Heels On The Field: A Baseball Blog

Eye On The Eastern League

Reading Phillies: New Man Of The House

Mark Parent was hired as the R-Phils new manager, replacing Steve Roadcap. The Phillies Double-A club finished the regular season 69-72. Parent just led the Class-A club to the South Atlantic League championship and his taking the reigns could be a huge boost. Parent's methods have proven successful not just in the Phillies organization, but also the Mariners (where he was named California League MOY in 2000), and with two Indpendent League clubs. With several championships under his belt, Parent's doing something right. Or he's gotten pretty lucky. Whatever it is, this will be his first time managing at the Double-A level.

On the side: With the Phillies leaving Tyson Gillies and Philipe Aumont unprotected the Cliff Lee trade became basically fruitless. Why is that 'on the side'? Because it didn't register as a shock. The shock was that it happened at all. And that's old news.

 

New Hampshire Fisher Cats: Pals Travel?

It's certainly no surprise that former MLB catcher Sal Fasano became a manager. There was always talk among baseball writers and fans that he would do an exceptional job in that capacity. 

Fasano replaces the well-liked Luis Rivera after spending 2010 managing Class-A Lansing. He has a place in Philadelphia sports fans hearts for his blue-collar attitude and, of course, the mustache. Sal's Pals was formed as a tribute to Fasano when he played for the Phillies in 2006. You just might see them make an appearance or two at Fisher Cats games. It wouldn't be surprising.

There is something about a young manager. 39 years old and only a few years removed from the big leagues, he brings a unique perspective to young players in development.

The Blue Jays made two smart roster moves before the Rule 5 Draft. They added outfielder Darin Mastroianni and catcher Brian Jeroloman to their 40-man roster. Both showed tremendous promise in 2010. Jeroloman, 25, finished the regular season hitting .265 with 38 runs batted in. He's got a good shot at seeing some Major League time in a back-up role in 2011.

 

Altoona Curve: Looking Brand New

Pitcher Michael Dubee was left off the Pittsburgh Pireates 40-man, after finishing 2010 with a 2.24 ERA for Altoona. The 25-year-old righty was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 18th round in 2007, was then traded to the White Sox, then Pittsburgh. Is there a team philosophy that could  help Dubee reach his full potential? He's not had the opportunity to develop with one club over time and it would do him good. The Pirates evidently didn't feel the need to hang onto him despite his impressive 34 innings of relief for Altoona. He'd be a smart Rule 5 pickup for a team looking for an inexpensive bullpen arm.

On The Side: In a nice nod to the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Curve's new logo features the Keystone icon. The new team colors are part of the tribute: they are Railroad Red, Boiler Bronze, Charcoal Gray, and Soot Black.

New look, new uniforms...next on the docket - a new manager?

Why I Love Minor League Baseball: A Growing And Learning Experience For Jennifer Smith And Family

First essay in the series "Why I Love Minor League Baseball" written by those who love it.

There are so many things my family loves about MiLB that I was all over the place with my writing and my thoughts.

There are all the typical things you hear when people talk about MiLB: lower ticket prices, smaller stadiums that offer more fan-friendly experiences in a family atmosphere, concessions that you can actually afford, crazy on-field promotion that often come with cool prizes, team sponsored giveaways, and between-inning entertainment that will open your eyes to things you never thought you’d ever see.

But the one thing that we all kept coming back to in our conversations were the people.

Here begins our family's story. In 2003 the Atlanta Braves made the decision to move their low-A farm team from Macon, Georgia to Rome, Georgia. Rome is a fairly small town and this was quite an exciting addition for us, both in terms of entertainment and employment. A good friend offered us his opening night tickets and off we went. Our small son was only 4 ½ months old at the time, so we were pleased to find our seats were right behind home plate on the first row - tucked safely behind the backstop netting.

We parked his car seat carrier in the seat between us and enjoyed the game. We spent a lot of time looking at a talented young catcher. His name was Brian McCann.

Being a native Atlantan, and having been to many Atlanta Braves games, I was amazed at the closeness of everything. We were used to seeing baseball players that looked like ants! This…this was amazing!!! Needless to say, we were hooked and have been ever since. Fast forward a few years…..

Baseball is pretty much part of our everyday lives now. We seldom miss a home game if we can help it. I guess you are wondering about those people I referred to earlier. Well, let me tell you about them. We have met the most amazing people because of baseball and are blessed, now, to have friends in many different states and countries, playing on a multitude of levels including MLB, MiLB, Indy league teams and representing their countries on national teams. We dread the off-season and count the days until we can get down to Orlando for spring training.

Over the past eight years we have made friends with our seatmates, other season ticket holders, fan club members, stadium employees, players, their families and friends, parent club employees and random strangers.

We have rejoiced as our section’s usher won a fight with cancer and were amazed that he never missed a home game, even during his treatments!!!

We strive to learn our players as people each year, give them nicknames, support them in any way we can, and cheer for our team in good times and bad. As fans, we rejoice when our players get promoted and advance, and we are heartbroken when they get released or sent back down.

I never imagined that simply loving the game would cause such an emotional attachment or affect us in ways that reach beyond the field.

We have challenged ourselves to work on our Spanish, we’ve bought maps and learned about other countries and cultures, we’ve messaged, skyped and emailed during the off-season, and this past season we started traveling to see some of our former players play in the higher levels of minor league ball.

We learned no matter where we went that the love the game exceeds most anything. It doesn’t care about age, race, sex, national origin or where you work. It doesn’t care if you’ve had a bad day or a good day. It doesn’t care if you have kids or if you ARE a kid. It’s there, it’s dependable, and yet it’s never the same.

One day it can be 9 quick innings, another it can be 20 innings, over at midnight and you’re thinking you’re going to freeze to death!

It’s the joy of watching people work hard to make their dreams come true. It’s spending time with my family. It’s watching my young son try to put into use (at his own little league practice) what he sees his heroes doing on the field. It’s the accessibility of the players, at this level, and their willingness to interact with young fans because they haven’t forgotten the dreams of their own youth.

There are so many things that are woven together that make up the fabric of minor league baseball - but for us it‘s so much more than just a game. It's the friendships that last all year round, forged between little kids with stars in their eyes and huge dreams, and bigger kids who haven't forgotten that feeling.

Yankees Leave Notable Player George Kontos Unprotected

There are always a few surprises on the list of players that wind up on the Rule 5 block.

In the Yankees camp reliever George Kontos path to the majors has been a rocky one.

But his exclusion from the 40-man roster seemed less obvious, despite his poor AFL performance. He showed a ton of promise and a return to health in 2010, splitting time between Single, Double, and Triple-A.

At Double-A Trenton, Kontos was focused on getting his fastball velocity before being assigned to Triple-A Scranton. He showed the most improvement with the Trenton Thunder, finishing with a 3.38 ERA in 32 innings of work. His recovery from Tommy John surgery appeared on the right track.

The Yankees invested four years in Kontos development. Sending him to Fall League signaled he still had their confidence. But if they had him on a timetable, his poor AFL performance may have been his final out.

The Yankees bullpen also had an up and down season. One can only wonder what he might have done if he'd gotten the call late in the season. Had the Yankees felt he was truly ready when they needed another arm in the second half, they likely would have brought him up.

Kontos regular season results don't lie. He made a lot of progress between Tampa and Trenton. He got the job done when the Thunder were battling for a playoffs spot.

At just 25, Kontos is a pitcher with great potential. If another team envisions a new plan of action for him, perhaps returning him to a starting role, he could thrive as once expected.

 

Yankees Montero's Gain Can Benefit Romine

When 2010 begain, Trenton Thunder catcher Austin Romine showed only traces of frustration that he is shadowed by friend and future-Yankees-catcher competition, Jesus Montero.

He appeared a calm and focused guy, seemingly unmoved by the white hot focus on him.

But as the season progressed, as trade talks fired up that would put Montero in Seattle, and Romine struggled through the hot summer months, there was a bit of noticeable fatigue. Had Montero been traded, the path to the Bronx would have opened up for Romine. There would be no long-term block.

When none of that happened, and to be fair, Montero struggled at the plate for Triple-A Scranton, Romine's place in the pecking order remained.  After the Thunder's season ended at the hands of the Altoona Curve in the ELCS, Romine took a short break before heading to Arizona Fall League. He finished his stint there hitting .286 with 16 hits in 14 games.

The less than surprising news came just last week that Yankees long-time catcher Jorge Posada would be the DH, and Montero would compete with Francisco Cervelli for the starting role out of spring training.

Where does this put Romine? Where he might best be served.

If 2010 proved anything about Romine and Montero, it's that there is much more time needed in the gestation process. Both players have their strengths at the plate, both have their well-known weaknesses. But the Yankees had to make a decision with Posada declining.

Enter Montero on the big league stage. Romine stays in the developmental wings.

It would be unfair to say Montero is being rushed, even if he is. We have no reason to believe he won't succeed at that level. The experience alone is important. But the flip side of that is that Romine gets extra time to polish his skills in every area.

There is, of course, a distinctly drawn line between the kind of player Montero is and the kind Romine is. But what Romine lacks in power, he makes up for at his position.

If Romine can develop more power and better patience at the plate, he increases his value to the Yankees in the long run. His defensive strength was given high praise by another oh-so-close Yankee, Andrew Brackman. Brackman said he owed a great deal to Romine, citing him as a guide in recognizing his mistakes and how to improve them.

 A Montero-Romine future gives the Yankees a kind of mythological hybrid: part power bat, part well-designed catcher.

While Montero takes his career to the next stage, THE stage, Romine can become more of the player he and the Yankees hope he'll be.

There is nothing wrong with taking a different road to Yankee Stadium.

Next stop on the way? Most likely Triple-A Scranton.

The Pirates Need To Hire A Strong Hand To Help Guide Altoona Curve Pitchers

To anyone covering the Eastern League and witnessed the Altoona Curve winning the EL title, the firing of Curve Manager Matt Walbeck was a puzzler.

Walbeck, a soft-spoken, but firm man, guided the team to a decisive victory over the Trenton Thunder in the ELCS.

The Pirates shocked anyone who knew Walbeck when they terminated him. The reasons were also confusing, but the team made clear they felt Walbeck wasn't communicating their philosophy. Insert any number of jokes here, but the truth is the team has a lot of promise in their farm system.

The Pirates starting rotation struggled in 2010. While they were falling apart, a few of the Bucs young arms were showing their potential in Altoona.

Curve pitchers sure got their innings in: Rudy Owens (150), Justin Wilson (141), and Anthony Wilson(111) were just three of the pitchers who contributed to Altoona's league leading 1,268 innings pitched. Their 3.51 team ERA was second in the Eastern League.

It's worth noting that Pittsburgh kept pitching coach Tom Filer on staff. Filer spent time in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system as a coach, before spending his first season in 2010 with the Curve.

It'd be easy to dismiss the Pirates decision to fire Walbeck as another example of their failure. But they clearly valued what Filer had done with Altoona pitchers.

The Pirates are also in the midst of a lot of decisions and changes, particularly their managerial search. They're also expected to be aggressive (as much as they can be) in the free agency market. Starting pitching will likely be the focus.

For every club that doesn't have the financial resources to compete with bigger market teams, building from within is that much more important. The young talent showcased on the mound for Altoona should give the Pirates some hope.

Filer's influence, combined with a manager who can give those pitchers some discipline, could make a huge impact - directly or via trade- on the Pirates future plans.

 

Five 2010 Eastern Leaguers In Rising Stars Game: Who Could Return In 2011?

Tonight's AFL Rising Star Showcase will be televised on the MLB Network and it gives die-hard baseball fans a chance to see top young talent. It also gives those die-hards another baseball game. A last breath, if you will.

Five players named to the roster are players I watched develop in 2010 in the Eastern League. I decided to spotlight them and explore the possibilities of their returning to the EL in 2011.

Eric Thames (Toronto Blue Jays, New Hampshire Fisher Cats) - Thames showed his ability to hit for power in 2010, as well as his ability to get hit. He got plunked 18 times, which led the Eastern League. He set a single-season franchise record by driving in 104 runs. His 27 home runs also tied the single-season franchise record and the outfielder was a mid-season & post-season All-Star.

It would be a surprise to see Thames back with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. His 2010 campaign certainly earned him a ticket to Triple-A Las Vegas. Expect him to start 2011 there.

Austin Romine (New York Yankees,  Trenton Thunder)- Romine had difficulty at the plate in 2010, and after July he said he never quite broke out of a slump. He admitted his confidence was low. Romine finished the season hitting .268.

What he excelled at is his already advanced defensive ability as a catcher. Yankees pitching prospect Andrew Brackman, a teammate at Tampa and Trenton, said he learned a lot working with Romine, and that the 21-year-old backstop pointed out particulars that Brackman needed to improve.

When Romine was at the plate he often appeared lost and he indicated that, perhaps, some self-defeating thoughts were creeping in.

That doesn't matter now. The Yankees have several large issues looming. The opportunity for Jesus Montero to go up with the Yankees would provide a path for Romine to Triple-A Scranton. Another season at Double-A might seem most fitting after his 2010 struggles, but he'd also benefit form the challenge of handling Triple-A pitchers. His maturity is well-known. In many ways, Romine impresses as much as a person, as he does a player.

The Yankees catching situation all but ensures Romine starts 2011 with SWB.

Jason Kipnis (Cleveland Indians, Akron Aeros)- Kipnis proved in 2010 that he's becoming a more polished player. His patience and pitch-recognition improved, in no small part to playing in a career-high 133 games. He adjusted to Double-A pitching rather quickly and his overall totals increased from 2009, which was also his professional debut. He's had some difficulties in Fall League, hitting just .173. While there's not much doubt he's the Indians second baseman of the future, he needs more seasoning.

The safe bet is that Kipnis gets a full season at Akron to make further adjustments.

Manny Banuelos   (New York Yankees, Trenton Thunder) - LHP Banuelos is just 19 and already has experience at the Double-A level. Considering the consensus was that Banuelos wouldn't see Double-A action until maybe 2011, that's pretty impressive. He finished 2010 at Trenton with a 3.52 ERA.

He level-jumped in 2010 from GCL, to Class-A Tampa, to Trenton, where he pitched 15 innings, so it would make sense for him to get a full season at Trenton.

Brad Holt (New York Mets, Binghamton Mets) - Holt gets a mention, as he was originally on the Rising Stars roster, but has been removed from availability.

Holt's regular season journey with the Binghamton Mets is worth noting, however. The righty started 2010 with a visit to the DL due to a wrist injury. After coming back he needed to get fastball command back, and struggled with his off-speed stuff.

Getting a feel for his curve ball and changeup took some time. But by the end of May, in a start against Trenton, his changeup had improved considerably. He said he didn't feel it was as sharp as it was out of Spring Training, but it was close.

HIs punch-out pitch is his curveball, so getting that back to full effectiveness was extremely important. Holt's got the stuff to be a possible 2-3 guy in the rotation, but he could also be moved to the bullpen.

Holt finished the season on a rough note, with a 10.20 ERA in 30 innings of work. While a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo would be highly possible later in 2011, look for Holt to start the season with Binghamton to try and get on the right footing.