March 29, 2024

Eastern League All-Star Game, Kyle Drabek and a Trip to Vegas – Just Another Week for a Minor League Baseball Junkie

July 21, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

All things being equal I would rather go to a Minor League game than a Major League one. Maybe it’s seeing the big name players before they get spoiled by life in the majors, knowing that there is a chance to see just about anything at a game because not every player is top notch, crazy promotions and the intimacy of the minor league ballparks. This past week I had the opportunity to experience all that minor league ball had to offer and then some.

On Wednesday the 15th I traveled to Trenton, New Jersey to watch the Eastern League All-Star Game. There was an impressive list of players whom teams hope to be the cornerstones of their franchise for years to come at the game. From the Baseball America Mid – Season Top 25 Prospect list there was #3 Jesus Montero, C, Yankees (2 weeks ago I saw this kid hit a HR to dead center about 30 ft up the batter’s eye), #7 Carlos Santana, C, Indians, and #23 Michael Taylor, OF, Phillies (he was promoted to AAA Lehigh Valley the next day).

Also at the game listed under BA’s “Next 25” was Lars Anderson, 1B, Red Sox and Nick Weglarz, OF, Indians. There were also those who pulled the St. Louis Future’s Game and Eastern League ASG double duty including the Future’s Game MVP, Rene Tosoni, OF, Twins and Junichi Tazawa, RHP, Red Sox, along with Montero, Santana and Weglarz who played in that game also. In all you had seven top of the line prospects (would have been eight but Madison Bumgarner opted out) playing in the Eastern League ASG.

The level of play was everything you would come to expect from an all-star game as the South won 5-3 over the North. Clutch hits, several great fielding plays and some solid pitching were delivered to all the fans there. The Reading Phillies’ Joe Savery got the start for the South and tossed a scoreless inning. I have to be honest, I am not sure why this guy does not get more attention and is not discussed in trade rumors this time of year. He was the Phil’s 1st round draft choice (#19 overall) in the 2007 June Draft and all he does is win. I have seen him pitch twice and though he does not necessarily have overpowering stuff he is 12-2 and something can be said for someone who can just go out and win. Not to mention that he has progressed a level in the minors each year as a pro which is what you want to see from any draft pick.

The Top Star Award for the game went to Bowie Baysox (Orioles), 2B, Miguel Abreu, and it was no contest in my opinion. Abreu did it all – two for four with two runs scored and two stolen bases and threw some leather at the North with two beautiful defensive plays.

Some other players that stood out were Trenton’s Jesus Montero, who went two for two and had a solid block of the plate to tag out the R-Phils Quintin Berry, who was trying to score from second on a Taylor hit. Berry had little chance as he gives up about 3 inches and 60 pounds to Montero. At 6” 4’ 225, Montero looks awkward behind the plate when he is catching, so it will be interesting to see if he stays there or finds a new position. Either way, at only 19 years of age Montero can mash, and I am sure the Yanks will find a place for his stick.

Michael Taylor had a decent game going one for four with a run scored and an RBI, and would have had another had Berry not been thrown out. It was interesting to watch the exchange following the play at the plate that ended the inning, as Taylor was waiting at second for his R-Phils teammate Berry and looked to be giving him some good-natured ribbing as they walked to their outfield positions together.

From start to finish, Trenton did a major league presentation of a minor league game. At the pre-game festivities over an hour was set aside for player autographs as the players were grouped by the team they were representing and fans lined up accordingly. The host Thunder (Yanks) and nearby Reading Phillies easily drew the longest lines of the twelve teams represented. The Harrisburg Senators, Nationals affiliate, as you would expect had the shortest lines; I actually felt bad for these guys.

Possibly one of the most pleasantly surprising things was the pre-game HR Derby. The derby had from those mentioned above; Taylor, Anderson, Tosoni, Santana, Weglarz, along with Brian Dopirak of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) and high schoolers Mark Zagunis and Mike Fassl (who were allowed to use aluminum bats). After the first round the high school players showed that they weren’t going to be intimidated by the large size of the crowd, the All-Stars and, if that was not enough pressure, Yankee’s GM Brian Cashman standing on the field watching them.

Fassl led all participants with 3 HRs and Zagunis was tied with Anderson and Dopirak with 2. This put Fassl in the finals and forced a “swing off” for the other three to see who would earn the final spot in the finals. In the “swing off” Anderson was eliminated so Zagunis and Dopirak were forced into a sudden death contest with Dopirak coming out on top. Now here is the stunner….in the finals Fassl actually beat Dopirak who is the Eastern League HR leader.

The best part was seeing the fans get behind Fassl because, let’s be honest, who gave these kids a chance? Fassl walked away with a well deserved Hank Aaron signed bat and $350 to Dick’s Sporting Goods. If you were one the professionals in the HR Derby you have to be a little embarrassed by this don’t you? I mean I can’t remember ever hearing something like this happening. Only in the minors….

Kyle Drabek in Reading, PA

I followed the Eastern League ASG up by attending the Reading Phils game two nights later compliments of my beautiful wife. These weren’t just any tickets to any game, this was an anniversary present tied to a pre-game promotion where you go on the field and renew your wedding vows. As a bonus, the main piece discussed in the Roy-Halladay-coming-to-Philadelphia trade talks, Kyle Drabek, was pitching.

The Phils better hope the Jays scouts were in line for dogs when Drabek was on the mound because he got raked. His line went 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 1 SO – and they weren’t cheap hits either with six going for extra bases, including a homer and two triples. I know something that scouts comment on that you read about is a pitcher’s body language when things are going against him, and Drabek looked real unhappy on the mound and carried himself so.

Up to this point he had been 5-0 for Reading so it was interesting to see how he reacted when this occurred. I would love to see a scout’s evaluation of his performance to see if they had this same view. New Britain (Twins) dealt Drabek his first loss in a 6-4 setback.
He had struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches for his only K of the night and then the Rock Cats started chipping away in the second inning with a run, then tacked on three in the third and additional single runs in the fourth and sixth.

To tie everything together for my minor league dream week, the grand prize for that night’s game was a second honeymoon to Las Vegas and guess which couple won? I love the minors….and my wife.

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