After a highly impressive first season in pro ball with the Brooklyn Cyclones, second baseman LJ Mazzilli is continuing the process in instructional league.
Mazzilli's season was both a success and a difficult learning experience. Near the end, he wasn't feeling like he was at his strongest. The Cyclones missed a playoffs spot, despite an excellent run down the stretch. But those negatives don't sum up the entire season. They're only a part of a larger story: Mazzilli showed he belonged. He proved that the attention paid to his being the son of former major leaguer (and Met) Lee, was also just a part of his story. What shined was his ability to learn and grow, to play consistently, and carry himself in a way that belied his lack of professional experience.
He admits, however, that there was a point when he needed to rest.
"When we didn't make the playoffs...it was kind of a refreshing breather," he said from St. Lucie, Florida, where he arrived just a few days ago. "I was tired at the end, both mentally and physically. I needed that between the season and instructs to take a break and reflect."
The Mets 2013 4th round pick (out of the University of Connecticut) in the June MLB Draft finished the season as one of the top hitting players in the league. His 76 hits were 5th in the New York Penn League, leading the Cyclones with the best overall average (.278) and games played (70). He hit his stride in July, getting 38 hits, 9 doubles, with a .736 OPS.
"I didn't finish the way I wanted to. It all started to get to me at the end."
The playoffs run was a mix of fits and starts for the team as a unit. There were injuries to key players (Jared King, John Mincone), and starting pitching that was hot and cold. But the point of that level is to work through and push through when everything is tough.
As an individual, Mazzilli learned what he needed to do to be successful, even when it was going wrong or just wasn't easy.
"Having a good consistent daily routine. I learned that. Confidence-wise, I felt I belonged. I was among some of the better hitters in the league, and sometimes I gave pitchers too much credit. I'd think they'll blow it by me, or something. But you have to have self-confidence in the box. Believe in yourself. Having confidence there makes a huge difference."
He describes his instructs plan as fairly general, with an emphasis on pretty much everything.
"It's the total package: swing, swing path, defense, the mental side. We have meetings every morning."
Short season is the woodshop, where all the pieces are in their rawest form. The building process is dusty and dirty and lots of labor and hitting the nail in the wrong spot. The mistakes and work can hurt. But Mazzilli understood that, as any good player will. He knew what he needed to take from shop class.
"It's just learning how to play everyday. Learning how to get the best out of yourself, whether you feel good or not. I learned I had to be at my best everyday, and that meant seven or eight days a week, if it meant we had to make up a rained out game [in a double-header]. You have to learn how to stay positive when things aren't going well and stay that way when they are."
His consistency was crucial to the Cyclones success, regardless of whatever he was feeling. His at-bats, even when not productive, were smart. He exhibited a solid approach throughout the season. He was also able to get that base hit when it was needed, or make plays that were routine and not so routine.
Coming through at the plate, he said, comes down to two key factors. They were his lessons learned.
"Work ethic and confidence is key to being consistent."
You can follow LJ Mazzilli on Twitter @LJMazz24
Via personal sources, here's what major league scouts have to say about several players; other than Stanek, they all made their New York Penn League debuts. How did they measure up? And what's possible for them in the future?
I've added a few of my own thoughts, as well as linked my FanGraphs reports on two of the players mentioned here.
Conrad Gregor: He's 'all about the bat', said the source. He finished the 2013 season with 78 hits (3rd in league), 35 RBI, 37 walks, and 104 total bases for the Tri-City ValleyCats. He struck out 43 times, and kept his average up, finishing August hitting .324. Gregor established himself as a productive middle of the order left-handed bat, remaining consistent down the stretch into the playoffs. His progress through the Houston Astros system, and 'how big a prospect he is will depend on how much power he develops.' Gregor's value is mostly in continuing to have consistent at-bats. "It's his ability to hit that will allow him to move up the ladder." {FanGraphs report: http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/astros-conrad-gregor-chases-playoffs-in-first-pro-season/
LJ Mazzilli - The Mets fourth round pick this year, Mazzilli spent his debut professional season in Short-Season Class-A with the Brooklyn Cyclones and showed few signs of trouble in adjusting. He finished 5th in the league in hits (70), hitting .278 through 70 games with 34 RBI, going .329/.381./.710. '[He was] a good senior sign.' The right-handed second baseman has 'decent speed', with a 'chance to be offensive minded second baseman.' Pedigree could be a factor in how he's adapted. The son of former major leaguer Lee Mazzilli, he grew up with the kind of firsthand baseball education scouts and teams like. 'He knows how to play the game, as sons of big leaguers often do.' [FanGraphs report http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/lj-mazzilli-adapting-quickly-to-pros/]
RHP Ryne Stanek: 2013 Tampa Rays first rounder (29th overall), Stanek has a 'great arm'. The uncertainty about him was mentioned, due to the 'medical report', which is 'why he dropped' Should all else fail, he has 'closer stuff.'
LHP Chris Kirsch: Similar to Stanek, Kirsch could be moved to the bullpen in time. The Rays 2013 fourteenth rounder drafted down, remains 'under the radar'; at this point he 'maybe has some projection left.' The 'summer follow/sign' has a 'good arm.' According to the source, Kirsch has to improve his secondary offerings. 'The breaking ball has a chance to be a K pitch for him.' The Rays plan is apparently to continue to try and develop him as a starter, but he 'still has a chance as a reliever, if not.' [Editorial Note: Kirsch pitched for the Hudson Valley Renegades, working through uneven outings, and showed improvement in the second half. In a July start, he struggled with command, but has good downward plane and a lively fastball. Still a lot of questions, but solid progress toward the end.]
As a closer at Northwood University (Texas), Colton Reavis came into the game when it was all on the line, and he was highly successful at it.
But when the Tampa Rays drafted him this past June (30th round), he was given a new direction. The Rays gave word that they wanted him to pitch in more of a long relief role for the Hudson Valley Renegades, of the Class-A (short season) New York Penn League.
So, it's safe to say he was used to pitching a lot less innings in college?
"Yes, absolutely," he said by phone from Tampa, Florida. "I pitched more innings this summer than my whole college years combined. But I like it. I've adapted and it's fun."
Coming out of the Hudson Valley bullpen, he pitched 34.1 innings for Hudson Valley, ending August with a 1.93 ERA over eighteen innings, striking out seventeen. He allowed just eight earned runs the entire season.
He finished his senior year at Northwood with a 2.73 ERA and eleven saves, while striking out thirty two, and allowing just sixteen walks in thirty three innings of work.
It's been a non-stop road through baseball for Reavis, a 2008 Paris Texas High School graduate, the past few years. He played a full fall schedule, then a full spring in college, with a few days off, before playing the summer with the Renegades. The 'Gades came close to making the playoffs, but Aberdeen won the divisional title to advance. It still wasn't time to rest. Reavis is now in Tampa participating in Instructional League.
"The plan for each of us is specific. Mine was to pitch out of the stretch," he said.
"Instructs" runs until October 5th, and Reavis will return home and look ahead to spring and the regular season. Whether he returns to Hudson Valley won't be known for some time, but that's not his focus.
"Well, first off, I've got to get in better shape. I want to come back prepared to pitch more innings. I think they want me closer to around a hundred innings next season. And I've never done that in my life. So I need to be ready to do that on a consistent basis."
Instructs runs on a different schedule, so players are being challenged in another way.
"During the season, we're getting up at ten or eleven. Here, we're done by one, so we're getting up at six in the morning, and we're at the field by seven," he said.
The experience of his first season in pro ball wasn't overly difficult in terms of adjusting. Nothing out of the ordinary. But Reavis personality took more time to adjust.
"I'm not the most outgoing guy. So once I got used to the team, I pitched better. I just had to hit my stride."
He was also learning to pitch a little differently in the new role. As closers do, he relied on his fastball. Some things changed and his repertoire expanded.
"As a college closer, I had more velocity than I do now. I can still get my fastball by guys, I just have to not go as full force as I was. I have to tone it down some, and I learned how to do that. I threw my slider before just to show I had it, but it wasn't very good. So I've had to develop that pitch, as well as work on my changeup and get the grip right. And now it's probably my second best pitch."
However the Rays decided to develop Reavis, he's approaching the future dedicated to doing more if that's what they want. If they want him to take the ball late in the game for a few innings, then so be it.
"I need to be ready to do that on a consistent basis."
You can follow Colton Reavis on Twitter @ColtonReavis22
By the end of short-season A-ball with the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2012, Brandon Nimmo was tired.
Sure, most guys are, but it wasn't just the physical aspect. He had a lot to get used to, coming straight into the force of nature that is the New York media, and being in the city environment. The Wyoming native had to adjust his body and his mind to many situations that he wasn't quite ready for. That took it's toll on the then eighteen-year-old.
"It was less taxing this year" Nimmo said by phone from his Wyoming home. "Going into Brooklyn, and the media, and just the culture change, it took a while. It's a different life. But I also did things more on my own this year, as far as things I needed to take care of at the ballpark."
His growth led to a solidly successful season in Class-A Savannah. He played 110 games for the Sand Gnats (after playing 69 for Brooklyn), finishing with 108 hits, 40 RBI, 70 walks, and sixteen doubles for the Sand Gnats. He finished August hitting .324, with a .472 OBP, and .412 SLG percentage, leading into a South Atlantic Championship win in four games over the Hagerstown Suns (Nationals).
The Mets 2011 first round selection (thirteenth overall) entered this season ranked 4th in the system by MLB.com. After his professional debut, he went home and devoted himself to losing weight. He came to camp leaner. Stronger. His body and mind felt different as the regular season began.
"Yeah, I worked on toning up and reducing fat. Going into the season I was better prepared physically. I definitely carried my body more."
Mentally he was tougher as well, and he needed to be. 2013 marked the first time he'd dealt with injuries (hand). That challenge and others were new adjustments. He was learning how to more quickly adapt to those challenges.
"This year was about dealing with nagging injuries, pain, bus rides, and maintaining my weight when I'm eating at midnight and going right to bed."
His approach at the plate was improved, as was his ability at his position. The center fielder says his comfort in the outfield increased with better footwork and reads on balls.
"I covered more ground. And with faster feet, I'm not having to think."
At the plate, it is simple and complicated. Thinking a lot there is not helpful either. He was able to slow the game down and not put added pressure on himself.
"I simplified. It's simplifying to just react. I saw more pitches, as I did last year, and learned with every at-bat."
You can follow Brandon Nimmo on Twitter @You_Found_Nimmo.
Albany, New York- Earlier this week, two of the best players in short season Class-A ball helped their teams land in the playoffs.
First basemen Trey Mancini and Conrad Gregor, both named two of HHOTF Best Players of the Year http://www.highheelsonthefield.net/my_weblog/2013/09/2013-new-york-penn-league-awards.html, spent their first professional season working through mental aspects of their game, aspects that, they say, once fully understood and put to good use, made all the difference.
Mancini, who led the BIG EAST for Notre Dame in hitting (.389), finished the season with the Aberdeen Iron Birds hitting .328 (2nd overall), with 84 hits (2nd overall), eighteen doubles, and 115 total bases. Gregor, a Vanderbilt product, was right behind Mancini at third with 78 hits, and finished second in walks with 37 for the Tri-City Valley Cats.
These results aren't surprising, they were high round picks (Gregor was selected by the Astros in the 4th round, Mancini by the Orioles in the 8th round), so the talent and projections were there. But once players hit the dirt for real, it can be an eye-opening experience. They aren't the best anymore. And it becomes a job. Both players picked up the bat with an emotional drive, a sense that they had something more in them.
"I came in with a chip on my shoulder," Mancini said. "A lot of people seemed to think because I didn't play in the Cape [Cape Cod Summer League] that that would hurt me, that it was the end of the world. I didn't see it that way."
When he talks about the chip on his shoulder, his jaw tenses, and there's fire in his eyes. His voice gets a little tougher. He heard the reports that maybe the shoulder problem, which bothered him every time he check-swung and he'd feel a pop, and then being forced to sit out of the summer league experience would affect his draft slot.
"I knew if I worked hard, everything would take care of itself."
Gregor knows about re-focusing. His was fueled less by anger, but it was still a profound experience: he was changing the kind of player he'd been in college.
"With my swing being more aggressive early in the count, I've learned how to drive the ball," he said.
The education was a process of working on situational hitting, hitting in different counts, getting a timely hit. That, he says, helped him be even more confident, and, overall confident as a team.
"We're under a microscope, but the players dictate their performance. It sounds cliche, but pitching and defense got us here, and what we learned about hitting was also very important."On Saturday, Aberdeen lost the best of three, and the Tri-City Valley Cats advanced for the second year in a row to the Penn League Championship.
Preview: Jamestown and State College faced each other several times to close out the season, and their battle continues into the playoffs. State College has been a solid club, top to bottom, all season. They also clinched their division long before the other teams. Their pitchers collectively finished with the league's lowest ERA (2.60) and were also third in saves (23). Jamestown finished with the fourth lowest WHIP (1.22). State College finished with the best record, going 48-27, while Jamestown was third, at 43-32.
These are two teams that have hit for average, and they're evenly matched: State College led the league hitting .275, while Jamestown hit .270. Ditto the OBP: State College finished with a league leading .345 percentage, Jamestown .338.
David Washington led the league in walks and this blog's Player of the Year Steven Ramos. Ramos had the league's best average (.341) and the most hits (86), while Washington had forty walks. Jimmy Bosco finished with seventy two hits, and led the team in doubles with eighteen.
Harold Ramirez led the Jammers in runs scored (42) and knocked in forty, second only by one to teammate Edwin Espinal.
Jamestown's Brett McKinney, HHOTF choice for Best Reliever, led the league in saves with 10. He didn't allow a run in his final five appearances and allowed just nine walks this year.
Advantage to Advance: This was tough. I'm giving it to State College, though these teams have some equally sharp weapons. I like Washington for creating opportunity, and a solid bullpen arm like McKinney's is highly valuable. Pitching overall is a draw. If Ramos bat stays hot throughout this series, he could be a difference maker.
Follow coverage of both series here, on FanGraphs and on Twitter all weekend, and game coverage from Troy, home of the Tri-City Valley Cats, Saturday and Sunday.
Tri-City @ Aberdeen- Friday- Game 1, Games 2 & 3 @ Tri-City
State College @ Jamestown- Friday- Game 1, Games 2 & 3 @ State College
Stedler Division champion Tri-City Valley Cats and McNamara Division champion Aberdeen Iron Birds face each other.
Pinckney Division champion State College Spikes will take on the the Wild Card winning Jamestown Jammers.
Tri-City-Aberdeen Preview:
Valley Cats vs. Iron Birds: The Cats were second in innings pitched (673) to Hudson Valley and tied with Brooklyn, but were the only team still standing. Their pitchers have not allowed hitters to walk on them, giving up 161 base on balls. That was the league lowest by twenty one. Tri-City was also second in strikeouts (69). Aberdeen hasn't been the victim of the the long ball, having surrendered the least amount of home runs, with just twelve. Both give up the hit, and fell in the middle, side-by-side: Tri City 606, 6th overall; Aberdeen, 600, 7th overall.
On the other end of the strikeout, Tri-City hitters have done that the least overall in the league (482). Aberdeen is 5th with 608. They fall in the middle together again in average with Tri City hitting .246, Aberdeen .241. Aberdeen hasn't fared well in working a walk: they have 204 on the season, 3rd lowest, while Tri-City had the second highest with 248.
At the plate, it will be the battle of the first basemen. The Valley Cats roster includes one of the best players in the league, Conrad Gregor. On the Aberdeen side is one of the other best players in the league, Trey Mancini. (Both were named New York Penn League Players of the Year http://www.highheelsonthefield.net/my_weblog/2013/09/2013-new-york-penn-league-awards.html). Mancini was second in hits (84), Gregor third (78). Both are solid contact hitters. Neither team has a ton of extra base hits, but what they have is guys with advanced talent, good power up the middle, and solid defense.
Also of note, Tri City finished second in saves (25), Aberdeen finished with third lowest (15). Gonzalo Sanudo leads the Cats with eight, and is fourth in the league overall. Donnie Hart has pitched twenty four innings of relief for Aberdeen, walking just seven batters, and striking out twenty six.
Advantage to Advance: Tri-City Valley Cats. The lack of walks allowed, and, on the flip side, the number of walks drawn is impressive, as is the bullpen. Both lineups have equally impressive talent. Tri-City seemed like a sure thing to win it all last year. They look like a sure thing to at least head into the final championship series.
Part Two will preview State College and Jamestown.
Team of the Year: State College Spikes- Across the board, the Spikes were a powerhouse. The offense led the league in hits (288), total bases (980) and slugging percentage (.393). The pitching staff's 2.76 ERA was the lowest in the league. They clinched the Pinckney Division, finishing with the best home record (30-8) and the best record overall (47-26).
2) Hudson Valley Renegades- An attack, full force team. Renegades pitchers were workhorses. They led the league in innings pitched (661), while Julian Ridings true grit (his season ended this week in a gutsy brutal attempt to score a run) and solid defense, and Ariel Soriano's bat led the team in hits (68) and runs scored (35). The pitching staff was primarily new to pro ball, but showed no signs of intimidation or fatigue.
3) Tri-City Valley Cats- Second in strikeouts (594) and the league-lowest WHIP (1.14). Starting pitcher Michael Feliz and outfielder/1B Conrad Gregor were two of the most impressive players in the league.
Player of the Year- Steven Ramos, State College Spikes- Ramos .352 batting average led the league, ditto his eighty six hits. His 110 total bases was the highest of all Spikes players. A consistent high average hitter through July and August, he's a huge reason the Valley Cats won the Pinckney Division.
2) Conrad Gregor, Tri-City ValleyCats - One of the most advanced, natural talents in the Penn League this year. He led the league in at-bats (268) , games played (74). He finished with seventy four hits, thirty seven RBI and thirty five walks.
3) LJ Mazzilli, Brooklyn Cyclones- It was as if no time had passed in the transition between college baseball and the pros. The second baseman, and second generation Met, played like a seasoned veteran: disciplined, aggressive, smart, and loose all at the same time. He was a consistent contributor all season. He topped the Cyclones in at-bats (270, tied for first), games played (69), and hits (76, fourth overall).
4)Trey Mancini, Aberdeen IronBirds- He was second in hits (82), walks (82), and third in average (.332) in the league.
5) Adam Frazier, Jamestown Jammers- He led all shortstops in the league at the plate in batting average (.332, 2nd best in league)and hits (72). He consistently kept his average up: June (.333), July (.354), August (.324). With runners on base, he hit .410 on the season.
Starting Pitcher of the Year- Michael Feliz, Tri-City ValleyCats- Used mostly as a starter, with four relief appearances and nine starts, Feliz 1.96 ERA and 0.96 WHIP were the lowest in the league. He notched seventy eight strikeouts (Tri-City best), allowing just two home runs and walked thirteen in sixty nine innings.
2) Aaron Griffin, Hudson Valley Renegades- Innings eater. He was second on the team in innings pitched (76.2), and allowed just eight walks in twelve starts. His 0.99 WHIP was the third lowest in the league.
3) Miller Diaz, Brooklyn Cyclones- Diaz led the league in strikeouts (82) over sixty two innings.
4) Ryan Newell, Batavia MuckDogs- Newell's 1.01 WHIP was the lowest of all Batavia pitchers and he was 4th in the league in strikeouts (74).
5) Robert Gsellman, Brooklyn Cyclones- He was 2nd to Diaz in ERA (2.06). Over seventy six innings, he only allowed twelve walks. His 1.01 WHIP was the best of all Brooklyn pitchers.
Relief Pitcher of the Year- Zac Reininger, Connecticut Tigers- Insane numbers. He finished the season with a 0.36 ERA, over 25 innings, allowing just four runs on fourteen hits. His ten saves was the league best (tied).
2) Justin Choate, Hudson Valley Renegades- Though he gave up forty five hits, he was tagged for just thirteen earned runs in forty innings pitched. He struck out thirty five, walked just nine, and surrendered the long ball only twice.
3) Jonathan Aro, Lowell Spinners- In fourteen relief appearances, he had forty nine strikeouts, walking twelve through fifty four innings of work.
4) Brett Mckinney, Jamestown Jammers- Tied Reininger in saves, striking out twenty seven, and finished August with a 0.00 ERA over eight appearances, holding opponents to a .107 AVG.
Manager of the Year- Michael Johns, Hudson Valley Renegades- As mentioned, many of the pitchers on his team were new to pro ball and finding the way to use them couldn't have been easy. Managing personalities is a big part of the job, and at that level, you have to exercise a strong mix of discipline and support. Johns led a club that pitched the most innings overall and allowed few free passes (3rd lowest in league). His club fell a couple of games short of making the playoffs, but the run, particularly by infielder Darryl George, and reliever Tyler Gauthier (0 H in 5 appearances), was a strong one. Johns rose to the managerial challenge, and did a brilliant job.
2) Oliver Marmol, State College Spikes- He managed a strong club that flourished under his leadership. In just his second year as a manager, he's the youngest manager in the league, at 26. While playing for the Cardinals, he was viewed as a perfect candidate to move into a coaching/manager position in the organization. His team finished with sparkling success.
3) Rich Donnelly, Brooklyn Cyclones- Donnelly's ballclub seemed to improve in some small way everyday. His gritty, humorous, straightforward approach is perfect for guys just coming into the pros and guys repeating the league.
Game of the Year: Cyclones John Gant Pitches Two-Hit Complete Game Shutout- Flawless to the end, Gant pitched a game with the Cyclones season battling hard for a playoffs spot. He got the job done. Not just for the sake of post-season hopes, but for the ever-loving sake of the bullpen: the previous night, the Cyclones and Valley Cats played sixteen innings. Gant was a reliable, sturdy starter all season, and showcased the best of his talents in that important game. Runner Up: Hudson Valley Renegades Take On Buchholz - On a rehab assignment, All-Star pitcher Clay Buchholz was assigned to Lowell, and when the team visited Wappingers Falls, Kirsch and Buchholz faced off. Kirsch struggled in his three innings of work, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits. But the triple-threat of Julian Ridings, Darryl George, and Ariel Soriano pulled the game in the right direction. The 'Gades tandem took full advantage of Lowell's defensive mistakes. Short-Season A-Ball doesn't receive a ton of rehabbing Major Leaguers, so it was a chance to see the bright, young talent in the spotlight, making the most of opportunity.
Best of the Rest:
Getting It Back Award- Chris Kirsch Comes Up Big In August- Through four starts in August, Renegades lefty Kirsch got better and better, with improved command, keeping his team in contention for a playoffs spot. Through those four outings (beginning August 3rd), he gave up just three earned runs. In the final two of those four, he didn't allow a run and held opponents to five hits. He's sparks and fire on the mound. When he channels that energy just right, as he did those four games, he shows what he's truly capable of doing with it.
Most Exciting Penn League Debut- Mark Appel and Eric Jagielo Power Up The Penn League- Appel came and went in a flash. But his presence was felt throughout the league and all of baseball. After finally getting drafted by the team he loved all his life, the Astros assigned him to Short-Season Tri-City. He made just two starts, pitching five innings, and allowing two earned runs on six hits, before being promoted to Class-A Quad Cities. He was shut down after pitching thirty-three innings and made eight starts. For Staten Island, Jagielo brought a shot of excitement. The Yankees 2013 first round pick, out of Notre Dame, played forty eight games got forty six hits, worked twenty six walks, and finished with eighty total bases. He's a big guy, with a a power swing, and Short-Season Yankees spectators got to see him in his raw early beginning.
Best Getting In There Story- James Roche Leaves Newark For New York- Indy ball is no longer no-man's land. Ripe with unsigned, untapped, or discarded talent, players such as Roche can find a way in to affiliated baseball. Roche's contract was purchased out of the Can-Am League last year, in what was his first professional season. The outfielder played sixty five games and got fifty six hits, knocked in thirty eight runs and drew twenty-eight walks.
Best Use of Social Media- Hudson Valley Renegades Tweet The Sh** Out of Bad Bus Driving- If you followed any of the Renegades players detailed tweets about the adventures on the baseball bus this summer, you laughed and shook your head a lot. Between no air conditioning, breaking down roadside, and somehow winding up on a ferry, you really get the full picture of minor league life.
Hudson Valley, New York - The end doesn't summarize the journey.
Not for the Hudson Valley Renegades, who fell just short of making the playoffs Saturday, and not for shortstop Darryl George.
In his third professional season, George, who the Rays signed as a Non-Drafted Free Agent in 2010, played in the most games of his career (58); but whatever struggles they had as a team down the stretch, he wasn't overwhelmed by the end.
"I was a little tired, but that's when you rely on mental toughness," he said Saturday.
The last few games were proof that he was still on a roll. He put together a six-game hitting streak with nine hits in that frame. But the hits weren't enough. The team could hit. But capitalizing on the opportunities was an issue.
"You'd look up and we'd have nine hits in a game, but were only scoring one or two runs. That kind of sums it up. I was hitting the ball hard. But in the end, it didn't fall our way."
The Carlton, Australia native finished the season second on the team in hits (62) and walks (23), and third in total bases (74). His .287 batting average was also second overall of all Renegades players.
Renegades chemistry was solid, he said, and there was strong leadership that kept the club from getting down when times were tough.
"Rick Teasley and Kevin Brandt had such positive energy, and were so good for the clubhouse. They gave us a morale boost so often."
Ultimately, George sees the positives in his approach as key to his overall success. He did most of what he hoped.
"I looked at last off-season as an opportunity to get in even better shape. I had big focus as the season began. Then during the season, it was about being ready for game time, and being smart off the field: getting good sleep, eating right, just being rested. From the start to the end, I felt great."
Follow Darryl George on Twitter @DarrylRoyGeorgeAlso, follow the 'Gades @HVRenegades & the fan-based @HV_GadesFanZone
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