Minor League Musings

[$heriff Tom]

I plan on streaming a lot of minor league baseball online this year, killing off some work hours. Much in the way of day games through the year. Kicking it off this year with a 2PM airing of Syracuse Chiefs (Jays) vs Louisville Bats (Reds)

Jumping in at the 3rd inning, due to a boring conference call. Getting to hear our buddy Andy Phillips, manning first for the Reds AAA affiliate. One of my favorite minor-leaguers, and Texas alum Curtis Thigpen, is batting right now for the Chiefs.

I remember discussing this last year. Oh, wait, Thigpen just hit into a double play. Way to go! Anyway, you can listen to your pick of games - live, or archived (so you can go back and listen to that game with the brawl, or the no-hitter, or the Yankee farm clubs later)

Another quirky feature is the down-home ads for the affiliates, you get to hear commercials for the local burger joint, or filling station. Ah, they sure live differently down there.

A fun feature, especially for the minor league fan-hound like me.

[Chris]

LOL @ myself for once muttering, "make Andy Phillips the full-time first baseman."

LOL'ing even harder @ Max Kellerman spouting off about Andy Phillips advanced age and seasoning in the minors being a GOOD SIGN of his ability to contribute to the Yankees.

[$heriff Tom]

I always shredded all you Phillips backers. Look like I won that one, like I won the Bubba Crosby argument, and the Aaron Small argument, etc etc etc

Getting to hear good pitching prospects David Purcey and Homer Bailey hooking horns here. 1-0, getting deep into the game, with the only run plated on a homer by Adam Lind.

[9]

And the Raul Mondesi argument? Oh, wait ... ;D

[Chris]

I don't think you were EXACTLY right on the Aaron Small argument Tom. You kept predicting that the wheels were going to fall of at any moment during his remarkable run...and they didn't. It took for him to enter the next season, before he came back down to earth.

[$heriff Tom]

No, you're wrong on that. And that matters not anyway, anyone can go on a hot streak where everything they touch turns to gold. I said the guy was a waste, and he was gone the next year, never to return. I was 100% on that jackoff.

[MSBNYY]

You were wrong on Hammond and Osuna--and to this day still refuse to admit it. Fool.

[9]

I split that ticket. I liked Osuna, never liked Hammond. Tom, are you just streaming the games off the individual minor-league clubs' sites?

[$heriff Tom]

No, no - go to minorleaguebaseball.com, and the multimedia section. From there, MILB Gameday Audio.

You need to set up a FREE account, simply your email addy and a password. And you got your access. Its clear and easy, its not a spam deal or anything like that.

From there you have a grid/key daily of all the offered games (sometimes well over 20-30) and most of them have choices of feed (home or road broadcasts) - so you can not only follow teams, you can follow broadcasting teams.

Actually today there are nearly FIFTY games offered, with the earliest at NOON, and the latest at 10. AND they are archived, you can go back and listen to last nights games today.

The broadcasts are just as you would hear them in that market, with local commercials and flavor.

Here is the direct link to the Multimedia section.

web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/multimedia/audio.jsp

[$heriff Tom]

Oh, and another thing....for all the rips you guys are giving Hammond, do you remember what his ERA was that season with the Yankees?

2.86.

Yes, 2.86. In 63 innings he walkedd 11 guys, and struck out 45. Pardon me for not seeing the problem here.

Even the hated Osuna's ERA was around Wang levels, at 3.7.

Fact of the matter is this - we have been doing a lot worse in the bullpen the least few years.

[MSBNYY]

That's because he let everyone ELSE's runs score. That's why he had no trust from Torre, and I think he was even left off the playoff roster.

If you watched the games, you would know that. That's why neither one stuck around. They were idiotic signings, and only an idiot would like them.

[$heriff Tom]

That's because he let everyone ELSE's runs score

From the same Yankee era they were not letting as many inherited runners score as the canonized Mike Stanton. Hammond and Osuna were NOT the problem.

[MSBNYY]

Hammond and Osuna weren't even close in ability to Mike Stanton. Hammond and Osuna WERE the problem. Again, these are things one can see just by watching the games.

[$heriff Tom]

Balls, stop polluting my minor league thread with your ridiculous rants. Take the Yankee middle-relief talk elsewhere on the board.

I will be listening to baseball in about 45 minutes. Good fodder for a rainy and cold New York afternoon.

[9]

LOL! Thanks for the link, Tom.

[MSBNYY]

I have no problem dropping the Hammond and Osuna discussion. It was only brought up as an example of how you were wrong. It's a doozy.

[$heriff Tom]

Ah, got to love baseball at 11AM on a Monday. Especially "Yankee" baseball. Our own Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yanks are in action, and waylaying their foes. 10 straight guys get on to lead off the 2nd, 8 runs score, and the Yanks have a bulbous lead early on.

[Chris]

Tom - how do contracts with minor league players work?

For example, Joba gets brought up mid-season, and he's here to stay. Is his contract/pay somehow modified now that he's a big leaguer? Or do the Yanks simply purchase his contract and he's still paid the same, just playing on a new stage?

When does his current contract end?

[MSBNYY]

If you're on the MLB roster, you would, at minimum, get league minimum, pro-rated, for as long as you are on the roster.

[Chris]

But are you still binded, at least in terms of LENGTH, to the contract you were under in the minor league level?

[$heriff Tom]

Gonna listen to the Trenton Thunder at noon today.

[Chris]

I am thinking about giving the OC Flyers (Independent Minor League Baseball) games a chance - tix are only $5. They play at Cal State Fullerton.

Maybe I'll take in their away game against the Long Beach Armada this weekend.

[$heriff Tom]

Futures Game managers have been pegged....and one is Tino Martinez. The other is Davey Johnson. In other Futures Game news, the game has been bumped to 9 innings, after years playing only 7.

Futures managers have New York ties
Martinez tabbed to lead World; Johnson skippering U.S.

The list of Futures Game managers over the past nine years has been full of Hall of Famers, All-Stars and World Series champions. So why would year No. 10 be any different?

It was announced on Thursday that two-time All-Star and four-time World Series winner Tino Martinez will manage the World Team in the XM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 13, at Yankee Stadium in New York.

"I'm thrilled to death," Martinez said. "It's quite an honor to be able to manage that team. To have the opportunity to do it in Yankee Stadium, it doesn't get any better than that."

The person in the other dugout is no stranger to the Fall Classic, either. Davey Johnson, a four-time All-Star as a player and a World Series-winning manager, will head the U.S. Team.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Johnson said. "I love coaching young, talented guys who'll be in the big leagues one day soon. It's a great thrill."

This year, with the Olympic Games in Beijing looming, the Futures Game will have a slightly different look. Instead of simply having an All-Star squad of United States prospects, it will be the 2008 Team USA Olympic trial team featured against the World Team. The nine-inning game begins at 12:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live by ESPN2, ESPN2 HD and on XM Satellite Radio. The length of the game is also a departure from the past, with eight of the past nine Futures Games being seven-inning contests. The game in Atlanta, in 2000, lasted nine innings.

"We are very excited to continue the tradition of showcasing our game's top young talent during the XM All-Star Futures Game," said Bob DuPuy, Major League Baseball's president and chief operating officer. "This year's event will be particularly special, as our fans will have the opportunity to get a first look at many of the players who will make up Team USA and represent our country in August at the Beijing Olympics."

Martinez and Johnson join a very select group of Futures Game skippers. Hall of Famers that have participated in the past include Rich Gossage, Juan Marichal, Paul Molitor, Lou Brock, Luis Aparicio, Tony Perez, George Brett and Gaylord Perry. Former All-Stars who have skippered are Jim Rice, Tony Oliva, Minnie Minoso, Willie Hernandez and Davey Concepcion.

Martinez, who was selected 14th overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 1988 First-Year Player Draft, played 16 seasons in the Majors from 1990-2005 with the Seattle Mariners (1990-95), New York Yankees (1996-2001, 2005), St. Louis Cardinals (2002-03) and Tampa Bay Rays (2004). Martinez was a key member of the World Series champion New York Yankees teams in 1996, and from 1998-2000. In 1997, Martinez set career-highs with a .296 batting average, 44 home runs, 141 RBIs and finished second in AL MVP voting. In addition, Martinez was crowned the winner of the Home Run Derby and won the AL Silver Slugger Award at first base. Martinez, who will also participate in the Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game, retired following the 2005 season. In 2,223 career games, he posted a .271 average with 339 home runs and 1,271 RBIs. He hit at least 20 home runs in nine seasons and drove in over 100 runs six times. Martinez currently serves as a special assistant to the general manager for the New York Yankees. He sees the Futures Game as a showcase for young talent and is ready to guide said talent on the field. The main thing he plans on doing to get ready is to work on his language skills.

"I'm pretty good at speaking Spanish with baseball terms," Martinez said. "I'm going to brush up so I can address the team in Spanish and in English. I will definitely have that down before I get there.

"The goal is to win the ballgame, but you want to get everyone in the game and let them show the fans their skills. It's an opportunity -- on TV, in Yankee Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd for these future Major Leaguers to show the world the future of our game. I'm looking forward to watching both teams play and be surrounded by all that great young talent and know the future is in good hands."

Johnson played 13 seasons in the Majors, from 1965-1978, for the Baltimore Orioles (1965-72), Atlanta Braves (1973-75), Philadelphia Phillies (1977-78) and Chicago Cubs (1978). In 1973, Johnson's first year with the Braves, he set career highs with 151 hits, 43 home runs, 99 RBIs and 84 runs scored. The 43 home runs broke Rogers Hornsby's record (42 in 1922) for most home runs in a season by a second baseman. Johnson, who won three consecutive Gold Glove Awards as a second baseman (1969-71), was a member of the Orioles' 1966 and 1970 World Series championship teams. He retired after the 1978 season with a .261 average, 136 home runs, 609 RBIs, 1,252 hits and 242 doubles in 1,435 games.

Following his playing career, Johnson compiled a career managerial record of 1,148-888 (.564) in 14 Major League seasons as a manager with the New York Mets (1984-90), Cincinnati Reds (1993-95), Baltimore Orioles (1996-97) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1999-2000). In 1986, Johnson guided the Mets to 108 regular-season wins and a World Series championship as they beat the Boston Red Sox in seven games. Johnson was also selected the 1997 American League Manager of the Year after leading the Orioles to the AL East Division title. Since 2005, Johnson has served as a coach or manager for USA Baseball. In 2006, he managed the U.S. Team at the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Cuba, where his team won the gold medal and a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2007, Johnson was at the helm of the U.S. Team that won the gold medal at the IBAF Baseball World Cup in Taiwan.

Johnson will serve as the manager of the U.S. Team at the Olympics in Beijing, China, in August.

"Any time guys get to play in the big league ballpark against the best opposition the world has, it's a great experience," Johnson said. "It's a way they grow and they appreciate their talent. When you manage a group of guys, you want them to reach their potential.

"A lot of these guys in the Futures Game, they may be on the Olympic Team. I have some more veteran guys on my 60-man list, but some of those guys may impress enough to make the final 24. It's a good opportunity for them and for myself and my coaching staff."

The 25-man rosters and coaches for the U.S. and the World Futures Teams, selected by MLB in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, MLB.com, Baseball America, USA Baseball and the 30 Major League Baseball clubs, will be unveiled during the MLB All-Star Futures Selection Show on MLB.TV on Thursday, June 26 at 3 p.m.

[9]

Constantino!

[MSBNYY]

Have they announced rosters for the Future's Game yet?

[$heriff Tom]

No. As soon as they do I will tack em up here.

[$heriff Tom]

Clemens' son, two teammates arrested, charged after disturbance

SALEM, Va. -- The son of Roger Clemens and two other minor league teammates were arrested early Sunday morning and briefly jailed after a disturbance at a restaurant in Salem.

In a news release, police said Koby Clemens, Mark Ori and Jimmy Goethals were arrested after police were called to the parking lot of a restaurant.

Clemens and Ori were charged with disorderly conduct. Goethals was charged with assault and battery.

All three were held in the Roanoke County-Salem Jail before being released on bond.

The three play for the Salem Avalanche, which played its final game of the season Monday in Lynchburg.

In a statement, the Houston Astros said they were attempting to sort out the circumstances leading to arrest of the three players in their farm system.

"Based on the feedback and information we get from the court appearance, we will make a decision as to what disciplinary action will be taken," said Ricky Bennett, assistant general manager/director of player development for the Astros.

The police statement said 50 people were in the parking lot of Mac and Bob's restaurant when officers arrived at 2 a.m. Sunday. The owner of the restaurant did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press.

Initial reports of the arrests were by broadcast and print outlets in the Roanoke area.

[MSBNYY]

Could be 'roid rage.

[$heriff Tom]

Gotta love Henry Cotto.



Ex-player Cotto finds coaching fulfilling
Former Mariners outfielder instructing players in Minor Leagues

By Jesse Baumgartner / MLB.com

SEATTLE -- While Henry Cotto spent time with four different teams during his 10 Major League seasons, his post-playing career has been strictly a Mariners affair.

Since Cotto hung up his cleats in 1995, he has devoted himself to helping out the young prospects in the organization by embarking on what is becoming an extensive Minor League coaching career.

Cotto is in his 13th year with the organization and his second with the short-season Everett AquaSox, for whom he works as the hitting coach. But during his coaching career with Seattle, he's worked at all different levels of the Minor League spectrum.

"I wanted to go straight to coaching and teaching the young guys that we have my knowledge about the game," he said.

That knowledge comes from those 10 seasons in the big leagues, during which Cotto hit .261 with 44 homers, 210 RBIs and 130 stolen bases.

He began his career with the Cubs in 1984 before moving over to the Yankees for three years and then to Seattle in 1988. He played with the club until he was traded to Florida in 1993, and one of his best full seasons came in the first year in Seattle when he hit eight homers and stole 27 bases. He also batted .305 in 1991 but played in only 66 games.

After playing with Florida, he went to Japan for a season before returning to the Minor Leagues and eventually retiring in 1995.

Now he makes his living helping others -- such as Mariners' second-round pick and AquaSox outfielder Dennis Raben -- reach that elite level with his coaching instruction.

Cotto also has ambitions, even as a coach.

"I think every coach, if you ask, they're going to [say they want] to coach in the big leagues, but if it comes, fine. If not, I still enjoy what I do," he said.

The playing year keeps Cotto on the road and quite busy, but following the season's end he'll get some relaxation.

"In the offseason, I stay home and I enjoy my family," he said.

Home for Cotto is Phoenix, Ariz., with his wife, Laura, and two children, Henry Jr. and Claudia.

The family got an extra thrill this season when Henry Jr. was drafted by the Mariners in the 41st round out of GateWay Community college in Phoenix. He's an outfielder, like his dad, but hits and throws left-handed.

"I always told him that I don't want him being like me. He's got to be better than me," Cotto said on the day of the draft.

Henry Jr. signed with the club on July 10 and he'll have plenty of help from his father along the way -- although the senior Cotto emphasizes that it's his son's skills that allowed him to become part of the organization.

"Well, that's the way the scout from the Mariners saw it and drafted," he said. "It wasn't because of me, it was because the scout liked what he saw and drafted him up."

[$heriff Tom]

Ugh.

Mets' Cyclones change for Obama
Brooklyn MiLB team will alter name to 'Baracklyn' Cyclones on June 23



Upon winning the Presidential election, Barack Obama proclaimed that "change has come to America."
The nature and extent of this promised "change" has yet to be determined, but it will certainly be felt at KeySpan Park, home of the Mets' Class A Short-Season affiliate, on June 23. On what is sure to be one of the most talked-about promotions in the Minor Leagues this season, the New York-Penn League's Brooklyn Cyclones will take the field as the "Baracklyn Cyclones."

It may be a somewhat awkward play on words, but the Cyclones' enthusiasm and attention to detail more than makes up for the initial groan factor. On this special evening, the Cyclones will wear red, white, and blue "Baracklyn" uniforms, complete with stars and stripes on the shoulders. These unique duds will be auctioned off throughout the game, with the proceeds going to charity.

Additionally, the first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive one-of-a-kind Obama bobbleheads, featuring our soon-to-be Commander-in-Chief decked out in a No. 44 "Baracklyn" jersey.

While Presidential bobbleheads are not new to the Minor League promotional scene (several clubs memorably staged Obama vs. McCain "bobblections" last summer), this marks the first time that a team has temporarily changed its name in response to a national election.

"During the campaign, our general manager, Steve Cohen, would joke that 'If Obama wins, we're going to turn this city into Baracklyn,'" said Cyclones Director of Communications Dave Campanaro. "But the more we thought about it, the more we came to the realization that it would make a great promotion. So we came up with a bunch of ideas in case he won, and when he did we put it into action."

Indeed they did. While the name change and bobblehead giveaway will be the undisputed highlights of the evening, the club has already announced a wide range of other innovations. The first 1,000 fans will receive "Universal Health Care" in the form of a complimentary Band-Aid, and -- as part of the team's "Clear-Cut Exit Strategy" -- American flags will be handed out to fans as they leave the ballpark.

Additionally, a "Bi-Partisan Consolation Prize" insures that anyone named "McCain" or "Palin" gets in free, and plumbers with the first name of Joe will receive two free tickets thanks to a "spread-the-wealth special."

Ballparks are generally regarded as a safe haven from partisan politics, and the Cyclones are aware that this promotion could ruffle a few feathers. Campanaro insists that this is all being done in the name of unity -- not to mention an irresistible play on words.

"If Barack Obama was the same person, but his name was John Smith, then we wouldn't be doing this. But, as it is, this is too good an idea to pass up" he said. "It doesn't mean that we're all democrats, or all Obama fans. But the election is over, he won, and now its time to support him and to support our country. We want this to be a fun and unique night at the ballpark, whether you're a Democrat or a Republican."

And, of course, what would make it most unique would be an appearance from Barack Obama himself.

"We're holding front row seats for the first family," said Campanaro. "After Inauguration Day, once he's settled in, we're going to extend the invitation. It'd be great to see him there."