Heels On The Field: A Baseball Blog

Koby Clemens And Cutter Dykstra: Let The Sons Shine

With Roger Clemens participating in the Texas League Home Run Derby, and pitching to his talented son Koby, I thought I'd re-run a story about Koby (and Lenny Dykstra's son Cutter) and his recent success.

Upon mentioning the talent and success of Koby Clemens or Cutter Dykstra, you will likely hear a snarky reference to their fathers. What a shame. Both young men are doing so well this season and are clearly doing their job right.

First baseman Koby Clemens is hitting .256, with 17 walks for Double-A Corpus Christi (Astros). 9 of his 33 hits are doubles. The 24-year-old's .526 SLG percentage is second in the Texas League. With RISP he's hitting a healthy .364. He's following up a hugely successful 2009 season, in which he finished with 51 walks and (count 'em) 123 RBI. He was named the MILB Class-A Advanced Hitter of the Year.

Cutter Dykstra is enjoying a four-game hitting streak for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers) of the Midwest League. The 21-year-old second baseman is hitting .333 with 5 walks and 11 hits. In 209 at-bats in 2009, he scored 35 runs and worked 27 walks for Class-A Helena.

It's one thing to live in the shadow of their success, particularly with Clemens. While Dykstra was a very good player and had a few excellent years - not to mention was a whole lot of fun to watch - he wasn't the living legend Clemens is. He's become a symbol of what is now known as the steroid era. But Dykstra and Clemens have both been lightning rods for controversy in their personal lives. Both men stand accused of shady relations, be it business or women, and have been painted in a harsh light.

It is hard enough for a young player to stay mentally strong and learn how to keep his mind free of distractions.  But when they're up against their fathers perceived failures, there's a whole other world of pressure they don't need. 

Failure is part of it. Learning from failure is the key. Don't let their fathers lives unfairly define them. Especially when Koby Clemens and Cutter Dykstra are proving their worth.

John Maine At Trenton, Yankees Young On An Eastern League Tear

The heat was a player in John Maine's rehab start for the Binghamton Mets at Waterfront Park, home of the Trenton Thunder. The baby Bombers completed a 3-game sweep of the baby Metros, with a 10-2 pounding.

But while the heat got to Maine (and everyone in the press box due to air conditioning problems), his heater was not exactly, well, hot. He never got above 88 mph, but he located well and he changed speeds effectively. As he got more comfortable he also went in and out off the plate, though when he missed he missed outside. But he got outs and the Thunder managed only two hits off the rehabbing righty. In four innings, he kept them scoreless.

Maine was relaxed after the game and he seemed hopeful and also realistic. The Mets need him back, but healthy. How healthy is the question and has been for some time with Maine. He appears to be headed for Triple-A Buffalo next week.

The Thunder have continued their string of successes, winning their seventh straight. Brandon Laird has been a huge part of that success, but what will the Yankees do with him? He's making a case for himself and if he continues to play this good, his value goes up for any deals the Yanks might make down the road. The third baseman is hitting .308 with 13 home runs and 59 runs knocked in this season. He was named May Player of the Month after hitting .339 in May. On the 26th he hit for the cycle. He's spent time in the AFL, which is always a competitive experience for any player, and he had a good run there.

Hector Noesi pitched a complete game in the Thunder's win and it was a performance of precision. He was economical with his pitches and had good movement on the ball. His CG was the first for a Thunder player since 2008. Noesi has won his last three starts.

Stephen Strasburg Will Not Be Your Media Darling

Here I go, playin' star again, there I go, turn the page - Bob Seger

After making his Major League debut, Stephen Strasburg could play the part of shining superstar. He could behave like one and it would all make sense. So many players do it, whether they have the talent to back it up or not.

Strasburg is the biggest thing to happen to baseball, perhaps ever, and yet the 22-year-old (that should also give one pause) behaved like a man just doing a day's work.

In the age of everyone knowing everything at every minute, Strasburg is a cool breeze in an information tornado.

While athletes are communicating with their fans more, and, if done right, can be enjoyable and appreciated - see Braves phenom and Twitter user Jason Heyward - Strasburg doesn't appear to be a guy who will embrace the media machine. Post-game he was focused, unfazed and professional. Did he actually shrug at the Bob Costas reference to Walter Johnson? No, but he didn't blink. He remained the pitcher on the hill whose team had just gotten the win. 

The attention paid to the Nationals pitcher would be alarming if not for his demeanor. He seemed  to be handling it just fine. So many players buckle under the pressure or become cardboard cutouts of the atypical athlete - chasing women, partying hard, causing trouble on and off the field - but Strasburg doesn't appear to fit that mold. In the post-cleanup steroid era, he's a young player giving people reason to love baseball for all the old fashioned reasons we have always loved it. But he's also not a savior. If the Tiger Woods story taught us anything, it's that, beneath the talents they possess physically, they are still flesh and blood.

Still, Strasburg can't help but be inspiring. He looks and carries himself like a working class guy that isn't buying his own hype. A weaker-minded athlete wouldn't be able to resist. 

Despite the fact that his debut was so brilliantly executed (don't forget Pudge Rodriguez calling a superb game), Strasburg seemed to take it with a grain of salt, as if it were just another win and he was happy with that. He is already looking ahead. And that's exciting.

Strasburg, Harper: Nationals Days Of Hope

You don't want to be the worst. Especially not at what you do for a living.

But in the unique world of baseball, you get a reward for finishing worst. The Nationals, for all their regular season woes, have taken advantage of this two years in a row. Tonight they will see one of  those "rewards" begin his career. Stephen Strasburg will take the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates, making his MLB debut and causing the world of baseball to hold it's collective breath. This means something. But to the Nationals it means a promise of what could be in the near future. Strasburg was the number one Draft pick of 2009 and the Nationals - the very worst  in baseball- got him. 

This year, the Nationals benefit again in the MLB Draft. And they didn't just do so in the first round. They've put themselves in a position to compete in their division and be a team that fans can put their faith in.

As Strasburg debuts, the Draft is in day two and the club has made another strong impression.

The Nationals selections included RHP A.J. Cole and the number one pick overall, OF Bryce Harper.

Harper has caused alarm with certain behavior that indicates he needs to gain some personal discipline. To be successful at that level and live up to the expectations, the hard-playing Harper will need to learn to handle his temper. Then again, the angry, fiery player often does just fine. 

With the 2010 Draft and Strasburg's debut , the 2010 baseball season is looking like a Nationals coming-out party.

Giants Thomas Neal And Pitching Prospects

The Richmond Flying Squirrels may be new to the Eastern League, but many of the players aren't new to one another. And the mix of experience and youth makes the new team an interesting draw. One player with a lot of expectation on him is Thomas Neal.

The outfielder admits there was a reason he started slow in 2010.

"I think coming into the year, I put a little bit of extra pressure on myself," Neal said. "I've always had high expectations for myself. But at the same time, these past couple of weeks I think I'm kind of just settling down."

It appears that way, with his recent team-leading 16th multi-hit game in a game against Trenton. He's also leading the team with 57 hits, 13 of them doubles. He's had better success against lefties averaging .314 against them.

The slow start was a struggle with some self-doubt, but also a desire to excel.

"I was definitely trying a little bit too hard...trying to prove I'm good, I'm good. But in reality all you have to do is go out and play the game."

The turning point for Neal was a personal one. He went to a trusted source to figure out what might be the key to his offensive woes.

"I had a long talk with my mom," he said. "We sat down and talked for about an hour and I really just laid it out there. I told her what type of feelings I was having. We figured out I was really just trying too hard."

His comfort level has grown with exhibiting more patience every time he steps to the plate.

"I'm just trying to take one at-bat at a time. Wait for your pitch. Do the best you can and God it going to take care of the rest."

The Squirrels are also showcasing quality pitching, with Daryl Maday and David Mixon.

"Maday and Mixon are both doing great this year," said Squirrels pitching coach Ross Grimsley. "We have some guys who are getting acclimated to the league. Some of the older guys who've been to Triple-A know what to expect."

Several of their pitchers,  including Mike MacDonald, Mixon and Felix Romero pitched at the Triple-A level in 2009. The younger less experienced pitchers have some bad tendencies, but Grimsley cites that as just part of the process.

"Because they're still trying to get the hang of it, the younger pitchers are sometimes doing things they wouldn't normally do."

Maday currently leads the Eastern League with a 1.69 ERA, allowing just 1 home run in 64 innings of work. Mixon leads the team with 58 strikeouts. Their 3.45 team ERA is 4th in the league.

Grimsley agreed when I mentioned the conclusion that, if you can play at the Double-A level, you can play in the big leagues. But he's also clear that there's obviously much more to be learned.

"You know you're going to give up runs, but if you do all the basic things you need to, you'll be able to make adjustments. Younger guys have a harder time doing that, but that just comes with experience."