MiLB Watch will be a recurring feature on HOTF, running short interviews and stories, as well as servivng as a round-up of five current stoies of interest. While HOTF was once a MiLB-only platform, the re-launch has expanded the focus. MiLB will continue to be a leading issue covered here. I hope MiLB Watch is informative and entertaining to baseball fans.~ Jessica Quiroli, Editor/Founder HOTF
Garrett Broshius Continues His Longtime Fight To Get A Fair Wage For Minor Leaguers
Broshius has been minor league players biggest champion for many years. He's a former player, so he knows exactly what that life is like. But when he became a lawyer, he made minor league pay a focal point in his legal career. His fight is personal. And in light of recent positive developments, he's in it for the long haul. Here's what he had to say over the weekend.
HOTF: When you began this work so many years ago, did you view this as a "political" issue? One that needed attention as a working class issue, not just in the realm of baseball?
GB: When I was still playing many years ago, I didn’t view it as a political issue—just an issue of basic fairness. We spent all these hours working at the field, doing whatever we were told, and yet some of my teammates could barely afford to eat. It never seemed right. Why in Double-A, while just two steps from the big leagues, were players being paid $7,500 for an entire year of work?
As the years went by, though, I did start to see it through the lens of a larger trend in our society. We’re in a new Gilded Age, with disparities in wealth reaching record levels, and with the divide between haves and have nots growing every day. Baseball is a microcosm of that trend. Since MLB players achieved free agency in 1976, MLB salaries have risen by over 3000%. MLB revenue growth has grown even more quickly. And yet minor league salaries have hardly budged over that time. That’s not to say that minor league players should be compensated like major league players—of course they shouldn’t be. But is minimum wage too much to ask for? Is $15,000 for an entire year of work too much? Indeed, the average minor leaguer has far less purchasing power today than in 1976. The batboy often makes more per hour than the minor league players.
And now MLB’s proposal to shutter 42 minor league teams has delivered it fully into the political arena. I only hope that politicians realize that not only do we need to protect these teams, but we also need to protect these players and ensure that they make above-poverty-level wages. We can do better, and we must do better if we want our national pastime to thrive in future generations.
HOTF: During the long process, what conversations have stood out to you with players you've talked to or who are in the lawsuit. I'm in no way asking for names. Just things that have impacted you or reminded you why this is so important.
The magnitude of the problem is really astounding because it’s system-wide. With MLB enjoying an antitrust exemption that allows the MLB teams to collude on minor league salaries, and with no minor league union to push back against these collusive efforts, salaries have been suppressed far below the market value. The result is across-the-board hardships. Players cramming six guys into two-bedroom apartments, sleeping on air mattresses. A player who couldn’t afford a plane ticket for his young son to come out and see him. A player who would skip meals to save money; the first thing he would eat would be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the field. Those are the guys we’re trying to help out.
HOTF: The proposal to eliminate 42 MiLB teams has stunned & frustrated many people. How will players, particularly new draftees, suffer without more opportunities to play? Do you believe MLB will execute the plan?
Fewer teams means fewer minor league teams, which means fewer minor league players. There are so many examples of players drafted beyond the 20th round making it to the big leagues. So I hope it doesn’t come to fruition. Obviously I would love to see higher minor league salaries—that’s what we’re fighting for. I’d also love to see some playing surfaces bettered and some clubhouses upgraded. And some of the leagues are, without a doubt, too spread out and it causes travel headaches (and backaches). Those are real problems that MLB is complaining about. But I hope the folks negotiating the PBA can address those problems without cutting teams. There’s a lot of time left before the current PBA expires, so I’m cautiously optimistic.
HOTF: Finally, what's the next step in the lawsuit? How much progress are you making?
We won our appeal in the Ninth Circuit in August, which allows the case to remain a class action. MLB has indicated that it intends to ask the Supreme Court to take the case, which is what is currently preventing us from getting back to the trial court. We’re doing some things to try to get back to the trial court as quickly as possible because we’re ready to get moving again. And there are a lot of minor leaguers going to spring training soon—where they’ll work without pay for an entire month—who are anxious to see us get moving again. So we’ve already completed a lot of the work and are making progress, but we have a lot more to do.
Trenton, NJ—Things are exciting, as they usually are, in Trenton, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. There’s a mix of top ranked talent showing they’re developing at a fine pace. And then there’s guys who might not be as well-known or as hyped, but are coming through in the early spring of the 2017 season.
Before a game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays), Thunder manager Bobby Mitchell had some thoughts on a few guys doing a solid job for the club, and advancing their development as hoped.
The news that day was about top prospect Gleyber Torres, who was out with a sore arm, though he’d not been officially placed on the DL yet. The Yankees caution, mixed with arm soreness was what the concern boiled down to for the YOUNG (20!) player. He was placed on the 7-day DL and is expected to make his return shortly. Mitchell recalled his own playing days and said, well, sometimes your arm strength just gets, “Zapped.”
On the mound that night was top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield, making his second start of the season. Mitchell was high on him, as are the Yankees, and the enthusiasm about his potential was clear.
“Shef is dynamic. He’s one of the most competitive players that we have,” Mitchell said. “He’s got really good stuff. He’s fun to watch.”
Big on the list of what’s fun to watch, for anyone not facing him that is, is his command of mix of pitches. The hard-throwing lefty was set to go 7 innings and throw 94 pitches. He went 6 innings, and gave up one run on 3 hits to earn the win. He also got a little more leeway, throwing 97 pitches, 57 of them for strikes, outdoing top Blue Jays pitching prospect Sean Reid-Foley who lasted 3 innings, though he only allowed 2 hits and did not surrender a run.
“We expect big things out of [Sheffield], and he expects big things out of himself.”
At the other end of the field, the bullpen has been a showcase for one guy repeating the level, big righty Cale Coshow.
Back in his New York Penn League days, Coshow was a starter and heavier. He credited his off-season weight loss after that season as highly beneficial to his health and his comfort on the mound. He could be wild back then, with less effectiveness but big power in the arm, and a willingness to challenge hitters. He just needed to polish the rough edges. This year, he’s finding his groove by finding his confidence. Mitchell says Coshow’s confidence “is growing” as he works his way through good and bad moments.
After notching his third save of the season (he recently earned his 5th), Mitchell observed that there’s been changes in his mentality that led to the better performance.
“He had a bad first outing and he came in and struggled and it was somewhat similar to what we saw last year. Where his confidence and command were…where he started relying on his secondary stuff too much.
For a guy that throws 95-100, there’s no need to mix in off-speed stuff, not if he’s confident enough in his fastball. The key is commanding the heater, Mitchell said.
“When he does, he’s effective. When he’s not commanding his fastball, he’s up in the zone and sometimes they catch up with his fastball. And then he mixes in a cutter-slider that he’s working on. The one pitch he got burned on in his first outing was a hanging slider. He’s a got that’s got that closer stuff. We just need him to stay in that role.”
Where that leads him with the Yankees is hard to figure, perhaps in short relief. What was clear from his outing the night before was that he did something he needed to (earned the save) by staying the course mentally and not reverting to bad habits (throwing up in the zone). He worked with a one-run lead and showed his grace under pressure.
“That confidence he’s building is huge. Mentally is the biggest thing for him. He’s got the stuff; it’s just a matter of believing in his stuff,” Mitchell said.
The strong lineup also features left fielder Zach Zehner, whom falls among players that might not be getting the attention they’ve earned. The spotlight tends to favor those receiving the most hype overall, but, also those who seem the closest to having an impact on the big club. The 2015 18th round pick for the Yankees spent 2016 in High-A Tampa, and, understandably is making some adjustments to the high level jump to Double-A.
Mitchell had seen “Z,” as he called him in the spring, down in Tampa, Florida, the Spring Training home of the Yankees, and liked what he saw. Now he’s getting a better look at not just the player, but the person.
“His work habits stand out a lot. He works hard at everything he does. He’s very energetic. And he’s really come on strong with the bat for us. He needs to make adjustments. And he just has a very good attitude,” Mitchell said.
Bobby Mitchell’s club this year is already showing up big: they’re 2nd in the league (Eastern Div.), just behind the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox), with a 10-7 record.
You can read my continued coverage of the Trenton Thunder in the bi-weekly column ‘Stars, Heels and Stripes’ on Pinstriped Pros. And look here for ongoing coverage of the Eastern League throughout the 2017 season.
Several years ago, a scout at a minor league game paused at the mention of a player’s name.
He was quiet for a moment, then, with a measured, definitive tone said, “He doesn’t have the emotional maturity to be in the major leagues.”
This point is arguable to an extent, because we’ve seen many so-called immature players be highly or moderately successful in MLB. But there was a deeper meaning to what he was saying. And I’ve spent over a decade exploring the truth of that statement in many different ways.
You see a lot when you cover hundreds of minor league games. You observe, you listen; you pick up little comments, notice private moments, and begin to see emotional patterns. Players are like anyone. They don’t change so much as they grow. They grow into themselves physically, but it’s the growing into who they are as people that can be tougher. There was a time when being in the “farm system,” whether highly touted or barely regarded, meant that you were pretty far out of sight. Years ago, local newspaper reporters were the major sources for immediate minor league news. I’m sure there was a fair amount of talk the following day if readers caught a report on the guys in Double-A. But there was no social media to give fans the skinny every moment as it was happening. Players were able to grow without much of a spotlight bearing down on them before they even stepped into big league ballpark lights.
These days, fans hear about everything, all the time. And opinions form quickly about guys who are just out of high school or college. In Yankees prospect Jorge Mateo’s case, a private incident became a public one, and his maturity level became a major talking point.
Mateo, signed as a seventeen-year old free agent out of the Dominican Republic, is coming off of a difficult season at the plate with High-A Tampa. Though he showed some flashes of brilliance and showcased his strengths still in development, he didn’t have the kind of year the Yankees may have wanted. You add to that a reported confrontation in which he reportedly questioned not receiving a promotion to Double-A, resulting in a suspension, AND add to that Gleyber Torres is clearly the team’s future shortstop, you’re left with many questions about Mateo’s future.
This is your friendly reminder that Mateo’s 21 years old.
For anyone, growing up is hard enough. Do it in the limelight, playing for the New York Yankees, with millions of self-proclaimed experts questioning your every mistake, and it’s probably a whole lot harder. The expectation however is that when a team invests their time, money and faith in you, you have to step up to the moment and be big enough to handle the hard knocks. Sure, that’s understandable. But if the expectation is that a young player shouldn’t have the space to grow as a person, and make some errors in judgment along the way, we’re asking too much.
Writers descend like seagulls at a crowded beach on stories like this. And they write the narrative in stone. They did it with Bryce Harper, a guy many big league beat writers had the challenge of writing about from afar for a brief time, but already let Nationals fans know trouble was coming. He too had early reports of difficulties written about him. He was considered a risk, despite, oh, being one of the most exciting players in baseball history before he even played a major league game. But there needed to be a story, a focus. And all the focus was on what kind of a guy he was. Harper, as young as he was, was treated like he should have his entire act together before he was 20 years old.
We don’t know the kind of player or person Mateo will be, nor do we know that about any young player who’s just starting his professional career. We can recall our own worst growing pains, but, for some reason, we don’t. We put far too much stock in the early days of a player’s career, because we hear about so many moments, on and off the field, so fast. If a player has a moment of frustration, and lashes out at his superiors, is it really earth-shattering news? Is his personality etched in stone? How quickly do we need these guys to grow up, to fast track to the big leagues to become the stars we long for? Too quickly. We want it all, too quickly, because we consume information constantly. Developing players just doesn’t allow for that kind of hurried pace.
The slow process of a baseball game is much like the (usually) slow process of player development. There are pauses. Big failures and big successes, highs and lows, and the pace isn’t rushed…at least it wasn’t, but that’s another story. The down moments can be devastating. The highs can be exhilarating. Players talk often about not allowing either one get to them. Never get too high, never get too low, they’ll say in one way or another.
I covered Mateo in 2016. And I covered the player that the scout was completely decided on. Mateo was never blatantly disrespectful to anyone to my eyes. That “incident” was away from our eyes, as it should’ve been. He went about his business every day and his manager and coaches gave him high marks for his ability and effort. But that’s boring, right? Let’s all run with the bad seed narrative instead.
Did I mention Mateo’s 21? Also, by the way, Yankees GM Brian Cashman recently told the New York Daily News that the report of what truly happened between Mateo and team brass was, “false,” and went on to say, “None of that ever happened. We didn’t reveal why we did what we did, but I can tell you it had nothing to do with anything like that.” Mateo is also showing strong promise in Spring Training, a good sign that he’s moving forward, and, perhaps, can improve upon his 2016 results.
As for the player the scout mentioned, he was unbearable to deal with: arrogant, rude and unapologetic for his attitude. He didn’t change any opinions in the big leagues. He’s no longer in major league baseball. So, sometimes, yeah, they don’t mature. You just don’t know early on.
Player development, it’s kind of a wait and see thing.
The culture of baseball continues to be challenged and changed by Major League Baseball, with the PTB taking seriously issues of sexism, violence and homophobia. On Monday, MLB announced that dressing as women for rookie hazing is now prohibited.
The news was received on social media with a mix of emotions and thoughts, with many wondering what the point was, while others expressed support for the move, believing it to be a positive step toward shutting down discriminatory attitudes. The statement was part of an Anti-Bullying/Anti-Discrimination effort by MLB, which prohibits teams from the following AP wire:
“…from requiring, coercing or encouraging” players to engage in activities that include, “dressing up as women or wearing costumes that may be offensive to individuals based on their race, sex, nationality, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or other characteristic.”
There’s several disappointing elements to players being angry about new rule when you read that statement in full. The most glaring oversight from those who think the new rule is utterly dumb, is that perhaps they didn’t consider the bullying connection to young fans. Many young boys and girls falling in love with the game are also dealing with bullying at school for any number of reasons. MLB is looking to the future of the game, and seem to be saying to them, and to parents, “Don’t worry, not here.” If a young boy identifies as a girl, and his parents encourage that, and if he’s also a baseball fan, he ‘s receiving a message that dressing “as a girl” is funny and worthy of teasing.
Digging deeper, young players are being asked to see women differently. MLB is asking them, no, telling them, to regard women through a more respectful spectrum, by challenging them to re-think their “traditions.” You might not see the practice as sexist, and that’s ok; but MLB is taking a decisive step to ensure that there’s no risk of that. The rule isn’t about players, or their feelings; it’s about people outside of their bubble, whose experience in the world is different than theirs.
Also, consider how many gay players throughout the years felt uncomfortable participating in something that celebrated hyper masculinity/machismo. Perhaps they had fun because, yes, the whole thing is meant to be fun. But homophobic attitudes have also been the norm in sports. We can imagine ignoring that underlying element was difficult. The idea is that to be gay, means you’re not a man. And what better way to humiliate a man than to make him dress as a woman?
Plenty of players, according to one former player, just didn’t get what was so great about the tradition when forced to participate.
Garrett Broshius, a lawyer who now leads the MiLB lawsuit seeking fairer pay for MiLB players, had this to say in response to one of my tweets:
“yes, this was not “fun” for a lot of players. Too often it was demeaning.”
Aubrey Huff weighed in with the opposite reaction with this tweet:
“For all u easily offended people, here’s a pic of me HARRASSING (his caps) a poor innocent rookie.”
He then attached a photo of him helping dress a rookie in a leopard suit, which, per the policy, isn’t prohibited.
Kevin Youkilis was even more emotional about the announcement, taking to his Twitter account:
“Seriously?! Had to wear a Hooters outfit going through customs in Toronto and wore it proudly because I was in the Show.”
Making his major league debut was likely cooler than wearing a Hooters outfit. But what bothers him, and other former and current players so much about this new rule? They can’t wear ladies clothes for a day? They can’t goof around without consequences? Or are they bothered by being challenged to not see feminine culture and women in general, as something worth respecting, and not reducing them to mockery? Ok, so you can’t wear garters and lipstick as a male bonding ritual (Honestly, this part loses me every time). So what?
On Tuesday, as if it hadn’t gotten weird enough, it got weirder, when San Francisco Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow made an emotionally charged statement on a radio show about the new rule.
“I think it’s ridiculous. A lot of these kids come up out of the minor leagues after having been there for four or five years, they get to the big leagues and they cannot wait to put a dress on. They want to be part of it. It’s tradition.”
He then went on to discuss Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon’s theme night for travel days, in which, as Krukow explains, “They put on pajamas or a superhero costume…now [MLB] is taking it to another level.”
The statement of defeated outrage likely wasn’t meant to be funny, but…it was! It’s probably news to many that baseball players look forward to wearing a dress. Again, back to the central question of why? Most players will say it’s just fun. Well, so is dressing up as a super hero. So is hanging out at a bar, shooting the breeze and having a drink. So is playing baseball, at least in many ways it is (minor leaguers definitely don’t have it easy). So then let’s expand the central question to, why is dressing in traditionally feminine attire and mocking female behavior so important? Why is losing that “privilege” such a big deal?
New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, per a New York Post story written by Ken Davidoff, said simply, “I wouldn’t say I understand it, but I really have no say in it. I’m not going to be bitter about it.”
This seemed to summarize the problem. They don’t understand it. And they’re being asked to. In any workplace, there are boundaries. But in sports, those boundaries aren’t often set, and if they are, they aren’t respected, or, as that player said, their value isn’t completely understood . A baseball field and a clubhouse aren’t like a normal office, where men and women are expected to treat each other as equals. No, in sports, women have a place and they have to fight to get outside those lines. Players wouldn’t understand that unless they tried. And many don’t want to try. That’s not to insinuate Syndergaard wouldn’t understand if you explained the other side of things. Many players will more than likely get beyond worrying about this pretty fast.
Truthfully, baseball can be a safe haven for bad behavior, as all sports are. And in recent years, decisions have been made to change that, usually due to public outcry.
A few years ago, MLB cracked down on problems with players on social media, issuing guidelines that players must follow in order to engage on SM platforms. And last year, a new Domestic Violence Policy was agreed upon, allowing MLB to suspend players regardless of a court’s decision, among other things.
How many of these same players took a vocal stand on domestic violence, when players, especially teammates, were involved? They’ll take a stand on their right to mock women, but not to actually show respect for women’s bodies and safety. The same Mets players are supporting their teammate Jose Reyes, who was arrested for violently attacking his wife. They likely would never take to Twitter to rant about that. In that NY Post story, Brandon Nimmo, a fine person whom I had the pleasure of covering in the minors, is pictured with Reyes. He had a measured, thoughtful, if not neutral response.
“For me it was a good experience. We were lucky to have a good group of veterans who didn’t exploit it.”
Nimmo never showed anything but the utmost respect to me and other women in baseball, so to categorize him as insensitive or thoughtless about the issue would be unfair. He doesn’t fit under that umbrella. Surely like many players, he’s not for or against it, and enjoyed just doing something traditional and fun when making his big league debut.
Which brings up the subject of the connectedness to all of this with women in sports media; have you ever walked into a clubhouse and been ridiculed for being a woman? Have you ever heard players screaming and yelling and catcalling so loudly, that your voice couldn’t be heard, so you walked out, only to have the player follow you and taunt you more? Have you ever heard a player faking a lengthy orgasm, of what he seems to think women sound like when sexually satisfied? Have you ever listened to two players talk about what another teammate wants to do to you sexually? Have you ever been questioned about how you look or what you’re wearing by a colleague who said you don’t look like a baseball writer, or a player who says you should expect to be sexually harassed when entering the clubhouse? Have you ever been asked, by a player in the clubhouse, “What if we were all naked?” or heard one yell, “What’s that girl doing in here?” to laughter? Have you ever come in contact with what women in sports call a “towel dropper”, and him wait until you turned, dropped the towel and laugh in your face? Well, I have. And that’s not the half of it. That’s the way many players, coaches, managers, and men working in baseball view women, and it doesn’t matter that I’m a professional. My female-ness, my being a woman, my wearing lipstick and heels and a dress are symbols of something outside the macho realm, therefore, I don’t belong. That’s why dressing up like us is so funny. We’re worthy of ridicule. And when we enter the room as serious professionals, the jig is up. The emotions run high, and their brains don’t seem to know what to do. A woman is present. And God forbid you take that seriously.
They want us to “understand” bro culture, but they plainly say they don’t understand anyone who isn’t on board with what they do or say, and they don’t want to hear from anyone who isn’t. They accuse anyone in disagreement of being too sensitive, but they’re reacting with a high level of hysteria over not being able to wear a bra and lipstick.
In response to Huff, former professional pitcher with the San Francisco Giants, Shane Loux, tweeted, “I remember that. So much fun. Has any player spoken out against this or is it only columnists who were never part of anything like this ever?”
I responded to him by saying, no, many of us weren’t part of that. Just like players aren’t a part of what we experience. As a writer and reporter, and columnist, I’ve heard every sort of offensive thing directed at me by players. But I still write about them, still keep covering the game. Because I try to understand people, and their experiences; it’s amazing what you can do when you try. And, in my case, I shouldn’t have to try to understand why I’ve been treated that way. It’s possible none of them thought about it like that. That’s fine. Then you can’t ask others to understand your fun and games, if you don’t regard others opinions and thoughts as worth listening to.
Baseball is changing, but you know what hasn’t changed? They’re playing a game for a living. And major league players making millions emoting on Twitter over not being able to have fun anymore is, well, laughable. You’ll have plenty of fun. You’re playing baseball. Women love you. Men want to be you.
What players now have to do, outside of the fun of playing the game, and getting a healthy paycheck is take the time to understand things they might never have before. We get it. Being feminine is humorous. It’s hilarious that we’re women, and its why many of them think they can treat us like garbage when we walk into a locker room. It’s hard to let privilege go. Replacing it with being grateful, and listening to other people who ARE outside of your experiences, isn’t easy. But that’s what’s now expected of them. These guys aren’t bad people for participating in that tradition, not by any means. But they have to move on now. Take the time to listen to the message in the language MLB is using.
Major league baseball is taking steps to be more inclusive, and to be more aware of what’s important and the message they’re sending, not just to fans, but to their players. Playing baseball for a living, not getting to dress like women for a day, sounds like a fairly easy deal. It’s a new day for baseball players. And still a pretty great one.
Cale Coshow arrived in Tampa in January, to participate in Captain's Camp, following a watershed 2015 season. The pitching prospect split time between High-A and Double-A, making his debut for the Trenton Thunder, a major proving ground that's sprung many of the best Yankees young talent, including Dellin Betances. Coshow is most focused on improving his changeup and cited former Tampa Yankees pitching coach Tommy Phelps and Trenton Thunder pitching coach Jose Rosado for helping him with consistency with the pitch.
Here's what Coshow, ranked by MLB as the 18th best prospect in the Yankees organization, said from Yankees camp.
"Physically I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm stronger than I was last season and I really focused on what I eat and my conditioning because instead of throwing into the 5th/6th inning, I want to push it to at least go 7 innings."
"My habits certainly changed this off season, instead of just waking up, working out and relaxing I stayed more active. I would wake up, workout/cardio, then head to work (worked on a tree farm), and then try and get some cardio in after work. I also changed my eating habits and can see the results. I can see the results in how I feel, how I perform on the field and in the weight room."
"Coming in, I knew I had the fastball to compete in the majors, but I needed to really focus on my off speed to become more of a complete pitcher."
"I really haven't spoken to the Yankees often but the plan is simple, go compete everyday and when the time is right I really hope I get that shot at the major leagues at some point this season!"
My off speed has made strides into becoming quality pitches for me. Just have to stick with my personal strengths and compete!
The minor league player experience, with all it's stark, working-class reality-checks mixed with a realization of a childhood dream and playing a game for a living, is difficult to fully capture. Perhaps living it is the only way to truly understand the heady highs and murky lows, the physical and emotional toll, not to mention the financial one. Really, only those guys on that team know exactly what it took for them to get to the end of the season, whether it was a success or not.
San Francisco Giants minor league player came up with a creative idea to present the MiLB player world with an equal dose of humor and realism. His blog, now accompanied by a vlog, 'Homeless Minor Leaguer' is everything you want in observing the minor league experience: he shows the hard-grind reality with acidy humor, letting readers/viewers into the day-to-day struggles, while also finding the fun in it all.
Paré played 14 games with the High-A San Jose Giants in 2015, spending the bulk of his time (45 games) with Class-A Augusta . The catcher, drafted out of Boston College in 2009 by the Houston Astros, hit .217/3.22/.337 combined for the season.
Here's our conversation:
HOTF: I'm always interested in minor league players who really work to up their profile. The blog is a mix of heart & humor. Did you start out knowing what you wanted to say and how?
MP: Thanks for the kind words! I started off having a few topics I wanted to write about, but the site has obviously evolved since then.
HOTF: Ok, so the videos. You've come up with some great ideas. Satirical, smart, really creative. What sparked the idea?
MP: I had a friend who's on YouTube- she's actually in the next video, which is why I {was just] in L.A. - and she encouraged me to start vlogging as a way to start out. Then I realized I could take written content that I thought was somewhat preachy, and dry, like 'Life Hacks for the Minor Leaguer', and make them more engaging in video form.
HOTF: So, the blog is what put you on my radar. What was the motivation? Once you began, did writing come easy?
MP: Motivation, I felt like I had some quality stories and information to share with others. And I feel like other players do too. That's why I'm having more guest posts this season. [As for the writing it] comes pretty easy, but I've found that the video creation process feels a lot less like work and is more enjoyable.
HOTF: Tell me a little about the one you just posted. And, if you can, a little about the one you're working on.
MP: Well, 'Out of Left Field' is where I interview a player about very surface level stuff. Nothing too deep and I try to keep it very casual. The new one is an eHarmony parody called 'Minor League Love.'
HOTF: (NOTE: The question took a minute to make sense, and our wires got crossed, but here's the gist about both staying committed to his goals despite MiLB life struggles, what helps him, and where the title of the blog originated]
MP: I love playing baseball and I have great people around me that support what I'm trying to accomplish. For example, I live at my cousin's apartment in San Diego for free. That gives me time to train during the off-season, write posts, and make videos. He and I always made the joke that I was a homeless minor leaguer when he'd let me crash on the couch in his office.
HOTF: Oh awesome. That's sort of what I was getting at. You guys figure out how to be able to do this with your life.
Shortstop Jake Hager and catcher Mac James, both in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, are the latest players to take a few moments of their off-season to discuss winter jobs, their off-season program, and what they're doing for a little fun.
Look for further installments of this series all winter.
Jake Hager
Winter Job: I just give lessons to kids. Hitting or infield lessons. Love helping the kids.
Off-Season Focus: I'm working on getting my strength in my legs back from surgery. So just doing two a day at the gym. And then will be working on my speed again. I'll continue doing my same routine hitting and fielding wise.
Activities! I just love being with the family and friends.. Will go on a couple vacations to Cali or Cabo. Then go out every now and then with my buddies. It's always a great off season.
Mac James
Winter Job: I am actually working with a construction company doing house remodels and also giving lessons to younger kids.
Off-Season Focus: I'm focusing more on trying to get stronger and gain strength in my hands and legs also while maybe gaining a few pounds to get through the whole season strong.
Activities! I saw the Martian recently in instructional league and it was unbelievable. I loved the whole thing. I'm looking forward to the new hunger games and my all American about Darrell K. Royal.
During his 2015 stint with the High-A Tampa Yankees, Dustin Fowler showcased the mix of skills he's continuing to polish in the Arizona Fall League.
Fowler actually split his time between Class-A Charleston and Tampa, finishing the season going .298/.334/.394, with 70 RBI and 5 HR's. Of his 145 hits, 66 of them were with Tampa.
Fowler's tendency to take an aggressive approach at the plate has worked for and against him, and it's something he's devoted to improving in fall league, as he confirmed last week when he spoke to this blog. Fowler, an outfielder sometimes used as a designated hitter, was drafted in the 18th round by the New York Yankees in 2013. He played just 30 games that season, when he was assigned to the Gulf Coast League, getting a taste of professional baseball as a high school draftee. The Yankees have to like the football-like build of Fowler, as well as his bat speed. With more reps, he could turn that aggressive approach could lead to his development into a high-average hitter.
He addressed a number of issues and here's what he had to say:
Flying Low: "I have always been the guy under the radar and it gives me motivation to try and prove myself to everyone by playing harder"
His Strengths: "My speed is big in my game...to put the ball in play and let things happen. I could improve in every part of my game, not being so aggressive at the plate and learning the strike zone and getting better jumps on the bases and in the outfield."
Weaknesses, Improvements:"My aggressiveness has hurt me a little but for the most part I have been pretty comfortable at the plate and not being over matched by pitching. But by getting a lot of at bats under my belt I am starting to see progress in learning the strike zone."
Fall League Focus: "Getting more at bats, constantly working on learning the strike zone and staying on my legs more to get more power behind the ball and in the field to get quicker jumps."
Matt Imhof didn't need much more than his fastball to dominate Lakeland's lineup Thursday.
The lefty worked his fastball without feeling the need to mix in much secondary stuff past the 1st inning; through 6 innings, he allowed just 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out a season high 7 batters.
"The key thing was establishing fastball away," Imhof said. "I also had a better mindset than the last couple of starts."
He's recovered from a bicep strain that set him back. He was placed on the DL in April, and although there were concerns about his development, Clearwater manager Greg Legg sees vast improvement, particularly in that last start.
"He's normally a fastball/changeup/Slider pitcher. Last night it was more fastballs," Legg said. "He's working on command, and did a good job with it Thursday. He's come along. This is his first full season this year, and it's been a bit of a process. He's trusting his fastball. There were arm issues earlier this year, but he's feeling better now. He's starting to work on his two-seamer. But he didn't need the changeup the other night. He commanded the fastball to both sides of the plate."
The Phillies selected Imhof in the 2nd round of the 2014 June MLB Draft out of Cal Poly, and he finished his final collegiate season going 99 innings, striking out 124, good for 6th most in NCAA Division 1.
In his first professional season, he saw time at three levels, pitching a combined 42 innings, striking out 40, and walking just 11 batters through 11 starts. While he seemed to make the transition to pro ball rather smoothly, he was getting acclimated to all the new expectations.
"I was getting used to a new environment. It takes me a little while to get comfortable with the catchers and teammates. The biggest challenge for me was getting used to a five man rotation. I was only in the New York Penn League a few weeks but it helped get my arm ready for game day," said Imhof.
Having had a solid first year professionally, experiencing struggles this year was difficult. At times, he lost his way.
"Yeah, you try not to think about it. But after each outing, you're looking at things, and it's frustrating for sure. You do stuff you wouldn't normally do. You try to throw harder. You try this and that. And you kind of lose confidence in your stuff. That's where I was last month. But I had talks with pitching coordinator Rafael chaves, and out pitching coach Steve Shrenk. And got in a good mindset and did what I needed to do."
After just two years, Imhof has been through a great deal that's tested him mentally and physically. But as the physical has come along, the mental side of his game has improved the most, according to him.
"The biggest thing I've learned is how to have success. I had that in college, and last year. This year was harder. I had to re-learn things I thought I had down. Now I'm sticking with what I know. Whether it's catch-play, workouts, or bullpens. Once I figured out what I need to be successful, began to build off it each time. I'm stronger than I was in spring training. And if you talk to anyone with the Phillies, they'd tell you I'm one hundred percent better than I was in spring training. I didn't come in quite prepared like I needed to be, and now I'm ready for success."
Big Performer - Caleb Smith's seven strikeouts for the Trenton Thunder Thursday night set a season high for the lefty. He scattered 3 runs on 6 hits over six innings of work, and earned the win. In his last outing, he'd earned the win after pitching six innings that time as well, but did not allow a run. He gave up 4 hits, striking out 4. That marked his 2nd shutout performance in June.
Social Media spotlight:
The Somerset Patriots tweeted a photo of a history-making night. the team set a single-half record with 49 wins. In the process, they clinched a playoff berth by winning the first-half Liberty Division title. Matt Zielinski earned the win, allowing 2 runs through six innings. You can follow him on Twitter @mat_e_z & the Somerset Patriots @SOMPatriots.
Really loved this tweet from St. Louis Cardinals 2015 #1 draft pick, OF Nick Plummer" @nplum11: To the boy who didn't get my autograph today after the game: come tmro and I'll give you some gear. My mom will remember who you are."
OF Joe Mcarthy signed with the Tampa Bay Rays (who drafted him in the 5th round) and tweeted the announcement (see below). We're seeing more and more of this. Players report their own news and share the emotional moments that only they can tell. You can follow him on Twitter @Mojo_JoeJoe31
Similarly, Bryce Denton tweeted "'Got my first professional hit, run, walk, RBI, and win!! #CardinalNation" The St. Louis Cardinals 2nd round pick in this year's June MLB Draft captured the purity of a powerful moment. As reporters, we could've tweeted those numbers, and it wouldn't have that same impact. Follow him on Twitter @brycedenton25
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