Heels On The Field: A Baseball Blog

Susan Slusser Elected First Female President of BBWAA Exciting News, But Dampered By Reality

In a story that ran last week, espnW and New York Jets reporter Jane McManus addressed the MLB Dress Code and how it pertains to women in the baseball media. And how it does nothing to address issues that remain very much on the table.

More disheartening, was the reaction of newly appointed BBWAA President Susan Slusser, who took part in the committee that created the policy. There was clear resistance to admit sexual harrassment is more of an issue than what women wear to cover baseball. Her general attitude as relayed to me was that the story likely only makes things worse, not better for women.

I don't know how speaking out on continuing harrassment from colleagues and players with often crude displays of disrespect would make things harder for women. If a woman is being subjected to that kind of behavior she should feel that she has a system of support to count on. Particularly women in a position such as she's now in.

The dress code isn't the problem, though many barked at some of the guidelines (don't show your arms!). It's the frustration of dealing with harrassment from players and colleagues on a sometimes daily basis that is somehow deemed acceptable. That many women, including the women that participated in McManus story, that came to me, fearful of reporting athletes or fellow members of the media. Why are they afraid? Because they don't want to lose their jobs. Giving them confidence to report those incidents only happens if they are encouraged not to be afraid.

While the dress code does not pertain to the minor leagues, where I almost exclusively report, it has been adopted by some teams. And I certainly understand that there are things I should never wear to do my job.

But in the big picture, we give baseball players such complete freedom that they believe they can say whatever they want and get away with it. I would love to see MLB and MiLB hand their players a policy that states: You harrass female members of the media, you will not play. Assign responsibility.

Sound drastic? Not at all. In 2010, Trenton Thunder manager Tony Franklin did just that on my behalf after an incident in the clubhouse occurred. He wouldn't allow his players to disrespect me. He has his own code of ethics and consequences I guess. And what a great message to send to young players trying to make it to the big leagues. Tony Franklin let me know that I deserved respect and should demand it. And if anything were to happen, his door was open. Some people in higher positions of authority should take a cue from him.

And for those that wonder if it's harder in the bus leagues for a woman, I would love to tell you the countless stories, some of them my own, of MLB players being verbally and physically disrespectful to women knowing there would be no consequences for them. Do you think that a major league manager is going to bench one of his ten million dollar players because he sexually harrassed a woman? No way. And so those players continue to do whatever they want. Hand THEM a policy. See how they react.

Also, if we're encouraging a more professional environment, I'll repeat what I said when the policy was first announced. Tell our male colleagues they cannot make vulgar comments about women in the press box. Tell all reporters, when in the press box, hey, this is a professional environment. You can't use profanity. Hand THEM a policy. See how they react.

Women in this industry celebrate Susan's achivement.

But we don't celebrate the culture of disrespect that continues to be ignored.

Reds Patrick Doyle Hopes For A Shot To Play Winter Ball And Double-A In 2013

There was a moment of life-altering decision for Patrick Doyle.

It happened on a football field when he was a student at Oakville High School. He was playing in a fall baseball travel league at the same time and his coach gave him an ultimatum. Football or baseball. He had to choose.

He couldn't miss the next few practices, and that's what would happen if he kept hanging around both sports.

Doyle knew without hesitation that baseball was his future. He walked off the field that day and never looked back. His father, however, wasn't on board as quickly.

"He felt football was my best sport. He was upset when I quit," Doyle,24, said Wednesday, a day after his first bullpen session in two months, due to a knee injury.

His decision proved right. In the 24th round of the 2010 MLB Draft the Cincinnatti Reds selected him out of Missouri State University. There were a lot of roads he could have taken. He also played hockey, which he admits was his favorite sport to play early in life.

"But it's really hard to get scholarships to play. Baseball just came more naturally to me. I'd always wanted to play pro baseball."

He began his professional career in 2010 in the Pioneer League, going 4-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 31 innings. In 2011 he level jumped three times, finishing with a career-high 85 innings under his belt.

Although he'd been a starter for as long as he'd played, when the Reds drafted him they switched him to a reliever. But the role of long reliever came fairly easy.

"Because I'd been a starter, I could handle going a few innings. I liked it."

The Reds had other plans and decided to give him a try again in the starting rotation in the second half of the season, but, he said, 'the ERA ballooned. That didn't work out.'

"I think every kid grows up and wants to be that guy out there starting the game. But once I became a reliever, I really established myself in the bullpen."

In May he was called on to make a spot starter in a double-header.
It was a spectacular performance.

He struck out sixteen batters, threw "around fifty pitches", and allowed just one hit in six innings.

"Everything was clicking. The other team was going up there hacking. They were aggressive, but so was I was. And my aggressiveness had them chasing."

It felt meaningful. But he wishes he'd capitalized on that success from there.

"I didn't take advantage of that opportunity as much as I would've liked."

The back-and-forth experiment is one teams have to approach carefully. They know that every inning matters, the clock is ticking on the development clock. Making a mistake with a player could slow their progress. Doyle simply did better in relief. And so the jump back to starting was nixed.

He played all of 2012 with the Bakersfield Blaze, finishing 9-5 with a 5.73 ERA, knowing what he needed to do to be a better reliever heading into spring training, and a new season.

"For me, the issues came in the later months. I was thinking too much, instead of staying with my muscle memory. I needed to throw my sinker more and get ground ball outs, not try to strike everyone out. That's not the kind of pitcher I am."

With the Blaze, who won the first half title, he also got to watch his longtime teammate Billy Hamilton on his way to making minor league history with 155 bases stolen in a single season .

"Billy is one of the most exciting players I've ever played with. Not just with speed, but how he can change a game. He was drafted a year before me and we came up together. It's been fun to watch him develop. To see him go from a switch-hitter to where he is now is incredible. And the plays I've seen him make and the things I've seen him do...it's ridiculous."

With the 2012 season behind him and his healing process going well, he's focused on getting a chance to play winter ball in Venezuela. His agent is working on feeling it out.

"They're going to try to get me there for the second half. I just need to keep healing. I'm hoping I can play there by December. And if spring training goes well, I hope I can start out at Double-A next year."

You can follow Patrick on Twitter @pdo32

Mets Prospect Beck Wheeler Reflects On Brooklyn Cyclones 2012 Season

The transition from the Gulf Coast League in 2011 to the New York Penn League in 2012 is only part of Beck Wheeler's story this season. He did that pretty smoothly, improving as he racked up innings. But 2011 and 2012 were also about the full transition from position player to pitcher.

Though the RHP was drafted as a pitcher by the Mets, he's had to learn how to approach the very different routine of a position guy to a relief pitcher.

He hasn't disappointed. In 28 innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones this year, he struck out 37 and walked just 13. He ended the season with a 5.14 ERA, but that's misleading. His final outing in regular games was a tough one, in which he allowed three earned runs, including a home run. That long ball was just his third all season. In his final ten appearances, he allowed just one walk.

Wheeler, 24, spoke Monday about the end of season and what he knows he has to improve to move to the next level of his career.

"I felt best in the middle and end of the season. In the beginning, I was tight and had an arm issue. I healed it by working with the trainer. By the end of the year, I felt I could play twenty or thirty more games. The problem with my arm was just bicep tendinitis. You're not required to sit out with that. You just have to throw through it and the trainer stretches you out until it gets better."

"Because it's only my second professional season as a pitcher, it's been about working that out. It's just learning what you need to do everyday to be ready."

"I'd always had a good arm, but it's definitely a different mindset being a pitcher."

"I feel like a lot of my success this year was that I wasn't afraid to go after guys. I wasn't afraid to go off-speed in any count or to work both sides of the plate. Using off-speed consistently in any count kept hitters off balance."

"Every winter is different. I'm back at school [NOTE: He graduates this year from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology] and won't do much throwing before Christmas. I'll do some running and work in the weight room. Then after New Year's, I won't throw too much too fast. I feel like I threw too much too early last year and that led to the tendinitis in June. I'm going to take it a bit easier to get ready."

"The number one thing I need to work on is consistency with my fastball. [Cyclones pitching coach] Mark Valdez really stressed that wasn't consistent all the time. I left some balls over the middle of the plate. They told me they were very happy with my off-speed pitches. But my fastball command needs work and that just comes with experience."

About that degree... "I'm getting my degree in sociology and my minor in sports management. After my baseball career, I'd like to be in the front office of a team, an assistant GM or something in that area. My parents really stressed having a plan after my baseball career."

Follow Beck on Twitter at @beck_wheelerr

Blue Jays Ian Kadish Gets Fall League Nod

Wednesday morning Blue Jays pitching prospect Ian Kadish learned that his season will continue. With the news that John Stilson couldn't participate in Arizona Fall League, Kadish was added to the Salt River roster.

Rest? The reliever,24, says he was looking forward to enjoying some after instructional league concluded, but that does not outweigh the rest.

Here's what he had to say Thursday.

When asked if he was happy to get the rest or if the news was welcome: Both. But this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. You never know. It could be a one-time thing. I'm very excited. That was a great way to start the day yesterday.

How he heard: Our assistant coordinator called me in and I thought it was just to check in and catch up. But then he told me that there was an opportunity for me to continue playing. He asked if I would be interested and I said absolutely. They said they thought it would be great for me and that I deserved it.

What he'll work on: Tightening up my slider. Not just as an out-pitch, but throwing strikes with it. I'm going to continue to refine it. That way next year I'll be able to throw it a lot more consistently.

When asked about differences between levels [he pitched in Low-A & High-A ball]: The biggest difference is that the hitters know the zone better. They don't chase as much in their at-bats. So instead of nibbling at the corners, I needed to attack them more and not try to be so perfect and so fine. I [learned} to let them hit my pitch.

Kadish pitched for the Class-A Vancouver Canadians and Low-A Lansing Lugnuts, going 2-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings this season. He finished the season with 57 strikeouts, with just one home run surrendered.

You can follow Ian on Twitter @TheBearJew_36

Checking In With Mets Prospect Brandon Nimmo

With instructional league behind him, Brandon Nimmo looks forward to resting after a heavy workload in the regular season.

Nimmo,19, played in 69 games for the New York Penn League Brooklyn Cyclones, a schedule he wasn't accustomed to. The outfielder struggled with consistency throughout the season, but he also showed off a number of his skills.

He finished the season hitting .248, with 66 hits, 40 RBI, and 46 walks in 266 at-bats. But he also struck out 78 times. The Cyclones were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. And although Nimmo had his struggles at the plate, he said his comfort level improved even if the results didn't show it at the end of the season.

Here's what he had to say when instructs concluded.

On how he felt at the end of regular season play: Yeah, toward the end I was tired. Those last two weeks, there were four days I felt it. That was affecting me mentally and my ability to play. But I also hit the ball well. I just kept hitting it right at guys. I was making good contact. Statistically it looks worse than how I felt.

On instructional league time: I felt pretty good going into it. Those five days off after the season ended really got my body back under me. I was there three weeks and we worked on the small things. My swing was pretty good. I recovered my legs and was using them a lot better. The main thing was I got more at-bats and more experience. I shortened up my arm in the field. I had a little hitch back there and we worked on eliminating that. I asked questions. And really just got those three extra weeks of experience.

On the winter & off-season program: I'm really going to make sure and take plenty of time off. I'm going to rest and just go hunting. After a few weeks, I'll get back in the weight room.

Here's what he said he'll be working on:

Agility. "My first-step quickness is huge. I'm fast once I get those long legs of mine going. But I need to improve that for base-running and making plays."

Stealing. "That's something we've worked on and I want to get better at. I'm more comfortable with that now."

Swing. "I feel good about my swing, but I need to make sure I'm not getting lazy and that I'm really using my legs."

Fielding. "I'm definitely going to make sure I'm seeing as many balls as I can to get better out there."

Read more with Brandon Nimmo here:

Looking To The Light Of Faith -http://www.highheelsonthefield.net/my_weblog/2012/08/brandon-nimmo-at-the-plate-looking-to-the-light-of-faith.html

Plus, Gotham Baseball Magazine coverage: http://www.gothambaseball.com/2012/07/looking-for-nimmo/

You can also follow Brandon on Twitter @You_Found_Nimmo

New York Penn League: Who Will Return In 2013?

Some players proved quick to adapt at the professional level, some were repeats that needed more Class-A short-season playing time. Come next year, there will be new draft picks assigned to New York Penn. Who needs a second run in New York Penn?
And who showed they can take it to the next level and (hopefully) not look back?

There were a few glaring numbers & performances that made the repeats harder to narrow. So that list is shorter.

As I'm sure you know, these are just guesses based on observation all season.

No-Return:

*Saxon Butler, 1B/DH, Staten Island Yankees- Power, patience, plate-discipline, and presence. At the plate he was constantly composed and adjusted with each at-bat, sometimes within the at-bat, which led to a league leading 10 home runs & a promotion to Class-A Charleston. If he continues at that pace, look for Butler to see Double-A pitching as early as 2014.

*Taylor Guerrieri, Hudson Valley Renegades, Tampa Rays- Like a diamond in the rough. The RHP shined after some cleaning up and gave one of the most outstanding pitching performances of the NYPL Championship Series. He didn't lead the league in any category, but he pitched when it counted. His maturity on the mound and ability to slow the game down became more evident with each outing. He finished the season going 1-2 with a 1.07 ERA. Give him the ball a level higher and let him fire it up. When he channels that endless energy of his, he's hard to beat.

*Luis Mateo, RHP, Brooklyn Cyclones, New York Mets- What he sometimes lacked in control, he made up for with his ability to bounce back after tough moments. He allowed contact, but rarely allowed it to hurt him or his team. His league-leading 80 strikeouts wasn't all that impressed. In 73.1 innings he gave up just 9 walks and 2 home runs. Minimal damage and an ability to command all his pitches earns him a shot at the next level.

*Jeff Ames, RHP, Hudson Valley Renegades - Ames led the Renegades pitching staff in every category, striking out 70 batters. And, count it, allowed just one home run. That was over 64 innings in which he took the loss once, finishing the season 6-1. He can struggle with control, leading to 20 walks, but beyond that he made his second year of professional baseball look pretty easy-breezy.

*Jake Depew, Catcher, Hudson Valley Renegades - This might not seem like a strong candidate for a promotion, but he deserves a shot at a more competitive level. He was a consistent driving force on the team, particularly with his pitchers. His relationship with Guerrieri seemed instrumental in the pitcher's impressive growth throughout the season. Depew finished 2012 with three years of pro-ball under his cleats, but his production was down from 2011. Still, his discipline at the plate was noticeable. He was never afraid to wait for his pitch. In turn, he could be a better contact hitter with more playing time to develop his still-raw talent.

Another Tour:

*Brandon Nimmo, Outfielder, Brooklyn Cyclones - He needs to get used to that grueling schedule. Nimmo struck out 78 times (third in the league), but also excelled in a number of key areas. He worked 46 walks (second in the league) and showed his ability to drive in runs with 40 RBI (5th overall). His lopsided results and tendency to free-swing hurt him as the season winded down. Physically he tired, but mentally he often appeared overwhelmed.

*Josh Warner, RHP, Williamsport Crosscutters, Philadelphia Phillies - Warner got hit hard a lot in his team-leading 81 innings of work. He led the league in hits allowed with 86 and got tagged for 38 earned runs. The lack of home runs surrendered, 5, is a promising sign as was his solid performance throughout July. Even a half a season back in short-a could do him good.

*Tyler Greene, SS, Williamsport Crosscutters - His 85 strikeouts were the most in the league, though he showed good contact in a career-high 84 games between the South Atlantic League and New York Penn. It could take another season of short-season to get him physically and mentally prepared for a longer schedule and more competitive league. His 46 hits showed he's on the right track.

Richard Giannotti Reflects On Atlantic League Playoffs, Contemplates Retirement

In 2007, after playing three years of affiliated basebal, Richard Giannotti was pursuing more playing time. He began a new career in independent baseball, signing with the Can-Am League Nashua Pride.

It was 2008 that the outfielder joined the Atlantic League, calling it home playing for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for the next four years.

He's 29 now, and just off an exciting year in which the Blue Crabs fought their way through injuries to earn a spot in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite not advancing, it was a shining moment in his time with the team.

"We were down two in a best-of-five series and we went to the other team's place and came back to tie it. That showed the character and determination of that team," he said.

But it might also be the end of his playing career.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm leaning toward retirement. I'm not sure if it will be outside of baseball, but I have other passions and interests. I want to figure out and pursue those other things. Time away from the game will help me [in making decision]."

He admits that his body is betraying him a bit, the effort he's giving isn't equaling in quite the same results. He's not old. But the pace and physical requirements catch up to athletes quickly. Coaching, while still taking you away from home, is a natural progression.

"I don't rule out coaching or a front office job either," he said.

Giannotti hit .196 this season with 22 RBI and 16 walks in 77 games. He was drafted in 2004 in the 38th round by the Anaheim Angels and played in their system, as well as for the St. Louis Cardinals. He's hit .296 for his career in eight seasons, making his mark as a solid contact guy and fielder.

He attended the University of Miami where he got his business degree. He began the clothing line Bubucheek with two partners, selling women's and men's athletic and active wear.

"I looked at it as an opportunity to gain business experience. I've learned so much about running a business properly. Things that maybe your business classes don't go into as much detail about. Also, we have a long and a short term plan. We dump our revenue back in. I hope next year we can draw a salary on it."

Via his Twitter account @JustMeGee he's been active in spreading the word and garnering interest. They're also looking to attend trade shows and more events to help reach the ultimate goal.

"The long term plan is a store front in a heavy foot-traffic area," he said.

2012 might be his final season as a player, but there were moments that made him proud personally and as a teammate.

"I hit a big home run in a double-header against a division rival. The stadium was packed and it was an exciting night. As a team, clinching the playoffs. It was a culmination of everything we'd overcome."

http://shop.bubucheek.com/