NATIONAL PASTIME
Latest Blog Entries
KILL - Welcome to the show, Greg Golson
Back in June, National Pastime profiled Phillies prospect Greg Golson, a 22-year-old outfielder with the double-A Reading Phillies in the midst of his best professional season to date. The 2004 first-round pick went on to hit .282 with 13 home runs, 60 RBI and 23 stolen bases in the minors this season. On Monday, he was summoned to the big leagues, and this afternoon, he made his major league debut. In addition to achieving his lifelong goal of playing in the majors, Golson also earned the distinction of becoming the first National Pastime Prospect Q&A subject to go on to play in the majors. By Jay LeBlanc.
Cooperstown Bound? - Andres Galarraga
Nicknamed "The Big Cat" early in his professional career for the amazing agility he displayed at first base despite his 6' 3", 235-pound frame, Andres Galarraga was one of the better power hitters in baseball during the late '80s and throughout the '90s. He finished his career just one home run shy of 400, won a pair of Gold Glove awards and posted three straight 40-home run seasons from 1996 to 1998. There's no question Galarraga was a very good player, but is he Hall of Fame material? By Nick Leco.
KILL - Cooperstown Bound? - Andres Galarraga
Nicknamed "The Big Cat" early in his professional career for the amazing agility he displayed at first base despite his 6' 3", 235-pound frame, Andres Galarraga was one of the better power hitters in baseball during the late '80s and throughout the '90s. He finished his career just one home run shy of 400, won a pair of Gold Glove awards and posted three straight 40-home run seasons from 1996 to 1998. There's no question Galarraga was a very good player, but is he Hall of Fame material? By Nick Leco.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - Pat Venditte, Yankees
Before Pat Venditte came along, the short-season Class A debut of a 20th-round draft pick had never been featured on SportsCenter. But then again, an ambidextrous pitcher and a switch-hitter had never engaged in a battle of wills in a pro game, either. The clip of the cat-and-mouse game between Pat Venditte and Ralph Henriquez will live on forever on YouTube, but lost in all the hoopla about Venditte's unique switch-pitching ability is the fact that he's actually really good. By Jay LeBlanc.
My Five - Ways to make MLB better
There has been a lot of media talk dissing this big league season. There is no dominant team to gun for and no compelling storyline, the pundits say. Open your eyes, I say, and enjoy a brand of baseball that would make guys like Ted Williams, Willie Mays and my pops, Big T, proud. It's all about the fundamentals, as good pitching, defense, intensity and confidence have taken some unheralded teams a long way in 2008. This is not to say the league is perfect, however. Here are my five ways to improve MLB. By Sean Raposa.
KILL - My Five - Ways to make MLB better
There has been a lot of media talk dissing this big league season. There is no dominant team to gun for and no compelling storyline, the pundits say. Open your eyes, I say, and enjoy a brand of baseball that would make guys like Ted Williams, Willie Mays and my pops, Big T, proud. It's all about the fundamentals, as good pitching, defense, intensity and confidence have taken some unheralded teams a long way in 2008. This is not to say the league is perfect, however. Here are my five ways to improve MLB. By Sean Raposa.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - Brian Matusz, Orioles
University of San Diego lefty Brian Matusz was the consensus top pitcher available in this year's draft, but Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Kansas City all passed, in part because of signability concerns. Unwilling to pass up the chance to land a potential staff ace, the Orioles took Matusz with the fourth overall pick and signed him to a major league deal including a $3.2 million bonus just hours before the deadline. With his projectable frame, collegiate experience, four-pitch arsenal and impeccable control, Matusz has all the makings of a future star. By Jay LeBlanc.
Prospect Q&A - George Kontos, Yankees
George Kontos has long impressed scouts with his live arm and good stuff and shown flashes of brilliance, but command issues have prevented him from achieving consistency in his results and reaching his full potential. 2008 was an important year for Kontos - who entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 17 prospect in the Yankees organization - and the 23-year-old righty has responded with an impressive campaign with the double-A Trenton Thunder. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - George Kontos, Yankees
George Kontos has long impressed scouts with his live arm and good stuff and shown flashes of brilliance, but command issues have prevented him from achieving consistency in his results and reaching his full potential. 2008 was an important year for Kontos - who entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 17 prospect in the Yankees organization - and the 23-year-old righty has responded with an impressive campaign with the double-A Trenton Thunder. By Jay LeBlanc.
Future O's stars shining in Bowie
It's been a while since Baltimore Orioles fans had much to cheer about. Their beloved O's not only haven't made the playoffs since 1997 - four years before Cal Ripken retired - but have also failed to so much as post a winning record during that stretch. Needless to say, the O's won't be invited to the postseason party this fall, and meaningless September games aren't that much fun even in a beautiful park like Camden Yards. But don't despair, Orioles fans: there's hope - chicken soup for your soul, if you will - just a half-hour drive south of Baltimore. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Future O's stars shining in Bowie
It's been a while since Baltimore Orioles fans had much to cheer about. Their beloved O's not only haven't made the playoffs since 1997 - four years before Cal Ripken retired - but have also failed to so much as post a winning record during that stretch. Needless to say, the O's won't be invited to the postseason party this fall, and meaningless September games aren't that much fun even in a beautiful park like Camden Yards. But don't despair, Orioles fans: there's hope - chicken soup for your soul, if you will - just a half-hour drive south of Baltimore. By Jay LeBlanc.
Amateur Hour - Olympics wrap-up
Team USA left for Beijing with hopes of reclaiming the gold in what may well have been the last Olympic baseball competition ever and made a good showing, but had to settle for the bronze after falling to Cuba. Surprisingly, however, it wasn't the Cubans who took home the gold. National Pastime's Tom Stad recaps baseball's Olympic swan song and gives an unsolicited plug to his favorite new college baseball website in this week's Amateur Hour.
Prospect Q&A - Bobby Parnell, Mets
Taking the lead from A's general manager Billy Beane - he of "Moneyball" fame - and statistics guru/Red Sox advisor Bill James, major league front offices have gone stat-happy over the past decade or so in evaluating both major league talent and amateur players. However, if there were ever a single player that exemplified the continued need for good, old-fashioned scouting work in identifying potential big league talent, it's Mets pitching prospect Bobby Parnell. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - George Kontos, Yankees
George Kontos has long impressed scouts with his live arm and good stuff and shown flashes of brilliance, but command issues have prevented him from achieving consistency in his results and reaching his full potential. 2008 was an important year for Kontos - who entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 17 prospect in the Yankees organization - and the 23-year-old righty has responded with an impressive campaign with the double-A Trenton Thunder. By Jay LeBlanc.
KILL - Prospect Q&A - Austin Jackson, Yankees
In high school, Austin Jackson was one of the top high school basketball players in the country and ultimately signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Georgia Tech. But he also showed tremendous potential on the baseball diamond, prompting the Yankees to select him in the eighth round of the 2005 draft and offer him a deal that included an $800,000 bonus. It looks like Jackson made the right choice, as the 6' 1", 180-pound outfielder is now considered the Yankees' top prospect and one of the best in all of baseball. By Jay LeBlanc.
