Cool.
(from ESPN's Out of the Box column, today)
Showing posts with label Prospecting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prospecting. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Well How About That
Bobby Scales got called back up to the Cubs a day after he was sent to AAA Iowa and hit a pinch-hit home run in the 8th inning upon his return.
Cool.
(from ESPN's Out of the Box column, today)
Cool.
(from ESPN's Out of the Box column, today)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Get That Man a Baseball Card: Bobby Scales
This "segment" as it were, replaces the "Hello:" tag, which I shamelessly stole from the world's greatest blog. I think that this is a little more appropriate, no?
With everything that has been going on lately, this just slipped under my radar. Apparently, the Cubs, in all of their infield/outfield/injury position shuffling, called up Bobby Scales to play 2nd and 3rd bases at the beginning of May. I'm late to the party, but he was recently sent back to the minors, although there are grumblings that he may make his way back to the show, given his solid performance.
You will remember, of course, (by which I mean, you totally won't remember), that Bobby Scales was the beloved Michigan second baseman on the 1997 Big Ten Champion team and 1999 Big Ten Tournament Champion squad. He was the major stud on the teams alongside a pitcher by the name of J.J. Putz. If I can find my signed team poster from that year (I think it's still in Michigan) I'll post it up for all to see. This was in the era when you could head down to The Fish as a kid to catch a weekend doubleheader and every time a foul ball was hit you (and all the other kids) could run out of the stands, out of the stadium, into the parking lot to get (and keep) the foul ball.
My good friend Rob and I got so good at this, that one weekend we were getting every single ball before the freshman player designated to retrieve the balls got there. A stink was raised because we didn't want to give them back and they threatened not to let us back into the stadium. Thanks to some shrewd negotiating by Rob's dad, we cut a deal. In the middle of the first game, the team gave us two practice jerseys to wear and it became our job to get the foul balls. As a middle school kid, I can tell you that is was a pretty cool experience. The icing on the cake was that I was wearing the practice jersey of J.J. Putz and Rob had Bobby Scales.
Now, the 31-year old Scales finally got his shot. He stuck with it and was rewarded, taking advantage to the tune of 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, a .381 OBP and a .838 OPS during his 14 game stint.
With that I ask that somebody make a Bobby Scales baseball card. This is the type of guy who deserves one--he fought and fought in the minors for 10 years before getting his shot. It might be the only one he gets. Would it be too much to ask to throw him into Updates and Highlights? Maybe as part of Upper Deck's enormous base sets? If you don't do it, how will I ever add him to my nascent collection of rookie cards of U-M alumni?
Fingers Crossed.
With everything that has been going on lately, this just slipped under my radar. Apparently, the Cubs, in all of their infield/outfield/injury position shuffling, called up Bobby Scales to play 2nd and 3rd bases at the beginning of May. I'm late to the party, but he was recently sent back to the minors, although there are grumblings that he may make his way back to the show, given his solid performance.
You will remember, of course, (by which I mean, you totally won't remember), that Bobby Scales was the beloved Michigan second baseman on the 1997 Big Ten Champion team and 1999 Big Ten Tournament Champion squad. He was the major stud on the teams alongside a pitcher by the name of J.J. Putz. If I can find my signed team poster from that year (I think it's still in Michigan) I'll post it up for all to see. This was in the era when you could head down to The Fish as a kid to catch a weekend doubleheader and every time a foul ball was hit you (and all the other kids) could run out of the stands, out of the stadium, into the parking lot to get (and keep) the foul ball.
My good friend Rob and I got so good at this, that one weekend we were getting every single ball before the freshman player designated to retrieve the balls got there. A stink was raised because we didn't want to give them back and they threatened not to let us back into the stadium. Thanks to some shrewd negotiating by Rob's dad, we cut a deal. In the middle of the first game, the team gave us two practice jerseys to wear and it became our job to get the foul balls. As a middle school kid, I can tell you that is was a pretty cool experience. The icing on the cake was that I was wearing the practice jersey of J.J. Putz and Rob had Bobby Scales.
Now, the 31-year old Scales finally got his shot. He stuck with it and was rewarded, taking advantage to the tune of 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, a .381 OBP and a .838 OPS during his 14 game stint.
With that I ask that somebody make a Bobby Scales baseball card. This is the type of guy who deserves one--he fought and fought in the minors for 10 years before getting his shot. It might be the only one he gets. Would it be too much to ask to throw him into Updates and Highlights? Maybe as part of Upper Deck's enormous base sets? If you don't do it, how will I ever add him to my nascent collection of rookie cards of U-M alumni?
Fingers Crossed.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Hello: Wilkin Ramirez, enjoy your coffee!
The Tigers have called up the blazing (fast, and hot) Wilkin Ramirez to the big league squad. A rather unheralded prospect in the offseason, he had a very strong showing in Spring Training and has been superb for the Mudhens so far this year to the tune of
He will temporarily take the place of Magglio Ordonez, who is on bereavement leave while his wife undergoes surgery. Look to see Ramirez on the basepaths late in the game, although I suppose he could even play a game in lieu of Ryan Raburn or Josh Anderson. Whatever his role, this is just a cup of coffee for him and a chance for us to see one of the system's rising stars in action.
I, for one, would like to begin the call now for a Wilkin Ramirez rookie card in Updates and Highlights.
.316, 3 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 14 SB
He will temporarily take the place of Magglio Ordonez, who is on bereavement leave while his wife undergoes surgery. Look to see Ramirez on the basepaths late in the game, although I suppose he could even play a game in lieu of Ryan Raburn or Josh Anderson. Whatever his role, this is just a cup of coffee for him and a chance for us to see one of the system's rising stars in action.
I, for one, would like to begin the call now for a Wilkin Ramirez rookie card in Updates and Highlights.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Hello: Nolan Reimold
I heard on the radio when I was driving up to work that Nolan Reimold is getting the call. The Baltimore Sun is on it too. The hot-hitting prospect for the O's hit .394 with 27 RBI for the AAA Norfolk Tides. Sure, he's no Wieters, but he's some more young blood for an Orioles team with a bright future (offensively, at least).
So why do I care? First of all, I do live in Baltimore, so the Orioles have claimed the "team I root for and wish well" status in my heart. They've got that hard-luck, pathetically bad but there's always hope feel that I know from my years of Tigers fandom. However, that hardly warrants a post on this blog, which is decidedly Tiger-centric. So I give you reason #2:
I am no prospector, but the fact that Reimold is making his way to The Show means that this card is now 2/3 not a bust. Sadly, it looks like Javier Herrera isn't on the fast track to make the leap to the bigs.
So why do I care? First of all, I do live in Baltimore, so the Orioles have claimed the "team I root for and wish well" status in my heart. They've got that hard-luck, pathetically bad but there's always hope feel that I know from my years of Tigers fandom. However, that hardly warrants a post on this blog, which is decidedly Tiger-centric. So I give you reason #2:
 |
| 2005 Just Minors Nolan Reimold/Curtis Granderson/Javier Herrera |
I am no prospector, but the fact that Reimold is making his way to The Show means that this card is now 2/3 not a bust. Sadly, it looks like Javier Herrera isn't on the fast track to make the leap to the bigs.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Zach Putnam is now an Akron Aero
Despite the fact that I have no cards of him, I am a passive collector of Zach Putnam, formerly of the University of Michigan and current Cleveland Indians farmhand. I'd like to congratulate him on making the jump from Single-A Kinston up to the AA Akron Aeros and for his 2-Inning, 0 Run, 2 Strikeout debut this weekend. If anybody busted some Razor or Donruss EEE last year and has some extra Putnam's that they don't care about, feel free to send them my way.
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