Heels On The Field: A Baseball Blog

Justin Christian Keeps It Going In San Francisco Giants Organization

Justin Christian's journey through baseball is remarkable solely for dedication. Look at the numbers, fine. But look at the fight and the hard work and how giving up never seemed to be an option. Some guys don't have that in them. Christian does.

His eight-year career has taken him through the Orioles and Yankees system, as well as the independent leagues.

The winding road from affiliated ball to indy league doesn't always lead back to an affiliated team again. It can be a kind of drop-off, when baseball really is just a job and the promise of more gets less likely. At 31, the outfielder defies all odds.

"He's a coach's dream," said Christian's Richmond Flying Squirrels hitting coach Ken Joyce. "First of all he has an idea of how to hit. Which is always good. The fact is he'll take constructive criticism the right way. He does't get offended. He's always asking questions after every at-bat, he's in the dugout in your ear asking what you see. He's just a guy who really has a feel for hitting. That's what got him to the big leagues and that's what will get him back."

In 2008 Christian played in 28 games with the New York Yankees, hitting .250 with six RBI.  He was non-tendered at the end of the season. The Baltimore Orioles picked him up and signing him to a minor league deal in 2009, but the Yankees came calling again and signed him out of the Atlantic League in 2010. He played for the Double-A Trenton Thunder and Triple-A Scranton Yankees for a combined .289 average to end the season. In 87 games for Trenton he collected 102 hits, 51 RBI, and drew 40 walks.

All of the experiences matter. They give confidence to the players around him and to the coaches that put him in the lineup. Christian understands what he means to the people around him.

"I'm not a guy who's all that vocal, but I will talk to the younger guys if I see something. But trying to lead by example you have to go out there and perform at a high level to lead your team. So it's frustrating for me because being a veteran guy, you want to go out there and play well. There's a lot of pressure to play well, especially with a new team. So for me it's just a matter of trying to relax and play the way I normally play and let my skills show for themselves."

He's started off 2011 hitting .250 in thirteen games.

"I normally don't start off too great to begin the season. I work on a lot of things with my mechanics and get the feel, to be able to get a chance later on in the season. I just try and get in position to help in any way I can. At the beginning of the season, yeah, you're not feeling too great. It's just a situation where I'm working on things and trying to get my body healthy."

Spring training was a different experience for the versatile player. He came into it having played 85 games in the Mexixan Pacific League where he hit .365 and was named Mexican League MVP. He believes playing in the winter made an impact.

"This was the first spring training I really felt good and I hit well. Normally in spring training I get in there and I haven't seen live pitching in awhile so that's difficult. This year I got accustomed to live pitching a lot sooner because I'd played in so many games. I didn't have much downtime so that was a little bit easier for me. So what happens is that you start the season feeling you're already game-ready." 

But the early struggles are a reminder he has to still get going.

"The hitter I am now isn't the hitter I'm going to be in a month. Everything always changes. So you just try to go out there and have a game plan and work that plan."

Joyce knows that Christian is a player that will figure out whatever he needs to in order to be successful as the season progresses.

"He's learned how to coach himself, which is basically what our job is. Our job is that by the time they leave us they should understand how it feels to do it right, so when they get to the next level, if they're going bad, they can make the adjustment. He's one of those guys that's been able to do that his whole career."

Facing his old team brings nothing but positive feelings. And dedicated minor league fans remember.

"Being back here is always special. It's the first time I've played against the Thunder. The fans have been very welcoming, [and so have] the staff and Tony [Franklin, Thunder manager]. And you always wonder how they're going to pitch you."

The Giants have awarded Christian's tireless efforts with a new opportunity and he's focused on making the most of it.

"The main thing I want to improve on is just getting consistent at-bats. I don't mind not getting a hit, obviously I love getting hits. But putting together quality at-bats to get back to the major leagues is all I'm trying to do."

Christian has a lot of people in his corner. He keeps going, because that's what he's always done.

Pitching Focus: Kevin Millwood At Trenton

Kevin Millwood made quite an impression in his short time at Trenton. Manager Tony Franklin spoke about the former major leaguer trying to get back to the bigs. Millwood, who the Yankees signed to a minor league deal, has now been promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Here are Franklin's quotes:

"Millwood was great here.  He did a great job. He talked with guys about pitching. That kind of stuff is invaluable."

"Everybody thinks you have to throw hard to be effecitve. I said to Tommy [Phelps, Thunder pitching coach], 'I bet he didn't throw a pitch over 92-93.' He said, 'No, he didn't.' But you know what? He pitches so effectively. And I hope the young guys were watching that. Here's a guy who reads swings extremely well. He can take a ball and elevate the pitch above the hands a little bit and get outs. He makes an effective pitch to get an out and that's what I really liked about him."

Millwood is scheduled to pitch for Scranton on the 22nd.

Offensive Focus: Yankees Prospect Corban Joseph

The Trenton Thunder are exhibiting patience at the plate and Corban Joseph is in the mix.

His offensive numbers are an indication he's getting better at what he needs to do. With six walks in nine games, the second baseman is laying off certain pitches and getting on base.

"I'm just trying to get a few quality at-bats under my belt. During spring training I felt alright. I didn't feel that good. I'm trying to feel a little bit better day by day," Joseph said.

Between Class-A Tampa and Trenton he hit .383 with 65 runs batted in. But he suffered a wrist injury late in the season that led to surgery, and missing playing time in the Arizona Fall League. Despite the setback he ranked 20th in Baseball America's list of top Yankees prospects. The injury is now in his rearview.

"I'm a hundred percent ready to go."

This spring training was important in Joseph's development, purely to see how he'd come back from the injury. Hitting well mattered, but making sure he could play everyday mattered more.

"My focus was getting back to a hundred percent with my wrist. it was iritating me a little bit at the very start just from taking very few swings to taking an overload."

Julius Matos, the new hitting coach for the Thunder, worked with Joseph in Tampa last year. Their relationship is a comfortable one and he's helped Joseph improve his approach.

"We've really worked on being stable. Balancing throughout the swing and getting in a good strong position to hit."

Back to the walks. 2010 was not a successful one in that regard for Joseph and he understands the importance of being good at it.

(Thunder manager Tony Franklin spoke about his team's 32 walks this season, saying, "They tell me they have to learn how to hit the 3-2 curveball and I told them, 'No you don't. You need to learn how to not swing at the 3-2 curveball.' ")

"My walk to strike ratio wasn't as good as I wanted it to be and that was something that stood out to me. Walks are plusses. You're getting on base for guys like [Austin] Romine or anyone else to drive you in. Being on base is what helps you win ballgames. We're working on being selective...waiting for that one pitch you can drive and, if not, take your walk and let the person behind you drive you in."

Joseph is particularly good at making adjustments and is able to hit to all fields, something he's actually trying to get better at.

"It's always something you can get better at. With the flight of the ball - a lot of times if I'm hitting the ball to left field and it's flairing a little bit, of course I want to reinforce my angle to really get that backspin line drive. We work on that every day. Not necessarily picking up on hitting right to one location, but really saying if I have an approach where I'm looking to drive a ball to left field on a pitch middle, I'm still going to drive it up the middle or drive it to center, but it's really about working on approach."

Joseph has a set plan for the 2011 season and it isn't reaching a number.

"Being smarter [is my goal]. Not necessarily being a better defender or offensive leader, but just knowing the game at a higher level. That's what I think I'm struggling with right now. You can hit the ground ball or hit it off the T, but you really have to bear down and learn how to be smarter than anyone else you're facing."

 

Kevin Millwood Makes His Pitch For The Trenton Thunder

It was surreal and enjoyable. Former major league pitcher Kevin Millwood took the mound for the New York Yankees Double-A club the Trenton Thunder and dominated for seven innings.

He one-hit the Harrisburg Senators, despite his decreased velocity. He had the stuff to keep them off balance and controlled his fastball enough to get it by less experienced hitters.

Millwood's final line: 7.0, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 3 SO

"I feel like I'm getting closer to where I need to be. Aside from the walks, I felt I threw the ball really well."

On Thunder catcher Austin Romine: “I thought he worked well back there. He moves well, blocked the ball. He got a good idea of what I was trying to do.”

On the almost Double-A No-Hitter: "I saw it. I wasn't thinking about it too much. It was cool for awhile. It would have been fun."

"I got my pitch count up for seven innings. It's not just about pitch count, but going back inning after inning. I think it went about as well as it could have."

"It's a step in the right direction throwing to guys who are too old to be my kids."

 

Yankees Catching Prospect Austin Romine

Here are excerpts of my interview with Trenton Thunder catcher Austin Romine. You can read the rest at PinstripesPlus.com [premium]

For all the attention paid to him, no matter how pressured-filled his situation is, Romine remains disciplined, focused, fearless, and confident.

“It's definitely not a distraction. I have to play somewhere. Whether it's Double-A, Triple-A or the majors. And another thing they told me is we can take you from Double-A. [Yankees manager Joe] Girardi was, [Francisco] Cervelli was taken from Double-A last year. So going up there and proving I could catch big league pitchers was important.

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Romine, 22, has begun 2011 on a strong note. There is a noticeable difference in his patience at the plate and it shows in the numbers as well. He's drawn six walks in eight games.

 “He found out, as all guys find out, that as you go up there are less and less at-bats you can waste and still be good,” said Thunder hitting coach Julius Matos. “His goal is to not waste any at-bats day in and day out.

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As for the walks, Romine cuts to the chase.

“I think the anxiousness is gone. I learned my lesson lasts year,” he said.

 

Nationals Pitching Prospect Ryan Tatusko Maximizes His Potential

Ryan Tatusko is starting off 2011 right where he's most comfortable.

As a starting pitcher for the Harrisburg Senators he's doing what he always felt came most naturally.

"For my entire career I considered myself a starting pitcher. In the back of my mind even coming out of the bullpen, I treated it like was my first inning," Tatusko said before the Senators faced the Trenton Thunder in the Thunder's home opener. "I think that was one of the things that helped me transition and feel more at ease. Me personally I love having a set plan of what I need to do in order to get ready for an outing. So knowing I'm going to be starting every fifth day really helps me get my game plan. So I find it a lot easier to prepare."

The twenty-six year old righty is hoping to capitalize on 2010's excellent results in Harrisburg in which he went 3-1 and finished with a 1.72 ERA.  In his first start for the Senators he was able to immediately put his finger on the problem afterward. In four innings he allowed four runs on two hits. He also walked four.

"Being out there the first time the game sped up on me especially when I got in trouble, so the big thing is slowing the game down. They're gonna get their hits, but not let that snowball on me. I let things progress too fast and didn't step off the mound to gather myself. I think if I do that I'll have much better success.

Senators manager Tony Sanchez has limited experience seeing Tatusko, but agrees with the pitcher's self-assessment.

"He's thrown the ball since we've seen him in spring training. We'd like to see him stay more in control of himself and slow down his tempo. Sometimes he speeds things up a litle bit."

Tatusko throws an excellent four-seam fastball and is unafriad to attack the strike zone in hitter's counts. But it's his breaking stuff that's been particularly strong out of the gate.

"It was my secondary pitches that really carried me through the game. I was having trouble locating and that had to do with rushing. And when you're thinking about where you're going to place the ball, you're not going to hit your spots. And if you do it could be at less velocity than what you're used to throwing. I was really impressed with the way I was able to throw my secundary stuff and that helped me minimize the damage."

This off-season was an important one as he approached being a full-time starter.

"This year being thrown in the rotation right from the get-go I really wanted to focus on my conditiong and make sure I was ready to go 140-150 innings and make thirty starts."

Randy Tomlin spent the second half of 2010 with Tatusko after the Texas Rangers traded him. He's seen how Tatusko responded to the Nationals approach once the regular season ended.

"The off-season program the Nationals have for him is good and gets him stronger. It helps him with endurances and getting the reps he needs for the number of pitches he throws," said Tomlin.

The changeup is a pitch Tomlin feels Tatusko is improving at a good pace. The tendency for pitchers to squeeze the ball is something they've worked on.

"He's come along real well with it. When we first got here he wasn't very confident in throwing it. We worked to try and get a comfortable grip for him, one that he is confident with. And then going out in the games and trusting the grip."

Sanchez agrees and also sees a need for the pitcher to keep the fastball low to be effective with his heater.

"His breaking pitches have been good. His secondary pitches were good and he located them, keeping them down in the zone. He was having problems getting his fastball down early in the game. He was antsy, but he calmed down in the last two innings [of his first start of the season]."

Tatusko has the stuff, it's just a matter of being smart about it.

"All three pitches he has are quality pitches. [He just needs to get better at] commanding his pitches and maximizing his pitch count, throwing strikes early in the count and locataing his fastball a little more efficiently," Sanchez said.

 

 

Harry Kalas: Phillies Angel Gets His Wings

Originally published April 13th 2009

Harry Kalas was Philadelphia.

No one who ever wore the uniform was more of a Phillie than Harry Kalas. He loved the city, the fans, and the team, no matter what.

Harry was proud of Phillies fans, even when they didn't have reason to feel so proud of their team. He believed. Tug said they had to and Harry did. Always.

What will this city be without it's greatest fan, it's true champion? What will the Phillies be without their tenth man?

Harry Kalas is lost to the Phillies today, but his spirit moves and lives and breathes through the team and baseball forever. His family loses their father, their husband, their grandfather. Phillies faithful lose their fan club president.

What he contributed to broadcasting cannot be measured. He understood the quality of a good baseball broadcast, the pace, the sound, how to communicate important parts of a game. He didn't have to say much to say everything. In his simplicity he created lasting memories.

To steal a line:

Harry Kalas, YOU WERE THE MAN.

Pitching Focus: Washington Nationals Erik Arnesen

Nationals RHP Erik Arnesen, who will start 2011 at Double-A Harrisburg (where he spent part of 2010), talked about what he's working on and how he fared this spring. Here's a breakdown.

Of his slider and splitter, he said, "[They are both] moving great."

He also talked about his changeup, a pitch he previously scrapped. He's worked it back into his repertoire. 

"I started throwing a change up again last year and worked on it a lot while I played winter ball in Puerto RIco. I'm feeling more and more confident in it and am excited about using it this season, but it is what I need to work on the most."

"My arm is feeling good and I'm feeling cofident in all my pitches," he said.

On a personal note, Erik and his wife Heidi became first time parents to son Arik Stone Arnesen on March 29th.

"Heidi called while I was on the field getting ready for a game. I booked it to the airport and made it with time to spare before he was born."

Phillies Pitcher Scott Mathieson Loves His Team, But Pursues Ultimate Dream

Originally ran on April 3rd

On the day his old friend Kyle Drabek notched his first major league win with the Toronto Blue Jays, Scott Mathieson was driving home and preparing to start 2011 for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

Going back to the minors was not welcome news for the 27-year-old pitcher and he publicly voiced his dismay saying that if the Phillies didn't see a need for him, he'd like to go to another team.

"The Phillies have given me every opportunity," he said. "People got really mad that I said I wanted to be in the big leagues, but that's the truth. I do."

No one can fault him for telling his true feelings, especially knowing how hard he's fought to get there. But people aren't always comfortable with players showing that side of it. The uniform matters, but so does the player wearing it. Mathieson is shooting for the best opportunity to be a major league pitcher.

His spring performance wasn't as strong as he'd hoped. He finished Grapefruit League action with a 2.00 ERA, giving up 2 runs on 9 hits in 9 innings of work. He walked six,  but that's not bothering him.

"My control wasn't where I wanted it to be. I typically never walk a lot of people, though, so I'm not too worried about it."

In 2010 he went 3-6 with a 2.80 ERA for Lehigh. He logged 64 innings of work, the most in one season since 2006. He made his major league debut that year, but an elbow injury forced him to have to undergo Tommy John surgery, the first of two. He didn't pitch in 2008.

Finally, he returned to pitch for the GCL Phillies in 2009 and finished there with a 1.40 ERA. He pitched just 32 innings, but it was a promising start. Or re-start.

Mathieson throws a 96-98 fastball, a slider, and a decent changeup. He spent the winter working on a splitter to add to his repertoire. There were some adjustments to his approach when he began throwing ten days before Christmas, which was earlier than usual for him.

"I threw the split-finger in long toss more. I changed my program some by adding circuit training. Which was to help me be a better reliever. It's not about going a distance now as a pitcher."

Through all the injuries and surgeries, he had the brotherhood to lean on. He kept himself going with support from Drabek and fellow reliever Mike Zagurski.

"We stuck together and really helped each other. We did activities outside of baseball. Having them helped a lot."

But the emotionally dark times came. The recovery process is long and complex with no guarantees a player will be the same after all the work is done.

"When you're rehabbing you learn to hate the game."

HIs relationship with the Phillies hasn't changed. HIs respect for the organization is based on how they've helped guide him along, always putting their faith in him.

"When they first drafted me in 2002, I didn't know a lot about them having grown up on the west coast. Now it's where I want to be. I truly love this game and if I worked at 7-11 I'd join a men's league. I'm frustrated. But I have to go back to Triple-A and get outs and do my job."