NY Yankees All-Star Robinson Cano visiting children in a Taiwan hospital. In between games at the 2011 MLB All-Star Series in Taiwan, Yankees superstar Robinson Cano and his father, Jose, visited kids at Taichung’s China Medical University Hospital. When begged to promise hitting a home run in that night’s game,
Cano chuckled and smiled before answering sensibly.
“I promise…,” he continued, “I will do my best.”
A fan favorite at the 2011 MLB All-Star Series in Taiwan, Cano is the consummate professional.When playing in MLB, the three-time Silver Slugger recipient and winner of the 2011 Home Run Derby–which raised over $600,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and other charities–is the Captain for the Yankees Children’s Health Fund Home Run Club, where fans pledge their support for quality care to homeless and low-income children with every Yankees home run hit in a season.Robinson Cano supporting education in his homeland.In his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris AKA the “Cradle of Shortstops” because of countless MLB players who were born there in the Dominican Republic, Cano remembers those who are forgotten and even not heard at the CAES Children’s School for the Deaf by showering the kids with gifts and love for the holidays. The RC24 Foundation’s mission is to serve under-privileged children internationally and improve their quality of life.Robinson Cano autographs the children's book "Boy of Steel", a child cancer patient's story
about his baseball hero, at Hackensack University Hospital. (Photo by Patrick E. McCarthy)Every year Robinson Cano donates dolls, toys and baseball jerseys to Dominican Republic children.The pediatric rehabilitation ward at New Jersey’s Hackensack Medical Center was named after Cano in tribute to the All-Star for his frequent visits and contributions, which inspired author Ray Negron to make Cano the central character in his children’s book, “Boy of Steel”—a cancer-stricken boy’s story about his baseball hero. Committed to upgrading the subpar medical conditions in his native homeland by personally subsidizing children’s health care and purchasing ambulances after a friend died while waiting to be transported to a hospital, Cano believes the concept of giving A variety of Robinson Cano's RC24 Foundation t-shirtsback is just as important–if not more important than playing baseball. He considers himself blessed to play the game he loves for a living and wants to help as many kids as he can with the fruits of his labor. Instead of simply lending his name or making public appearances to raise money for his RC24 Foundation, Cano is a hands-on international ambassador for the welfare of children. American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet bilingual member Cano records public service announcements and donates large amounts of money and blood. Robinson Cano coaches future MLB stars in San Pedro de Macoris, DR.
Finalist for the 2006 Roberto Clemente Award, MLB’s accolade to the league’s ultimate humanitarian who exemplifies the late Hall of Famer’s values and commitment to community and benevolence, Robinson Cano shares the same altruistic mindset and the same “RC” initials as the Latino legend. At 29-years-old and on pace to join Clemente in the elite 3,000 hit club, Cano is showing increasing power every season–which is great news for the Captain for the Yankees Children’s Health Fund Home Run Club. Cano was acknowledged by MLB with a 2011 Greatness in Baseball (GIBBY) Award.Voted by millions of visitors to MLB.com, front-office personnel and MLB alumni to receive the Greatness in Baseball Yearly (GIBBY) ‘Wow Factor’ award, Robinson Cano is undoubtedly the most interesting player in the game today.
#6 Ryan Howard is determined to bring home the glory of a 2012 World Series Championship to Philly.In celebration of the current #6 ranking in the January 2012
Top 50 MLB.com Blogs, MLBblogger is pleased to announce the world premiere of the MLB Fan Cave video submission of Roberto Angotti chatting about his favorite baseball memory: Roberto Clemente’s 3000th Hit(see it now by clicking on the hyperlink above). Viewers will be surprised to catch a glimpse of UK reggae legend Pato Banton, who provides an excellent introduction and his signature token “Flash It” phrase at the beginning of this fitting tribute to the late and great Latino hero.Only LA Angel Albert Pujols stands in between Ryan Howard and his 2012 World Series ring.Ryan Howard is expected to join the Phillies line-up in May after rupturing his Achilles in the 2011 playoffs.One thing that Ryan Howard has over Pujols–and even Fielder–is earning power. He will make more than Albert Pujols every year until 2016–at which time their salaries will even–and earn more than Prince Fielder until 2017–when Howard becomes a free agent. Having undergone surgery on his torn left Achilles tendon in mid-October, the Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Ryan Howard will miss 2012 Opening Day but will return to one of MLB’s most hitter-friendly fields at Philly’s Citizens Bank Park in May.
Melbourne Ace and LA Dodger pitcher Shane LindsayWhether it is Melbourne Ace pitcher turned LA Dodger Shane Lindsaygetting into an off-field altercation or actress gone too far Lindsay Lohan “borrowing”, both Lindsays are wild and crazy in different ways. While the Australian Lindsay has often been compared to the rookie wild pitcher “Nuke” LaLoosh character in Bull Durham for his lack of control, the American Lindsay’s Marilyn Monroe-inspired Playboy spread has further financed her footloose and fancy free Hollywood party lifestyle of excess.LA True Blue actress Lindsay Lohan welcomes the prospect of sharing the spotlight with Aussie Shane Lindsay. While outside a California restaurant in late May of 2008, the six-foot-one Aussie pitcher Shane Lindsay and a member of his Colorado Rockies minor league affiliate Modesto Nuts host family were attacked. The end result was a trip to the local hospital, where eight screws and a metal plate were surgically implanted in his left hand. Lindsay reflected, “It made me take charge of my life and say, ‘How am I going to keep this from happening again?’ I started to think about where I go and the company I keep.” Nearly four years have passed and the 27-year-old Melbourne native has a rare opportunity to keep the peace in California at Chavez Ravine as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen. Lindsay will need to impress coaches at Dodgers Spring Training when pitchers and catchers report next month at Arizona’s Camelback Ranch before being granted entry to join the game’s elite in 2012, even though he made his MLB pitching debut late last season with the Chicago White Sox.Dodger Stadum, Los Angeles historic landmark and future home for pitcher Shane LindsayWith a fastball rivaling that of MLB's best pitchers, Shane Lindsay made his Major League Baseball debut on September 2, 2011 with the White Sox. Originally signed by the Colorado Rockies as a non-drafted free agent in August 2003 as an 18-year-old Australian club and national team prospect, Shane Lindsay previously played in the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees minor league organizations before launching his Major League Baseball career with Ozzie Guillen’s Chicago White Sox in 2011. He is known as an aggressive reliever with an electric fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s and a wild delivery. Shane Lindsay is ready to rock and roll Los Angeles.
Throwing with extreme intensity, no pitch delivery is ever the same. Shane Lindsay has a sharp curveball that freezes hitters and results in less than desirable at bats. Not afraid to throw his fastball inside, Lindsay lives on the edge and provides high drama every outing on the mound. Seemingly scripted for the entertainment capital of the world, the timing is perfect for Los Angeles Dodger relief pitcher Shane Lindsay to steal the show.
Aaron Sookee of the ABL's Sydney Blue Sox (Jen Edwards/SMP Media)Grant Weir, Australian scout for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, has not let anyone down in the past with his baseball wit and intuition in discovering raw talent. Just ask Angel owner Arte Moreno and manager Mike Scioscia, both of whom are very pleased with Weir’s 2002 find of one of the team’s longest-tenured players, Aussie pitcher Rich Thompson. A decade has passed, and Weir is still finding hidden gems. Among his Angel signings are two young up-and-coming MLB pitching prospects currently in the Australian Baseball League: 20-year-old Aaron Sookee of the Sydney Blue Sox and 18-year-old Alex Da Silva of the Melbourne Aces. Both pitchers have seen limited action in the ABL. Aaron Sookee (0-1, 5.68 ERA) has pitched 6.1 innings of relief while striking out seven, and Alex
Da Silva (0-0, 0.00 ERA) has made one appearance. Despite their limited visibility in the spotlight, the education these young hurlers are receiving behind-the-scenes is what is most impressive and valuable.The sky is the limit for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim right-handed MLB pitching prospect Aaron Sookee.
Aaron Sookee is being mentored
by past and present MLB pitchers–including Korea’s Dae-Sung Koo
(New York Mets) and fellow Aussies Chris Oxspring (San Diego Padres) and Brad Thomas (Detroit Tigers), while Alex Da Silva gets to rub shoulders in the dugout with American Jason Hirsh (Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies) and Aussies Travis Blackley (Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants) and Shane Lindsay (Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers). 18-year-old Melbourne Ace pitcher Alex Da Silva has been known for shooting down hitters effortlessly with the fastest gun in Australia. (Joe Vella/SMP Images/ABL)Aaron Sookee has spent most of his two minor league seasons playing Arizona League Rookie ball with modest success. Last year for the Arizona League Angels, the six-foot-three reliever went 3-3 with three saves and a 4.63 ERA. In 14 appearances, he pitched 23.1 innings and struck out 28. Averaging more than one strike out per inning in both the Arizona League and ABL is an encouraging sign. International scout Grant Weir commented, “The Angels are very excited with the signing of Aaron, and we believe he has an enormous future in professional baseball. He has physical attributes that are going to help him have a long and fruitful career, but more importantly he is a great kid who works hard.” Having a seven-year professional contract with a probable World Series contender a la Pujols, Sookee can potentially develop into a huge Major League Baseball talent over time.
It took Aussie Angel predecessor Rich Thompson over five and a half years to make his MLB debut in 2007.
Based on the Thompson timetable, Aaron Sookee is right on schedule to have a significant impact on this franchise’s young pitching promise and future.
Named MVP of an international competition in America while playing for the Penrith and Sandringham Baseball Clubs and the NSW team in Blacktown, the younger Aussie Alex Da Silva was watched meticulously by MLB scouts during the national youth tournament in Perth and was signed shortly thereafter by Angels’ scout Grant Weir, who was blown away by the velocity of his 90 mph fastball.Ladies' man Alex Da Silva prays for the opportunity to give one-on-one lessons to TV starlet Eva Longoria.
With a keen eye for the ladies and his sights on some
of the Angels’ Hollywood heartthrobs and playmates, Alex Da Silva hopes that his pitching arsensal of a wicked fastball, curveball, change-up and cutter will expedite the process of an invitation to Angels’ Spring Training Camp and Hefner’s Playboy Mansion. Having completed eight weeks of intensive training at the
MLB Academy on Australia’s Gold Coast, the young
work-in-progress pitcher will join the Arizona Angels’ Rookie Camp in March. Weir said, “Alex probably throws harder than anyone in the country. Just his tools are impressive. He has the fastball, and he just has to learn how to pitch. He’s got the right tools to pitch.
But he’ll learn in the right environment.” Da Silva has an uphill battle ahead as he experiences the growing pains of rookie camp with aspirations of turning heads and being selected on one of the organization’s minor league teams. Having followed Alex’s pitching finesse since playing for the U13 development squad, Weir believes Da Silva has what it takes to be successful.Alex Da Silva hopes to play with and catch Holly Madison in MLB.
“He’s a smart kid. I think he’s realistic, and he knows that this is just the start for him. There’s a lot of work to be done yet,” Weir said. Beginning his baseball playing days when he was nine years old, Alex’s athletic career has progressed from participating on club teams to Victorian State teams and then on to Australian national squads. Alex feels blessed that he was born with what he called “natural pitching ability that cannot be learned.” Da Silva credits his dad for his six-foot-two stature. He said, “I’m a pretty good build, and I get that from my father’s side so I think I just have naturally improved as a pitcher. I really want to see where my talent can take me. I want to make the Major Leagues.” Given Derek Jeter’s Major League relationships with the likes of Minka Kelly, Mariah Carey, Lara Dutta, Joy Enriquez, Jordana Brewster, Vanessa Minnillo, Vida Guerra, Jessica Alba, Adriana Lima, Jessica Biel, Rachel Uchitel, Tyra Banks and possibly Scarlett Johansson, the future looks bright for both Alex Da Silva’s personal dating life and his potential to join the game’s elite as a pitcher for the LA Angels.
Perth outfielder Corey Adamson provides speed
and added fuel to the fire for the Heat to win two consecutive championship titles in the Australian Baseball League. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images) Randy Smith, Vice President of Player Development and International Operations for the San Diego Padres, believes that the six-foot-two left-handed hitting Corey Adamson is an athletic specimen that has immense potential well worth the $500,000 signing bonus used to lure one of the finest five-tool players with plus speed to come out of Australia. The sky is the limit for the Friars’ MLB prospect as there appears to be no lack of faith.
Last year San Diego thought so highly of the Aussie’s potential that he was among 30 of the Padres’ best Minor League players invited early to Peoria, Arizona to take part in the team’s annual minicamp for its top lower-level prospects. The accelerated development program for players entering their first or second full season or players who might be jumping a level has proven to be a successful fast track for many prospects as three players from the 2010 program were invited to 2011 Major League camp. If Adamson continues to play as well as he has since joining his hometown Perth
Heat this season, it would not be surprising to see him invited to join the Padres at their 2012 camp.Corey Adamson is Australia's pride and joy. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images/ABL)With his 20th birthday and the ABL playoffs fast approaching, Adamson is clearly enjoying his time in the Australian Baseball League as witnessed by his .429 batting average. Perth manager Brooke Knight’s secret weapon to ward off challengers from the throne of the defending champions adds pure firepower to the Heat roster and completes a speed-injected all-star outfield, which features Seattle Mariners prospect James McOwen and Baltimore Orioles prospect Brenden Webb. It not only affords skipper Knight many managerial strategies in a pinch when needed most, but also rests the legs of ABL triple crown candidate–outfielder Tim Kennelly–by penciling him in as the team’s designated hitter on the line-up card. Without a shadow of a doubt, Adamson has aligned himself with a group of dedicated individuals who have a proven recipe for success and always play to win.In the eyes, hearts and minds of his faithful fans and followers on the west coasts of Australia and America, Corey Adamson is #1 for the Perth Heat as well as the loyal fanbase waiting for his imminent arrival at San Diego's PETCO Park. (Ben Southall/SMP Media)
Last year Adamson played most of the season for the Padres Rookie team in Arizona, where he hit .245 in 48 games. As a Padre minor leaguer, he has also spent time with Single-A Short Season Eugene Emeralds and Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. Prior to being signed by San Diego in 2008, he led his Western Australia Under-16 team to a national title by hitting .520 with a .618 OBP and a 1.040 slugging percentage during the championship tournament. As the son of Australia’s Baseball Hall of Famer, Tony Adamson, Corey has only scratched the surface in becoming a future international baseball star and an Aussie hero.SD Padres prospect and Perth Heat spark plug Corey Adamson (Ben Southall/SMP Images)
Travis Scott of the ABL's Canberra Cavalry (Ben Southall/SMP Images)Considering the Australian Baseball League Canberra Cavalry catcher’s daunting six-foot-three solid muscle build, Madonna should consider recording a 2012 remix of “Don’t Cry For Me Australia!” There has always been a constant debate about whether home plate collisions should be banned throughout baseball history. By prohibiting the catcher from blocking the plate and banning base runners from making contact intentionally with the catcher, many argue the game would be a lot safer. However, baseball purists protest that combat at the dish has been around for years and is deeply entrenched in the sport’s tradition and its fans’ expectations of finding entertainment value in home plate drama. Selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 20th round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft as a catcher out of Illinois’ Lincoln Land Community College, Travis Scott knew the occupational hazards inherent to his vulnerable position when he read the disclaimer and signed his first professional baseball contract.Travis Scott collides with Brisbane catcher Ayatsugu Yamashita. (Ben Southall/SMP Images)Pitcher Mike McGuire and Travis Scott discuss strategy to put out the fire of ABL defending champ Perth Heat and make it to the playoffs. (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images)
While the lead singer for rock and roll bands usually receive all the attention (and more…), the drummer is virtually unnoticed until he gets a crack at a drum solo (if he’s lucky). The same concept applies to the dynamic between the pitcher and his catcher. The pitcher gets all the hype (and salary), while the catcher keeps the beat (and the leftovers) of the game. He must have the intuition and knowledge to deal with every fine-tuned intricacy that starting pitchers and relievers have in their vast repertoire. As with the world of corporate rock, if your band or team does not possess a solid drummer or catcher, then your franchise will lose on the field and at the box office. While what a catcher can produce offensively at the plate is very important, what he does behind the plate is even more significant. The catcher must have a keen sense of intelligence to call a good game and have the ability to throw out base runners. Travis Scott possesses all the innate qualities necessary to become a successful MLB catcher.Left-handed slugger Travis Scott has extreme power and discipline at the plate.
Canberra Cavalry manager Steve Schrenk wasn’t caught off guard by catcher Travis Scott’s batting potential but more shocked by his power. Skipper Schrenk explains, “He knows how to hit. He hit well last year in Double-A for the Pirates so I was expecting some good things, but he brings a little bit more power than I thought.” The 26-year-old Milwaukee-born American import put up good enough numbers to earn himself a 2009 California League All-Star slot while playing for the Mariners Single-A Advanced affiliate High Desert Mavericks. In the first half of the season alone, Scott hit .324 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI. While playing for the 2010 Rockford River Hawks Professional Baseball Club in Illinois and after being signed by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he was voted the Hawks’ MVP with a .302 batting average and a 34% success rate of throwing out attempted base stealers to lead the Northern League. Scott credits Mariners minor league catching coordinator Roger Hanson for his defensive prowess. He elaborates, “I put in a lot of hard work in my four years with the Mariners, and we had one of the best catching coordinators in minor league baseball in Roger Hanson. You know it’s just all about proper balance and putting myself in position to get the most out of my arm.” Scott’s signing to the LA Angels was short-lived as the Pittsburgh Pirates quickly took him hostage before he could become Scioscia’s protege in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. He is now a free agent looking for a new pro contract. Travis Scott is a valuable asset to any team he chooses to play for.(Ben Southall/SMP Images)
Currently second in doubles (13) and ninth in walks (14) in the ABL while hitting .250 for the Canberra Cavalry, Travis Scott knows in order to achieve his personal goal of a .300 batting average that he must pump up the volume for the remainder of the season. He concides, “In my position as a free agent, any time you get the opportunity to get some at-bats you want to put up good numbers because ultimately scouts in America are looking at your offensive numbers before your defensive numbers. I want to put up .300 or above numbers with a little bit of power to all fields. If I can do that, I’ll have a pretty good opportunity to find a club in the United States.” With eight regular season games left for the Canberra Cavalry catcher, Travis Scott will have to dig down deep and catapult his team into the playoffs so that scouts will have the opportunity to see for themselves why he deserves another chance to join the game’s elite in Major League Baseball.
Leading the Australian Baseball League (ABL) in batting average (.383) and OPS (1.140) as well as being second in OBP (.474) and SLG (.667), 26-year-old American import Kody Hightower has made MLB scouts scratch their heads and ponder how their organizations could have been granted a new lease on life if he had not been left for dead on draft day years ago and had been added as their teams’ spark plug and late-budding baseball star.
Putting everything on the line with a solid spiritual foundation and faith to beat the odds in pursuit of competing with the game’s elite, Hightower is currently walking an Aussie tightrope by simultaneously playing shortstop for the Australian Capital Territory Baseball Association’s Ainslie Gungahlin Bears and the ABL’s Canberra Cavalry. The high stakes North Carolina native and versatile ball player came to Australia after leading the Swiss Baseball League Zurich Barracudas into the playoffs.
When America turned her back on Kody Hightower, he launched a strong European baseball campaign as a pitcher and shortstop for the German HSV Stealers and the Swiss Zurich Barracudas with massive success and international fanfare to go along with it.
Known for his outstanding arm, Hightower traveled to countless U.S. tryouts and showcases to be seen by the movers and shakers in professional baseball. Kody elaborates, “At one tryout in Atlanta, I was videotaped pitching and a manager in Germany saw it on youtube. He got in touch with me, and I signed almost immediately. I figured if I couldn’t play in the states, I might as well see the world and continue playing. I really enjoyed my time in both Germany and Switzerland. I used it as a stepping stone to continue trying to get my name out there.” The Lenoir, North Carolina hometown hero expanded his European fan base by playing for the HSV Stealers and the Zurich Barracudas. Hightower recently led the Barrcacudas to the post-season in late August with a near perfect outing on the hill as the Zurich hurler clinched a playoff spot when he pitched a nine inning 7-0 shutout over crosstown rival Challengers while striking out 16. Hightower helped himself to earn the win offensively by going 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and four RBI. It was business as usual for Kody as he relished European pitching throughout the entire season. Before heading to Australia, he was named as the recipient of the 2011 Barracudas’ Best Hitter Award.
Kody Hightower's swing led Southern Wesleyan University to a 2007 NCCAA National Championship.
After being selected as a NAIA All-America Honorable Mention at Brevard College, Hightower was named to the 2008 Southern States Athletic All-Conference team, NAIA Region XIII team, NCCAA All-South team as well as an All-American and NCCAA South Region Player of the Year in his final two seasons at South Carolina’s Southern Wesleyan University. He compiled a .427 batting average with six home runs, seven triples, 16 doubles, 61 runs scored and 64 RBI in 58 games during 2008.
Having only struck out only five times in 234 at bats and been caught stealing once in 24 stolen base attempts in his final year of college ball, Hightower demonstrated great presence of mind and Big League potential at the plate and on the base paths. Considered a natural 2008 MLB Amateur draft selection by coaches and fans alike, Kody got no love from American professional baseball. He was left out in the cold without a contract or any leads to continue his hot hitting ways in MLB.
Kody Hightower leads the ABL in batting and the Canberra Cavalry charge to victory.
The eternal optimist Hightower reflects, “Out of college I had a couple looks from the Pirates and the Reds, but no calls came on draft day. I was disappointed, but you just have to bite your tongue and keep moving forward. It’s not the end of the world. There are still other options. It’s great playing for the Cavalry, and I really enjoy the guys on the team as well as the management. My rituals aren’t too ‘out there’–even though I went through a phase of eating veggie mite before games (laughter). It’s an Aussie spread they put on toast–not very tasty–but I believed it to be helping me in the batter’s box. After I went 0-9 in a series, I stopped with that because you have to start fresh and try something new if it doesn’t work for you.” Despite his love for the ABL and the Cavalry, Hightower is contracted to play for the Ainslie Gungahlin Bears and could miss out on Canberra’s final push for the playoffs.
Kody sheds light on the possible conflict, “I knew the situation before I came and agreed to put the (Bears) club first. That’s just the way it is. My host family here has really done a lot for me, and I don’t want to do anything to disrespect that by any means.” Regardless of the situation, he remains upbeat about his future. Hightower concludes, “It has been a tough road. I am not getting any younger, but I am having a lot of fun traveling and playing this wonderful game. I couldn’t do it without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Will anyone answer MLB’s MIA prayers for a professional baseball contract? Faith can move mountains…
Launched in mid-October to patrol the 2011 Taiwan MLB All-Star Series and the Australian Baseball League, MLBblogger was ranked #48 in the 2011 Top 100 MLB.com Blogs after registering at #10 in November totals and giving others a 42 week head start. We would like to thank Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, the Australian Baseball League, our readers, and family members who have supported our international 24/7 baseball coverage in 2011. As a token of our appreciation, we have dedicated our first official post for 2012 to those special players who share the #48 jersey–including San Francisco Giant infielder Pablo Sandoval AKA Kung Fu Panda, Los Angeles Angel of Anaheim outfielder Torii Hunter and Melbourne Ace pitcher Jason Hirsh. Read on and learn about the mystery behind the #48.The Zen of #48 Kung Fu Panda Pablo Sandoval of the 2010 World Champion San Francisco GiantsMajor League Baseball is played in the U.S.A.’s 48 contiguous states and Canada. It is reported that Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, sat under a bo tree for 48 days attempting to figure out life, which developed into a type of spirit of the mind called Buddhism and its resulting expressions called Zen. There is a strong connection between Zen and baseball in Japan as the game developed there during a period of isolationism when nothing else was going on. Exported to America in 1873 by an English teacher named Horace Wilson, who taught at the University of Tokyo, baseball was in its purest form then with much emphasis on its pageantry and symmetry of the perfect diamond shape playing field. During times of drought in ancient times, the baseball fields were made up mostly of sand. Each base represented one of Japan’s islands, and players ran from base-to-base for refuge. The fields were raked before and after each game with different patterns in the sand so that the ball traveled in specific strategic directions once hit.2011 Roberto Clemente Award nominee LA Angel of Anaheim #48 Torii Hunter is in Nirvana with the protection of Albert Pujols.
After the game took on a more competitive edge and the detailed sand patterns were a thing of the past, many retired ball players became gardeners and specialized in sand gardens, which provided a meditation spot for baseball memories. One can see the real life relationship between Zen and baseball practice where skill is perfected. The act of practicing repeatedly until the point of satisfaction is of utmost importance. A player faces an uphill battle in his difficult task and must remain Zen-like focused despite day-to-day adversity. Practice portrays a vision of life filled with the joy and happiness of baseball success. Yet, if one suffers a setback or injury in the process, there is always hope of a better tomorrow.
Life is a struggle, but we will never give in. Through personal persistence and cooperation from others, one’s dreams need not be compromised as all things are possible.
MLB veteran and current ABL Melbourne Ace pitcher #48 Jason Hirsh is making a comeback and is due for some good Karma in 2012.
Former MLB pitcher and current ABL Melbourne Ace Jason Hirsh is living proof that better must come one day. Now rehabbing after major shoulder surgery, which put him on the shelf for entire 2011 season, he shares with the world the aches and pains of a player’s battle to return into peak pitching form by writing an eloquent blog On My Way Back Up Down Under. Since coming back from surgery, the 29-year-old Southern California native has been pitching well for the Aces and has tallied two wins in seven starts. A seasoned pro with the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies and New York Yankees organizations, Hirsh is a mentor and an inspiration for aspiring players in the ABL hoping to join the game’s elite.
#1 Kenny Wilson (Theron Kirkman/SMP Media)Citing Ken Griffey Jr. as his favorite MLB player growing up and Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips as his role model for having fun while playing pro ball, Canberra Cavalry’s outfielder Kenny Wilson is a mixed hybrid of both baseball idols. A Blue Jays 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft out of Tampa’s Sickles High School, Wilson was offered a full-ride to the University of Florida. Rather than going on to play college ball, Wilson opted to take the loonie loot offered by Toronto instead and accepted a $644,000 signing bonus on June 10, 2008. Blessed with blazing speed, the teen that dreamt of being the fastest law enforcement officer on the Florida Turnpike matured into the U.S.A. Sunshine State’s finest baseball player.Canberra's Kenny Wilson (Martin Caulfield/SMP Media) Prior to joining the Cavs this year in the ABL, the switch-hitting 21-year-old completed a rehab assignment in the Dunedin Blue Jays Instructional League after missing the final four months of the 2011 season due to shoulder surgery. With four home runs and 122 stolen bases as a Toronto minor leaguer, he is known more for his speed than his power. Currently tied for 4th in doubles (7) and 5th in stolen bases (6) in the ABL, Wilson undoubtedly will be looking for more opportunities to get in scoring position for Canberra in 2012. He has also come through in the clutch with 15 RBI, which ranks 7th best in the league. Watch for Kenny Wilson to come flying late for a photo finish.#2 Calvin Anderson (Theron Kirkman/SMP Images) Named bonorable mention for the ABL Round Six Player of the Week batting award, Adelaide Bite’s first baseman and clean-up hitter Calvin Anderson came back strong to earn ABL Round Seven Player of the Week recognition for his .333 batting average (5-for-15, including two home runs and four RBI in the four-game series against Brisbane. Currently 4th in home runs (6) and tied for 5th in RBI (17) in the ABL, Anderson made ABL history with his 12-game hitting streak. He had 19 hits in 52 at-bats during the offensive outburst (.365 BA). His hot streak has been instrumental in elevating the Bite, which sat near the cellar of the standings before Anderson propelled them into 2nd place.Bite celebrate Anderson's walk-off home run against the Sydney Blue Sox in Round Four of the 2011-12 ABL season. (Ryan Schembri / SMP Media / ABL)
Calvin Anderson was selected in the 12th round of the 2008 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 24-year-old six-foot-seven Kirkland, Washington-born slugger was Goliath during the first half of the 2011 season at Single-A Advanced Bradenton blasting 13 homes runs in 225 plate appearances while batting .271, but the former Southern A & M College star sat out the second half with a knee injury. Anderson’s power numbers doubled as he hit 11 homers in 464 at-bats in 2010. Look for a break out 2012 from this MLB prospect and Big League muscle for Adelaide down the stretch. #3 Aaron Baker (Jen Edwards / SMP Media / ABL)Drafted in the 11th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Oklahoma University in 2009, Texas native Aaron Baker was also at Single-A Advanced Bradenton this past summer before being traded by the Pirates to Baltimore in exchange for MLB veteran Derek Lee. The 24-year-old Baker was hitting .282 with 21 doubles, 15 home runs and 73 RBI at the time of the trade. The former UO catcher and first baseman was named a 2011 Florida State League All-Star.
The left-handed hitting first baseman became the Bradenton Marauders’ fan favorite and was considered the Pirate organization’s most promising prospect to break into the Bigs before flying away as an Oriole. Playing for ABL defending champion Perth Heat, Baker is currently 5th in the league in HR (5), RBI (20) and SLG (.524). It’s best to use his hot bat in all 2012 exotic wagers or else…#4 Trent Baker (Scott Powick / SMP Images / ABL)Trent Baker has been on a 2011 MLB roller coaster after being down-and-out when released by the Cleveland Indians in March and then being high-in-the-sky while seeking redemption when signed by the Atlanta Braves in July. Originally signed as an outfielder by the Tribe in 2008, the 21-year-old Aussie will report to 2012 Braves Spring Training as a left-handed throwing hurler. In 10 innings pitched for the Brisbane Bandits, Baker is 2-1 and has struck out 11. Beware as this outsider will make a run for the money at the wire.#5 Todd Van Steensel (Ryan Schembri/SMP Media) splits his time blogging for the Clubhouse Chronicles, tweeting on twitter @toddvs35 and playing MLB 2K12.
Todd Van Steensel experienced the same euphoric yo-yo effect after being signed by the Philadelphia Phillies at the 2008 U18 Championships in Perth only to be released in March 2010. As the youngest member on Team Australia, the 20-year-old Sydney socialite trained diligently at the Australian MLB Academy, where he signed with the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Sox pitcher should not be over-looked as it would not be surprising to see him and his American teammates in the 2012 ABL Winner’s Circle.#6 Bubbie Buzachero (Brett Crockford/SMP Media)
Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2002 draft out of Tennessee Tech, Bubbie Buzachero has also played for the Houston Astros organization in ten minor league seasons. The 30-year-old pitcher compiled a 38-29 record, a 3.74 ERA, and 70 saves in 392 games. Playing for the ALPB Long Island Ducks in 2011, he made 57 appearances and posted a 8-2 record with a 2.42 ERA. Bubbie Buzachero–Melbourne Ace and the longest shot in the field–was born to perform and to deliver nothing short of his best effort.
California’s beautiful Newport Beach is the resting place of legendary American icon John Wayne and the birthplace of a Major League Baseball (MLB) pitching prospect named Brian Grening. As odd as it may sound, Newport Beach launched both star’s professional careers in different ways. World-renowned for its huge surf break which has left generations of daredevils with broken bones, head injuries and even death, Newport Beach’s Wedge offers huge breakers towering 20 feet and sometimes higher to the delight of those who live for the rush of defying the odds with a patrol boat standing by to rescue the injured and the last-minute weak at heart. A true testament to laws of physics, the Wedge’s incoming waves carom off the rock jetty that protects Newport Harbor and slam into following swells, resulting into giant tubes that thunder to shore at speeds up to 30 mph. A word of warning though as even expert swimmers can get sucked into the Wedge’s extreme break and either be propelled into the air or slammed into the shallow bottom. Parking spaces can be just as dangerous to negotiate since locals are first to find out when the Wedge is going off, and massive road-raged crowds from outside city limits flock to the free-falling spectacle.
Marion Morrison AKA John Wayne played football for the University of Southern California in the 1920’s. One day he went bodysurfing in Newport Beach and was badly hurt while swimming in the sea. The accident turned the tides of his career path as the injury sustained was the final blow in his decision to forego athletics in favor of a shot of hitting it big as a Hollywood actor. A fan of Wayne’s football heroics, cowboy star Tom Mix landed “John Wayne” a $35-a-week job as a prop man at the Fox studios in 1928.
Discovered shortly thereafter by director John Ford while loading furniture onto a truck on the Fox lot, Wayne never had to do anymore heavy lifting in Hollywood. When his health began to take a nosedive in 1966, he moved from the stuffy confines of Beverly Hills to the cool breeze of invigorating Newport Beach for a new lease on life. His large waterfront home afforded a panoramic vista of tranquil Newport Bay until his passing in 1979. John Wayne’s dreams of the big screen began and ended in Newport Beach as he is now buried there today.
Pitcher Brian Grening’s dreams of the Big Leagues began on June 10, 1985 at birth in Newport Beach. In the same way John Wayne used his “True Grit” attitude to catapult himself into acting, the Southern California native was determined to beat the odds to join baseball’s elite in MLB. Graduating in 2003 from the same high school as former 2001 and 2003 Angels pitcher Bart Miadich, Brian Grening wanted to follow the footsteps of Miadich en route to a career in Major League Baseball.
He did not let his college coaches at Cuesta College and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo discourage him from pursing his vision of playing in the Bigs. Standing at five-foot-eleven and throwing a fastball that only hit the low 80’s, Grening did not possess the power arm or intimidating six-foot-five stature that coaches desired. Without allowing him enough time to demonstrate his most admirable features of character and discipline, he was cut early on during try-outs by Cuesta and Cal Poly coaches. However, after a short-lived stint at Cuesta, Brian Grening wasn’t going to accept “no” for an answer anymore and was determined to pitch for the 2008 Cal Poly Mustangs. Whether is was selling tickets to Mustang ballgames at the stadium, playing long toss on off-campus school fields, or beating the weight room morning rush, Grening wanted to remain connected to the game he longed for with his heart and soul. “I was obsessed with playing baseball at Cal Poly,” Grening said. “People thought I was nuts in the dorms. I wasn’t partying. I was getting up at 6:30 a.m., six days a week when most people would not get up until 10 or 11. I knew I wanted to play and I had to keep getting better.” Indeed he did, and people began to take notice of this Big League dreamer.
Grening proved everyone wrong as he was a late bloomer. His perseverance paid off, and he was rewarded by being added to the 2008 Mustangs roster at age 23. Making pitching appearances in 23 games in the NCAA Big West, Grening struck out 67 batters in 65 innings of work while compiling a 3-6 record and a 5.23 ERA.
Selected by the Cleveland Indians out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo College in the 38th round of the June 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Brian Grening pitched for three years in the Indians system and reached as high as Triple-A ball in Columbus in 2009. The right-handed reliever got better with age in 2010 as he tallied 83 strikeouts in 69 innings of work while splitting his time in between the Carolina League Kinston Indians and Eastern League Akron Aeros.
This past winter Grening pitched for the Cartegena Tigers in the Columbian Winter League of Professional Baseball. Owned by the Renteria Foundation–a charity run by Cincinnati Reds shortstop Edgar Rentería–and supported by the likes San Francisco Giants shortstop Orlando Cabrera–who has owned teams over time, the Columbian Winter League is a popular off-season refuge for MLB prospects. On the road to earn an All-Star slot in the competitive South American league, the Cleveland farmhand dominated his opponents by striking out 18 batters in 13.2 innings pitched with a resilient 1.98 ERA.
2011 was a year of touch-and-go trade bait in the American Association Independent League for the 26-year-old Grening as he spent time as a reliever for the Gary Southshore Railbirds and the Kansas City T-Bones. Despite being sent up and down U.S. Interstates 55 and 70 repeatedly, the pitcher made the best of the situation in Kansas City, where he was loved and respected so much that he was brought back by popular demand. The Indy League franchise recently exercised their option to pick up Brian Grening to ensure he returns in a KC T-Bones uniform in 2012.
Backed by Major League Baseball and the Australian Baseball Federation, the Australian Baseball League (ABL) attracts world-class talent like Grening ‘Down Under’. In its second season as the newly reformed ABL, there are now over three times as many players with Major League Baseball contracts participating than last season in addition to all-star players from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India and Italy.
Brian "no-holds-barred" Grening (Ben Southall/SMP Images/ABL)
Since being released by the Indians organization, pitcher Brian Grening’s John Wayne-like “True Grit” persona is even more apparent. With an ever-growing sense of determination to overcome adversity, pitcher Brian Grening is striving to land a new Major League deal in the ABL. Nobody is counting his pitch count nor how many appearances he makes as a reliever free of restrictions for the Canberra Cavalry.
Currently ranked #20 among ABL pitchers with a 1-1 record and 4.50 ERA, reliever Brian Grening has appeared in 14 games so far and struck out 23 in 26 innings. When pitching against defending ABL Champs Perth Heath in early December–who had just returned as the Australian representative in the 2011 Asia Series against the championship teams from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League, the Korea Baseball Organization, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League in late November–Grening held the jet-lagged Heat scoreless in 3.2 flame-resistant innings of relief.
Sharing the same determination and “can do” attitude embodied by John “True Grit” Wayne and providing a harsh yet welcoming environment in which America’s favorite pastime of baseball can take root in, Australia is a melting pot of cultures that value individual effort, team work, and “never say die” spirit. Adopting Australia’s philosophy that all things are possible–just as in the case of the 2004 Athens Olympics when Team Australia stunned the baseball world by shutting out the heavily favored Japan National team to achieve silver medal status–pitcher Brian “True Grit” Grening is a 26-year-old outcast ‘Down Under’ trying to paddle his way back to the shores of Major League Baseball. While the stage is being set for his dramatic comeback, he is enjoying his playing time at the outback ABL.
26-year-old Canberra Cavalry Pitcher Brian "True Grit" Grening is determined to beat the odds making it to the level of the game's elite in MLB (Ryan Schembril/SMP Images/ABL)
With Newport Beach being home to 2011 American League All-Star Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Pitcher Jered Weaver and also the location of super agent powerhouse Scott Boras’ offices, local native Brian Grening is definitely rubbing shoulders with the right crowd in South Orange County. In the spirit of giving like Weaver offering the LA Angels a “hometown discount” and re-signing at far below what his agent Boras would have liked as a free agent, the next John Wayne cowboy Brian Grening is willing to consider a “truce discount” for the Cleveland Indians to re-sign him over a T-Bone steak dinner.
In between games at the 2011 MLB All-Star Series in Taiwan, Yankees superstar Robinson Cano and his father, Jose, visited kids at Taichung’s China Medical University Hospital. When begged to promise hitting a home run in that night’s game,
When playing in MLB, the three-time Silver Slugger recipient and winner of the 2011 Home Run Derby–which raised over $600,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and other charities–is the Captain for the Yankees Children’s Health Fund Home Run Club, where fans pledge their support for quality care to homeless and low-income children with every Yankees home run hit in a season.
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