The fire from Kevin Pillar's hot bat? The fire from his Fisher Cats hitting coach and manager when speaking of the highly regarded player? Or the fire that comes from Pillar himself. All spark, and toughness, and emotion, mixed with the laser-focus of a purist. He leads by example, both at the plate and in the outfield.
"He is the best player in the league," said New Hampshire hitting coach Richie Hebner. "He does everything well."
By everything, he means hitting, power, defense, and base running. Getting timely hits. Working a hitter's count. Getting a hit with two strikes on him. Making the most of every situation.
Speaking of which. Pillar's also a romantic, mixed with a realist. In an interview posted on the Fisher Cats website, he said he'd promised his fiancee Amanda they'll get married after he's made it to the big leagues.
He's on the right track. After 40 games, the right fielder is hitting .326 with 56 hits (Eastern League best), 11 of them doubles, and 4 home runs. He's also drawn ten walks, something Fisher Cats manager Gary Allenson said he needs to do more often. That was the only negative manager or hitting coach could come up with. To add to the other positives, his mentality, generosity, and kindness were also mentioned.
It's all part of the West Hills California native's approach, which Pillar says is something he's conscious of, and was even more aware of when preparing for 2013.
"A lot of what I worked on in the off-season, I carried into spring training. And that was my overall mindset," he said. "It's about looking beyond here, looking beyond the numbers. I strive here and I'll strive beyond here. I'll never be satisfied."
That attitude is perhaps a response to being overlooked and underestimated.
Pillar was drafted low (32nd round) out of Division II Call State-Dominguez Hills, and was on the smaller side (listed 6-0, 195 LBS when selected), but he was an excellent player in high school, hitting .463 his senior year for Chaminade College Prep. Scouts however, had to decide whether to take a chance on him. Did he have the ability to be an impact player in the major leagues? Can that talent translate to skill at the highest level of the game?
2012 was a successful campaign with some issues mixed in. He's done a better job this year of not striking out as often. In ten games, he's done so just four times, and seventeen times overall this season. He finished 2012 with an arm-load of honors, including MiLB.com Organizational All-Star, and hit .374 in a career-high 128 games.
The numbers are not the thing that Pillar sets goals for. Stats are for statisticians. His game, as a purist, is being important to the team.
"I want to be the guy the coach runs out there everyday and feels confident that I'm going to compete," said Pillar.
That's what lights the fire that's motivated him, and nothing's changed.
Except that, now, he's got a promise of matrimony to motivate him as well.
It's rare that I go personal here, because that's not what this blog is. But with the hyper-interest of female sports reporters in the locker room lately, due to some comments by hockey broadcaster Don Cherry, I thought I'd address things from a personal point of view.
Because a lot of what I read in response to Cherry's comments, reminded me that people still aren't entirely clear what this job entails.
That doesn't mean I'm sugar-coating, but let's all calm down about what we see and experience in there.
A baseball clubhouse isn't the Mickey Mouse Club. But it's also not equivalent to a nudist colony, where men walk around casually, pursuing the sports reporter ladies, or often, lady, leering and scaring the little gal.
It's also not an eye feast, where we, as women doing our job, are seduced and reduced to ecstasy. If you think that's what we feel or think, you haven't been in there. And you don't know anything. And you're sexist.
I can't speak for what a football or hockey locker room are like (or, in Cherry's case in Canadian speak, the dressing room). I assume it's very similar. But I can only tell you what a baseball clubhouse is like, and mostly in the minors. My life in the majors accounts for less than half of my yearly experience, on a freelance basis, maybe ten assignments per season. Sometimes less.
So here's what it's like: You wait. And wait. And wait. It's like a doctor's office. You wait, then go inside, and wait some more.
You stand outside a door, in a damp hallway, listening (usually) to rap blasting behind the doors. Employees are milling around with food carts, and paperwork, and walkie-talkies. Players are entering and exiting on their phones. They've finished batting practice. Now they relax. And we wait for the allotted time to start, about 45 minutes, to talk to players and coaches. Meeting with the manager is about fifteen minutes.
When we go in, we find the player. Often he's sitting on the sofa, watching television. Or he's by his locker, listening to music. Or, sometimes, he's hiding from us. We talk to the player by the locker or in the hall.
We then leave.
After the game, they get a cooling period. We go in. Many players are still showering. Many are dressed and eating. Or sitting by their lockers. Or back on the sofa. We ask to talk to a player. We then leave.
See anything exciting yet? Boring as hell isn't it? Sorry. You just read my workday in the clubhouse, and every other reporters' typical day, getting pre-and-post game interviews.
Now, for the part most sports fans seem fascinated with.
Do we see players in the nude? From time to time, yes. We see them walk by or they're at their locker, and, well, we're aware that someone isn't dressed. But we look away, mind our business, and all is fine. They dress quickly and get ready to talk to us or head out the door.
Yes, there have been weird moments. Some guys will walk around naked like it's no big deal. Avoiding looking at them is all we can do. There's the usual moments of seeing a flash of nudity, and yet there is discretion. We respect each other. It's uncomfortable. And everyone tries to be comfortable under the circumstances. Some guys don't mind being interviewed in a towel. Most reporters, myself included, aren't fazed by that.
Ok, let's go a little further. There have been really bad moments. Get a roundtable of female sports reporters. You'll hear some stories.
Making my personal worst list: a major league player waiting until I turned, dropping his towel, and laughing in my face; the minor league player talking to his teammate about wanting to bend me over and using the f word to describe what he wanted to do. As I stood there, pretending it didn't bother me; finally, there was the player questioning my presence, then telling everyone to get naked so I could do my job (Confession: I got a lump in my throat typing those words. That hurt and humiliated me.)
Those incidents are the absolute worst of eight years in baseball. There have been minor incidents, moments that players have done things that were unacceptable or immature, and many more moments where there was laughter, teasing, or remarks that I just ignored. Nothing extremely upsetting like those others.
In the minors, very often, I've not only been the only woman in the clubhouse, but the only reporter. I'm not intimidated, I'm not bothered. I get the work done and go.
In other words, it's mostly just a job, where professional players talk to professional reporters, and we all go home.
It's an atmosphere that is part lighthearted and fun, part business and getting what needs to be done for the very reason we are all there: a game. We are all focused. We are all worried about our deadline, or daily goal, our daily pageviews, our blog posts, or one column, or both, that have to be done that night or the following morning.
We have editors that want the story NOW. Or we have ourselves to answer to, and hope readers like what we have to say or share. We all want to do something informative and interesting, and we Must. Be. Accurate.
Those are our worries and thoughts when we walk into the clubhouse, locker room, dressing room, wherever it is that we're reporting from. Male or female.
Don Cherry put the spotlight on an issue that is way past it's expiration date. It's not current or sensible. But, truthfully, sports fans, and many in sports, still hold the view that the locker room is no place for a female reporter. That view isn't tolerated in sports, for the most part anyway. But it's there. And it's not our problem. It's yours.
You can think the locker room/clubhouse/dressing room is a nude-fest with female sports reporters being treated like Playboy bunnies, or abused daily, and that we're in there falling apart over all the nudity that supposedly surrounds us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qinZSr-RqY4 Courtesy of Matt Kardos
The Portland Sea Dogs visited the Trenton Thunder on Friday night at Arm & Hammer Park sporting the best record overall in the Eastern League at 11-8. Looking to extend their 0.5 game lead over the Thunder, Portland summoned the Red Sox top pitching prospect, Matt Barnes to the mound which allowed to me to see the stud prospect up close for the first time.
The tall 22-year old righty has great projectable size for a pitcher, standing at 6’4” and is equipped with a heavy mid-90’s fastball, a sharp high 70’s curveball and a mid-80’s change-up in his repertoire. His fastball is regarded as his best pitch as Baseball America ranks his heater as the best in the Red Sox system.
Barnes got his feet wet with his first pro action in 2012 with Single-A Greenville after being selected as the 19th overall pick by Boston in the 2011 amateur draft out of the University of Connecticut. Through five starts there, Barnes absolutely dominated the South Atlantic League, going 2-0 with a minuscule 0.34 ERA while striking out 42 batters in just 26 innings pitched.
After overmatching the opposition, Boston promoted Barnes to Advanced-A Salem of the Carolina League where he continued to show flashes of brilliance. Overall, Barnes made 25 starts in his inaugural professional season, going a combined 7-5 with a 2.86 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 119.2 innings of action. He led the organization in ERA, strikeouts and batting average against (.225).
With lofty expectations staring him down as the 38th overall prospect in baseball as ranked by MiLB.com entering this season, Barnes has struggled in his first taste of the minor leagues upper levels. In three starts with Portland going into last night, Barnes had gone 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA while opponents were hitting .333 against him.
“His curve ball needs a lot of work,” said one AL East scout who was in attendance to watch Barnes on Friday night. “In the lower levels you can get by with throwing smoke past these guys, but up here you have to really develop your secondary pitches and so far he has had a tough time of getting that to work.”
Barnes woes continued in Trenton on Friday as he took the loss in a 6-3 Thunder victory. The biggest issue for Barnes continues to be his batting average against. Last night, Trenton went 11-25 against him with six extra base hits, while two others reached base via walks. Through four starts now, Barnes has allowed 24 hits in 14 innings pitched while walking six more which has caused his WHIP to soar to an uncharacteristic 2.14. The Eastern League is now hitting .387 off of him.
Barnes has very long and strong legs which he uses a lot on his effortless looking delivery. He throws his fastball free and easy and it is certainly an electrifying pitch; you can hear the catcher’s glove pop almost every time he offers it. Despite giving up a lot of hits, Barnes still has overpowering stuff which is reflected in his high strikeout totals. Of the 83 pitches he threw last night, he got Trenton to swing and miss at them 16 times. The stuff seems to be there but the command comes and goes. He left the fastball up in the strike zone a lot which caused the pitch to flatten out a lot and the Thunder hitters took advantage of that.
“He really struggles to stay on top of his curveball; it isn’t a bad pitch he just doesn’t control it consistently at this stage” said the scout. “I think that his change-up has come a long way since last season, he does a great job of varying speeds from his fastball to get to the change.”
Two of the six strikeouts that Barnes recorded against Trenton came via the scorching hot Kyle Roller (pictured in the video), who is the reigning Eastern League Player of the Week.
“He has a lively fastball that kind of gets on you really quick,” Roller said. “He didn’t show me the breaking ball until late so he kind of threw me off guard, I wasn’t expecting it. From what I saw of him though, you can tell he’s a plus pitcher. He goes soft away early then he tries to bust you inside hard later in the count.”
The scout added, “I think his struggles right now are very normal for a pitcher at this level. The stuff is crisp but his command is what is hurting him right now, but that comes with experience and making adjustments as you go. I don’t know if he will ever be an “ace” but I think he definitely has the ceiling to be a good two or three starter if he irons out his command and executes consistency with his breaking ball.”
Matt is a contributing writer for Double G Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @mattkardos
Before getting into Brandon Nimmo's performance against Lakewood, let me preface by saying he went 4-for-4, with a triple and a walk in the game I didn't see. I heard the triple was a nice line drive the other way off the left-center field wall. It's also important to note that Nimmo is hitting .414 on the year.
But in the games I saw, he wasn't overly impressive. He has the looks of a toolsy player, showing good speed on the bases, excellent range in the outfield and for the most part, he was patient at the plate.
Nimmo went 1-for-10 in the three games I watched, walking four times and striking out four times. The one hit was a well-struck line drive triple into the right-center field gap. The five outs that weren't strikeouts, were not hit hard. One left the infield, a lazy fly ball to left field. The other four were soft ground balls, one to the pitcher.
With four ground balls and four walks, plus the triple, I saw Nimmo run a few times. If you see his stats, three career steals (including one on Sunday) in nine attempts, you would assume he wasn't fast, but he certainly showed good speed in this series. He seems to be slightly above average, and the stolen base rate and lack of steals overall, can be explained by the lack of experience he has coming from Wyoming and out of high school just two years ago. I would expect the stolen bases to increase as he progresses. [Ed. Note: Nimmo also lost weight this off-season to improve his footwork in the outfield, and his speed on the basepath]
In the outfield, he made plays in each direction and showed good range. He made a spectacular diving catch on a sinking liner hit at him. It was the best defensive play of the series between both teams. He also got back quickly on a deep fly ball directly over his head. Nimmo ran down some hits that looked liked they could roll to the wall, but he cut them off and held the runners to singles or doubles, when they looked destined to be doubles or triples. His arm might be a problem for him. On a grounder up the middle with a man on second, he charged the ball and made an off-target throw that was not strong and didn't reach the catcher, who stopped it slightly up the third base line. He also made a throw to second that also wasn't strong or accurate. On another chance to throw home, with a slow runner going home from second base on a soft liner hit to Nimmo's right, he caught then ball on one hop and didn't attempt a throw.
Overall, the hitting I saw left something to be desired. He had plenty of swing and misses and soft contact, but he has been great the rest of the season. He should be a good hitter, who eventually adds some power as he fills out and also gains experience. The tools are there, he has some plate patience, the ability to drive the ball and the speed to beat out some hits. His running and overall defense won't hurt either. You can see the makings of a decent prospect, who just needs time to develop. Nimmo just turned 20-years-old this March, so youth is on his side.
Larry Greene Jr
On Thursday night, Larry Greene Jr made his debut in full-season ball. The 39th overall pick in the 2011 draft, he played last season in the New York Penn League for Williamsport. Greene hit .272 in 70 games, with 22 doubles, two homers and a .754 OPS. Including his four games with Lakewood, the 20-year-old from Nashville, Ga has played every single game of his pro career in left field.
Greene has had conditioning problems throughout his career and it could be something he is continuously battling. He is listed at 6'0" 235 pounds, though he looks a tad bit heavier, with a very stocky build. Greene went 2-for-14 in the four game series against Savannah, walking three times and striking out in seven of those AB's. In the one game I didn't see, he walked twice and struck out twice.
Greene has the swing of a pull hitter from the left side. It looked like he tried to pull everything and every swing he took was big. The problem was that every swing he took was late. He didn't pull one ball in any of the three games, not even a foul ball. His two hits were both opposite field, but as I mentioned, that was unintentional, so there was a bit of luck on his part with each of his hits. I mentioned to colleagues that his swing is reminiscent of Prince Fielder, and two of them agreed. In batting practice he crushed a long homer, but once the game sped up, he was behind. He showed some patience at the plate, working the count, though some of that could be explained by a lot of swing and misses, or balls fouled into the third base side stands.
His running is what you would expect from a big man. Greene is limited to corner outfield, or possibly first base in the future and it is doubtful he will ever be more than average in the outfield, so his bat must carry him. He had some trouble with a line drive that landed right in front of him, which drew some boos from the crowd, who thought he should have caught it. The couple throws he made seemed accurate, but average at best. He tried two steals in the series and was caught both times, the first time rather easy. The second time, on a hard pitch to handle and a left-handed batter to throw over, Kevin Plawecki was still able to throw him out.
It was a disappointing debut from Greene, who gets a bit of a pass due to it being his first series of the season. He needs to increase his bat speed, or any hard thrower will eat him alive.
Roman Quinn
This wasn't the first time I've seen Quinn play this year, so I have a little better idea on him than the others. I really like the way the 20-year-old shortstop plays. He was the 2nd round pick of the Phillies in the same draft they took Greene, but the 5'10" Quinn is definitely ahead of his teammate.
The good points with Quinn are numerous and they're the skills Phillies fans can dream on. He isn't a perfect player, not someone who will skip any levels on his way to Philadelphia, but if he continues to improve, he'll be worth the wait.
Quinn's best assets are his two plus tool, his speed and his arm. In a prior game, he hit an inside-the-park homer, and didn't draw a throw from the cutoff man because Quinn had already crossed the plate. The ball was a gap shot that simply split the center fielder and right fielder, rolling to the fence where it stopped.
In this series, Quinn hit a home run, though there was likely a little help from a brisk wind. The left-handed hitting Quinn, likes to bunt, or at least show bunt each AB to draw the infielders in at the corners. That is something that's been very common with lead-off hitters in Lakewood over the years. He has a low success rate with getting down bunts in games I've seen him.
He likes to work the count, something I've seen in almost every AB in which he didn't get the bunt down on the first pitch. Quinn fouls off a lot of pitches and has drawn some walks just by working the count with two strikes. He hasn't looked bad on any pitches yet.
In the field, Quinn needs work. He has all the skills to be a shortstop in the majors and at the pace he should move up the minor league ladder, I see no reason he won't stay there. His range is excellent and his arm, while not always accurate, is very strong. In Sunday's game, he had a backhand stop in the hole and made a nice long accurate throw from the lip of the outfield grass. In the first game I saw him play this year, he made a tougher play from the same spot. On a grounder up the middle in an earlier game, he got in front of a ball that I thought was a sure hit and made the play. At best, off the bat, it looked like he may have been able to knock the ball down with a dive. He also made a play where a hard grounder ate him up, but he committed and didn't rush the throw, recording the out.
So the range is good both ways, the arm is very good and he gets rid of the ball quick, therefore the problems with throwing should be rectified with repetition. The plate patience is there at a young age, he has a little pop, but will never hit many homers. There are signs that he will be able to put up a strong on base percentage that will play well at the top of the order. He had the speed to steal plenty of bases and has shown good base running skills.
Shane Watson
The Phillies took Watson 40th overall in last year's draft and let him pitch briefly in the Gulf Coast League, allowing him to go seven innings over five outings. He has a nice four-pitch mix, showing an above average curveball and the ability to throw it for strikes. He took the mound in the final game of the series.
Watson was throwing in the 88-91 MPH range, twice hitting 92 on the radar. Interestingly enough, both of those 92's came against Brandon Nimmo in different plate appearances. The curve was coming in at 75 MPH and had a huge break that fooled batters, keeping them off-balance, while mixing in a low 80's change-up. Watson worked Nimmo carefully, but against the rest of the lineup he attacked the batters. He gave up just one hit, a solid single up the middle by Jayce Boyd. He walked three batters on the day, two of them were to Nimmo in their only two meetings of the game. Watson struck out two batters.
BlueClaws manager Mickey Morandini hooked Watson after the fifth inning, despite his throwing only 10-12 pitches in the 4th and 5th innings combined. Watson had to work a little in the 1st and 3rd, but his total pitch count seemed low at the time. The weather was cold, so it's possible that contributed to Morandini's decision. This start wasn't typical for Watson this season. He has been inducing a healthy number of ground balls and getting more strikeouts as well, but he held the Sand Gnats to just one hit and really, just one hard hit ball, so you take that effort any day. Overall, a strong outing from the 19-year-old righty.
John Drekker is a guest contributor to HHOTF. He regularly writes for Pirates Prospects. You can follow him on Twitter @JohnDreker.
In 14 games with the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class-A South Atlantic League, the Mets highly regarded prospect is hitting .411 with 10 RBI, a home run, a double, and a triple. He's also worked 5 walks, has a .477 OBP, and a .518 SLG percentage.
After arriving in St. Lucie this spring lighter on his feet, he felt stronger. Different. His body was still growing, but he knew the commitment to getting in better shape had contributed to how much better he felt overall.
That feeling has carried over into the regular season.
"I have better body control. I've matured and I feel more consistent," he said Thursday. "It's helped with my whole game. I'm definitely quicker and more in control of everything."
At the end of last season, his body was betraying him. His first full professional season with the Class-A (short season) Brooklyn Cyclones was both successful and a trial, physically and mentally.
"Last year was a lot of learning. You're trying to do a lot of things that you're not used to. I just feel more comfortable. I did the best I could everyday."
He played in 140 games, something that might be overlooked because half of that was played in extended spring training. He pushed himself to the physical limit by the time the Cyclones stumbled out of playoff contention.
"I'm obviously also getting older [he's 20]. So my body is getting stronger."
The Mets, who selected him in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft, have to be pleased with the strong spring he had, and the footing he already has on the new season. Entering 2013, he was ranked 4th in the organization by Baseball America.
The results are outstanding so far, but Nimmo sees the big picture. It's a long season and he's learned that. Keeping the pace is key.
"I have to be better overall. I need to have better footwork in the outfield, take better swings, and mentally and physically continue to improve my approach. I need to do that until I get to the majors...and continue to improve once I'm there."
Trenton, New Jersey- Leadership is a key word when talking about Joe Panik.
And that aspect of him as a player garners quite a comparison.
"A lot of of us in the organization said he reminded us of Buster Posey," said Richmond Flying Squirrels hitting coach Ken Joyce. "In the sense that he has that same demeanor. He has that attitude in the way he goes about his business. He's professional, came from a decent family, and a good school at St. John's."
All of that is integral in helping the infielder, who is starting the season with a lot on his plate. Expectations (#4 ranked prospect in the Giants system by Baseball America) and a switch in position from shortstop to second base.
But none of that appears distracting to Panik.
"I've learned, especially with college and the [MLB] Draft, to ignore it and not pay attention," said Panik, 22. "Because a lot of the stuff they say is either too good, or some of the bad stuff is too bad. So I've learned to say, 'You know what?' Just ignore it. Concentrate on the game you've played ever since you were a little kid.
The Eastern League is always a big test for any player, as is any Double-A league. There's less errors to take advantage of. The challenges multiply. Panik is more humbled by that, than feeling over-matched
"Yeah, pitchers are a lot more consistent, that's for sure. They don't make too many mistakes. So you have to capitalize on it," Panik said.
In a game against the Trenton Thunder on April 11th, he showed impressive composure at the plate. Batting second (behind shortstop Ehire Adrianza), Panik worked hitter's counts consistently and made good contact with each plate appearance. It was in the 9th that he really turned on the lights. He took advantage of a struggling Thunder bullpen, hitting a two-out triple to right-center. His line-drive approach was good, but not enough to get the ball out of the infield. He never took a bad swing at pitches he couldn't handle.
That approach might be attributable to his mentality, as much as his natural ability.
"I'll tell you what, he's a very mature player. Very close to being polished when he came out of St. John's [1st round, 2011]," said Joyce. "I [worked] with him in the Arizona Fall League two years ago and he had just got done playing short-season. He was on a team with Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Brandon Crawford, and Wil Middlebrooks. And here's a kid who just started professional baseball, and was actually getting their attention. He hit .300 in that league just coming out of college. He's a guy that can swing the bat, uses the whole field, knows what his limits are, and has a good work ethic."
His ability to be selective was on display in that game, but Panik sees room for improvement.
"[I need to] become more consistent with pitch selection. When I try to do too much with a pitch, that's when I get into trouble. It's just patience."
The decision to move Panik from the middle of the infield to second was a period of adjustment, but one he embraced entering Spring Training.
"I played shortstop my whole life. And so playing second base was the main thing I worked on. Spring Training I was getting used to the turns. It was just about getting comfortable and taking a lot of ground balls. I definitely feel almost natural now."
In 2012, he hit .297, with 76 RBI and 58 walks in the California League. He was third in the league in hits with 159. Post-All Star break, he hit .324, and .337 with runners in scoring position.
So far this year he's hitting .235, with 4 RBI and 3 walks.
"I was pretty excited to come to the Eastern League, making the jump from High-A to Double-A. I was looking forward to it. So far I've gotten off to a good start and I've really gotten comfortable with the competition. Going forward, I'm very confident."
As a leader, he takes a performance-approach to the role. He knows who he is, even now.
"I like to be a leader through my actions on the field. I'm not one of those guys and get in someone's face. I pride myself on doing things the right way."
Ian Kadish understands the importance of making the most of every opportunity.
After going undrafted out of Marshall University in 2011, he's taken the chance the Jays gave him when they signed him, and begun building a solid career.
This year is one more step, one more chance. Another opportunity is in his hands.
The Jays rewarded his successful 2012 campaign by starting him with the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts. He was promoted late last season, making 2013 his first full season at that level.
He's confident, but is striking a balance. He knows he can create even more opportunity by adding more weapons.
"[Working on the slider] went well," he said Friday of his off-season focus. "It came along. I'm working on the cutter too. I like that better than the slider. It's a little harder and sharper. It's a good pitch to add to the arsenal."
Kadish split time between Vancouver of the Short-Season Northwest League and Class-A Lansing of the Midwest League, throwing a combined 40.2 innings and finishing with an overall 2.66 ERA and 57 strikeouts. Through 18 innings for Lansing he allowed 9 runs, fourteen hits, and walked 9.
"I picked up [Midwest League] hitters quickly. But there was an adjustment period. I really created my own experience facing hitters."
The righty spent the winter working on the slider and cutter, but heading into Spring Training, one word hung in the air.
"Consistency. That's the main thing. Being able to repeat my delivery throughout the season, my release point, command...that's always been my biggest problem. I've gotten better. Being in this league, I'm taking another step to better my progress."
Kadish expects to be in a setup role this year. Lansing opened their season earlier this week.
In celebration of Women's History Month, here's an interview with Double-A Southern League President Lori Webb. She made history in 2012, when she became the first woman ever named league president in MiLB. Her professional background is rich and impressive [read her bio: http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?sid=l111&ymd=20070221&content_id=180450&vkey=league3, but Webb shares that there are, of course, some added pressures to being THE FIRST. She also talks about her plans for the league, as well as her advice to anyone pursuing a career in baseball:
Greatest Lessons: I've learned several lessons that have been helpful, but the best advice came from the previous president, Don Mincher, who always stressed these three things (among many others) to me:
a. You can't unring a bell
b. Sleep on it - things will look differently in the morning
c. Family comes first
Women In The Minors: I have always admired Sylvia Lind who is the Director of Baseball Operations Initiatives at Major League Baseball; as well as Tina Gust, Lillian Patterson and Kelly Butler at Minor League Baseball. I also had the pleasure of working with Melissa Hill at the Southern League several years ago when she was the Director of Business Development/Marketing in 1996-97. She is now working for the Cincinnati Reds in Baseball Operations. The traits that all of these women share are their positive outlooks, willingness to go the extra mile, and always being ready to share their knowledge and expertise with others. I have found that most women in baseball are smart, savvy and very friendly towards other women.
How It All Began: I started working for the Southern League in 1994 after answering an ad in our local newspaper. The league had just moved its offices from Trussville, AL to Marietta, GA and the new president was looking for an executive assistant. Several women showed up to wait for an interview, and I ended up getting the job. I had never work in sports before, but I guess you could say I had "transferable skills" and I just tried to learn as much as I could as fast as I could - and through the years I took on more responsibilities and when the vacancy came up in 2012, I decided I was ready for a new challenge.
Relationship With MiLB President Pat O'Conner: Pat is a very busy man, and I only see him a couple times of years at meetings, but it is reassuring to know he is only a phone call away, and he makes himself available to all the leagues in MiLB. He strongly supports women and minorities working in the front offices of baseball, and I applaud his actions in trying to get more of us employed in these executive positions.
Does being the first female president of a league bring an added element that makes you want to succeed even more? Is that at all daunting?
Definitely! I want to prove to myself that I can run with the big dogs! It is a bit daunting, and I know there are a few men still left in baseball that don't believe women should be involved too much, but they are certainly a minority. I've been lucky to have been welcomed and accepted into the world of baseball by so many wonderful men - umpires, general managers, other league presidents and of course, Southern League owners and directors. Everyone is eager to see my succeed and I want to make them proud of me! And for the few doubting Thomases out there, I would love to earn their respect in the coming years as I grow in this position.
How Women In Minors Could Influence The Future Of Women In Baseball:I believe the future holds a lot of promise for women in baseball. There is still a long way to go before having women in executive positions is not even worth a mention, but little by little, we are being invited in, and once we have a seat at the table, we can have the opportunity to work elbow to elbow with the men and they will see that we are not threatening at all, just maybe have a different perspective on problem solving - and that's a good thing!
Plans For The League: For my first full year as president, I just want to settle in and make sure I get out to all the ballparks a couple of times, and ask lots of questions. I've sat behind a desk since 1994, and I am eager to get out and talk to the general managers, operations staff and anybody else that wants to speak with me. I love being at ball games, watching the fireworks and the goofy promotions on the field. It will be fun to sit next to the fans and get an idea of what they think we are doing right and what we can work on to make their experiences better.
PED's Crackdown In Minors: I think tougher punishment in the minors may prevent some of the drug use in the majors. I believe that every person needs to be held accountable for their personal actions. For every player on a minor league field, there are thousands who were not quite good enough to stand in their spikes. Players need to remember that they ARE role models for kids, but more importantly, this is their job - and taking illegal drugs to enhance their athletic ability on the field is just plain cheating. I really admire those players who have been caught, been suspended for 50 games or more, and then come back with a new attitude. Mistakes can be learning experiences and character builders in so many ways!
Southern League News: We are looking forward to opening a new ballpark in downtown Birmingham this April and going to Jacksonville, FL for our All-Star Game on July 17. At this time of year, we are all busy preparing for the season ahead and like every year, just hoping for good weather, big crowds and great baseball.
During the off-season, first baseman Saxon Butler said he wanted to drop weight and committed to a diet plan and rigorous exercise. All of that was new to him.
“I'd never tried to do that,” he said from Tampa Thursday. “But I'd never been close to weighing 242. In college I was around 225-230, and then suddenly when I was in professional baseball, for some reason I gained. Most people lose weight playing everyday. It was weird.”
In 61 games between Class-A Short-Season Staten Island and Class-A Charleston, he hit .296, 45 RBI, and 13 home runs. He was nearly impossible to catch in home runs in New York Penn League, leading all hitters long after he departed for Charleston. His consistency at the plate and big power was on display, as he flipped duties between first base and designated hitter.
But his energy level was affected by the end of the season. He met with people in the Yankees organization, and they agreed that it would benefit him to drop some pounds.
The eating plan was hard, but the exercise part, believe it or not, was even more foreign.
“I'd never been a big workout guy. I did things to keep my heart rate up. It was all about building muscle, but shredding fat. I'm at the weight I want to be.”
While the season was a successful one, Butler, 23, learned the lesson of entering professional baseball: it's a lot harder than it looks. That whole bit about baseball being a marathon might be over-used, but it's simple and true. Butler made the most of it. He just felt the effects of his labor by the end.
“My body was so tired. I'd tell myself, ok, time to go play another game. But my body was saying no. Now I have a lot more energy. I don't get sluggish like was.”
With five weeks left, he can continue the process of being in better playing shape. The goal is to continue those habits he began this winter.
“I wanted to be more athletic. Now I'm just maintaining what I did. I'm better equipped than I was last year.”You can follow Saxon Butler on Twitter @SaxonHolt33
When Beau Wright, or any other pitcher, takes the mound they have one job.
Get outs however they can, minimize damage, trust their defense, and their ability.
But what about those people in the stands? The simplicity of the moment is intensified by expectation.
"Pitching under the lights, in front of a lot of fans," Wright said from Florida, when asked what made the season tough. "Especially in Staten Island and Brooklyn, in front of those fans. My first half was ok, then I adjusted and the second half was a lot better."
Part of the adjustment was keeping every part of his life in order, so that he was more prepared for every game.
"Learning and keeping to a routine helps [to start] the day leading up to the game. From what you eat, to the time you wake up, then transferring that and making sure your body is ready."
The lefty spent all of 2012, his second year of professional baseball, in the New York Penn League, logging 41 innings for the Jamestown Jammers. He finished with a 3.70 ERA and 40 strikeouts, and gave up just 2 home runs. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009 and was drafted by the Marlins in 2010 out of Orange Coast College. Despite the procedure being pretty far behind him, the physical aspect was only part of the overall challenge.
"I'm more focused this spring, because relaxing is a big thing I'm learning. Fastball command as well. But the main thing is not to stress. Spring Training can be super stressful, especially for first timers or guys trying to make the squad."
Cutting down on walks is a major priority heading into the regular season.
"That's one [end of season] stat I didn't like. I'm just trying to keep under control and work with it. I threw harder toward the end. I worked on my explosiveness this off-season. I did conditioning, worked on speed, and did a lot more weight training. So far, so good."You can follow Beau Wright on Twitter @LeftbutWright35
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