Chris Fee: You’re team is off to a strong start this season (20-13 at the time, winners of 4 straight), what do you credit the early success to?

Ken Griffey: Team effort. We’ve been getting real good pitching, and timely hitting and everyone is playing real well, and that’s mostly what it’s all about. Team effort, the team is doing what they are supposed to do. Pitching has really been strong though.

CF: I know that Tony Cingrani currently has an ERA below 1.00 (0.68 through 7 starts so far this season), how do you explain doing something like that, is he just dialed in?

KG: You just have to watch him pitch, you watch him pitch you’ll see why he has a below one ERA. He’s been outstanding this year; all of his pitches are being used very well, going in and out of the zone. He’s throwing the right pitches at the right time, and so yeah he’s deserving of an ERA below 1.00

CF: You’ve played under some very successful managers during your playing career, Sparky Anderson, Billy Martin just to name a couple. Do you feel that some of your managing styles are influenced by them? If so which ones?

KG: No, not really. I’m my own man, I do what I feel is right for my own club. Sparky never yelled or hollered or anything in that nature. Billy was a very different type of manager but they used their own style. I’m just going by how I would want to be treated as a person and a player. I try to treat the kids the same way, they get treated equally and make sure that they get the right work in for them.

CF: You’ve seen a lot of talent between your coaching days and you’re playing days. Who would you say the most talented player you’ve played with was and who was the most talented player you coached thus far?

KG: That I’ve played with? I’d have to say my son Junior. Being a little biased *laughs*, I played with him. Right now I’d have to say Billy Hamilton, at this point. There’s another kid that’s pretty good, his name is Donald Lutz. (.302, 10 HR 31 RBI 5 SB)

CF: What is it that stands out to you about those guys that makes them “special players”.

KG: Well, with Billy his speed. He plays the game well enough that he has a lot of fun playing. He just uses his game as a game, he doesn’t try to do too much throughout. He doesn’t think of it as pressure wise trying to get the big lead, he’s playing every day game by game. Then with Donald, he really hasn’t played much organized ball, but he really turned it around last year.

CF: Speaking of Billy Hamilton, is he the real deal? Is that speed going to progress at each level, I know right now in High A ball he’s stealing bases with ease. Are there things you see that he’s going to continue to have to work on?

KG: Well, there’s always things he’s probably going to want to work on. But the only thing that you really can’t teach in this game is speed. That’s one thing that well above everyone else is how fast he is and how quick he is. That will stand out, he will steal his bases and do those things, and other things will come along with it. He’s learning, he’s playing shortstop here and a lot of stuff he does, he works at it every day. He doesn’t slack off, he takes the ground balls and fly balls or whatever he has to do in order to get better.

CF: You spent 6 years during your playing career in the minor leagues, starting in the Gulf Coast League and working your way up to the American Association with Indianapolis, and now you’re coaching in the Cal league. How have the minors changed, or how are they different, since you were a player and now as a manager?

KG: You play the game the same way, the only difference between when I played compared to now is the fact that there are so many brand new stadiums. We played in a lot of older stadiums. I played in old Busch Stadium in Indianapolis; they’ve had a new stadium for like the past 10 years. I played in a stadium in AA that’s no longer exists I don’t think. The different stadiums, the new facilities, that’s major differences is the new facilities. I played in Sioux Falls, which was a high school field, it is just a little different in terms of that.

CF: Do you feel that is why the fan base has expanded?

KG: No, a lot of times I look at things, I know in my minor league system there was only one team that was owned by a different owner, and the Reds owned all the rest of the teams. Now just about all of the teams are owned by individuals, buying minor league teams. It makes a big difference when you’re talking about a fan base, now you’re looking at marketing to the fan base, trying to get people to come to the Ball Park and things of that nature. When I was coming through, there wasn’t any marketing. All they had was the minor leagues, we played in front of nobody in Bradenton and barely played in front of anybody in Sioux Falls. In double A we were up in the Eastern League in Canada, we drew a pretty good crowd, and we were winning too at that time, and Indianapolis was the same way. Indianapolis was probably the only team that had different owners. The Reds didn’t own that club, but they owned all the rest of them.

CF: Can you tell me a little bit about the day you were drafted? What was the feeling when you found out the Reds had drafted you, and can you compare it to when Junior was drafted by Seattle and then Craig was drafted by the Mariners in 91? How does it compare as a player and then seeing your sons drafted?

KG: Well the difference was I didn’t even expect to get drafted. All the teams that I had worked out with, the Pirates, from my freshman year to my senior year playing baseball, you know, I didn’t expect to get drafted by anyone because the Pirates said that I couldn’t hit. I was on my way to play football, I would have probably ended up playing football, going to college and playing football. So that was the difference, I didn’t even expect to get drafted. Then when I did get drafted I had promised one of the scouts from the Reds, a guy named Elmer Gray, that if I did get drafted, which I didn’t expect to, that I would sign, and I kept my promise. I was the last person drafted too though, I was drafted in the 29^th round.

When Junior was drafted, he expected to get drafted. He knew he was going to get drafted by somebody, he knew he was going to go either one or two in the nation. So that’s the difference between me and him, he knew he was going to get drafted by somebody and I didn’t really know if I was going to get drafted…. I thought I was going to play football.

CF: Did you have scholarships offers from colleges for football?

KG: Yeah, I mean I had a few. University of Texas, University of West Virginia, Marshall University, and the team that I was supposed to go to was Marshall. I would have went down in the plane crash with Marshall football team.

CF: It’s amazing, being drafted by the Reds literally saved your life.

KG: Exactly

CF: Speaking of Junior, do you feel that he’s going to continue to follow in your footsteps, first going to the Reds?

KG: Well Junior right now is a special assistant with the Mariners. So he goes around with the Mariners team and helps with the younger kids, he talks to them and he’ll go take batting practice with them sometimes. He’s just being around them and talking to them about what they need to do and how to get to the big leagues.

CF: Do you feel like he’ll be a manager at some point?

KG: (Pauses) I don’t think so, he has too much to do with his kids. He’s got a daughter who’s probably going to be highly sought after in college basketball, she’s a basketball player. His son Trey is going to the University of Arizona as a football player, and then you have the younger one who is probably the star of all of them. He’s been more of a father than you can imagine, he’s there with them all the time. He’ll probably enjoy doing that more than being a manager or a coach or anything. I don’t think he wants to do that.

CF: What was it like to step foot on the field with your son, it’s something that speaks to the longevity of your career? What was it like to have one of your son is right next to you going to work?

KG: It was a little different, I didn’t expect him to be up as quick as he got there, and I didn’t expect to be playing 19 years either.  That’s the difference right there, and then when I had the chance to come out on the field and play with him for that month in Seattle, it was a situation where I didn’t think he was that good until I watched him play day in and day out. I had a real taste of what people were talking about, because in front of me he didn’t get any hits, so I didn’t see that part of it.

CF: What is it like having won 3 World Series championships? Was there one that stood out more than another? Do you talk to the guys that you manage and kind of tell them “Hey, this is what you play the game for.”

KG: No, I mean the biggest thing was winning the first one that was the biggest one, in 1975. It was my first full year in the big leagues, I ended up hitting .305. That was the major one, the first one is always the sweetest. You remember that more than any other one, plus it was considered maybe the greatest World Series ever played against Boston. So that’s another feather in the cap, people thought that was one of the better World Series ever played in the history of the game. The next year was a repeat, and we kind of expected to win the next year, we knew we were that good and we played that way. We were more of a business like team, but we had fun playing, and I think that’s what the difference was. The third one I really didn’t get a chance to play because at that time, I played until the end of August with the Reds in ’90, watching Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, Paul O’Neil, seeing how those kids developed that year gave me a real pleasure to watch them play, because they played just as well as we did in 75 and 76. That opportunity to get a ring, was a big opportunity and I enjoyed every minute of it, they were all special in their different ways, and like I said the third one was a little different because I was more of a Player/Coach, there in Cincinnati.

Special thanks to Bakersfield Media Director Dan Besbris for setting up the interview as well as providing the featured photo.

Recently, though, I saw something on Twitter that didn’t call attention to his stolen base totals (fun fact about that: he’s four shy of 200 for his career; Anthony Gose, who is a month older, has 203). I can’t remember who said it, but the gist of the comment was that while Hamilton is an admittedly skilled thief, the really impressive number on his stat line is his runs scored – at the time, he had more runs than games played, which was viewed as a mighty impressive feat.

Is it though? I went through the Minors leaders at Baseball-Reference (as far back as 1963) and looked for two things: one, players who scored more than 130 runs in a season and two, players who scored more runs than games played (for the latter, I used 100 runs scored as a minimum).

(I tried my best to find everyone, but it’s difficult because there are still many seasons for which all stats are not available. Also, stats from independent leagues are not included in the minor league leaderboards at Baseball-Reference, so I had to go league-by-league to find them. Works well for the most part, but not if a guy split time between independent leagues or between an indy and an affiliated team.)

First, here is the list of players I found who have scored 130+ runs in a season since 1963:

148 – Gene Richards, Reno (California League, A), 1975
142 – Steve Douglas, Visalia (California League, A), 1978
141 – Billy Sample, Tucson (Pacific Coast League, AAA), 1978
138 – Gary Pettis, Edmonton (Pacific Coast League, AAA), 1983
138 – Scott Grimes, York (Atlantic League, IND), 2010
135 – Bill McNulty, Sacramento (Pacific Coast League, AAA), 1974
134 – Max Venable, Lodi (California League, A), 1978
132 – Mike Neill, Huntsville (Southern League, AA)/Edmonton (PCL, AAA), 1997
132 – Jack Perconte, Lodi (California League, A), 1977
132 – Lenny Dykstra, Lynchburg (Carolina League, A), 1983
132 – Billy Hatcher, Midland (Texas League, AA), 1983
131 – Ken Gerhart, Hagerstown (Carolina League, A), 1983
130 – Bob Brower, Oklahoma City (American Association, AAA), 1986

A couple interesting things about these guys:

1) Only Dykstra went on to have even a single 100-run season in the major leagues. He actually accomplished a 130-130 double when he scored 143 times for the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies.

2) Douglas and Grimes are the only players who scored 130 runs in a minor league season over the past fifty years but did not appear in a major league game.

3) Grimes is the only independent player I found who scored 130 runs in a season.

4) Wanna have a big run-scoring season? Play in the California or Pacific Coast League. Seven of the top nine run scoring seasons since 1963 spent the entire season in one of those leagues (most of Neill’s 1997 time was spent with Double-A Huntsville).

5) Also, if you can play in the Carolina League in 1983, that seems to be helpful.

Now, the 19 players who scored a) at least 100 runs in a season and b) had more runs scored than games played (organized by the difference between runs and games):

+23 – Ryan Stevenson, St. George (Golden Baseball League, IND), 2008 – 110 in 87 games
+17 – Jonathan Reynoso, Amarillo (United League Baseball, IND), 2008 – 102 in 85 games
+15 – Fehlandt Lentini, Calgary (Golden Baseball League, IND) – 112 in 97 games
+14 – Gene Richards, Reno (California League, A), 1975 – 148 in 134 games
+12 – Luis Terrero, Mexico City (Mexican League, AAA), 2011 – 109 in 97 games
+10 – Billy Sample, Tucson (Pacific Coast League, AAA), 1978 – 141 in 131 games
+9 – Steven Garcia, Visalia (California League, A), 1981 – 120 in 111 games
+8 – Bubba Bell, Lancaster (California, A+)/Portland (Eastern, AA) – 118 in 110 games
+7 – Zach Penprase, Fargo-Moorhead (Northern League, IND), 2009 – 100 in 93 games
+6 – Steve Douglas, Visalia (California League, A), 1978 – 142 in 136 games
+6 – Scott Grimes, York (Atlantic League, IND), 2010 – 138 in 132 games
+6 – Gary Pettis, Edmonton (Pacific Coast League, AAA), 1983 – 138 in 132 games
+5 – Ken Landreaux, Salt Lake (PCL, AAA)/El Paso (Texas, AA), 1977 – 124 in 119 games
+5 – Javier Robles, Angelopolis (Mexican League, AAA), 2005 – 101 in 96 games
+3 – Mike Neill, Huntsville (Southern, AA)/Edmonton (PCL, AAA), 1997 – 132 in 129 games
+2 – Rudy Law, Lodi (California League, A) – 124 in 122 games
+1 – Jack Perconte, Lodi (California League, A), 1977 – 132 in 131 games
+1 – Ken Gerhart, Hagerstown (Carolina League, A), 1983 – 131 in 130 games
+0 – Ben Grieve, Huntsville (Southern, AA)/Edmonton (PCL, AAA), 1997 – 127 in 127 games

A few notes on this group:

1) Of the players from the previous list, five didn’t make the cut here: McNulty, Venable, Hatcher, Dykstra, and Brower.

2) Nine of the players on this list have never played in the major leagues: Stevenson, Reynoso, Lentini, Garcia, Bell, Penprase, Douglas, Grimes, and Robles. Not surprisingly, five of them came from independent leagues.

3) Lentini played in 91 games for Winnipeg and Amarillo in the American Association last season and was just two runs short of appearing on this list a second time.

It will be interesting to see how Hamilton continues to fare in the runs scored category. Since that tweet referenced above he has dropped below the one run per game average, currently sitting in an 11-way tie for 46th place (counting the Mexican League) with 25 runs in 26 games. While the season is young, eight of the players currently ahead of him have more runs scored than games played.

As of now, Richards might be the best Hamilton comp on these lists. San Diego’s first pick in the Regular Phase of the 1975 January Draft, he spent the ensuing season with the California League’s Reno Silver Sox, hitting .381 and stealing 85 bases in 134 games. (Hamilton is currently hitting .382 and on pace for 166 steals. Yes, 166. He’s Millennium Falcon-fast.) Those numbers helped him put up his excellent runs scored total (148) and differential (+14, the best I found for any affiliated player) and are at least one reason to give Hamilton a fighting chance at setting some marks of his own.

Last season I did a lot of work in Dunedin with the Dunedin Blue Jays staff. Craig Durham, a man who wears many hats as you will soon find out, was instrumental in coordinating interviews for me and helping me find my way around the ballpark when needed, to include the first time I ever covered a game from the press box. For whatever reason, however, I failed to ask Craig his story. This season, I figured we would fix that.

Bus Leagues Baseball: So how is the season going so far?

Craig Durham: The season is off to a great start.  The team is 16-4 through its first 20 games, and they have simply been awesome.  There is a lot of young talent in the Blue Jays organization right now so being able to be a part of it night in and night out is really a blast.

BLB: How did you get into broadcasting? Was it a lifelong dream or something you fell into?

CD: I wouldn’t say that it was a lifelong dream, but it is something that I’ve been interested in from a very young age.  My first year in broadcasting was in 2009, the year after I graduated college, when I worked for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod League.  I had been with the Whitecaps the previous summer, but not as a broadcaster.  Fortunately the same two guys came back to broadcast in 2009, I asked if I could join them and they said yes.  I definitely wouldn’t be here today if they hadn’t given me that first opportunity.

BLB: How long have you been with the ballclub?

CD: This is now my second season with the Dunedin Blue Jays.  I started here in January of 2011.

BLB: Do you announce games for the major league club during spring training? How does your role change from spring training to the Florida State League season?

CD: I don’t get to do any broadcasting during Spring Training, and it’s almost as if I have two separate jobs – one from April-September when the Florida State League is in season, and one October-March when it’s not.  In the “offseason” I spend most of my time preparing for, and selling for Blue Jays Spring Training.

The consistent piece between the two seasons is that I run dunedinbluejays.com, handle the Dunedin Blue Jays facebook and twitter accounts, and send out press releases about the Blue Jays Florida.

BLB: How much research do you put in to your job? How much time do you take to look at other teams and their players?

CD: Not as much as I wish I could!  I usually get to do most of my research in the few hours before the game, as I have other office responsibilities during the day.

BLB: What visiting player are you looking forward to seeing play the Dunedin Blue Jays?

CD: One guy I’m very excited to see is Gerrit Cole, last year’s first overall pick who is currently with the Bradenton Marauders.

BLB: What game that you were in the booth for stands out the most and why?

CD: The last game of last season when we were eliminated from the playoffs definitely stands out as a game I will probably never forget.  It was a winner take all game 3 of a 3 game series, and we led 3-0 going into the 8^th before it all fell apart.  Daytona scored 4 in the bottom of the 8^th, and in a flash we went from being favorites to win it all to being eliminated.  The suddenness of it, and the realization that it was all over for at least six months was tough to take.

I also called a no-hitter in the Cape League in 2010, but I did mostly color commentary for that game, and it was the pitcher on the opposing team that threw it so I don’t have as many memories from that one.

BLB: What players have stood out the most during your time in the booth?

CD: I love watching good pitchers, and last year we were blessed to have a ton of them.  I really loved watching Nestor Molina pitch because he worked so quickly and threw lots of strikes.  I also enjoyed watching our closer from last year, Wes Etheridge, for the same reasons that I liked watching Molina.

From the Cape League, I really loved watching Jed Gyrko, who is now in the Padres system.  He is a smaller guy, but he can hit the ball a very long way.

BLB: Do you root for guys to get promoted or secretly hope they’ll stay in Dunedin so you can keep announcing their games?

CD: Haha, no comment …

BLB: Do you travel with the team?

CD: I go on most of the bus trips, yes.  If we go on an extended road trip I prefer to drive so that I have a little more freedom and flexibility in terms of what I can do with my “down time”.  Having my own car also allows me to seek out better food than whatever is available within walking distance of the team hotel!

BLB: Being that Dunedin is one of the smallest towns in the Florida State League, I’ve noticed there is a strong community vibe to the team and the organization. How does that effect your announcing? Are you recognized in town outside of the ballpark?

CD: Haha if I am recognized in town it’s certainly not because I am the broadcaster.  Dunedin is a great little town with a lot of owner operated businesses and restaurants so I have gotten to know a lot of people here through the team and also just by living right downtown, which I am lucky enough to be able to do.  If people know me as a Blue Jays employee its likely because I’ve tried to sell them an ad or some sort of sponsorship at one point or another!

BLB: How important is your broadcast to the community? To the families of players who might listen online?

CD: I know a lot of our season ticket holders appreciate the broadcasts of the road games because they are an extremely loyal group of fans.  I’ve also had fans tell me they like listening because that’s how they really learn about the players.

I know that the broadcasts mean a lot to the families and friends of the players who are often very far away from home.  The broadcasts of the games are, in some way, how they keep in touch with their loved ones, and frankly I am most proud of the fact that I am able to provide this link for them.  Many of the player’s families have emailed me at one point or another to thank me, and it truly means a lot to me.

BLB: Before the season, you wrote a passionate plea in a local newspaper for fans to come out to the ballpark and see the Dunedin Blue Jays. How important is it for the community to support the team?

CD: It’s extremely important!  Seeing empty stadiums night after night last season was a real shock to me, and it was incredibly disappointing to see.  It’s not just Dunedin that struggles to draw fans in the summer, it’s 75% of the teams in the Florida State League, and 100% of Florida’s teams in Major League Baseball.  It’s sad really, there is so much good baseball being played and nobody watching it.

BLB: Why do you think attendance struggles so much in the Florida State League?

CD: There are a ton of factors, and having only lived in Florida for 16 months I don’t want to pretend to be an expert, but I think the economy and the weather are two big problems.   The economy in Florida isn’t doing all that well, and people are very careful about how they spend their money. Unfortunately it seems like baseball is one of the first things they cut out, despite the fact that tickets to Florida State League are so inexpensive.

The weather is the other big one.  It’s really really hot here from May-September, and people would rather be inside with air conditioning than out in the sweltering heat and humidity.  The fact that it rains almost nightly (and right around gametime) doesn’t help either.  While it really stinks, I can definitely understand people who just can’t stand the heat enough to stay home instead of coming to a game.

BLB: Lastly, what are you looking forward to this season?

CD: I’m looking forward to everything.  Being back in the booth, getting better at calling games, getting to know the players, eating stadium food, and 1,000 other things.

I also believe that the D-Jays have a great chance to win the FSL Championship this year, something that’s never been done in the team’s 27 year history, and to be a part of that would obviously be an amazing experience.

We would like to thank Craig for his answers and wish him and the Dunedin Blue Jays the best of luck this year.

Baseball America’s 48th-ranked prospect entering the season, Billy Hamilton is known for being among the fastest players in Minor League Baseball. Last year he used that speed to his advantage, becoming the first player in a decade to steal 100 bases in a season. He’s off to another great start this season, hitting .356/.447/.589 with 19 steals in 19 games for the Bakersfield Blaze in the California League.

I had a chance to speak with Billy last week. We talked about whether or not he wants to race other fast minor leaguers, the time last year that he scored from first base on a single, and the pregame routine he follows to help him be a better base stealer.

Obviously with you, your big thing is your speed, and I’ve seen that referred to recently as “faster than an 80” on the scouting scale and “faster than Wile E. Coyote.” Were you always fast or is that something that sort of noticeably developed over time?

Oh yeah, I was always fast, even when I was younger. I used to just go around racing everybody, just for the fun of it, just cause I was fast. I don’t know how I got the speed. My whole family pretty much has speed. My sister could probably beat me. [laughs]

When you’re looking around the minors, do you ever see some of the other guys like Anthony Gose or Mike Trout and get the urge to challenge them to a footrace and see who wins?

No, I’m more of a game-speed guy. When I get into the game, throwing and everything, I’m not more of a racer.

So you’re fast first to third, first to home, that sort of thing?

Yeah, I can run bases, stealing, running from home to third. More of a straight line, not like if I was racing somebody. Other than that I’m more of a game speed, a game-changing guy.

I saw that Trout scored from first on a single the other day, I don’t know if you’ve seen that. Have you ever done anything like that? Scored on a single or had a play that not a lot of people have done?

Yeah I did last year, it was a game winner, the bottom of the ninth and I did it from first to home.

So you did it with some style.

I did it without stealing so it was pretty good.

Just a single? You weren’t running on the pitch or anything?

Nah I wasn’t running on the pitch, none of that. Just a single

That’s pretty impressive.

I don’t know how the centerfielder was playing it, the ball went over the shortstop’s head, and I guess the centerfielder didn’t have a strong arm. I just kept going, there was a play at home but other than that…

When it comes to stealing bases, that’s about more than just speed, obviously. What kind of studying and preparing do you do to help you get an advantage on opposing pitchers and catchers?

I go out there every day and just get a feel for my spot, where I wanna be every time I get my lead, read the pitcher and stay focused on them. It gets to the point where I don’t have to worry about getting back or getting picked off, and more of a one way lead, all I’m thinking about is going and not worried about getting back. That’s basically what I do every day and just make the pitchers work a little bit so the hitters behind me will get some fastballs and be able to drive me in.

You say that you get to your “spot”. Do you have a spot that you aim for no matter who is on the mound or who’s behind the plate? Or does it depend on who you’re playing against?

It stays the same, it’s just different from righthanders and lefthanders. It’s mostly the same for all righthanders and mostly the same for all lefthanders. I just want to get to a certain spot where I know that I can get back with ease and not worry about getting picked off. I go out there when I take BP, I go out to the outfield and see the different cuts in the grass, and get a feel for where I need to be at. That will help me out in the game, won’t have to worry about going on first pitch or whatever, I’m already ready at the start of the game, I just need to worry about where I need to be.

Is there anybody that you hear about, a pitcher that has a good move that you hear about beforehand that you look out for? Or do you not worry about that?

I mean I don’t worry about them, most of them have a good move anyway, and most of them are gonna try to be quick; it all looks the same to me. I try not to worry about them, make them worry about me so much they’ll leave a pitch for my second batter.

Are you familiar at all with baseball history? Specifically the “Original” Billy Hamilton, who was a great base stealer in the 1890’s?

Nah, not really. I mean I heard before when people were talking about looking for me on Google and being like, “That’s not you, that’s a white guy.” Other than that I don’t know about him. I guess he was a base stealer?

Yeah he had 900-something stolen bases in his career, he stole 100+ two or three years in a row.

Nice, nice.

Last year you kind of called your shot with the number of bases you wanted to steal. You wanted to double your total from the year before, then you did that and realized that you were close to 100 and figured, “Why the heck not?” After the season did you go back and look at the history of the guys who had stolen 100 bases in the minors, just to appreciate how rare that is?

Nah I didn’t. I knew it was something crazy, I knew it was pretty good but I didn’t go back and do the research or anything like that. I just look forward to the next season to do it again; I’m not setting any goals for this year for stolen bases. I mean whatever happens, happens this year.

That was the last thing that I wanted to ask you about. When I was looking it up, I saw that the Bakersfield record for stolen bases is 144, that was set by Donell Nixon way back in 1983. That’s actually one off the minor league record too, I believe. Is there a number that you’re aiming for this season? Or just, like you said, “As they come”?

Yeah, just as it comes this year. Last year I was trying to double my record or whatever, this year whatever I get, I get. I’m still gonna keep running, just if I get to 100 it’ll be alright. I’m just not setting any goals I’m just gonna play.

So I shouldn’t ask if you’re going to steal 145 and break that record?

Well I mean, if it happens it happens you know? I’m gonna try but if it doesn’t happen I’m not gonna be mad and if it does happen I’m not gonna be mad. [laughs] It’s all good.

Thank you to Billy for his time and Bakersfield’s Dan Besbris for coordinating the interview. Special thanks to Chris for handling the transcription.

Photo: MiLB.com

This is a post that appeared at Philly Sports Central earlier this week, and I thought it could be appropriate here too.

Any team, Pat Burrell.

Last Thursday, the Phillies announced that Pat Burrell will sign a ceremonial one-day contract so he can officially retire as a member of the team (Ruben Amaro initially offered a three day contract, but that was deemed unnecessary.) He’ll be honored the weekend of May 18-20 against the Red Sox close to 12 years after his ML debut (5/24/00). In his 12 year career, Burrell slugged 292 home runs including 251 with the Phillies, good for 4th in franchise history. While his prolonged in-season slumps frustrated many fans, from 2005 to 2008 which has to be considered his prime, he was actually very consistent from season to season. He hit between 29 and 33 home runs, slugged between .502 and .507, and his OPS ranged from .875 to .902.

Some may say that he didn’t live up to expectations as a #1 pick because he never won any kind of award or played in an All-Star Game, but he actually stacks up very well compared to other first overall picks. As of now, only five other #1 picks have hit more home runs than he did, and even though some active #1 picks will eventually pass Burrell, his career will definitely be seen in a positive light years from now. Although people may have expected more based on his pedigree in college and the minors, he was still a key part in many lineups.

It may be hard to believe based on the limited range and foot speed for most of his career, but Burrell was once a really good athlete that also excelled in football and basketball. When it was clear that his future would be in baseball, Burrell dropped the other sports and enjoyed a very successful high school career at Bellarmine College Prep, culminating in being named California High School Player of the Year. He was taken very late in the 1995 draft by the Red Sox, but they never had serious negotiations. Burrell chose to attend Miami over Cal State Fullerton, where he would’ve been a teammate of Aaron Rowand.

While individual season statistics before 1999 are difficult if not impossible to find, Burrell’s career numbers as a Hurricane are readily available. He made an impact in college baseball immediately. He led the nation in batting average and slugging percentage, hit 23 home runs in 64 games, and somehow those numbers were dwarfed by his postseason stats. He became just the third player all time to be named College World Series Most Outstanding Player on a team that didn’t win the tournament. He still holds the Miami freshman records for home runs and total bases.

The Hurricanes didn’t come that close to winning a championship for the rest of Burrell’s college career. However, he still enjoyed two more great seasons that resulted in postseason play. His name is all over the Miami record book even though he missed two months of his junior season with a back injury. In Miami history, he’s first in batting average, first in slugging, second in home runs, and he’s also in the top 10 in runs, hits, total bases, RBI and walks. He made just about every All-American team in 1996 and 1997, and even though he missed a lot of time in his junior year, won the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the best amateur player in the country. He was an easy choice to go first overall, and fortunately for the Phillies, signed pretty quickly unlike their first round pick in the previous draft.

To start his pro career, Burrell got to stay in Florida as he was assigned to Clearwater. Going directly to high-A from college in the same year is rarely if ever seen now, and it shows how advanced Burrell was. J.D. Drew actually went right to AA after signing, but he had two seasons of indy league experience at that point. Some of Burrell’s teammates on that Clearwater team included Jimmy Rollins, Brandon Duckworth and Adam Eaton. He’s not on league leaderboards because he fell seven at bats short, but Burrell was one of the league’s best hitters at 21 years old. He would’ve been 11th in the league in OPS, and only one of the players in front of him, Nick Johnson, was 21 years old or younger.

1999 was another big step forward for Burrell, both at the plate and in the field. The Phillies were resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be able to play third base like in college, but they thought he could cover enough ground to play left field. He still played mostly first base, but he got his feet wet to prepare to make the transition full time in 2000. The change on defense didn’t affect him at the plate at all, and he had another great season. His 1.068 OPS was second in the Eastern League, behind only Nick Johnson. He hit 28 more home runs, and he was well on his way to the majors.

Burrell would only play 45 more games in the minors for the rest of his career, not counting rehab appearances. In 40 games for the SWB Phillies in AAA, Burrell again posted an OPS over .900. His SLG dipped below .500, but his patience and command of the strike zone allowed him to post an OBP over .400. After Rico Brogna went on the DL in May, the Phillies eventually brought Burrell up. On May 24th, he joined the Phillies in Houston and made his major league debut, collecting his first two career hits. The next night, he hit his first home run off Scott Elarton. Two months later, the Phillies acquired Travis Lee who had been one of the league’s top prospects just a couple years earlier. Lee started his Phillies career in left field, but he soon moved to first where he was a very good defender. Burrell would occupy left field for the rest of his career, except for one game in 2009 when the Rays sent him out to right.

It would be fair to say that Burrell may not have lived up to expectations after a career at Miami that indicated he could’ve been one of the best players of this era. He certainly wasn’t that, but he had a very good career that should be remembered fondly in the best years of Phillies history. The difference between the player Burrell was and the player he could have been was was likely a change in approach at the plate. He became great at hitting to right field at Miami, but as a professional he became a dead pull hitter. Maybe he felt pressure to hit more home runs after his outstanding 2002 season and contract extension, but he still became a very dangerous power hitter.

I’ll start with a question you haven’t had before, what inspired you to write the book?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was inspired to write Just A Minor Perspective. It was something that just kind of happened. I had been writing a blog about my experiences in the minor leagues since I was drafted in 2010. This last offseason, my aunt brought up the notion of turning my posts into a book. I have always enjoyed writing, so I thought it would be a fun project to tackle in my free-time before the season started. I’m glad I did. It has been a great experience that has taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

Describe your writing process. How did you go from idea to ebook? How did you decide what to keep and what to cut?

The writing process was a very natural thing for me. I had done a good job of outlining all of the important events in my first year of pro ball in my blog, so I had a great starting point. Basically, I took what I already had written as the bare bones of the book and added or subtracted to make a coherent story. My main goal of the book was to incorporate my emotions. You can easily research what goes on in the minor leagues, but its not as easy to find what it feels like to go through it. I really wanted to put readers in the front seat of my mind and have them experience these events as I did. So everyday I sat down and my computer and wrote a little bit, trying to relive the events as a stream of consciousness to get down to the true emotions of that time in my life. I stayed diligent and contributed something every day. After a couple of months, I had written a book.

Did you have any special enter from the bullpen or at bat music that you used?

I’ve never had a walkout song as a professional. When I signed my first contract I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t be able to choose a song until I made it to the big leagues. But if I were to choose a song, it would be something ironic like a Kesha or Lady Gaga. I don’t take walkout songs too seriously.

Outside of spring training, what was your favorite moment of your time with the Phillies?

My favorite moment with the Phillies was in Williamsport when my no-hitter was broken up in the 7th inning. I talk about this in my book. After I had given up the hit, I got the ball back from my infielders, turned back to the crowd, and they were all standing. It’s such an indescribably amazing feeling to know that thousands of people appreciated my effort. It was the first time during a game where I actually got goosebumps.

What was your favorite food that you found on the road?

In Staten Island there was an Italian deli a couple blocks from our hotel. I’m half Italian and am just a complete sucker for authentic Italian stuff. I walked into this place and it felt like I was walking into my grandma and grandpa’s house. I got the capicola and prosciutto sandwich with provolone on a freshly baked crunchy italian roll and I was in heaven. I could eat that everyday.

Any news on where you may be playing this season?

At this point I’m playing the waiting game. The timing of my release hasn’t really helped me. All teams were just making their last cuts and finalizing their rosters, so there were absolutely no spots open. I am just hoping that in the near future something will open up and a team will think of me.

Finally, do you have any plans to continue writing?

I think I will always continue writing in some way, shape, or form. If I do get picked up, I plan on writing a blog post about my time in limbo. It’s an interesting story with countless emotions that I think a lot of people can relate to. As far as writing another book, I think the fans will determine whether that will happen: But I’m always game.

Once again we would love to thank Eric Pettis for taking the time out to answer my questions. And he is selling his ebook Just a Minor Perspective for 2.99 on Amazon.com.

That’s something you’re going to have to wait for the end to get answered. But first, let’s start with the good. Pettis has a writing style that works. There are times where you will find yourself completely entertained by his writing. He knows how to write a good blog entry, and it absolutely shows through here.

And if he writes a sequel? I liked enough of this that I will absolutely be willing to read it. But that being said? This is a book that definitely could have used a more rigorous editing process regarding narrative flow and structure in general.

For one? In a 133 page ebook, we find ourselves with ten percent of the book covering an autobiography of Pettis. And we don’t actually get to Williamsport until Page 32. This would have been less of an issue for me if there weren’t parts that seem like they were screaming for expansion. As an example? I would have loved if Pettis would have expanded on the feelings of a team that while in contention, didn’t seem like they were in it to win it.

But that being said? I’m discussing a matter that didn’t seem to be the writer’s intent. Pettis will expound further in a future Q&A, so while I feel that it was a problem that would keep this from making it my highest recommendation, it may yet work for you.

In a way, and I’m gonna force a metaphor here so bear with me. Pettis the writer is a lot different than Pettis the baseball player. There are all the tools for him to write something great. But for me, this wasn’t it. Now that being said? The ebook is 2.99 on Amazon, and once you get to Williamsport? It does get stronger. All in all? I would give it a 3 out of 5. Or in scouting parlance a 55 out of 80.

There are so many moving parts to the minor league experience, and we try to delve into all of them. From time to time we come across something we haven’t covered yet. This week, we look into the lives of host parents, who ease the transition for prospects as they begin their professional careers. 

Heather Wright is the author of Nothing But Baseball and Apple Pie, a new blog that will chronicle her experience as a host mom for the Lexington Legends, the Sally League class A affiliate of the Houston Astros. We had a nice back-and-forth conversation via email while her Legends were on a road trip. At first, I asked her questions that she couldn’t quite answer, since she’s so new to the gig, but her gentle way of letting me know really set the tone for the rest of the interview:

The bad news is I’m afraid I will be terribly disappointing to you in
that I can’t answer all of your questions. I can answer most of them
and I can tell you a lot, considering how much I researched being a
host mom before accepting the role. I can tell you about my players,
and about how you take care of them while still letting them be
independent … about how they are humble and appreciative and will
love you forever if you provide chocolate. On how much the little
things matter to their families..like letting the Dominican Republic
moms tag themselves in their son’s baseball pictures you take because
there is NOTHING more important in life to these mamas than those
pictures.. and that google translate is your very best friend.

I came out of this conversation with a world of respect for host parents, the unsung heroes of the Bus Leagues. Let’s meet Heather!

Bus Leagues Baseball: First, the question we ask everyone: How did you first fall in love with baseball?

I fell in love with baseball in junior high. My little brothers decided to play and I didn’t think much of it until I got out there with them and loved it. Absolutely loved it. Begged to play. We had a minor league team nearby — the Brevard County Manatees — and they would send free tickets throughout the season in your electric bill. One ticket was good for up to like 4 people. We would go with my mom, my aunt, and my grandma.

My momma is a huge baseball fan, and has been since the Astros used to do spring training in Brevard County, FL a while ago. She rubbed off on me. Her enthusiasm cannot be matched and it is infectious. My dream is to someday go to an Astros game with her, maybe even a Spring Training one.

How did you get started as a host parent?

I got started as a host parent because I was looking at these kids from all over the country, some even from other countries, and thought, “If that were my son he’d be missing me taking care of him big time!”

Soon thereafter we met the president of the Legends booster club, Terry Daley, and he told us how we could support the players by being host parents. I never knew you could still be a host mom if you didn’t have room for a player to live with you, but it turns out that most players share apartments and houses with other players. Our job is to support them like their mamas would if they lived nearby.

Legend Alex Todd meets his host brother

So, do they have you support a specific player, or do you just pitch in and do things for everyone?

You are assigned a player, or two. Because my boyfriend and I are in two separate households, we get 3. I have Jason Chowning and Kyle Hallock, he has Alex Todd. You can also host a coach. They are far from home too :)

If you had a certain player last year, you’ll get him again, and if a player requests you, they will make that happen for him. Jason requested me because I’ve talked to him many times and I’m pretty known for my cooking skills and these boys are hungry fellas!

We agreed to a plan of sharing the duties for the boys. I’m doing all the mama duties: cooking, buying stuff they need for their houses, fussing over them, making their road trip goodie bags (a big big deal for host parents). He is in charge of transportation, entertainment, big brother stuff like advice and taking them out to eat.

Together we both go to the AwayGame send off. You actually meet the players at the field before they load the bus for encouragement, goodbye hugs, and to give them a goodie bag for their trip.

We also go down together after the games to see them and give more encouragement and food. All the host parents wait together so it’s like a family reunion after each game. Not every host parent will bring food all the time, but I love it. Tonight they get lasagna to take home to their roommates

Of the three guys you and your boyfriend take care of, what are some of their favorite things to eat?

The favorite foods so far have been lasagna casserole and my chocolate cocoa cola cake. :) For the road trips, its a white chocolate pretzel mix.

Do you think they trade stuff from goodie bags while they’re on the road, like my son does with his friends at school?

I can bet money they trade their goodie bags, and also share them. Alex told me tonight that my pretzel mix was the hit of the road trip and was passed around and around again :)

What types of entertainment do they do with your boyfriend? Do they have some favorite movies? Do they bowl?

The  boys just officially moved to town (they started the season on the road) so we haven’t done any entertainment stuff yet. The #1 activity of all the minor league players I’ve met so far, though, is Xbox. 24 hrs a day. Talking smack to each other on twitter about it, and playing all the time.

When they go out, where do they like to eat?

Favorite restaurants for the team are the Golden Corral, a chinese place near the stadium, and Buffalo Wild Wings, as far as I’ve heard. Golden Corral is very popular. The buffet on a budget thing is very important, since they don’t make a lot of money and have to stretch it far.

Do you know the other host parents? Is there a bond there?

There is definitely a bond between host parents. There are potlucks with the team and host parents monthly, and also after each game, we all meet in a spot near the locker room to encourage our players after the games. While we are waiting for the guys, there is much catching up between the host parents, sharing hugs and talking both family stuff and baseball. Once the players come out, it is like a family reunion every time. The players find their host families but they also stop and visit with other host parents along the way.

Obviously, you root for your players to do well, but you know if they do, they’ll move on. Is the overall experience kind of bittersweet?

It is, and will be bittersweet. We are fully expecting one of our players — Jason Chowning — to move up this year. We will miss our guys as they move on but will be so very proud of them!

I used to be a Braves fan; my whole life I have been a Braves fan, and then I met the Legends. Now I am an Astros fan with fond memories of my Braves. I know that the Astros have a less than stellar record usually, but how can I not cheer them on? The Astros are where my guys go when they reach the dream they’re working so hard to achieve! When the Astros come to Cincinnati or anywhere close, we will go and cheer them on. We keep up with the entire Astros farm system pretty closely. We’re planning on going to to Greenville several times this year, too.

We want to support the younger guys as they come up and keep supporting them all the way to the top.

Follow Heather and her Legends for the rest of the season at Nothing But Baseball and Apple Pie.

In an effort to milk this list as much as possible, I made a post that has all 100 prospects in just one list with their Opening Day assignments. At the bottom, I have a handful of stats that show the distribution of the top 100 by organization, position and classification.

1. Bryce Harper, OF, Washington- Syracuse (AAA, International)
2. Matt Moore, LHP, Tampa Bay- Tampa Bay (MLB, AL)
3. Mike Trout, OF, Anaheim- Salt Lake (AAA, Pacific Coast)
4. Jurickson Profar, SS, Texas- Frisco (AA, Texas)
5. Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta- Gwinnett (AAA, International)
6. Trevor Bauer, RHP, Arizona- Mobile (AA, Southern)
7. Dylan Bundy, RHP, Baltimore- Delmarva (A, South Atlantic)
8. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Washington- Potomac (A+, Carolina)
9. Jesus Montero, DH, Seattle- Seattle (MLB, AL)
10. Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis- Memphis (AAA, Pacific Coast)
11. Manny Machado, SS, Baltimore- Bowie (AA, Eastern)
12. Devin Mesoraco, C, Cincinnati- Cincinnati (MLB, NL)
13. Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City- Northwest Arkansas (AA, Texas)
14. Travis d’Arnaud, C, Toronto- Las Vegas (AAA, Pacific Coast)
15. Gerrit Cole, RHP, Pittsburgh- Bradenton (A+, Florida State)
16. Jacob Turner, RHP, Detroit- Toledo (AAA, International)
17. Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pittsburgh- Bradenton (A+, Florida State)
18. Manny Banuelos, LHP, Yankees- Empire State (AAA, International)
19. Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona- South Bend (A, Midwest)
20. Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Arizona- Mobile (AA, Southern)
21. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP, Atlanta- Injured- out for season
22. Jarrod Parker, RHP, Oakland- Sacramento (AAA, Pacific Coast)
23. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland- Lake County (A, Midwest)
24. Randall Delgado, RHP, Atlanta- Atlanta (MLB, NL)
25. Jake Marisnick, OF, Toronto- Dunedin (A+, Florida State)
26. Miguel Sano, DH, Minnesota- Beloit (A, Midwest)
27. Nick Castellanos, 3B, Detroit- Lakeland (A+, Florida State)
28. Jean Segura, SS, Anaheim- Arkansas (AA, Texas)
29. Gary Brown, OF, San Francisco- Richmond (AA, Eastern)
30. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado- Tulsa (AA, Texas)
31. Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Colorado- Colorado Springs (AAA, Pacific Coast)
32. Martin Perez, LHP, Texas- Round Rock (AAA, Pacific Coast)
33. Taijuan Walker, RHP, Seattle- Jackson (AA, Southern)
34. Danny Hultzen, LHP, Seattle- Jackson (AA, Southern)
35. Zack Wheeler, LHP, Mets- Binghamton (AA, Eastern)
36. Carlos Martinez, RHP, St. Louis- Palm Beach (A+, Florida State)
37. Oscar Taveras, OF, St. Louis- Springfield (AA, Texas)
38. Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs- Iowa (AAA, Pacific Coast)
39. Mike Olt, 3B, Texas- Frisco (AA, Texas)
40. Zach Lee, RHP, Los Angeles- Rancho Cucamonga (A+, California)
41. Matt Harvey, RHP, Mets- Buffalo (AAA, International)
42. Yasmani Grandal, C, San Diego- Tucson (AAA, Pacific Coast)
43. Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Houston- Corpus Christi (AA, Texas)
44. Rymer Liriano, OF, San Diego- Lake Elsinore (A+, California)
45. Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees- Charleston (A, South Atlantic)
46. Bubba Starling, OF, Kansas City- Extended Spring Training
47. Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Tampa Bay- Montgomery (AA, Southern)
48. Jarred Cosart, RHP, Houston- Corpus Christi (AA, Texas)
49. Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B, Kansas City- Wilmington (A+, Carolina)
50. Xander Bogaerts, 3B, Boston- Salem (A+, Carolina)
51. Josh Bell, OF, Pittsburgh- West Virginia (A, South Atlantic)
52. Wily Peralta, RHP, Milwaukee- Nashville (AAA, Pacific Coast)
53. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Boston- Pawtucket (AAA, International)
54. Yonder Alonso, 1B, San Diego- San Diego (MLB, NL)
55. Casey Kelly, RHP, San Diego- Tucson (AAA, Pacific Coast)
56. Anthony Gose, CF, Toronto- Las Vegas (AAA, Pacific Coast)
57. Dellin Betances, RHP, Yankees- Empire State (AAA, International)
58. Trevor May, RHP, Philadelphia- Reading (AA, Eastern)
59. Christian Yelich, OF, Miami- Jupiter (A+, Florida State)
60. A.J. Cole, RHP, Oakland- Stockton (A+, California)
61. Billy Hamilton, 2B, Cincinnati- Bakersfield (A+, California)
62. James Paxton, LHP, Seattle- Jackson (AA, Southern)
63. Mason Williams, OF, Yankees- Charleston (A, South Atlantic)
64. Neil Ramirez, RHP, Texas- Round Rock (AAA, Pacific Coast)
65. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs- Iowa (AAA, Pacific Coast)
66. Javier Baez, 3B, Cubs- Extended Spring Training
67. Michael Choice, OF, Oakland- Midland (AA, Texas)
68. George Springer, OF, Houston- Lancaster (A+, California)
69. Jesse Biddle, LHP, Philadelphia- Clearwater (A+, Florida State)
70. Eddie Rosario, 2B, Minnesota- Beloit (A, Midwest)
71. Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Kansas City- Northwest Arkansas (AA, Texas)
72. Sonny Gray, RHP, Oakland- Midland (AA, Texas)
73. Mike Montgomery, LHP, Kansas City- Omaha (AAA, Pacific Coast)
74. Matt Davidson, 3B, Arizona- Mobile (AA, Southern)
75. Chad Bettis, RHP, Colorado- Tulsa (AA, Texas)
76. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Atlanta- Mississippi (AA, Southern)
77. Joe Benson, OF, Minnesota- Rochester (AAA, International)
78. Jonathan Villar, SS, Houston- Corpus Christi (AA, Texas)
79. Allen Webster, RHP, Los Angeles- Chattanooga (AA, Southern)
80. Addison Reed, RHP, White Sox- White Sox (MLB, AL)
81. Jedd Gyorko, 3B, San Diego- San Antonio (AA, Texas)
82. John Lamb, LHP, Kansas City- Omaha (AAA, Pacific Coast)
83. Cory Spangenburg, 2B, San Diego- Lake Elsinore (A+, California)
84. Joe Wieland, RHP, San Diego- Tucson (AAA, Pacific Coast)
85. Robbie Erlin, LHP, San Diego- San Antonio (AA, Texas)
86. Justin Nicolino, LHP, Toronto- Lansing (A, Midwest)
87. Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Milwaukee- Brevard County (A+, Florida State)
88. Luis Heredia, RHP, Pittsburgh- Extended Spring Training
89. Austin Hedges, C, San Diego- Fort Wayne (A, Midwest)
90. Blake Swihart, C, Boston- Greenville (A, South Atlantic)
91. Brian Goodwin, OF, Washington- Hagerstown (A, South Atlantic)
92. Brandon Jacobs, OF, Boston- Salem (A+, Carolina)
93. Jed Bradley, LHP, Milwaukee- Brevard County (A+, Florida State)
94. Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Tampa Bay- Extended Spring Training
95. Dillon Howard, RHP, Cleveland- Extended Spring Training
96. Brandon Nimmo, OF, Mets- Extended Spring Training
97. Alex Meyer, RHP, Washington- Hagerstown (A, South Atlantic)
98. Matt Purke, LHP, Washington- Potomac (A+, Carolina)
99. Jose Campos, RHP, Yankees- Charleston (A, South Atlantic)
100. Jonathan Schoop, 2B, Baltimore- Bowie (AA, Eastern)

By ML Team
9- SD
6- KC
5- NYY, WAS
4- TOR, TEX, SEA, PIT, OAK, HOU, BOS, ATL, ARI
3- TB, STL, MIN, MIL, NYM, CHC, COL, BAL
2- PHI, LA, DET, CLE, CIN, ANA
1- CHW, SF, MIA

By Position
C- 7
1B- 3
2B- 4
SS- 7
3B- 10
OF- 19
RHP- 33
LHP- 18
DH- 2

By Classification/League
MLB- 6
(AAA)- 24
IL- 8
PCL- 16
(AA)- 29
EL- 5
SL- 9
TL- 15
(A+)- 20
CAL- 6
CAR- 5
FSL- 9
(A)- 14
MWL- 6
SAL- 8
(XST)- 7

The Minor League season opened across the country with record crowds, pomp, pageantry, fireworks and several noteworthy performances.  The following are the top 7 things you missed in affiliated Minor League Baseball last week.

1. Bryce Harper got his first Triple-A hit on Thursday.  It was a double in the second for the Syracuse Chiefs.  He ultimately went 2 for 4 for the Washington Nationals affiliate, which took the loss to the visiting Rochester Redwings (an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins), 7 to 4.  Harper proclaimed, “It’s always fun, to get that nervous feeling – the butterflies and whatnot.”  I know what you’re thinking.  Doesn’t Bryce Harper seem to be celebrating personal accomplishments in the face of a team loss? Ah, whom are we kidding?  Bryce Harper is going to be up with the big club so fast, you might as well have put him on the bench of your Fantasy Baseball team.

2. Luke French struck out four and allowed two hits over five innings.  He helped the Minnesota Twins Double-A affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats, to take the win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Giants farm system in the Eastern League.  I really don’t know what to say about this, but I think the Flying Squirrels might be the greatest name for a baseball team since the Albuquerque Isotopes.

3. The Columbus Clippers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, received their championship rings for taking the International League title last year.  They promptely lost that game to Louisville Bats of the Cincinnati Reds farm system, thanks to Paul Janish and his go-ahead solo shot in the ninth.  Tons of promise, only to fall short in the ninth?  Hmmm. Not much different than the big club are we?

4. The Brewers’ number 3 prospect, Taylor Jungmann, made his professional debut against the Daytona Cubs.  He allowed one run on four hits over five innings.  Ah, the Cubs losing.  Start them early boys, start them early.  Wouldn’t want to promote a culture of winning in that organization, would we?  The Chicago Cubs franchise is the only team that can pride themselves on the fact that the last time they won a World Series – we thought the automobile was going to go the way of the Betamax.

5. Derby the Dog was trained to bring out water to the umpires during the season opener of New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, the Trenton Thunder. They faced the visiting New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Blue Jays organization…. or as Yankee fans like to call the sight, “I can’t get tickets to see Andy Pettitte pitch so I’m stuck watching this dumb dog.”

6. Giants top prospect Gary Brown went 1 for 3 with a walk in his Double-A debut for Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Eastern League.  Flying Squirrels…never not funny.

7. The Mets Class-A affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats, opened against the Giants affiliate, Augusta Green Jackets.  The Sand Gnats?  Really?  Making fun of this would just be too easy.