganization for a day, what would you do with that authority?

PrinceFielder at first, Verlander, Lee, Halladay, Lincecum, Sabbathiarotation and one dollar beers.

Didyou always see yourself becoming a part of the professional sportsindustry?

Asa kid I was the worst player on every team I ever played on. I was acruise director for 10 years before I even knew you could make aliving in sports management. Sheer dumb luck and good fortune got meinto minor league baseball.

Whatwould you consider your most memorable moment in baseball?

Myfavorite moment was when I was a clubbie for the Birmingham Baronsand we played in a yearly game called the Rickwood Classic. They playit at an old ballpark in downtown Birmingham. They have the oldthrowback uniforms and everything. The whole game just feels like itsthe 1920's. It really is something special.

Arethere any players in Toronto's farm system who stand out in yourmind?

Beingnew to the organization last year Im really only familiar with ourguys but up and down the line the have some really exciting talent atevery level.

Whatspecific qualities do you consider most important for a player topossess while making his way up the chain?

Ihave never professed to know anything about coaching baseball but Ialways felt you couldn't succeed without listening skills and workethic. You can have all the talent in the world and you won't getanywhere without it and if your not as talented it can get you toothe next level.

Whatwould you consider the most important lesson you've learned in yourtime in professional sports?

Honorand respect how others get things done. You will always learnsomething.

Ifyou had one piece of advice for aspiring sports professionals, whatwould it be?

Learnto throw left handed.

Player Interview: Brandon Culbreth, RHP, Houston Astros (MiLB)

2012-01-17T00:32:00.000-05:00

"It's crazy. It will hit me when I am at the airport about to board the plane. It hasn't hit me that I am a professional baseball player."

-Brandon Culbreth, shortly after he was announced as the 8^th round pick of the Houston Astros

JAN 17th, 2012-Remember the days before TiVO?

There was a time, not so long ago, when there were no such things as DVRs or TiVO boxes. No pause button for live TV, no skipping commercials. And if you stepped away for a moment, you were gonna miss whatever happened. A bathroom break, ill-timed, and J.R. is stiff as a board, already.

If you weren't born while Gerald Ford was in office, you might not get that reference. Tough. Google it.

Most of us never had to concern ourselves with missing anything terribly important, in situations like that. Situations that changed our lives in ways slightly more meaningful than missing the new Twilight trailer. Like hearing your name announced on a live broadcast as a newly-drafted professional baseball player. But I digress. (ed. note-fortunately we have the Internet; the MLB Draft was 'live' online, and of course the Draft isn't televised) My point is, there's something to be said for being "in The Moment", "being there", "showing up" or whatever you want to call it. From time to time, The Moment has a habit of sneaking up on you, so it really is true that half of life is just showing up.

Brandon Culbreth nearly missed his Moment. Turns out Nature called before the Houston Astros.

Recently, I had a chance to sit down with Brandon and talk to him about his experiences in pro ball as a newly-drafted member of the Astros:

I'd like to start by asking you about the day of the 2011 Draft. After having sat through hours of names being called, did you nearly miss your name being called because of a “prior obligation”?

Haha yes I did, on day two of the draft Mom had asked me to stay by the computer all day just in case my name was called. I expected to hear my name in the 40th or 50th rounds so i wasn't too focused on day 2. But seconds after Greg Holts (UNC) name was called i was making a B-line for the bathroom and on my way i heard "8th round pick the Houston Astros select Brandon Culbreth 250th pick overall". Very surreal. Phone blew up after that.

-While the Astros drafted you as a pitcher, you also played third base and OF for Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina. Would you have any preference as to how you are utilized by Houston, if you had final say on the matter?

Haha no sir, I can't hit. I think pitching is the right fit for me.

-You played your first three seasons at Ronald Reagan High School in Pfafftown, then transferred to FCD and played under coach Andy Partin. Both schools are part of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District. Was there any specific reason behind the move?

Better coaching and better competition. I owe all of my accomplishments to Partin and the team of Dirtbag coaches. Some had to do with grades but i wont get into that haha. It was a better fit for me and turned out to be the best decision of my life.

-As far as learning experiences in amateur ball are concerned, what lesson would you say will serve you best, now that you're a pro?

Learned that baseball is a failure sport. Your going to fail way more than you succeed but you have (to) overcome those failures. Also, not to take anything for granted because you never know when your last game will be.

-According to Baseball America's scouting report, you were sitting in the high-80's with your fastball at the time the report was written. As of late summer 2011 you were hitting the mid-90's. Coach Partin attributes the time you devoted in the weight room to your jump in velocity. Do you feel like you were able to make changes to your mechanics or your approach in general that contributed to this increase, or would you credit your time hitting the weights most of all?

Most was the weight room but also the extra year of high school helped me mature and realize that I wanted baseball more than anything and i was going to work my ass off to become the player i wanted to be. I stopped all the partying and stayed out of trouble and it turned my life around.

-Had you not been drafted, you were planning to attend N. C. State. Do you feel your transition to pro ball will be significantly more difficult because you are making the jump straight from high school?

Tough question because I didn't attend college but it's nice not having to find that even mix of workouts, baseball, and schoolwork. Pro ball, I can strictly focus on baseball.

-Are there certain aspects of pitching that you are finding more difficult to master than others?

Throwing strikes! haha. Ask any of my coaches...I can't do it. I still have so much to learn about the game but I feel I've improved a lot since starting pro ball.

-What one experience would you say stuck with you the most from your brief time in the Gulf Coast League in 2011?

My first day in extended, (a) Dominican player walks up to me and asks if I'm "mericon". I thought he said are you American so I answer "si". All the (Dominican players) went nuts. Later learned "mericon" means gay.

-If you could pass on some advice to younger pitchers, what would that be?

Don't let anyone get in the way of your dreams. Hard work pays off.

-If, God forbid, your plans fell through and you had to become something other than a baseball player, what would that something be?

Don't jinx me. Personal Training.

Green Diamonds: Bryce Massanari, C, Asheville Tourists (Class A, SAL, Colorado Rockies)

2012-01-08T11:13:00.003-05:00

Name: Jonathan Bryce Massanari

HT: 6’2” WT: 215

Born: April 29, 1986 in Las Vegas , NV

Acquired: Colorado Rockies , 30^th round, 2009 June Amateur Draft

Bio:

This Southern Nevada CC and Georgia alumnus has shown a hot hand in this, his first season in the Sally League. It’s not exactly like he was an unknown commodity prior to this year; from the beginning of his college career, he showed a knack for clutch hitting and plus power. He set a Nevada prep record for career hits with 222, was a three-time All-State selection and hit nearly .500 for his senior year (.492), along with 8 HR and 46 RBI. He was a First Team All-Region selection as a freshman at Southern Nevada while posting a team-high .435 OBP along with a .469 SLG %. He was a medical redshirt in his sophomore year because of a foot injury, but came back in 2007 to bat .325-11-65 with an amazing 30 RBI recorded with 2 outs. Massanari was a 1^st Team All-SEC selection as a junior. His last college season added even more accolades to his already-impressive resume: his 19 homers was good for 6^th all-time on Georgia’s single season list, again showed a propensity for clutch hitting with 24 of his 57 RBI coming in 2-out situations, he was named Second Team All-SEC, and became the 8^th Georgia player to hit three homers in a game after hitting three homers in as many AB April 3^rd-4^th.

Overview:

He certainly looks the part, with a prototypical catcher’s build. Sloped shoulders, good upper body strength and a thick, sturdy base help him to drive through the ball with relative ease. He carries himself with a quiet coolness and appears every bit the confident player in all facets of the game. While he certainly doesn’t appear very athletic, this is a pretty common occurrence with catchers. After all, how many Joe Mauers or Jason Kendalls can there be?

Batting:

Massanari doesn’t get cheated at the plate, as he usually takes a big cut. He’s not quite a “grip it and rip it” type at this level, though may fall into that approach when he is faced with better pitching at the higher levels. While he has fairly quick reaction time, his swing is a little slower than you’d like to see from a young hitter with the history of success that he has. Even so, he wastes little movement in getting to the ball and tracks pitches well. When he connects, which thus far this year is often, he can put a real charge in the ball. As he makes the rounds in the Sally, there’s no doubt that he’s going to put fear in the hearts of moundsmen everywhere. Once he reaches Class AA and faces better breaking pitches I would expect him to struggle mightily for some time until he adjusts. He will probably end up being an all-or-nothing type of batter if he makes The Show. He doesn’t take much of a stride, preferring instead to use the powerful torque he generates from his hips. As I mentioned before, his solid base helps him to keep his balance very well and he squares up the barrel often. He’s got plus power and puts a lot of air under the ball, and can drive it to left and left-center, but needs to work on driving the ball the other way in order to take full advantage of his power. He certainly can create the leverage to do this on a regular basis. Massanari has a long history of performing under pressure (at least as far as prep and college are concerned), and I see no reason that this wouldn’t carry over in his pro career. He can be made to chase out of the zone, but can handle the slower curves.

Baserunning:

As I said before, he’s definitely built like a catcher. As such, his baserunning speed leaves something to be desired. Since we’re not talking about a leadoff hitter here, I’m not putting a lot of weight (ahem!) on this subject, and he will learn to make up for the lack of speed by learning to be smarter instead of faster. He takes a comfortable lead but is visibly aware of his shortcomings in the speed department and plays accordingly.

At this stage he is just a click above being a station-to-station runner, and that’s not going to get a whole lot better.

Fielding:

Massanari sets a very low target for his pitchers, sometimes even sitting in half-Indian style with one leg outstretched, ala Tony Pena. He gloves the short pitches easily and shifts left to right adequately. Of note in this regard is the two letters he earned while in high school as a TENNIS player, a game which demands strong lateral movement and quickness of foot. You don’t find too many catchers who can make this claim. He also appears to be at least average in blocking pitches in the dirt. Massanari frames pitches well, but can sometimes hold the ball a bit longer than he should, which brings out the impatience in some umpires and could lead to them squeezing his pitchers in the later innings. His pop times are sub-2.00 consistently, but his footwork coming out of the crouch could use a little work and his glove-to-hand transfer is a little slow. He seems to be relying almost purely on arm strength, and could end up above-average in controlling the running game with a little work on these issues. He appears confident in calling pitches; he gives the sign, takes the pitch, and almost immediately gives the next sign. He helps his pitcher maintain a good rhythm because of this.

Outlook:

Massanari looks the part of a late-round gem, at this point. He does have some rough edges in certain areas, but most of it can be corrected with a little coaching and some hard work. My main concern is that he’s facing players who are 3-5 years younger than him in the SAL, and his numbers show the results of this, but only to a point. The talent is certainly legit. However, as is the case with so many others, his eventual promotion to AA ball will tell the story. Still, there’s reason to believe that he will make the adjustments necessary to compete at the higher levels. Conditioning will be of primary concern as he reaches his late 20’s, and he doesn’t have any leeway in this regard. He can’t afford to lose agility or speed, because that would be the kiss of death for a player like him. I would project him to be at least a solid 2^nd catcher in the Majors, assuming he can make the changes required to play higher than A ball, but either deconditioning or the inability to adjust to the breaking ball would keep him from ever leaving the minor leagues. He’s a solid overall catcher at this stage, but he’s probably not going to win any Gold Gloves (at least, not as a catcher).

Projection:

.275, 18, 65 (as full-time ML catcher)

2012 Season:

It's do-or-die time for Massanari, as he's not getting any younger. Granted, catchers often take longer to develop, but come April he turns 26, an age when many hitters are either in The Show or bagging groceries. I still see him as becoming a viable MLB backstop, but if he can't progress through AA this year, he might want to think about a new profession. I expect he'll make the adjustment.

Too Little, Too Late

2011-12-06T23:21:00.001-05:00

Nine All-Star Games. Five Gold Gloves. Consistent excellence at his position. Nearly two decades as a color commentator. Immeasurable effort to raise money for and awareness of juvenile diabetes. And one hell of a nice guy.

Those are just a few things that made Chicago Cubs 3B and life-long blueblood Ron Santo the kind of person he was widely known to be. And it wasn't enough. Not for the Hall. Until, somehow, this year.

The HOF Veterans Committee, in their infinite wisdom, finally decided to allow Santo to join the ranks of the legends who came before him in Cooperstown. Good call, fellas. Only took you a few years. Give or take. And all he had to do to solidify his enshrinement is die. Strong work, committee members. Strong.

As a lifelong Cubs fan, I suppose the first feeling I should have had is happiness; happiness for a man who had such a good career in uniform, who gave so much of himself after he left the field to his team and organization, who devoted more than 30 years of his life to helping to raise money and awareness to cure a disease which has affected millions of people (and which ultimately crippled him). But somehow, I can't feel happy about this. I can't bring myself to feel good about a decision that should have been made while the man was still alive.
I started this entry four days ago! I'd like to be able to find the words to express how much of a sham this all seems to be, but I still can't fully express my disappointment.

Case in point: Buck O'Neil. Here's a man who devotes virtually his whole life to the game he loves; as a player, a scout, the first African-American coach in Major League Baseball, and going on to become a sort-of unofficial ambassador for all of American professional baseball. He was awarded the Presidental Medal of Freedom posthumously and even has a statue in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. The man has an award named after him, for crying out loud! It's an award given by no less than representatives of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame! He had quite a life, quite a compelling legacy in baseball, and yet for all he was blessed with a Hall of Fame election wasn't one of them. I still believe it will happen, somehow, someday, but it should have happened while he was alive. The same can most definitely be said of Santo.

So the question is this, plain and simple: why didn't it happen sooner? Why now, now that his family is deprived of his presence and the man himself has been deprived of the joy of earning the highest honor pro baseball has to offer, is Ron Santo finally being enshrined?

I don't have the answer, and I barely have the means or ability to express my sadness at this most recent black eye suffered needlessly by Major League Baseball. Because it may be a great honor for the Santo family, but it's an insult to me.

Green Diamonds: Mike Kvasnicka, 3B, Lexington Legends (Class A, SAL, Houston Astros)

2011-11-22T05:15:00.001-05:00

Michael Kvasnicka

Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 200 lb.
Born: December 7, 1988 in Lakeville, Minnesota, US (Age 22)
Drafted by: Minnesota Twins in the 31st round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft and the Houston Astros in the 1st round (33rd) of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Kvasnicka on deck at Whitaker Bank
Ballpark-photo by Clinton Riddle

Overview: Originally played OF with occasional catching duties when signed out of University of Minnesota...Three-sport star (baseball, football and hockey) who competed in state championships in baseball and hockey...Minnesota State High School Player of the Year in 2007..While playing for Lakeville HS (Lakeville, MN), set all-time school records in HR, RBI and consecutive games played...Father Jay was drafted in the 8th round in 1988 by Minnesota Twins, reaching Class AAA...Mike batted .314, driving in 26 runs while playing for the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers of the Northwoods League in 2009, gaining All-Star honors...Batted .260, led team with 59 RBI and 32 doubles at Lexington (Class A, SAL) in 2010.

Strengths: Kvasnicka manages to square up and make solid contact reasonably well for someone who doesn't use his lower half in his swing. His bat speed and aggressive nature at the plate allows him to let the pitch get deeper in his zone before he swings. He has mainly gap-to-gap doubles power at this point, but he still has time to allow his power to develop. In the field, Kvasnicka handles the hot corner well for someone who is relatively new to the position. His range is slightly better to his glove side, and he makes the majority of routine plays (see below). His arm strength is solid, no doubt helped along by his catching experience, and projects to be at least ML average if not plus. He makes throws to first with confidence, and cannot be underestimated even when throwing from deep behind the bag. He seems to take real joy in what he does, and is often smiling and cutting up with his partner at short between innings.

Weaknesses: While he doesn't seem to be overmatched at third, he is still a work in progress at the position. His 31 errors will attest to that. He can sometimes be caught off-guard by harder ground balls, which is likely due (again) to his having to learn the position while on the job. At bat, he can be overpowered at times by even average fastballs and is often cuffed on pitches up and in. He can battle pitchers who throw a steady diet of breaking pitches, but those at-bats end in groundouts too often. Because he doesn't use his lower body to drive into the pitch he doesn't drive the ball as well as he could, and this also translates into pop-ups on high fastballs that he otherwise could either lay off or drive the other way. He seems to rely on his bat speed and instincts more than he ought to, and will have to learn to leverage himself better if his power potential is to develop. Even so, he is likely to be little more than average in that department when/if he reaches the majors.

Outlook: Because Houston is in the position it is in (ahem), Kvasnicka may find himself bumped up with regularity. He could probably handle a promotion to AA next year, but would benefit from more time at Lexington before that happens. He strikes me as the type of player whose intangibles make him a positive clubhouse presence, and he did handle advancing to Class A well, while bettering all of his major offensive stats, in the process. Kvasnicka fit in very well with the Legends, and seemed to bond especially well with SS Ben Orloff, which was beneficial to them both as they learned each others' habits and tendencies in the field quickly. Overall, he may not ever be the type of slugging third sacker we've seen in recent times, but at the very least he should at least be a versatile bench player and part-time starter at the ML level (especially when you factor in his experience behind the dish), and the needs of the big club could have him finding out for himself sooner rather than later.

2012 Season-Should start the year with Lexington, with consideration for advancement around mid-season.

Clinton Riddle
The Grand Old Game

Green Diamonds: Hank Conger, C, Cedar Rapids (A, LAA)

2007-09-17T14:26:00.000-04:00

Hyun Choi (Hank) Conger, C
DOB: Jan. 29, 1988
HT: 6' WT: 205
B:B T:R
Drafted: Huntington Beach, CA (HS), 2006, 1st Rd.
Signed By: Bobby DeJardin

HISTORY: Given name is Hyun; was nicknamed Hank by his grandfather, taken from Hank Aaron, having had difficulty pronouncing Hyun Choi...Signed for $1.35 mil...Rated as #1 prospect in Arizona League in 2006, debut season cut short to only 19 games after suffering hamate fracture in right hand...Hit .319/.382/.522 in 69 AB in '06, .290/.336/.472 with Cedar Rapids (A) in the Midwest League in '07...Also had 21 2B, 11 HR, 51 RBI, 9 SB in his Class A debut...Gatorade's 2006 California Player of the Year...Has also played 3B, 1B, SS and the OF as a prep player...Named by Baseball America as Best Power Hitter among HS players, 4th best position player in the 2006 Draft (20th overall)...2006 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season High School All-American first team, 2006 and 2005 Cal Hi Player of the Year, and 2005 AFLAC All-American first team.

STRENGTHS: Aggressive hitter, plus power to all fields from both sides of the plate and makes consistent contact...Impressive makeup, mature beyond his years...Arm grades well at C; Pop time of 1.85 sec (measured in 2004)...7.3 in the 60 (also in 2004)...Works very hard at honing his craft, from all accounts.

WEAKNESSES: Does not currently project well if he remains behind the plate; there is some question as to whether he will remain mobile enough to handle the position...Hands and catch-and-throw skills play well now, however...Swing is more a matter of trying to muscle the ball, and has not yet learned to let his leverage work for him...Somewhat pronounced uppercut will cost him Ks at the plate in the higher levels...9 steals was probably a stretch, as he is not a great runner.

OUTLOOK: His power is enough to take him to the Majors, but I doubt he'll be behind the plate when he gets there. If he can maintain some kind of mobility and improve his footwork, he could be a fine corner infielder. The arm strength is already there, and he has the makeup to adjust well to learning a new position. If I'm running the Angels, I'm getting him some work at third and first before he rises above High-A. His value would obviously be higher if he were able to remain behind the plate, but that's not likely to happen. As things stand, I'd like to see a bit more from him before I make a judgement on him, but I like the potential here. You should watch his progress; it may be interesting.

Clinton Riddle

Bonderman Shut Down For Regular Season

2007-09-13T14:46:00.000-04:00

May Pitch Again in October, Too Soon To Tell

By

Clinton Riddle

SEPT 13, 2007-Why does it always happen to the young ones?

Jeremy Bonderman, one of the young guns in the Tigers' rotation, was shut down for the remainder of the season after an MRI showed inflammation of the lateral aspect (lateral collateral ligament, perhaps?) of his right elbow. This is a chronically recurring inflammation that Bonderman says he's been dealing with since 2005.

"I'm happy with the results", said Bonderman. "I'm just going to rest now. I've had this for three years. I had it in '05, and last year it came and went. This year, it kept lingering. For the rest of my career, I'm just going to have to focus on it. ... I've got to figure out how to have it not happen again."

There is, of course, much relief that there was no major injury reported, certainly nothing requiring surgery and perhaps costing Detroit the services of one of their dominant power pitchers for months.

"I didn't tell anybody how bad I was because l wanted to go out and pitch," he said. "Maybe some people don't think I did the smartest thing in the world, but the team gave me a contract and they need me to go out and pitch."

Leyland said, "We are trying to come up with a philosophy now in the organization that we want to know about the first minor little sign of anything (that is wrong with a player) so we can check it out. We can do research to make sure it doesn't turn into something else."

Something else, indeed. Fortunately for the Tigers, Bonderman decided to speak up. He would do well to look to his future, because he could have a very bright one.

OUTLOOK: Bonderman is still relying too much on that hard slider of his. He had been working on a changeup that was coming along quite well, and my feeling is that he needs to get back to changing speeds and working his infield a bit more, let the guys behind him do their job, instead of trying to blow it by everyone. This is always hard for young power pitchers to do, but he's apparently having to learn the hard way. I guess if I threw 99 mph fastballs, I'd think the same way, but he should think long-term. When he starts mixing in more changeups, I think that inflammation will abate and he'll get past it. Also, I ALWAYS take team medical reports with a grain of salt; after all, 'major injury' is a relative term. What they're willing to say is 'major' is subject to debate.

Good luck, Jeremy. I'm looking forward to many years of dominant performances, so take care of yourself NOW.

Clinton Riddle

Quotes from [url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070911/SPORTS02/709110387/1050/SPORTS01]The Detroit Free Press[/url]

The Book On...Brandon Morrow, RHP, Seattle (AL)

2007-09-12T17:03:00.000-04:00

Brandon Morrow, RHP
DOB: 7/26/1984, Santa Rosa, CA
HT: 6'3" WT: 190
B:R T:R
Debut: 4/3/2007 vs. OAK (AL)-1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 ER
Signed By: Stacey Pettis

HISTORY: 5th overall pick out of California in 2006 Amateur Draft...Insulin-Dependant diabetic, who wears an insulin pump when not on the mound and has to monitor his blood sugar during games...Highest draft pick in school history.

STRENGTHS: Power pitcher with mid-90's FB (touches 99)...Can maintain velocity deep into the late innings...Mid-80's slider, hard diving splitter...Seattle has plans to make him a starter, as he projects as an innings-eating workhorse.

WEAKNESSES: Needs to work on command a great deal, and his overall feel for pitching in order to become an effective starter...Doesn’t use his CU nearly enough; seemed to fall in love with his splitter, which may cause forearm troubles to recur (forearm soreness limited him to 16 IP in his pro debut).

OUTLOOK: Was effective as a reliever, and though he averaged a SO per inning, he also nearly averaged the same in walks (48 BB, 56 IP). Allowed only 3 HR this year, which is owed at least in part to his hard slider, but with his velocity he could do himself a big favor by working off that potentially dominant FB and using the slider and CU to produce easy groundball outs.

2008 Projection: 12-8, 4.35 ERA, 27 starts, 165 IP, 65 BB, 130 K shouldn’t be a stretch. He’ll probably have a lot of no-decisions to deal with, pitching well enough to win in most situations but will need better than average run support when he’s on the mound, at first. I like this kid; big time arm, big time endurance, just needs experience.

Clinton Riddle

Bruce Named BA Minor League POY

2007-09-09T21:31:00.001-04:00

SEPT 9th 2007-Outfielder Jay Bruce, the first-round pick of the Reds in 2005, has been named the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year.

The 20 year old Bruce, who hails from Beaumont, Texas, started 2007 in high Class A (FSL) and had little difficulty with the adjustment, hitting 11 HR, 27 2B and batting .325 in only 67 games. Class AA was no challenge, either, as Bruce hit .333 with 4 more homers. When promoted to Class AAA Louisville, a promotion originally intended to be temporary, the hits just kept on coming. Bruce hit 11 HR in 50 games with the Bats, finishing the year at .319/.375/.587, 46 2B, 26 HR, 89 RBI, tied for 10th in the minors in hits (166), ranked 2nd in extra-base hits (80) and TB (306), and all while making the amazing leap from Single A to the Majors.

"You just can't say enough good things about Jay Bruce," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "We're thrilled that Baseball America would honor him with such a prestigious award. It's an honor, not only for Jay, but for the entire Reds organization as we move forward."

OUTLOOK: This guy is for real, a big time talent who has nothing to prove. He could certainly benefit from a full season in AAA, and there is no real rush to bring him up for good. When he does make The Show to stay, however, he'll be a key component of the Reds in the decade to come. Along with Joey Votto at first, Jeff Keppinger at short, and Buck Coats and Norris Hopper in the OF, the Queen City has a lot to look forward to, and will need only to shore up their pitching to become a formidable opponent in the NL Central. I project him to be a 20-20 guy, hitting better than .300 and knocking in around 100 runs by 2009.

Clinton Riddle
The Grand Old Game

The Book On...David Shinskie, RHP, Twins (MiLB)

2007-09-09T03:02:00.000-04:00

David Shinskie, RHP
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6'4", Weight: 205 lbs
Born: May 4, 1984

STRENGTHS: Former HS QB, very athletic ballplayer...FB tops at 94, pitches comfortably in 90-92 range with good late sink...Plus slider in mid-80's, hard break...Command problems in the past, though now seems to be 'effectively wild', and has managed to keep BBs down to 19 in 64 IP @ Ft. Myers (Class A+)...Allowed only 4 HR in '07, with a solid 3.38 ERA...Has worked on consistent release point on slider.

WEAKNESSES: Will need to develop CU or curve in order to be more than a long man, which is what he looks like now...Comes around too far on slider.

OUTLOOK: Has youth and athleticism on his side, and should learn to easily repeat his delivery, arm slot and release point, making him far more effective. Looks like a potential #3 starter, to me, but must come up with effective 3rd pitch first.

Clinton Riddle

The Book On...Nick Adenhart, RHP, LA Angels (MiLB)

2007-09-09T02:41:00.000-04:00

Nick Adenhart
DOB: 8/24/86
B-R T-R
6'4", 190
Drafted: Williamsport, MD-2004, 14th Rd.
Signed By: Dan Radcliff

HISTORY: Forced to go under the knife as a youngster in 2004, but recovered to become the best pitching prospect in the Midwest League (2006).

STRENGTHS: Three plus pitches...FB at 93-95, easy arm motion...Circle CU at 81-84, at this point a better pitch than CV...Curve has tight spin, 11-5 type, 75 mph with good break...Aggressive and seems to deal with pressure situations pretty well.

WEAKNESSES: Needs not to lean on CV so much...Lead leg tends to stiffen up, which could cause extra wear and tear (deceleration injury) on his arm, especially with a surgical history already...

OUTLOOK: Profiles as a strong #3, but could be solid as #2 if he continues to work the CU and his FB retains already excellent velocity. Could stand to gain a few pounds, as this may help him to maintain stamina towards the end of the season.

Clinton Riddle

The Book On...Atlanta (NL) Pitchers, 2007

2007-07-30T01:35:00.001-04:00

Scouting the Braves Pitchers

By

Clinton Riddle

Feb 28th, 2007-Once a paragon of pitching power, the Braves have as many questions as answers in 2007. Much will depend upon Mike Hampton's comeback from elbow surgery in 2005, as well as Tim Hudson's return to form and John Smoltz's comtinued excellence at age 39. Lefty Chuck James will need to build on last year's solid performance, and Tanyon Sturtze should be ready before May is out. If the rotation can fall together, and that is a rather big "if", then the Braves could be a force to reckon with.

Team ERA-4.71
K/BB Ratio-2.06/1
IP/Start-5.74
Opp. BA-.279

Starters
John Smoltz, RHP
Future HOF
2006: 16-9, 3.49, 232 IP, 211 SO, 55 BB, .251 BAA
Just keeps on going, with no real signs of slowing down...Has been able to become a dominant closer relatively late in his career, then switch back to the rotation and pick right up where he left off...How many can say that?...FB reaches the high-90's still, but works around 93-94, along with a cutter, hard slider and splitter...cutter has late action, looks a lot like his slider but runs instead of breaks...Throws a curve to LHH, works in and out with ease...Splitter is only used occasionally...Has stayed in great shape and seems to have an even better feel for his stuff now than in years previous.

2007 Projection: 17-6, 3.65, 210 IP, 180 K, 65 BB

Tim Hudson, RHP
2006: 13-12, 4.86, 218 1/3 IP, 141 SO, 79 BB, .273 BAA
Big surprise, and not in a good way...Finally seemed to show his mortality last year, as his control became an issue...Classic sinker/slider pitcher...Heavy sinker at 92-94, curve, slider, CU and splitter...Aggressive with the curve to lefties, sinker bores in on RHH, splitter drops like a rock...Got a little fine around the plate in '06, and while his BB total wasn't terrible he was wild in the zone and paid for it...Should rebound without question this year, though he may be streaky at times with location at first.

2007 Projection: 15-8, 3.60, 200 IP, 155 SO, 55 BB
Mike Hampton, LHP
Comeback?
2006: DNP
Last healthy in 2005, his return from elbow surgery is vital to Atlanta's resurgence...Has athleticism going for him, along with a strong track record...In 2005 had FB around 88-90, good curve and plus CU...FB has natural tailing action which he throws away from RHH...Mostly away with everything, will go inside to LHH with curve...Hard to say what he's going to do this year, but assuming he's able to stay healthy he should be a solid #3...At 34, he doesn't have a lot of time to work with.

2007 Projection: 13-8, 4.25, 140 IP, 85 SO, 55 BB

Chuck James, LHP
One to Watch
2006: 11-4, 3.78, 119 IP, 91 SO, 47 BB, .232 BAA
Young lefty with a good idea of what he's doing on the mound...Good mechanics and arm action...FB tops out at 90, slider and CU...Throws CU with same arm speed as FB, adding to deception...Slider has better lateral movement than downward break...Should be able to continue development regardless of league batters' adjustments.

2007 projection: 14-7, 3.68, 175 IP, 125 SO, 70 BB

Kyle Davies, RHP
One to Watch
2006: 3-7, 8.38, 63 1/3 IP, 51 SO, 33 BB, .332 BAA
Is much better than numbers would indicate, as is often the case with young pitchers...FB in low-90's, curve and CU...Plus FB but gets up with it and gets hit hard because of it...If he can keep the fastball down and be more aggressive, as well as maintaining his plus change, he should develop into a solid #3 or a very good #4...Also needs to work on mechanics.

2007 projection: 10-11, 4.45, 135 IP, 110 SO, 55 BB

Relievers
Tyler Yates, RHP
FB up to high-90's, tough to handle when he's on...(to be continued)

Rafael Soriano, RHP
2006: 1-2, 2.25, 53 G, 60 IP, 44 H, 65 SO, 21 BB, .204 BAA
Power pitcher, 3/4 arm slot...FB up to mid 90's with movement low in the zone, slurvy slider and CU with 2-seam action...Could stand to separate speeds a bit more...Hit in head with line drive last August, could affect his game.

2007 projection: 2.50, 60 G, 65 IP, 55 H, 62 SO, 30 BB, .233 BAA

Oscar Villarreal, RHP
2006: 9-1, 3.61, 58 G, 92 1/3 IP, 93 H, 55 SO, 27 BB, .261 BAA
2.63 ERA after the AS break...Can be short man or middle reliever...Mid-90's FB, splitter-like CU that is in early stages, heavy sink on FB, late slider...Changes arm slot as well to keep hitters on their toes...Has problems with maintaining velocity in consecutive appearances.

2007 projection: 3.35, 54 G, 74 IP, 65 H, 50 SO, 33 BB, .245 BAA

As before, will add on as I am able.

The Book On...Kei Igawa, RHP, New York (AL)

2007-07-30T01:32:00.000-04:00

NYY-Kei Igawa, LHP

Control pitcher...relies on offspeed pitches and movement on FB...works both sides of plate, will come in often to RHH with curve and running FB...cannot make mistakes, tops out at 90...works comfortably in 85-88 mph range...nice looking curve, good break and better than average lateral movement makes it effective on both LH and RH...curve at 77-79, flattens out when he overthrows...also throws running CU (shooto?)...up in the zone with FB often.

The Book On...Chris Young, RHP, San Diego (NL)

2007-07-30T01:30:00.000-04:00

Chris Young, RHP
Born: 5/25/1979
HT: 6'10" WT: 260
B:R T:R

Massive righty coming into his own...Will be impossible to keep a secret after this year...High 3/4 arm slot, short-arms the ball but still gets consistent movement and velocity...Hard to read and even harder to hit...134 hits allowed in 179 1/3 IP last year (.206 BAA!)...Could stand to come off the plate a bit; enough stuff to lure hitters out of the zone...flyball tendencies...Works the vertical plane well, nice curve and developing slider, along with plus changeup...Is continuing to grow as a pitcher; is good enough to become a #2 for sure.

Originally posted on sportingnews.com, Mar. 6, 2007.

The Book On...Ronny Paulino, C, Pittsburgh (NL)

2007-07-30T01:24:00.000-04:00

Ronny Paulino
HT: 6'2" WT: 235
B:R T:R
DOB: 4/21/1981

Who knew?...Hit .310 as rookie catcher in 442 AB, though 82% of hits were singles...Did collect 19 2B, and looks good for 15+ HR, this year...No real challenge for catcher position means that Paulino should match or exceed ABs...Basically an offensive catcher; good arm, not very mobile or quick, blocks balls in the dirt well...Mainly an arm hitter now, but will learn to drive the ball...Arm extension makes him somewhat vulnerable to the inside fastball...Heavy even for catcher, and will have to be careful not to gain even more...Slow on the bases, so his value lies more in RBIs than runs scored.

Originally posted on sportingnews.com, Mar. 7, 2007.

Sosa To Retire, Pharmacology Mourns Loss

2006-02-15T22:00:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well.

Does the phrase "circling the wagons" mean anything to you folks?

Former Ranger-Cub-Oriole and freak of nature Sammy Sosa announced recently that he may retire before the start of this season. Sosa's agent cites chronic injury and poor performance as reasons for the seemingly sudden decision of the 37 year old outfielder, also stating that Sosa will become a free agent and will not be designated as officially retired.

Let me be the first to say, SO LONG, SAMMY.

It would be so easy if we fans could simply look the other way when our favorite stars gain 30 pounds of muscle over a couple of months, or in some cases, when they LOSE 30 pounds or more over the same time. Cutting out fast food from your diet? Simply stopped working out? Of course, we believe you. We're just fans, after all. We don't really know any better.

Why don't players like Sosa, Bonds, et al, simply tell us what they think of us: they think we're all idiots. They think we either don't know or don't care what our favorite players do to get to that 60 homer shape. They think that we're a bit too naive to believe that baseball is swimming in performance-enhancers, that when confronted with the truth we simply won't care enough to turn our backs on the game.

They're right. We are all that and more.

How obvious does it have to be? Do you really think that ballplayers can undergo such a dramatic physical change without either steroids or divine intervention? Do you care? If you did, you'd let professional baseball know. You'd stop going to games. You'd stop buying their merchandise. You'd stop begging the players for autographs, just so you might make a few bucks from it.

In other words, you'd stop being a SUCKER.

Now, there's nothing wrong with being a fan. Hey, I'm as big a fan as you're likely to meet. But I don't throw my money at pro baseball like I used to do. To me, pro baseball as it was meant to be died about 20 years ago. I will probably always be a fan, but I can no longer accept the sickening pack of lies that the baseball powers-that-be expect me to swallow. They could see the players balloon like comic book heroes. They saw the turnstiles go crazy. They put 2 and 2 together.

They didn't ignore it. They EMBRACED it.

Now, they want you to embrace it, as well. When Sosa retires, the proof of whether or not he used steroids could be lost forever. Will baseball continue to be allowed to support this blight upon the grand old game? Will players like Sosa continue to get away with blatant cheating and destructive training habits (allegedly, right?)?

Well, that's all up to you.

Clinton Riddle

This site is 100% Steroid Free

Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago

2005-09-08T21:36:00.000-04:00

Sept 8, 2005

Well, well, well.
Show of hands....

Who here thought the Pale Hosers would be in first place in September, leading their division by the 2nd largest margin of all division leaders, the 2nd most wins of any team, AND become a team which others dread to face?

Anyone? Anyone?

Bueller? Bueller?

I would expect that there are a number of hardball enthusiasts out there who noticed the subtle but discernable thud of several million jaws hitting the floor. My friends, that's the unmistakable sound that echoes throughout the streets and alleys of the Windy City, the sound of disbelief.

And this year, there is hope.

Hope that perhaps this year, THIS time, Chicago will find themselves with a dog in the hunt, as they say. Hope that a team with such a rich history of talented players and grevious dissapointment will step onto the baseball field AFTER the regular season is over for only the seventh time in their entire EXISTENCE. This is a team that has finished 2nd or better 27 times, and has only 4 AL pennants to show for it.

They haven't even BEEN to the World Series since 1959.

Oh, and there's that whole "Black Sox" thing...but noone talks about that anymore. Right?

Their record over the previous 15 seasons is not the record of a team who is fiddling with their DVD players and TiVOs, teaching their sons and daughters to ride a bike, and ordering NFL PPV packages in October. In 15 seasons, from 1990 to 2004, they finished 2nd or better in their division 12 times. In the other 3 seasons (1992, 1995, 2001), they finished 3rd. Is that the record of a club who shows up to the postseason without a date? Hardly.

Jon Rauch, a Louisville product (yay, KY!), is undoubtedly the team ace this year, 17-8, with a 3.28 ERA thus far. Three other starters have 11 or more wins (Mark Buehrle, 15-7; Freddy Garcia, 12-7; Jose Contreras, 11-7), and Orlando Hernandez has 9, his most since 2000. The Chicago bullpen has accounted for 23 wins, and players like Cliff Politte, Neal Cotts (Who?) and Dustin Hermanson have led the charge.

There are no candidates for the batting title, here, but everyone hits consistently. Consider this: Tadahito Iguchi leads the team with a .284 average. Among starters, the lowest average is only 49 points below that, Joe Crede at .232. If they lost an RBI man or basestealer, someone else would pick up the slack; the team averages an RBI every 7.5 ABs. There are 5 players with 10 or more steals, Scott Podsednik leading the majors with 56.

Bottom line, this team is no pretender. We'll have to see whether or not they can withstand the pressure that comes with winning more games than anyone else.

And of course, the weight of history.

The Art of Pitching-Yes, it is an ART!

2005-04-10T20:05:00.000-04:00

The National Pastime

The View from Up There
April 10, 2005

Okay, let me hear what you think about pitchers.
Who's the best "unknown" hurler out there?
Who do you think is coming up? Who's going down? Who has the best fastball, curve, slider, changeup,etc? Let me hear you!

C.Riddle

Steroids and the Government

2005-03-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

Does MLB enjoy a sort of privilege when it comes to the conduct and habits of its employees? After all, the professional ranks of baseball are just that, professional, and thus the Major Leagues should be handled like any large corporate entity that has failed to police its own members and operate within the boundaries of ethical business practices.
What I have not heard mentioned yet, is the fact that the use of steroids or any potentially harmful substance by the pro ballplayer could void any insurance, medical, life or otherwise, that the TEAMS might carry on said player. Many teams hold special insurance plans on their players; reference the Jason Giambi scandal, for a good example. Why do you think that Giambi has not spoken the magic words,"I took steroids"? That kind of admittance could void any disability insurance or related coverage that the Yankees hold on him, and thus cost them a whole heck of a lot of money.
Millions.
Now consider that every team that carries a player who uses steroids, or even a substance more benign than that, theoretically anything that can can affect the long-term health of a player under contract, could cost the Majors AND Minors millions upon millions of dollars, not to mention the possibility that charges of insurance fraud will start to surface; if there can be any question raised as to whether the teams had even a hint that any members of their team had used any harmful substances, the trial lawyers are going to declare a holiday in honor of the years of litigation with which professional baseball will provide for them.
What do you guys think? Does baseball have a responsibility to its fans, or is baseball no longer a sport, but an entertainment?
Is it too late to save the Game from itself?

C.Riddle
The Grand Old Game

Welcome to the Grand Old Game!

2005-03-09T21:15:00.000-05:00

This is to be a website dedicated to the greatest game ever created. I am speaking about, of course, the grand old game of baseball. from the earliest times of base and town ball (and hundreds of years prior to that), to the present age of performance-enhancers and expansion pitching. You will see on this site every sort of baseball reference, fact and figure, and obscure story not often covered on the big boy sites, and I will always work to make this among the most complete sources of player information and scouting reports anywhere!
I hope that you will find this to be among the most informative, well-researched sites devoted to The Game on the Web or elsewhere, as I am devoted and extraordinarily passionate about my work. Since I do it for free, I suppose I ought to get some kind of personal fulfillment out of it, don't you think?

Anyway, without furthur ado, I do hereby dedicate this blogsite to the service of the common public,
on this 9th day of March, in the Year of Our Lord, Two-Thousand and Five.

Let's Play Ball!

Clinton Riddle
Founder and General Manager
The National Pastime