Teddy Ballgame | The Baseball Zealot

World Beats USA 7-5 in Futures Game

tosoni Minnesota Twins prospect Rene Tosoni, born in Toronto, put the World up for good with an RBI double to the righfield gap in the 7th inning. The White Sox Cuban prospect Dayan Viciedo then ripped an RBI double to make it, 7-5 World, which was where it ended. That was a long way from where the game began, there was a four hour rain delay, which resulted in the World’s starting pitcher, Junichi Tazawa, not being able to throw because he’d stiffened up during the delay, after warming up.

Early on the World had a 3-0 lead, but the USA came fighting back. The Rockies Eric Young, Jr. (son of former All Star Eric Young, Sr.) put USA on the board with a solo-shot and then an RBI single off the bat of Pirates first round pick Pedro Alvarez cut the World’s lead to 3-2. The next inning Astros catching prospect Jason Castro ripped a three run blast over the rightfield wall to give the USA a 5-3 lead.

But it wasn’t to be, as the Brewers Brett Lawrie got the decisive inning going with a leadoff double, and Starlin Castro of the Cubs reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch allowed Lawrie to score and Castro to advance. With one out, the Brewers Alcides Escobar sent a bouncer up the middle for an infield single, and A’s second baseman Jemile Weeks’ (Rickie’s brother) error helped Castro to score the tying run. Then it was time for Tosini & Viciedo to take center stage.

In the bottom of the 7th J.C. Sulbaran of the Reds closed it out for a game shortened save. The Astros right-hander Chia-Jen Lo, who had worked a scoreless sixth, was credited with the victory. The win was the World’s 6th in 11 games played against the USA in the Futures All Star games.

IL Beats PCL 6-5

The Triple A All Star Game used to be THE showcase of the stars of tomorrow, that distinction has been taken over by the Futures Game. Still over 16,000 fans crowded into Portland’s Triple A ballpark to checkout the show, and they weren’t disappointed. Future stars shined as Phillies prospect Drew Carpenter was the winning pitcher, working one inning, striking out the side, disposing of the heart of the PCL lineup on only 9 pitches. Yankees centerfielder of the future Austin Jackson ripped a hard triple off the wall. Rays infielder Reid Brignac got himself a double, I remember being impressed with him in the Arizona Fall League. Catcher Erik Kratz was the hitting star of the game, doubling, and then sending one completely out of PGE Park for a homer, but that one’s got an asterisk, as he hit a 3-0 fastball(?) off knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, he was sitting on a BP fastball & he got it, all of it. Drew Stubbs also launched one deep into the night, as did Esteban German. You see, in a game like this, there are prospects, and there are suspects.

Disco Sucks!

Thirty years ago a promotion at a major league baseball game went wrong, it went really wrong. Mike Veeck, son of White Sox owner at the time, Bill Veeck, the P.T. Barnum of promotions was in charge of promotions for the White Sox. Thirty years later, this promotion lives on, Disco Demolition was the brain child of 25 year old Loop disk jockey Steve Dahl & Mike Veeck. The Loop was a rock station in Chicago and disco, popular in some circles, was despised by rockers. Thus the promotion, bring a disco record to Comiskey Park, get in for a buck, and all of the disco records would be blown up by Dahl between games of a scheduled doubleheader between the White Sox and the Tigers.

Mike Veeck believed there would be a few fans, perhaps 1,000, who would take advantage of the promotion, and enjoy a cheap night out at the ole ballpark. He had no idea he would be remembered for coming up with the worst promotion in the history of the game, this coming from the son of a guy who batted a midget, Eddie Gaedel, in a major league game. Thousands of pot smoking disco haters showed up for the explosion between games, they couldn’t have cared less about baseball. There wasn’t enough security to handle the crowd, which soon overtook the ballpark.

They demolished the playing field, along with a few disco records, making the playing field unplayable for the second game, which was forfeited by the White Sox to the Tigers. Even the ever popular broadcaster Harry Caray and the infamous owner Bill Veeck’s pleas couldn’t get through to the stoner fans, who’d overtaken the field. As a young White Sox fan, I remember hoping the second game would be played, how embarrassing to lose a game by forfeit.

What do you remember about Disco Demolition Night?

Tigers Defeat Longhorns

lsu Game one saw LSU overcome five Texas home runs, winning in the 11th inning when Mikie Mahtook singled home D.J. LeMahieu for a 7-6 win. The Longhorns rebounded to win game 2 behind Taylor Jungmann, who pitched a complete game, allowing only 5 hits, & one run, as Texas won 5-1. A five run LSU sixth inning busted open a close game as the Tigers cruised to an 11-4 victory, and the NCAA Baseball Championship.

LSU Tigers drafted were outfielder Jared Mitchell in the 1st round by the White Sox, D.J. LeMahieu a secondbaseman was drafted in the 2nd round by the Cubs, the 152nd player taken was righthanded pitcher Harold Coleman by the Royals, the Blue Jays selected outfielder Ryan Schimpf who was the 160th player taken, the Twins chose outfielder Michael Dean, and firstbaseman Sean Ochinko was taken by the Blue Jays.

Texas Longhorns drafted were Brandon Belt a firstbaseman taken by the Giants and lefthanded pitcher Austin Wood was selected by the Tigers.

2009 Draft: It’s in the Blood

dpt.OCC-Wallach.051409.dl hb2

The bloodlines were strong in this year’s MLB First Year Player Draft, almost 50 players have some blood tie to a former player. Brett Wallach, a righthanded pitcher, was selected in the 3rd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the White Sox are hoping lightning will strike twice as they reached into the bargain basement, selecting the son of Harold Baines, HB2, in the 45th round.

1	BOS	Reymond Fuentes	Carlos Beltran	Cousin
3	LAD	Brett Wallach	Tim Wallach	Father
3	BOS	David Renfroe	Laddie Renfroe	Father
4	OAK	Max Stassi	Myril Hoag	Uncle
6	DET	Daniel Fields	Bruce Fields	Father
6	TOR	Kristopher Hobson	Butch Hobson	Father
6	TEX	Ruben Sierra Jr.	Ruben Sierra	Father
6	SEA	Brian Moran	B.J. Surhoff	Uncle
12	BAL	Steven Bumbry	Al Bumbry	Father
14	TOR	Lance Durham	Leon Durham	Father
16	SD	Griffin Benedict	Bruce Benedict	Father
16	BOS	Luke Bard	Daniel Bard	Brother
18	DET	Eric Roof	Gene Roof	Father
19	NYY	Luke Murton	Matt Murton	Brother
20	DET	James Gulliver	Glenn Gulliver	Father
24	LAA	Taylor Kinzer	Matt Kinzer	Father
29	TOR	Zach Outman	Josh Outman	Brother
30	TEX	Anthony Hutting	Jamie Shields	Cousin
			Aaron Rowand	Cousin
30	TB	Marcus Proctor	Marcus Jensen	Father
32	TEX	Reggie Williams Jr.	Reggie Williams	Father
34	TOR	Jonathan Fernandez	Tony Fernandez	Father
34	WAS	Shane McCatty	Steve McCatty	Father
36	BOS	Mike Yastrzemski	Carl Yastrzemski	Grandfather
40	LAD	Ryan Christenson	Gary Christenson	Father
40	PHI	Robert Amaro	Ruben Amaro	Uncle
41	ARI	Cade Kreuter	Chad Kreuter	Father
42	OAK	Blake Crosby	Bobby Crosby	Brother
43	DET	Andrew Allen	Rod Allen	Father
43	CWS	Tyler Williams	Ken Williams	Father
44	WAS	Hoby Milner	Brian Milner	Father
45	ARI	Beau Amaral	Rich Amaral	Father
45	CWS	Harold Baines, Jr.	Harold Baines	Father
45	BOS	Kyle Arnesberg	Brad Arnesberg	Father
46	LAA	Philip Bando	Chris Bando	Father
			Sal Bando	Uncle
46	WAS	Seth Greene	Tommy Greene	Father
47	SEA	David Holman	Brian Holman	Father
47	CHC	Joseph Jocketty	Walt Jocketty	Father
48	DET	Jake Porcello	Rick Porcello	Brother
48	KC	Kevin Kuntz	Rusty Kuntz	Father
49	COL	Mark Tracy	Chad Tracy	Brother
			Jim Tracy	Father

3 Baseball Turning Points in the Queen City

crosley

It was 98 degrees, with HIGH humidity when we entered the park. The turning point in game one came when Jose Contreras, using a slide step to avoid a stolen base, served up a two run meatball to Brandon Phillips. On a 1-1 pitch Ozzie Guillen called apitchout, but guessed wrong. I just said, I’d double up on another pitchout, instead the two run bomb turned a one run lead into a one run deficit, with Chicago’s anemic bats made look insurmountable, two hits through 8 innings, two 9th inning hits cut the deficit, which had risen to two, once again to one, which was where it ended.

Just killed time on Saturday, before long it was time to head over to the Great American Ballpark for a sellout at the first Civil Rights Game which counted, on hand were celebrities Muhammad Ali, Bill Cosby, Frank Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Hank Aaron, and former President Bill Clinton. The first 20,000 fans received a very nice Frank Robinson replica jersey, I gave mine to very nice couple, who’d missed out on getting one.

Almost before I’d settled into my seat Clayton Richard & the Sox were trailing 5-0 to the Reds & their best pitcher Johnny Cueto. The turning point in this game came when Gordon Beckham turned a fastball around for a three run bomb, and turned a blowout into a ballgame, in which the White Sox hit four homers, and won going away. A Red fan had thrown Beckham’s first home run ball back on the field, but remarkably Gordon didn’t want it.

In the morning I packed, ate breakfast, checked my e-mail, and was checking out the Reds Hall of Fame, outside the Great American Ballpark. Several players from the Negro Leagues were on hand, signing autographs, and they had a movie about old Crosley Field, which makes you wonder why they didn’t make GABP a replica of Crosley, GABP isn’t very impressive.

The turning point in the series finale came after Mark Buehrle pitched 7 innings of shutout ball and handed a 3-0 lead over to Scott Linebrink. There was one run in, runners on first & second, one out (a well hit ball to RF), in a now 3-1 ballgame, when the batter lined one to SS on which Jerry Hairston, Jr. was doubled off 2nd to end the inning. Every youngster knows to let the liners go through, especially when trailing by two with less than two out, maybe they should tell JH2. The Sox scored in the top of the 9th to make it 4-1, and Bobby Jenks was brought on in the bottom of the 9th to protect the victory. Gordon Beckham looked like Brooks Robinson at 3B and had a double, single, & walk in four plate appearances on Sunday, after hitting his first longball the night before. But really the sparkplug for the team has been their new/old guy, leadoff man Scott Podsednik, who’s batting .320, and stealing bases.

Game Winning Bird

I was watching the highlights the other night on the MLB Network, especially close when the Indians were shown, as I have two Indians on my fantasy baseball team, Shin Soo Choo & Mark DeRosa. Well as luck would have it, both players were involved in a bizarre play, which resulted in a game winning hit, an RBI for Choo & a run scored for DeRosa. Choo lined a single to centerfield, with DeRosa on 2nd, but as the ball skipped toward the Royals centerfielder, who was lining up for a throw home, which would have resulted in a bang-bang play at the plate, the grounder hit a bird. The centerfielder throws his hands up, as if to signify interference, as the bird picks himself up, and flies off. The seagull must’ve been rooting him for the Indians, as well as my fantasy team. That’s taking one for the team. Would I be stretching it too far to say, he winged it, rather than a dying quail, this was a bird down. They are now using firecrackers between innings in Cleveland to keep the birds off the field.

Veggie Food Home Runs

veggie-cheesesteaks I’m a baseball fan, but sometimes being a vegetarian at the ole ballpark leaves me hungry, a pretzel with mustard doesn’t always satisfy me. US Cellular Field is a pretty good place to get something to eat as a veggie, veggie dogs, garden burgers, Mexican options, cheese pizza, corn off the cob (with butter, mayo, salt, chili powder, lime) – didn’t say it was healthy.

A recent AP article quotes PETA as saying, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats once again top the minor leagues with the best veggie fare, featuring veggie burgers & dogs, wraps, and various salads. But it’s the portobello mushroom salad and grilled vegetable sandwiches are the home runs at the Minor League ballpark in Manchester, N.H.

According to PETA, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia tops MLB’s list for the third year in a row. Phillies fans can snack on Southwestern black-bean burgers, mock crab cake salad, veggie hot dogs and even meatless Philly cheesesteaks.

YUMMY, Take me out to the ballpark, buy me some veggie food there…

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

ryan-perry All of the hoopla is about this year’s MLB First-Year Player Draft, but how are the players doing who were chosen in the first round of the 2008 draft?

TIGERS – RHP Ryan Perry – 23 IP with Detroit before assignment.
TWINS – CF Aaron Hicks – (14th) 27 RBI with the Gulf Coast Twins.
WHITE SOX – SS Gordon Beckham – (8th) promoted to Sox last week.
INDIANS – 3B Lonnie Chisenhall – (29th) 44 RBI in Kinston (A).
ROYALS – 1B Eric Hosmer – (3rd) 27 RBI at Burlington (A).

RED SOX – P/SS Casey Kelly – (30th) 2.31 ERA with Class A Salem.
YANKEES – RHP Gerrit Cole – (28th) chose UCLA vs. NYY minors.
BLUE JAYS – 1B David Cooper – (17th) at N. Hampshire (AA).
RAYS – SS Tim Beckham – (#1) at Bowling Green (A).
ORIOLES – LHP Brian Matusz – 4-2 at Class A Frederick.

RANGERS – 1B Justin Smoak – (11th) 25 RBI with Frisco (AA).
ANGELS – RHP Ty Chatwood – (74th) with Cedar Rapids (A).
MARINERS – RHP Joshua Fields – (20th) held out; with W. Tenn (AA).
A’s – SS Jemile Weeks – (12th) 3 HR with Stockton (A).

PHILLIES – 3B Anthony Hewitt – (24th) 9 RBI with GLC Phillies.
METS – 1B Ike Davis – (18th) 4 HR, 21 RBI with St. Lucie (A).
BRAVES – LHP Brett DeVall – (40th) 4-2 with Rome Class (A).
MARLINS – C Kyle Skipworth – (6th) 7 2B with Greensboro (A).
NATIONALS – RHP Aaron Crow – (9th) couldn’t negotiate a deal.

BREWERS – C Brett Lawrie – (16th) 39 RBI with Wisconsin (A).
CUBS – RHP Andy Cashner – (19th) 1.75 ERA in Daytona.
REDS – 1B Yonder Alfonso – (7th) moved to Carolina (AA).
CARDINALS – 3B Brett Wallace – (13th) with Memphis (AAA).
PIRATES – 3B Pedro Alvarez – (2nd) 40 RBI in Lynchburg (A).
ASTROS – C Jason Castro – (10th) 6 HR at Lancaster (A).

DODGERS – RHP Ethan Martin – (15th) 3-3 in Great Lakes (A).
GIANTS – C Gerald Posey – (5th) 41 RBI at San Jose (A).
PADRES – 1B Allan Dykstra – (23rd) 21 RBI at Fort Wayne (A).
ROCKIES – LHP Chris Friedrich – (25th) at Modesto (A).
DIAMONDBACKS – LHP Dan Schlereth – (26th) with Reno (AAA).

Best MLB Draft ever. Milwaukee opened the 1985 draft by picking B.J. Surhoff — who signed for $150,000, a paltry sum by today’s standards. Among those following Surhoff were Will Clark (2), Bobby Witt (3), Barry Larkin (4), Barry Bonds (6), Pete Incaviglia (8), Walt Weiss (11), Brian McRae (17), Joe Magrane (18), Gregg Jefferies (20), Rafael Palmeiro (22) and Joey Cora (23).

2009 First-Year Player Draft Goes Hollywood

jared-mitchell The 2009 First-Year Player Draft was shown live in prime time on the MLB Network. Bud Selig strolled to the podium, an upraised home plate of the infield at Studio 42 to announce “The 2009 First-Year Player Draft” to nauseum. The first few selections were made in utter silence, then finally somebody at the network must’ve raised the applause sign (which any MLB fan has become accustom to at ballparks across the land, somehow we all seem to know when to boo), and a surprised Selig quipped, “This kid must be good. He brought his own cheering section”. Then the talking heads would gush on & on about how great this pick was and how this kid has all the tools to be a star. I was secretly hoping, just once, somebody would say, “Who the hell is this kid? Why was he even drafted? Wasted pick! He’s a bum!”

The White Sox selected another football player, Jared Mitchell, out of LSU, maybe we can trade him to the Bears if baseball doesn’t work for him, as he’s a wide receiver. He’s supposed to be just what we need, a centerfielder, who bats leadoff. Can we sign him today and get him to the Cell for tonight’s game against the Tigers?

After selecting Josh Phegley, a catcher out of the University of Indiana, the Sox picked Trayce Thompson out of Rancho Santa Margarita High School in California. What makes this pick interesting to me is my cousin lives in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA and this kid’s father’s former NBA star Mychal Thompson. Just when I thought we were concentrating on taking football players, Kenny Williams throws me a curve, and takes the son of a basketball player. This is the first year Thompson is focusing exclusively on playing baseball. He is a centerfielder, with power.

Tyler Kehrer, a lefthanded junior out of Eastern Illinois University, was the first Illinois product taken in this year’s draft, chosen by the Angels. They must have had a scout in the stands when this kid struckout 14 batters in a one-hitter he pitched against Southern Illinois Edwardsville, because he had a 7.02 ERA as a freshman & a 5.12 ERA as a sophomore, although he did pitch much better as a junior.