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Tales from Exit 138: First Day of Minor League Spring Training Games
Today marks the start of minor league spring training games, which is what I have been waiting for all spring. Up until now, I have busied myself by watching some of the big league games, which I only got excited about when the prospects came in.
If you're interested in checking minor league spring training, you can check out the schedule here (the link will take you to the Sox Prospects website).
I love minor league spring training games because there will always be multiple games in one day. When the Double-A and Triple-A teams are at the complex, the Single-A guys are away, and vice versa. Today, the Red Sox affiliates played the Orioles affiliates, so the Orioles Single-A affiliates were at the complex today. That being said, Manny Machado, the third overall pick in the 2010 draft, batted third and played shortstop for the Orioles' High-A affiliate.
Here are how the Single-A affiliate lineups looked today.
Vinicio DH
Bogaerts SS
Cecchini 3B
Loya LF
Perez C
Danforth 1B
Colorado RF
Guerrero 2B
Johnson CF
Reyes DH
Velette P
No, you didn't count wrong: there are ten players in that lineup. This is why minor league spring training games remind me of the Fall Instructional League. The rules are flexible (ie. innings can end with one out and two men on). I was planning on keeping score of all the games, but I realized that this would be impossible when Drake Britton had the bases loaded with one out and the inning magically ended. The pitchers have a pitch count, or can only face a number of batters per inning, so once they reach or exceed that limit, the inning is over (I learned this from Chris Mellen, the director of scouting and senior columnist for Sox Prospects).
Coyle 2B
Federowicz C
Brentz RF
Head 1B
Renfore 3B
Jacobs DH
De La Cruz CF
Schwindenhammer LF
Meneses SS
Wheeler 1 (the lineup said Miller was going to be the starting pitcher, but apparently, Dan Wheeler got some innings in).
F. Sanchez CF
Gibson SS
Vitek DH
Rodriguez 1B
Blair C
Wilkerson LF
Peterson RF
Rogue 2B
Kang 3B
Britton P
Apparently, Britton's fastball was hitting 90-95 mph. Britton had the bases loaded in the second inning at one point, but there were a couple of sloppy defensive plays that can only be cured through repetitive fundamental drills. Britton struck out two in the first inning.
The lineups are kind of indicative of which level the player will be at once the season starts, but such is not always the case. Federowicz won't be playing in Greenville; it is likely he will start the season in Portland.
Coyle is advanced enough to skip Lowell and star the season in Greenville. Coyle is very solid defensively at second base. Biggest thing he needs to work on is turning the double play cleanly with the runner sliding into second.
Cecchini is likely to start the season in Lowell, which surprised me at first, but I think it's the right thing to do simply because he was injured all of last year. As he said in our interview, he essentially hasn't seen pitches since last April. It would be extremely difficult to skip Lowell given his injury.
Chris Hernandez will pitch for Salem tomorrow (which he was excited about); Workman pitches Friday, and Ranaudo on Saturday. Stolmy Pimentel will also pitch Saturday.
At the complex, I had the chance to speak with Alex Speier, a sportswriter for WEEI. I really appreciate his taking the time to talk to me. Alex does a great job covering the minor league guys as well as the major league players. I also had the pleasure of meeting Chris Mellen and Jon Singer, two scouts for the Sox Prospects website.
I have also really enjoyed meeting some of the family members of the players. Hunter Cervenka's grandmother (affectionately known as "Granny" by everyone), Miles Head's parents, and Lucas LeBlanc's family were all watching the games today. Lucas has an adorable son named Dawson.
Chris Cameron and Mike Antonellis (you can follow him on twitter here) have been kind enough to let me do some freelance work for the Portland Sea Dogs. I wrote an article about Will Middlebrooks, which you can read here. On Mike's blog, you can read my article on Derrik Gibson here, and my article on the decision between going to college and playing professionally here.
One more notable thing. A year ago today, Ryan Westmoreland had a surgery that changed his life. Today, he took batting practice. I have seen him take batting practice a few times, and I'm being completely honest when I say that if I knew nothing about the Red Sox, I wouldn't be able to tell that he had that kind of surgery. I had the pleasure of meeting his girlfriend, Charlene (you can follow her on twitter here. They are on a remarkable journey, and their perseverance is admirable. A lot has been written about his mentality of taking it day by day, and when you think about it, that's what the best baseball players do. They take it day by day, inning by inning, pitch by pitch. This is exactly what Westmoreland is doing.
Meet Your 2010 Draft Picks: Anthony Ranaudo
Anthony Ranaudo was drafted in the 11th round out of high school by the Texas Rangers, but he chose to attend Louisiana State University. During his time there, he led his team to a national championship. He went 12-3, posting a 3.04 ERA with a WHIP of 1.15. During his 2010 season, though, he was injured, and did not have the easiest time bouncing back. The Red Sox drafted him in the compensatory round, and he was the 39th overall pick. During the summer, he dominated in the Cape-Cod League, where he didn't give up a run in 29.2 innings. In the following interview, Ranaudo discusses how he matured as a pitcher in college, how he is adapting to professional hitters, what he learned from his injury, and more.
If you're interested, you can listen to the audio of the interview here:
Anthony Ranaudo.WMA
So how has it been here so far, playing professionally? Because in college, it's more about winning, but here, it's more about development.
Yeah, it's totally different. There's a bigger picture. It's about longevity and staying healthy and having a good career, but I'm looking
forward to it. This is what I've wanted to do my whole life.
Were you drafted out of high school as well?
11th round by the Rangers.
What were the factors in your decision between going with the Rangers and playing at LSU?
At that time I was only 17–I'm kind of young for my grade–so
I was kind of young. I wasn't ready to be on my own yet–just the demands
that pro ball would have had on a 17 year old kid, I don't think I
was ready. I needed to go three years of college [to]mature and kind of
learn the game a lot more. Being in New Jersey I kind of played basketball–I played 20 games a year [of] baseball, so I needed to learn the game, be around the game more. Now I feel like I'm well suited for the game and
ready for pro-ball.
So when you say "learn the game," what do you mean by that, and what did you learn in college?
[The] unwritten rules–just how to play the game, [and] awareness: what you need to do; how you need to prepare yourself; knowing
my body, knowing what kind of pitcher I am, knowing players around me, knowing
hitters–just the stuff that you learn… scouting reports and just the daily grind–college isn't the same as pro ball–it was a stepping stone, and now I feel
like I'm ready to take on a full season here.
So what kind of pitcher are you? What's your arsenal like? How has it changed since high school, and how have you changed?
Well like I said, I'm more mature. In high school, I got rattled if I gave up a hit or didn't do as well. I kind of unfolded a little
bit, and I think that's what I meant when I said that I needed to go to college
and mature a little bit. Now I know that each time I go out there its
just one start;its just a piece to a puzzle. Like I said, it's a long road, so I cant
get unraveled about one bad outing, or one bad pitch, or one bad inning, so I
think I've matured a lot since high school. As far as my arsenal, I throw a
fastball. I'm a fastball pitcher: I pitch my fastball; I throw anywhere from 90
to 95, anywhere around there, and then I throw a good curveball, and then
I have a pretty good feel for a changeup, so I throw three pretty solid pitches.
You were in the playoffs a lot in LSU–definitely a good college team to be on–how do you think that contributed to your development, being in those high-pressure situations?
I think [it has] prepared me tremendously. I've played in front of
the most hostile crowds, huge crowds you could pry play in college. Every
weekend LSU draws the best crowds in college baseball. We would have 10,000
almost every Friday when I pitched, so I'm used to pitching in front of big
crowds, and then we went to the most pressured situations in the regionals, the
super-regionals… I pitched in front of 30,000 in Omaha for our national
championship, so I think it's [going to] benefit me–not necessarily earlier in my
career, but later in my career when, hopefully, I can make the big leagues, and
then I'm pitching in front of 30,000 people and millions of people on TV. Hopefully I can go back to those days where I can pitch and throw in front of
30,000 people in big situations and just tell myself that I've been there before,
relax, and just be me.
What was your biggest challenge last year?
Last year there [were] a lot of challenges. I got hurt, so that
was pry the biggest challenge I had to overcome, and when I overcame
that injury and I was finally healthy, I didn't have anywhere near the success
that I was expected to have, and that I expected of myself, and that my my team
expected of me, so that was pry a really tough challenge to overcome. I did
overcome it: I had a good summer, and I think that those were all learning
lessons and life lessons, and that was part of what I said, me maturing, and I
think I'm a better pitcher now.
With you saying that you weren't able to live up to your expectations and stuff like that, do you kind of attribute that to the injury?
No, I hate to blame stuff on the injury. I was healthy when I
came back–whether it was rushed or just being in not the greatest place
mentally because I had missed four or five weeks–I just wasn't locating my
pitches as well, and it seemed like every time I missed a spot or something,
someone took advantage of it in a big way, and that's why
all my numbers were inflated, I just didn't hit my spots, didn't have great
command of all my pitches; my curveball wasn't as sharp, and that's just all on
me. I just wasn't as prepared as I could have been, and like I said, it's just a
learning experience, and I'll know better now if I ever get hurt again just to be
better prepared when I go back into the games.
Now in college obviously players can kind of take advantage
of your mistakes more because of the aluminum bats. So now that you're here
pitching against wooden bats–obviously you're gonna have more experience
starting with spring training–do you have to change anything when it
comes to wooden bats?
I think it's gonna benefit me. As a pitcher, I'll be throwing to
contact a lot, which means I'll be throwing more to make the hitters swing, and
make the hitters put the ball in play, so that way I can go deeper into ball
games and have less of a pitch count and be more efficient as a pitcher. Whereas in college, if you throw more down the middle, if you throw to contact,
you're more likely to give up cheap hits, and then hits that will go a lot
further, and hits that will be hit harder. With wood bats it's [going to] be a little
more true, and you can throw to contact more and try to be more efficient.
So let me get this straight: in college you're more of the strikeout
pitcher because if you make the mistake, they'll be able to hit it, but
professionally you can pitch to contact more because its wooden bats, and they're not
going to be bale to take advantage of your mistakes as much.
The hitters are obviously better hitters at this level, but
with that said, they're still hitters, and the way a pitcher looks at it, the best hitters fail seven out of ten times. With
that said, you can throw to contact, and that's what pro-ball teaches you: You throw
to contact, try to get outs quicker, try to keep the ball down so you can get
ground ball outs, and keep your infield and your team involved, and keep your
pitch count down, and go deeper into ball games, and hopefully, like I said, stay
healthy and have a longer career.
In college, you probably had the same catcher, but here you won't have that: you'll have guys coming in and out all the time. Are you going to be less comfortable because of that?
I don't think I'll be less comfortable: it's part of the job–it's part of the career–there will always be catchers going in
and out, always have a bullpen catcher or a game catcher, and youre
always [going to] be moving out, moving around throughout your career, so I don't
think it'll be that big of an adjustment. It's something that never really has
bothered me or helped me really. It helped me a little bit in college because my
catcher was my roommate–one of my best friends–but that was a pretty rare
occasion so I don't think it will bother me too much [here.]
Do you let the catcher do the thinking and call the pitches, or are you more prone to doing that yourself?
I sit down with the catcher before I go out there,
and kind of give him a game plan of what I want, and if [he] and I are on the same
page, I just tell him 'hey man, I'm just [going to] go with what you call.' I very rarely
shake off unless I have a pitch that I definitely want to throw, and he didn't
put it down, but most of the time, the catcher has the best view. They know the
hitter–they are the hitter–so I like to go with what catchers call, so that way
you're both on the same page all the time, and that keeps the catchers confidence
up too, and that way you guys work better.
What do the catchers say when they come out and talk to you? I have always wanted to know that.
Just depends on the situation. Like I said, my
roommate from college would come out, [and] he would know what to say to me. He would
kind of just fire me up a little bit–probably not something I would say during
an interview–that's the kind of stuff that he would say to me, but in a game
when a catcher doesn't really know you, or he is just a teammate or whatever, he
just kind of tries to make you feel better, tries to tell you what's going on,
tries to separate you from that moment: 'hey take a breath, just relax, just take a
second real quick, I'm just coming out here just for you, just a break' and you're
like alright cool, just regroup, refocus. Then you step back out there on that
rubber back to competing.
You pitched in the Cape-Cod League and you dominated (no earned runs in 30 innings), what did that do for your development? What did you see that as an opportunity for?
Well I saw it first and foremost as an opportunity to bounce
back and overcome adversity. I went into last summer [with the mentality] this is [going to] either make me or break me as a ball player: either I can go into the
summer and have the same terrible summer I had at spring, or I can kind of flush
out spring and say, 'Hey, this is a brand new start, and I can overcome adversity
and show people what kind of pitcher I am; what kind of makeup I have, and I had
a great focus all summer. I stayed with a great family: they allowed me to be who
I was, and get into a good routine, and I had a great coaching staff, and a great
routine, and great guys to back me up and to work with. I kind of just turned it
around and said, 'I'm gonna make a change here. I'm gonna start new. I'm just [going to] go
out and compete and show everyone that I can overcome adversity, and that's
definitely [going to] help me throughout my career, and that's [going to] be a big turning
point in my life and in my baseball career.
Now that you're playing professionally, you have to kind of anticipate a higher level of hitting. So what exactly are you anticipating?
I just know that–I haven't actually pitched an inning in pro-ball –but what I have heard, and what I know is that pro-ball hitters
are very intelligent. They've been around the game a lot longer than college guys
and high school guys have. Some of these guys have been playing minor league
baseball or have even major league experience, and then when I get to the major
leagues they'll all have big league experience. They'll know pitchers; they know
tendencies; they know sequences, so I think the biggest thing for me is to learn
how to adapt to their type of game, and go off them, and make adjustments to the
way they hit, and counteract the way they're thinking about me. I think that's the
biggest test, but it'll be fun.
Do you change your approach at all depending on whether or not the hitter is a lefty or a right-handed hitter?
Definitely. I kind of use different pitches in different
counts with righties and lefties. I might be more likely to use a breaking ball
early to a righty; whereas, I'll use a breaking ball late to a lefty as a strikeout
pitch, and use a changeup more to a lefty than I will to a righty. It's not
that different, but there are certain differences.
What's the biggest thing you're working on this spring?
Staying healthy and longevity. Just knowing that this is [going to] be a 142 game season, or whatever it is for the minor leagues, and then I'm [going to] have to make whatever it is, 25-30 starts, and I'm pry [going to] have to pitch
120-150 innings, somewhere around there… maybe if I'm lucky, if I stay healthy, if I
have success. So just try and stay healthy, stay focused, and keep a good
attitude and just try and learn as much as I can about pro-ball in my first
If you had to hit against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of?
I would make myself throw my fastball for a strike. I pry
would take all kinds of offspeed until I got a strike with the fastball, and
then kind of make adjustments, but I don't even know what it would be like to
think as a hitter anymore. That's weird, I've never thought that.
What do you think fans overlook or take for granted the most when it comes to baseball–especially the minor leagues or the college level?
Probably all the hard work that we put into the game and the
dedication. They just think that–not all fans but some fans–think that we just
come out here, [and] it's a picnic. It's a great game to play, but some people don't know all the hard work–the time, the effort–they just
think that they come out here; they make a ton of money; they live the great life–and we do live the great life: we get to play a game that we love for our
career–but pry the hard work, and the effort, and the time behind the scenes that
go into the game, and all the things that peope don't know about I would say.
What was the bright spot of your college career?
Definitely winning a national championship my sophomore year. That team, those guys on the team I'll be friends with my whole life, and when you
win a national championship–those memories you make together, and the stuff that
we went through, the ups and the downs–just creates friendships that are [going to]
last forever, and those are definitely going to be the best memories of my
college career: the friendships that I've made and the teammates that I've
played with.
Alex Hassan Transcription
Alex Hassan was drafted out of Duke University in the 20th round of the 2009 draft. Hassan was originally drafted as a pitcher, but he ended up signing as an outfielder, and has played that position since signing with the Red Sox organization. Hassan had a great 2010 season in Salem, posting a .287 batting average and collecting 98 hits. Hassan discusses how he ended up signing as an outfielder, as well as how he overcame his early offensive struggles in Salem last year.
You were originally drafted as a pitcher, so can you describe how that whole process went from being drafted as a pitcher being signed as an outfielder?
Before the draft, all the teams told me I was going to be a
pitcher, and were really looking at me on the mound. Then probably a month
before the draft, I pull my oblique and didn't pitch. The last month before the
draft, I could only hit, and so I didn't get drafted where I wanted to get
drafted, so the team that drafted me–the Red Sox–I told them I would go to Cape-Cod and work out there, and they could evaluate me there and decide whether or
not they wanted to sign me. So I went to Cape-Cod, and I had a really good summer
hitting, and I also pitched, but then by the end of the summer they just decided
that that I'd make a better impact in the outfield, so that was
when the decision was made that I was gonna be an outfielder.
How was the transition from pitcher to outfielder? If you're transitioning from center to right field or shortstop to third base, it's probably not as hard, but that seems like a really drastic transition.
I did both in college (Duke), so I split my time between the
outfield and pitching, and I think the only adjustment was getting used to
playing everyday, [and] only focusing on one position, the
transition was pretty good because it was a lot easier on my body only doing
one [position.]
What do you think you got out of your experience in college, and how did it help you for this stage?
I definitely feel like college prepared me really well for
pro ball. In college I had a lot of responsibility on and off the field, and
handling the academic aspect of college on top of baseball I think really made
it easier when I made the transition to pro-ball just to focus on just hitting
and playing the outfield.
What are the differences between each outfield position skill wise–whether it be mentally or physically?
I think [in] right field, you're supposed to have a little bit of a
stronger arm, and maybe cover a little bit more ground, but I think that for
me, it's going to be pretty important that I'm able to play both [positions] and play both well,
so hopefully I'll just keep working out at both positions.
What was your biggest challenge last year in Salem?
I just got off to a tough start: the first
month I really struggled. After the first month, I just felt like I took a lot of
pressure off myself to do well, and I started doing a lot better. Just
overcoming a bad start was probably the most challenging thing.
What do you attribute the bad start to? Was it putting the pressure on yourself, or did it have to do with the pitching too?
It was more just putting pressure on myself. I just tried to
do too much just to try and show everyone that I belong on the team. That was
really it. After that first month I felt fine, and I did a lot better.
Because you used to be a pitcher, do you think you kind of have an advantage now that you're more of a hitter just because you are more aware of the counts?
Not really. I would like to say yeah, but not really. I don't
feel like I'm good at guessing what is coming anyway. I don't really think too much
along with the pitcher–that's just not my style of hitting, but I wish it really
helped me more.
If you were pitching against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of?
If I were pitching against myself id probably get a hit
Obviously the pitching gets more sophisticated at each level. What are the little things you have noticed as you have transitioned?
It definitely gets challenging as you move up, but it's the
same game no matter what level youre playing at. You can
control and have good at bats no matter where you are. Yeah, it gets tougher, but
you just have to remember that it's the same game; theyre not inventing new
pitches, so you just have to go up there and hit, and hopefully things workout.
What do you think fans overlook or take for granted when it comes to baseball?
I don't know if people realize how hard it is playing
everyday for seven to eight months straight, and sometimes you don't feel physically well,
and I don't think people understand that.
What is the biggest thing you're working on this spring?
Just to have a clear mind and [to] enjoy everyday. I'm just
trying to have fun.
You have been called up a couple of times to the big league club. What do you take from that experience?
It has been a really valuable experience. You can learn a lot
just by listening and watching the way that the players go about their business,
and it has been a really valuable experience for me just to see what that level
is like.
What has been the bright spot of your career so far? Do you have a favorite memory?
I have really just enjoyed playing for the Red Sox, and this
organization. It has been a lot of fun… I don't know if I have memory, but I'm really
fortunate to be in the Red Sox organization.
Tales from Exit 138: Spring Fever
As I have said before, when I think of the four seasons, I don't think
of spring, summer, fall, and winter. I think of preseason, regular
season, postseason, and the Hot Stove season. Spring Training is
definitely my favorite season for a lot of reasons. I'm a fan of all
levels of the minor league system, and this is the only time of year
that they are all in one place. I can talk to three different guys on
three different levels all in one day, and so far, it has been really
interesting for me to see the differences in their attitudes or
perspectives depending on where they are in their development.
spring is also known for its seasonal allergies, and I contract the
same one every year: spring fever. It is not curable by any tangible
medications; rather, it is cured only by excessive exposure to spring
training. When I call in sick to school with a fever, I'm not exactly
lying, right?
I have posted the transcriptions to all of the
interviews so far, but sometimes the stories behind how these interviews
happen are nearly as interesting as the interviews themselves. I have
no idea whether or not these guys know that I'm not exactly official.
But what I do know is that they have never made me feel unofficial.
Sometimes I tack on "I'm doing some freelance work for the Portland Sea
Dogs…" but even if I don't, they never ask whom I'm affiliated with.
have all also been extremely accommodating too. The fact of the matter
is that these guys have no obligation to anyone but the organization
right now. Their workouts are long and hard. But they sign autographs on
their way to other stations or on their way inside; and after they
workout or finish extra batting practice, they take five to ten minutes
to sit down with me.
In fact, when I asked Derrik Gibson if I
could interview him after he was done with everything, he mentioned that
he had to take extra batting practice, but asked if I was in a rush.
Normally it's the other way around. I'm on the players' time; I try to
do what's convenient for them, but I thought it was really nice of him
to even ask.
Both Will Middlebrooks and Garin Cecchini waited
while I finished up interviews with Gibson and Matt Price, respectively.
The last thing I want to do is make a player wait, but I also don't
want to cut off my interviews. But they waited, and neither made me feel
bad about waiting. In fact, Middlebrooks mentioned that I had been waiting. Waiting is an inevitable part of what I do, but waiting is by no means something the players have to do.
Hernandez absolutely went above and beyond. He left after his workout,
which was obviously just an honest mistake, but he certainly did not
have to come back after having gotten back to his hotel. I was in my
car, ready to go to the big league game, when a red truck pulled up next
to me, and he got out and knocked on my window. We did the interview
right in the parking lot.
I have definitely learned a lot so
far this spring from talking with the players. I learn more in a day at
the complex than I do in a week at school (this may or may not be due to
the fact that I also have senioritis).
Here are some of the most interesting things I have learned so far from talking to these guys.
pitchers will use or not use certain pitches depending on if the batter
is a righty or a lefty: maybe more changeups to the lefty because the
ball will get away from them, and with righties it will fade into them.
various improvements of both hitters and pitchers within each level:
hitters become a lot more selective and only look for certain pitches in
certain locations. Pitchers can throw all their pitches for strikes,
and they can repeat their mechanics.
-How the pitchers handle
pressure–they will try and limit the damage with a double play instead
of trying to eliminate it completely.
-The impact that college
can have–both on and off the field. Whether it be learning how to pitch
to get outs, keeping the ball down in the zone, the advancement of the
arsenal, or even learning how to handle living on your own.
differences both mentally and physically between each of the infield
positions: the importance of reading bounces, and the differences in
reaction time.
-The importance of repeating and mastering mechanics and fundamentals.
importance of a good mentality. Sometimes, you can't think about trying
to be too perfect. Sometimes, you can't always give 100% and you have
to realize that and give what you can to avoid injuries.
aren't the only thing I do at the complex, though. On Monday, I had the
opportunity to get a picture with Dwight Evans, and get his autograph
for my dad, who watched him when he was actually playing. He and Carl
Yastrzemski work with the minor league guys on hitting mechanics.
also briefly talked to Theo Epstein. He was at the complex presumably
checking out the great foundation of young players that he has built up.
Mr. Epstein is quiet–we only chatted for a minute–but he's not
So even though I have been having a great time at
the complex, I have also been having fun at the games too. I much prefer when the pinch runners start to come in, or when the announcer
says, "Now playing left field, number 95, Alex Hassan." These are the
guys I come to watch. I'll include some of my favorite pictures of my
projects so far:
Alex Hassan:
Lars Anderson:
Michael Bowden:
Ryan Kalish:
Ryan Lavarnway:
Stolmy Pimentel:
Michael Almanzar:
Oscar Tejeda:
Kyle Weiland:
Yamaico Navarro (far away shot, but it was his walk off hit):
Meet Your 2010 Draft Picks: Chris Hernandez
Chris Hernandez was drafted out of the University of Miami in the seventh round of the 2010 draft. He had a fantastic 2010 campaign going 10-3 with a 2.64 ERA, 110 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.15. Hernandez discusses his struggles & adaptations in college, the pressure of the draft, and more.
Chris Hernandez was the first guy I asked for an interview on Monday. He was really nice and said he would do it after he worked out. So I interviewed Derrik Gibson and Will Middlebrooks, and I thought that I had missed Hernandez, and that he had left because I wans't around. There was even the possiblity that he was still working out, but it was already past 1, and I don't like being late to the big league games. So I went back to my car, started it, and put my stuff away, when a red truck pulled up next to me. I ignored it because I didn't think it was anything significant, but then someone knocked on my window, and it was none other than Hernandez. He sincerely apologized and said that he forgot.
I was in complete shock, though, because this was seriously above and beyond. I seriously don't expec these guys to wait around for me–I'm on their time, and I try to make it as convenient as possible for them.
The fact that Chris came back after he got back to his hotel really speaks to the kind of person he is. I wouldn't have been upset if it hadn't worked out–just try again next time, but he really followed through, and I really appreciated that. I mean this is a completely unofficial blog, and I'm loosely affiliated with the Sea Dogs (freelancing for them this spring). I'm still in high school. So I thought that was an unbelievably incredible gesture on his part.
You were drafted in the seventh round out of UM, but were you drafted out of high school as well?
Yeah, I was drafted in the 14th round by the
Detroit Tigers.
What were the deciding factors in choosing to go to college over going professionally?
Well, the first thing was that we had communications
throughout the summer, and we didn't come to terms on both sides, and I thought
that going to school would have been a better idea because it would give me
three years under my belt just in case baseball doesn't work out in the end, I
have something to fall back on, so I ended up going to school, and I don't regret it
at all because I had a great time and it taught me a lot.
So what did you end up majoring in?
I majored in business management, so I have two
more semesters to go, so I'm going to try and finish now in the off season… finish at
least one semester and, then I have one more left, and then hopefully get a
degree from the university, which is a pretty respectable thing, and that's
something I've always wanted to have is a college degree.
UM is a great school for baseball, so how do you think pitching in college contributed to your development?
It taught me a lot–especially facing older guys with
aluminum bats, it taught me that I have to stay down in the zone–if not I'm going to
get hit out of the ballpark all day. Also, the pitching coach helped me out
there a lot: he helped me develop my mental game and know how to bounce back
from struggling because I did struggle some my sophomore year, so he taught me
how to deal with adversity, and the fact that I will struggle at times and how
to bounce back from it.
What did you struggle with sophomore year?
I just didn't feel prepared going into the season. I came
back, and they were hitting me around the ballpark, and I couldn't really find my
groove until the middle of the year, and I started getting back into things, and
I was able to fall back in the track some more, but it wasn't the same as it was
my freshman or junior year.
How has your arsenal changed since you were in high school?
I still have the same amount of pitches. I did change from
the two-seam to the one-seam, which gives me a little more down action on my
fastball down and away, and I have developed my changeup a lot more, which is
something I didn't have as much at the college level. I mainly relied on my
fastball and cutter, and every once in a while I showed a changeup just to show
it, and now I can throw a changeup for a strike, and it's a big pitch that they
always talked about that you're gonna need at this level, so that's why I wanted
to develop it early and I had been able to.
What was your biggest challenge last year?
Dealing with the pressure of the draft throughout the whole
year, and trying to focus on the season, and trying to have a good season, and
being a leader to the rest of the guys because we were a young team and a young
staff, and it was a little difficult at times balancing both things–especially
at the end when the draft came around, but I was able to do it, and my year
actually came out just the way I liked it. I mean the draft worked its way out
somehow, and I just did what I had to do and everything fell into place
So then the draft was in the back of your mind at all times?
It was, yeah, it's always something that's going to be in the back
of your mind–especially since it's kind of deciding your future, and if you want
to be a baseball player you need to go in the draft and try and go high to at
least get a little bit of money and make [it] your worthwhile being out here and
also teams have a little bit of interest in you, and it was a
tough thing to do balancing both sides of the spectrum, but it was good I was
able to do it, and it worked out for me in the end.
Are you kind of dealing with expectations now? Especially being the seventh round pick?
Yeah and no because I know, to me, when I walk into a place
for the first time, I don't think people expect anything. They just like to see
what you can bring to the table, and I kind of just took this as something to have fun with instead of taking it you know to the point where
you're struggling everyday because of how stressed out you are and I'm trying to
have as much fun as it with I can and enjoy being out here and enjoy just
playing out here, and it's helping me out so far with the stress of being away
from home and the stress of everyday trying to fight for a job.
In college you probably had an everyday catcher right? But here youre gonna have catchers coming and going. Is this going to impact you at all?
I mean, it's going to be a little different. I'm going to have to get
used to it because in college, my catcher was Yasmani Grandal (12th overall pick to the Cincinnati Reds in the 2010 draft), and he knew my
game well, and I really could rely on him to call games, and here I'll be able to
rely on guys more when we get into the season. There will be one or two catchers,
and they'll more or less know your way but I'm going to have to start really
focusing on my strengths instead of relying on what the catcher is putting down
and shaking him off from time which I didn't do in college.
So are you still going to let your catchers kind of think for you and call the pitches, or are you going to do that yourself?
I'm still going to let my catchers call the game, and if I see
something that I'm not comfortable with, or that I don't like, I'll shake it off
and re-address it later on in the game to make sure we are on the same page.
Did you ever pitch in the summer leagues like Cape-Cod?
No… Well, I only pitched my freshman going to sophomore year. I
pitched on Team USA.
How do you think that contributed to your development?
It's a different experience: facing guys from other countries,
playing against them, and they were more developed at times, but it was a good
experience. It helped me in the way I face guys with wood bats, but it didn't
help much because I just try to go out there and do my thing, and plus it was
the end of the season, and you're feeling tired already from a college season.
How was the transition from aluminum to wooden bats for you? Did you change anything?
The best thing is staying down in the zone, they really cant
hurt you, unlike if you stay down in the zone with aluminum, they can still hurt
you from time to time. With wood bats it's a little more difficult: you have
to be able to put your bat on the ball a little more solid, put it in that sweet
spot. In that sense it kind of makes you relax a little bit because you can kind
of be OK with missing somewhat because of the wood bat.
What have you noticed in hitters as they have matured–even around here?
Watching the guys here–and watching them throw and watching
guys hits–I'm picking up things as to where hitters have better eyes hitters,
watch the strike zone a little better, so its going to be a little tougher to pitch
to guys and miss in the zone. They're gonna be on the lookout for strikes, and
that's going to be the main thing is throwing strikes instead of just missing off
the plate and things like that.
Are you prone to certain pitches in certain situations?
I've always pretty much relied on my cutter, and I'm trying to
change that and be able to throw any pitch in any situation, but for right now
that's always been my pitch to go to and my pitch that I like, but for the most
part I've been working on trying to get my fastball, and my changeup, and my
curveball to throw in any situation that need be.
What about certain counts?
I really didn't… like I said my out pitch was always the
cutter, but I'm trying to shy away from it, but using different pitches in
different situations so it's not a pattern every time… hitters can't pick up on
things like that.
What do you think fans overlook the most?
Some people think it's a real glorious life, and it is when
you make it to the big leagues, but the minor leagues [are] a grind day in and day
out, and you're out on the field for hours practicing and trying to get things
done, and a lot of people don't see that.
If you had to hit against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of?
Try and jump on first couple of pitches because I always come
out throwing strikes, and sometimes guys use that against me, and they'll jump
out and jump on my fastball early and stuff like that, but for the most part
jumping out early on the first couple of pitches.
What are you working on this spring?
Using the fastball more and using it in later counts when I
got guys 0-2, things like that and putting away guys with the fastball.
What was the bright spot of your college career?
I'd have to say it was in college when we were
in Omaha (college world series) my freshman year. That was a good experience. I was able to start the
first game for us as a freshman, so it was fun and exciting. We didn't get to win
that day, but I still felt good going out in front of all those fans. It felt
like something id like to keep doing for the rest of my life.
How do you think pitching in those big league games impacted your development?
It got me prepared for what I'm going to face at the top level,
which is the big leagues. Obviously it wasn't as big of a crowd, but we still had
big turnouts at Miami, and big turnouts wherever we went to, so that was good
pitching in front of a crowd.
Will Middlebrooks on Salem, and what he has learned thus far in Spring Training 2011
Will Middlebrooks was drafted out of high school in the fifth round of the 2007 draft. A shortstop originally, Middlebrooks was converted to third base in his first full year of pro-ball. Last year in Salem, Middlebrooks hit .276 avg/.331 OBP/.439 SLG/.770 OBPS with 70 RBIs. Middlebrooks has already been called up to four games this Spring Training. In this interview, he discusses that process and what he has learned, as well as his 2010 season in Salem.
Will didn't have to stay around for his interview. I had just started interviewing Gibson when Middlebrooks walked by and said, "I'll wait over here." He waited for ten minutes, which he did not have to do by any means. It obviously meant a lot that he waited, but I think it really speaks a lot to his character that he was willing to wait. He didn't make me feel rushed at all.
What was the deciding factor, or factors, in choosing to go professionally over going to college first?
Well, it was tough because both my parents are educators, and
my dad is a coach, so education is important to them. I was [committed] to Texas A&M,
which is a pretty good academic school, and I was hoping to play football and
baseball there, so it was a tough decision but being able to start my career
early and just get a head start.
What was your biggest challenge last year in Salem?
I feel like the pitching was a lot better just in the jump
from Low-A (ie. Greenville) to High-A (ie. Salem), and just getting comfortable at the plate, staying
consistent with my approach. Within the first two, two-and-a-half
months, I had a real good beginning of the season
I hear a lot of guys say that the transition from Low-A to High-A is tough. What did you notice about the pitchers that made it that much harder?
Just being able to throw all their pitches for strikes. That's just something the higher you get, everyone is more consistent–that's
just the name of the game at this point. So especially going in this year, I'm
probably gonna be in Double-A (ie. Portland), which is supposedly the biggest jump in the minor
leagues. …Just pitchers being able to throw any pitch at any time for a strike.
So how did you adapt to that?
Like I said, just remaining consistent in my approach, and
knowing what pitches I can hit, and what counts, and just watching film and
studying the game.
A lot of the times, an organization will change a player's position early on in their development. Is third base where you feel most comfortable right now?
Well they've already changed me: I was a shortstop coming in,
and I got a lot bigger as I got older; I put on some weight, so they moved me to
third within my first year of pro-ball.
So how was the transition from shortstop to third?
It was tough–There [are] a lot different
angles, a lot less time for reaction–it's just something you have to get used to,
but I'm fully adapted to it now.
What do you think the biggest differences are between the positions mentally and/or physically?
Mentally, defense… as far as an infielder… it's all the
same: just being ready, reading the bounces–it's pretty much the same for everyone,
but at first base and third base, it's a lot of reaction: you get a lot of hard
hit balls; you're playing in a lot. Shortstops you're more back a lot of time to
react to balls.
I noticed that you batted fifth a lot in Salem. Is that where you like to bat?
I could really care less, anywhere is fine with me. I like
middle of the lineup… a lot of guys seem to be on base; you get more opportunity
for RBIs.
Do you adjust your approach and/or mentality depending on where you bat in the lineup?
Maybe in the first inning is the first time
it would be different just because you don't want your first batter up there
swinging at everything because in the game, you want your bigger guys who
hit in the middle of the order, who hit for power be able to see what this guy
has on the mound. You know, first, second, maybe even third batter see a few
pitches so maybe we can see the breaking pitches or his off-speeds.
What is your opinion on small ball? It seems like suicide squeezes are kind of a dying art.
It's very important–especially when you get to the seventh,
eighth, ninth inning, if you need to move a runner over… I think you're right, you
don't see the squeeze bunt much anymore mainly because a lot of third basemen years ago were a lot bigger guys; they couldn't move as well. Now third
basemen [and] first basemen are a lot more athletic. I think they can make those plays
and get the ball home. Maybe that's why you don't see it as much, but sac bunts
are just as important as they have always been.
If you had to pitch against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of at this point?
I know my positives: I could hit a fastball really well,
so I would attack myself with offspeed early in the count because I'm aggressive
early in the count: I look for fastballs.
What do you think fans overlook or take for granted the most?
Just the day-to-day grind. It's tough–especially straight out
of high school it's tough to adapt [from] being at home, being with your family,
in your comfort zone… then you're here on your own for eight months. It's tough, it's
something you definitely have to get used to, but once you can get past the fact
of 'I'm not home; I'm not going to see my family, my friends, my girlfriend… once you get
past that, and you say, 'OK, I'm here; this is my job; this is my life now; I'm gonna
play baseball; you can focus on that, and it's a lot of fun.
What is the biggest thing you're working on this spring training?
Just staying consistent with my approach offensively and
defensively… my footwork defensively just getting good jumps on ballsat third base.
You have been called up a couple of times already this spring. Describe that process for us.
Normally we find out the day of, or the day before. I've been
lucky enough to go to four games, and I've started two of them, so it's a lot of
fun. For me, I'm really just a sponge when I'm up there. I just want to soak
in everything, and see how they go about their business because ultimately,
that's where we want to be, so just follow them, see what they're doing, see how they
do their cage work, their defensive work before the game in BP, and just try to
change my game a little bit to how they do it.
What is the best thing you have learned so far?
Just effort level, really. You kind of have to pace yourself. With them, it's 162 games–even more than that–just pace yourself. You cant be 100% everyday. If you have 90% to give, that's what you give. If you push past
that, you might get hurt or you could be out for a few months.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Probably in Lowell my first year when we played the Futures
at Fenway, I had the walk off hit in the 12th inning, so that was a
lot of fun. I'd have to say that so far.
Gibson on Greenville
I had the pleasure of sitting down with infielder Derrik Gibson, who was drafted in the second round of the 2008 draft. What I really enjoyed about my conversation with him was how in depth he went with every single answer. He would even transition into other, relevant topics, and I didn't even have to prompt him. Gibson discussed his offensive struggles that came with his transition to Greenville, and what he is doing to adapt.
What was the deciding factor, or factors, in choosing to go professionally over going to college first?
There's a restriction on how many hours you can put on the field in college, and
here I feel like I could start at a young age and develop
right away, and I think the other deciding factor was the academic
side. Going in the second round, the Red Sox pay: They give me a year… [if] I stop
playing baseball tomorrow, they give me a year to be a full-time
student, and my college tuition would be paid for so that made the decision–not easy–but I felt more comfortable.
What was your biggest challenge last year in Greenville?
[The] biggest challenge I guess was playing everyday… playing 140
game schedule. I'm not as physically mature–meaning like not as strong as some
guys who can maintain their strength over the season, so I think that was the
biggest side of it. and just being able to go in there day in and day out and
just try to perform. Even mentally, you know, when you [didn't have] a so great day
the day before, and kind of coming back and being able to play, and go at it
again, and especially last year last year was a tough year offensively so it
tested me.
Talk about your transition to Greenville a little bit: do you think your offensive struggles had to do with a new level of pitching? Or what would you attribute it to?
Probably both the pitching and the staying mechanically
sound with my swing, and even I guess mentally. You know when you step in the box,
you should be very confident no matter what your day was like before that, or
how your day is going that game, you should be confident each at bat, and the
pitching each step (ie. level) you get up it's getting better. They can repeat each pitch, and
you pry see two to three good pitches and you keep going up, and they start to
grow smaller, and so it's just learning to just fine tune those things, and [trying] to
build the confidence in the mechanics and just have confidence in yourself.
What is your biggest focus this spring?
I think the biggest thing honestly is not trying to be too
perfect. Just hit the ball where it's pitched, hit it hard, and you can't control what it does after it comes off the bat; all you can control is
if you put a good swing on it or not… And the same for defensively: I think just
it sounds cliché, and it sounds very simple, but just catch it and throw it to
first–just know what your situations are on the field.
A lot of the times and organization will change a player's position early in their development. Now I've seen you play both second base and shortstop… where do you think you fit in best, position wise?
I would say shortstop because I feel like [that is where] I'm most
comfortable. Second base was a little tough for me because I hadn't played there
before. I think in Lowell I made 17 errors flip flopping back and forth, and that
was a 70 game schedule, and then last year I played all short 122 games and made
22 errors, so last year was better because if you were to double the games in Lowell,
I would have, say, 34 errors so but I feel like I fit best at shortstop: most
comfortable, most confident there
Did you know where you would be playing… like the week before or something, or was it more random?
It was kind of like I had an idea the day that I'm getting
close to flip flopping with the other guy.. Like he'd go to short for a couple
games, and then we would flip flop, and then I would go to short, and then we
alternate between second, but it wasn't like it was
planned out like 'OK this day is where I'm gonna be, that's where, and sometimes
it's a little hard because it's a little different, and to me I knew that I
wasn't as comfortable at second base as I was at shortstop, so it was an
adjustment, and some games were a little tougher than others where I couldn't
naturally just do it.
What are the biggest differences for you–mentally, physically, or both–between shortstop and second base?
I guess second base, your feet have to work a
little better. You have to put yourself in better positions to make double plays
feeds, or the ball [comes] off the bat a little differently, so it was just, I
guess, repetition of seeing it and getting used to it– where as opposed to shortstop, I played there most of my life, so I already had the repetition, so mentally
I just told myself: this is pry gonna take time, but I still try to work
hard and do what the infield coordinators tell me to.
Where do you like to bat in the lineup and why?
I pry like one or two just because I feel like you can
really establish what your team is going to do that night, and get to a
running start, being able to disrupt if you get on base–the pitcher
and the team–and then just getting on so the guys behind you in the three, four, five can drive you in and get on the board early. There's no better feeling
going out the next innings knowning youre up 1-0 or whatever.
A lot of the times the guys in the one and two holes will bunt. What is your opinion on bunting, small ball, suicide squeezes? Do you think that technique is effective?
I definitely think its effective now because with that era
of baseball in the '90's of hitting the longball… I think it's definitely coming
back to guys bunting and playing small ball, and one of my biggest
attributes is to run, and I definitely feel like it's (ie. small ball) coming back, and I
definitely need to implicate it, and I'm a big fan. The Red Sox signed Crawford
who does it, and Ellsbury who does it, so it's coming back and it's good to see
baseball go back to how it once was played.
If you had to pitch against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of at this point?
Right now probably two seamers in… a fastball at
down and in, and then probably after doing that, probably a curveball or slider
away just [because] it's hard–once they beat you up inside so many times–it's hard
to get back; to individualize each pitch and so they set you up, and
so I would pry say that's the toughest and that's what I do to myself: hard in
and soft away.
As you have transitioned through the levels, what are the little things that you have noticed about the pitchers and how they advance through each level?
Like I said: the repetition. There, they can work both sides of
the plate. They're going to throw, they're going to nibble on the blacks of the plate, and
they can repeat good curveballs, good changeups, good sliders, and each one has
better life and better break to it than the levels before. As
we're developing as hitters, they're developing as pitchers.
What do you think fans overlook or take for granted the most when it comes to baseball–especially minor league baseball.
They expect us–especially with the young guys–to be almost major
league baseball ready, where all of us are different. And it's that it's a process. The guys that you see on TV, they're not perfect, obviously, but they're as
close to it as us, and I think that baseball is a game of failure. I
don't know how much they understand that–I think they understand that, you know,
you hit .300 for ten seasons most likely youre a hall-of-famer and I don't know
too many other jobs where you can fail 7 out of 10 times and still have a job.
What has been the bright spot of your career thus far?
I enjoy everyday of it. I mean, there are some days that are
tougher than others, but just being able to come out here everyday… good weather,
being able to live the dream… this is what I wanted to do since I could start
throwing a baseball, so I would definitely say just the all around aspect–the
goods and the bads–and just take it one day at a time.
Meet Your 2010 Draft Picks: Garin Cecchini
Garin Cecchini was drafted out of high school in the fourth round (143rd) overall in the 2010 draft. Originally committed to LSU, Garin discusses why he chose the Red Sox, rehab back from knee surgery, and his biggest challenge last year, which was far from physical.
1. How did the Fall Instructional League go for you? How did it contribute to your development? What did you see it as an opportunity for?
It went well. It was my first time to actually get out there. I had surgery six months before that, and I had tendinitis real bad in my
knee, so I didn't get to play any and they just kept me back, and it was real
painful. The off season was [about]
getting my knee healthy and that pain going away, so I'm healthy now I'm 100% for
spring training.
2. When did you sustain that knee injury?
March 13th, and I had surgery the 19th.
3. Has the surgery changed your approach at all? Even something small like your batting stance?
No, I didn't change my batting stance. It didn't change [me] overall. It changed my thinking of the game: to not take the game for granted. I
mean you can get hurt any time and your career can be done.
4. What was the deciding factor in choosing to come here over going to college first?
Of course Boston with its history, and it was a great
opportunity for me, and it was just right for me–that was the main
factor. I've always wanted to play pro-ball, and this was a great opportunity. I
mean I had surgery, and I still got drafted in the fourth round, so it was a
great opportunity, and it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.
5. Do you think you lose anything in not going to college?
I don't really think about that because I look in the present.
I don't really look into the future or the past, but I made the right decision–I
know for a fact, but definitely I'm going to miss the college experience and
education, which I really wanted, but like I said this was a great opportunity
for me, and I couldn't have passed it up.
6. Besides your knee last year, did you have any other big challenges?
Playing for dad. Its tough playing for your father. I mean
he has coached there for 26 years, and it's a great program. He has five state
championships and national chapionships, but its still hard because you know
you're always get that youre only playing because your dad is the coach…You have your haters out there, and everyone is going to say something about it no matter what.
7. How did you deal with that? Did you kind of take it in stride, or just ignore it?
I mean my freshman year it kind of got to me, but by
the time I was a junior or senior, I knew they were all just… jealous, and now my
brother was going through the same thing his freshman year, and now hes a junior and hes one of the top
prospects in the nation, and people are still saying he's not good, and that's
how its going to be, and that's the game of life.
8. What was your development like in high school? Did you become better or mature between certain years?
I've definitely matured–and everyone will–and the biggest
maturity is from that sophomore to junior year. [That's] when you get a lot better because
it's a big jump. My motto is try to get 1% better everyday, and if you just
stick to that it doesn't matterwhat… Mentally get 1% better, hitting, fundamentally, being a better
teammate 1% better… You're gonna get better everyday.
A lot of the times, the organization will change a player's position early in their development. Where do you think you fit in best, position wise? How open are you to trying others?
That's really not for me to decide. That's the front office
and the coaches, that's what their job is.
So are you open to trying others?
Yeah I mean [wherever] they want me at, that's where I'm going to
be. Like I said its not my role to choose that.
What is the biggest difference between each position skill wise? Obviously, you have to have a stronger arm if you're a third baseman, but what about mentally even?
Third base: that's why they call it the hot corner. You get
balls that are hit really hard…third base
it's a step to your left step, to your right. Shortstop, second base you're gonna have
to go a little bit farther. It's different, but you gotta learn and
develop into what they want to be.
Where do you like to bat in the lineup and why?
It doesn't matter…like I said that's what the staff decides. Wherever they put me that's where im gonna go. I'm gonna try my best… I batted second or third in the Dominican League.
What is your opinion on small-ball? Do you think bunting runners over and suicide squeezes are effective, or do you think swinging away is?
There's no doubt bunts are effective. I mean you gotta put it
this way: You get the bunt down… third baseman, pitcher, or first baseman has got to
catch the ball cleanly, he's gotta pick it up out of his glove, and he's gotta make
a perfect throw to first base while youre running, and that's hard to do. So it's
definitely effective, and I feel like our high school bunted a lot or sac'd
people over, and its definitely effective.
If you had to pitch against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of?
I'd just throw a 95 mph fastball because my timing is off right now.
If your timing is off right now, how do you work to make that better?
It comes with time. Timing comes with time. It's funny to say,
but you just see more pitches, and that's how you get your timing back. I mean I
haven't seen pitching since October, and I didn't see a lot–I've seen three games
of pitching. Practically I haven't seen pitches for a whole year because of my
The pitching definitely becomes more sophisticated at each level. What are the little things you notice that they do differently as you transition?
What I've seen is they spot up more… they wont leave a ball
over the plate because that's a mistake, and if they do, they didn't mean to. They'll
paint corners… Other than that I faced good pitching all through high school and
summer circuit…Those were the best high school
pitchers in the nation. Those guys throw just as hard as these guys…they have curveballs, changeups… but these
guys [in the organization] are just more polished.
What do you think fans overlook or take for granted?
Some don't understand that it's everyday. It's not like high
school where you play 3-4 times a week: it's everyday or you have practice.
Tell us something interesting about yourself:
Both of my parents are coaches. My mom throws the best BP I've ever had in my whole life, out of anyone I've ever faced. It's just right there,
she throws the best batting practice of any guy I've ever seen, of any woman I've
ever seen. She could throw to any team any day for however long.
Meet Your 2010 Draft Picks: Mathew Price
Matt Price was drafted in the eighth round of the 2010 draft (263rd) over all. He had Tommy John surgery in October 2010. This is a transcription from my interview with him:
*You'll notice that a lot of my interview questions are the same. This could either work really well or really poorly, and so far–for me at least–it has worked well simply because it has shown me that the game is relative. You can ask the same questions to a bunch of different guys, and rarely will you get the same one. It has been really interesting for me to hear all of the different responses.
1. When you were drafted out of high school, did you know that you were going to have surgery?
I didn't know. I got hurt at the end of the year,
and there was a little bit of injury still there, and we had tried to rehab all
summer. The Red Sox knew that there was something there, but we
had talked and hoped that rehab was going to work itself out. It wasn't til
after instrux (ie. the Fall Instructional League), and throwing a few bullpens that we realized that the problem is
still there and we were going to need surgery.
2. What did the Fall Instructional League do for you and your development? What did you kind of see it as?
I saw it as a chance to just get into the routine: Pick up
things like clues that verterans leave–just little tips that help get you going
and pick your feet up a little quickly as a rookie. I saw it as a
chance to just workout, get better get my feet wet a little bit.
3. You were drafted out of Virginia Tech, but were you drafted out of high school as well?
I was drafted in the 34th round by the Atlanta Braves in 2008.
4. What was the deciding factor, or factors, in choosing to go to college first over going professionally?
One of the things is that at 18, I wasn't the most mature kid,
and I will be the first to admit that. I just felt that college would be a
chance to develop my skills, improve my draft position, and it was something I looked
as an opportunity to just get better
How do you think going to college contributed to your development?
It taught me sort of how to carry
responsibility for myself, and it taught me the things of living on your own,
which is going to be some of the challenge in professional ball
Do you think you lose anything in going to college over going professionally first?
There are some drawbacks: I say if I went out of
high school that could have been two years I could have been playing [professional] ball and
working my way up the system, but I mean you kind of weigh it out: you know, you just
weigh the pluses and minuses of it.
How has your arsenal changed since you were in high school?
[In] high school, I was more the fastball, try to overpower you, throw a
curveball kind of guy. Then college… just complete role reversal so it turned
into fastball, changeup kind of guy. I shied away from my curveball. Just a bit of
a role reversal.
What was your biggest challenge last year, and how do you plan on overcoming that this year?
[There was a] little inconsistency, and that I think that had to do with
not fully having a routine, and that's something that I look to improve this
year is finally having a structured routine, and just focusing on baseball 24/7
and not having distractions like school, work, or tests, or anything like that.
Do you let your catcher do the thinking and call the pitches, or are you more prone to doing that yourself?
I like to do it myself because someone once told me if [you have]
any doubt, throw your best pitch, and if you don't know yourself or know the
situation then you wont have confidence in your pitching. That's where I feel
like its good to know and be able to think for yourself as a pitcher.
Have you pitched in any summer leagues?
In high school, I pitched a lot for the East Cobb Team
structure out of Georgia, and in college I played in Cape-Cod my freshman and
sophomore year
How did that impact your development?
Cape-Cod was one of the biggest developments for me because
it helped build my confidence going into one of the
top summer leagues as a freshman and making the all star team: it really helped
boost my confidence as a pitcher.
What do you notice about hitters as the levels get higher, and how they transition, and their various levels of sophistications (yes, I made up a word)?
It's pretty cool to watch: [When] you watch high school hitters, you
see sort of a lack of discipline. [With] college hitters, you see more [discipline], and then here
you just watch hitters, [and] they know the counts; they study the game; they know about
the game, and what theyre looking for and your tendencies; and it makes it a lot
more of a thinking and a battle between the pitcher and the hitter.
What is your opinion on the lefty-lefty matchup strategy? Do you think it is effective?
I think it's effective. There's not many lefties in the game
to start with, and if you can ever get a lefty-lefty combo, it's just that much
more unique, so I think it's definitely effective–especially if you need that
quick out.
Do you change your approach depending on the matchup?
I always keep that in my mind–like if it's a lefty, I'll
probably keep two seam away from him, [and] bust him with a four seam vs if it was
a [righty,] [I]probably want to go four seam away, and two seam in. Just certain
characterisitcs like that I just keep that in mind
Are you prone to certain pitches in certain situations?
I had a little tendency in college: I got caught
up in my favorite pitch, which is a changeup. In ceratin counts if I got ahead
batters sometimes didn't know that a changeup was probably going to be coming
so that's definitely something to work on.
What about certain counts?
I think one of the things they teach you is variation. One
thing im trying to pick up on is, you know, one time through you can mix up
your look so the hitter never has a firm idea of what he should be expecting. That's one thing im trying to work on right now
If you had to hit against yourself, what weaknesses would you take advantage of?
I wouldn't look for the curveball as much. I would
probably look for the fastball or the changeup.
What do you think fans overlook the most when it comes to baseball?
I think when they watch the game they just kind
of get lulled to sleep, [and] they don't kind of appreciate the talent that goes
into the game.
Are you going to have to change anything like your arsenal or approach because of Tommy-John surgery?
[No], I hope not and if its something that needs to happen,
then it will happen but right now I've been throwing for a few days, and
everything feels normal and hopefully that continues that way, and I don't have
to change anything.
Tell us something about yourself: Fun Fact? Quirky tidbit?
I like to go bass fishing whenever I can.


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Boston, Massachusetts 21100
United States
|Areas of Practice
|1) Bankruptcy
|Law School
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Jami Wintz McKeon is Chair-elect of the Firm and a partner in Morgan Lewis's Litigation Practice.Ms. McKeon's practice focuses on complex litigation, including class and mass actions, and civil and regulatory proceedings.
John C. Goodchild, III is a partner in Morgan Lewis's Business and Corporate Litigation Practice. His practice focuses on commercial contract and credit disputes, business tort litigation, bankruptcy litigation, and real estate litigation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dairy converts to new eco-jug
MARTINS FERRY The next time you pick up a gallon of milk made by United Dairy, take a good look at the jug you're holding.
Chances are, it's going to look a little different.
That's because United, with factories in Martins Ferry, Charleston, W.Va. and Uniontown, Pa. Ha switched to a more environmentally-friendly container. It's also more stylish than its predecessor.
The new 'eco jug' from United utilizes 25 percent less plastic per jug, down to 55 grams of plastic resin per jug compare to 65 grams.
Ten grams per may not seem like much, but consider the Martins Ferry plant alone processes roughly 50,000 gallons each day and the savings add up. Roughly 850,000 fewer pounds of plastic will be used ever year.
Martins Ferry is the second United plant to begin using the new jugs as Charleston made the conversion on Jan. 28. A new half-gallon jug will be manufactured shortly as well.
"We are the first dairy in the country to try this," said Tim Griglack, Director of Operations.
"We were working with Mid-America Machine on this bottle and were able to get the molds first. No one else in the country is doing it."
The decision to make the switch was easy.
Plastic resin costs approximately 78 cents per pound so reducing the amount used, per bottle, provides cost savings.
Using 25 percent less plastic is also a boost to the environment, as is the switch to using Oshenite, a naturally renewing, pure ocean mineral that helps to color the bottle white and protect the milk.
That was the easy part. Getting the plant ready, however, required more than a little bit of work.
Bill Suto, Plant Manager, explained he and his employees knew some changes would have to be made to the production line, but the finished product required more than just minor tweaking.
Along with using the new blow molds, changes had to be made to the braking system on the conveyer as well as the rails along the conveyer
The different shape was allowing for increased movement and if the bottles got turned on the conveyor, the bottles were either getting dented or stuck.
This, naturally, created a problem so Suto and his crew spent countless hours updating the bottle transportation system from mold to filled milk jug.
Fortunately, Suto had a surplus of molds blown prior to the changeover, both in the old and new format, in case any issues arose so as not to hurt production.
Even new labels had to be designed as the previous design would no longer fit flush on the bottles.
While slightly taller, the jugs look somewhat smaller and more narrow. But unlike the previous version, there are no fill plugs on the sides. All products are United are weighed and measured so the same 1-gallon of milk you purchased before is the same amount in the new jugs.
It's an interesting process to behold.
The dairy receives the shipments of raw milk and handles every other step in the production process, from homogenizing all the way up to shipping out the bottles to various stores and locations.
They have every step in the process, except for the cow.
"We make the jugs across the alley and ship them through and alpine system to the main plant. From the time the molds are blown, we can have milk sitting on the store shelves in 8-10 hours, start to finish.
The dairy in Martins Ferry employs roughly 200 people, including plant staff, managers, office staff and drivers. With nine total locations in five states, including the three plants, that amounts to around 600 employees.
"We're always looking for good employees," Director of Human Resources Doug Longenette said. "And we hire a lot of military guys so they are encouraged to apply. With our newly designed website, you can apply online or stop down at the Belmont County Connections office here in Martins Ferry."
The company's website can be found by going to www.uniteddairy.com
Hughes may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski's cancer "success" stories update: Why is the release of the Burzynski sequel being delayed?
It's no secret that I happen to be on several mailing lists of groups or doctors whose dedication to science is—shall we say?—questionable. Of course, the reason I join such mailing lists is to keep my finger on the pulse of pseudoscience, so to speak. Between such lists and strategically selected Google Alerts (the latter of which appear to be failing me these days), I'm usually aware of potential blogging material fast on selected topics that have become my bailiwick on this blog. So it was that I became aware on Saturday of a development regarding the movie about Stanislaw Burzynski that was going to be released direct to DVD this week.
I wrote about this "documentary" a couple of weeks ago, because it had become pretty clear that a significant part of the movie will be dedicated to a PR counterattack (more like a smear job) on skeptics who have been critical of Burzynski, criticism that apparently goaded him to use a rather unhinged individual by the name of Marc Stephens to threaten skeptical bloggers who had written posts critical of Burzynski's science (more appropriately, his lack of science), and his proclivity for charging patients huge amounts of money to be in clinical trials, a practice that is in general considered at best questionable. The brouhaha in the blogosphere led me to pay attention to Burzynski in a way that I hadn't before. Sure, I had heard of him, but I hadn't really delved deeply into his claims. That situation was rectified in late 2011, as I reviewed the first propaganda movie made about Burzynski by Eric Merola, Burzynski The Movie: Cancer Is Serious Business. As I delved deeper, I learned that Burzynski's evidence for the anticancer efficacy of his "antineoplaston therapy" doesn't hold up; that his "personalized gene-targeted cancer therapy" is anything but personalized or gene-targeted; and that he's using an orphan drug now in what appears to me to be a strategy to bypass restrictions on his use of antineoplastons that he agreed to in a consent agreement with the Texas Attorney General back in 1998 that allow him only to use these drugs as part of a valid clinical trial.
So I awaited the approach of this week with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation; anticipation because I wanted to see what sort of bizarre new conspiracy theories (or new twists on old conspiracy theories) that Merola could weave, and trepidation because I don't know how badly Merola will trash me (and people I know) in his movie and such attacks could cause me difficulties. Suffice to say, it looked very much as though Merola was going to resurrect Jake Crosby's scurrilous attacks against me from three years ago. So it was with great surprise that I read this e-mail on Saturday morning, sent to the Burzynski Movie mailing list:
Posted in: Cancer, Clinical Trials, Science and the MediaLeave a Comment (22) →


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Subscribe To our E-Newsletter
'Homeland' Scores at Golden Globes
"Homeland," a television drama based on an Israeli program, won for best drama at the Golden Globes Awards.
The Showtime program, based on "Hatufim," or "Prisoners of War," also received awards for best actor, Damian Lewis, and best actress, Claire Danes, at Sunday's awards ceremony.
Parts of the show's second season, as well as the first, were filmed in Israel.
The popular comedy series "Girls," created by Lena Dunham, received the Golden Globe for best comedy. Dunham, who also stars in the show and is one of its writers, won as well for best actress in a comedy series.
"Argo," a thriller based on the real-life plan to free American hostages in Iran by creating a fake movie production as a cover, won for best film drama and best director for Ben Affleck, beating out the favored "Lincoln," directed by Steven Spielberg.
The Golden Globes are awarded annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.


text: Finding the perfect gift for someone isn't always easy. Matrix Games has a great selection of games, but sometimes you don't know if the item you're considering is the right gift for that special someone. Whether it's a birthday present, holiday gift, for a special occasion, or a simple gesture of appreciation, a Matrix Games Gift Card is the perfect present.


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I met an amazing young woman this week while leading a trip to see Compassion's work in Honduras. The young woman's name is Rosa, and she is part of Compassion's Leadership Development Program.
This university-based program, known as LDP, works with high achieving and high potential students from Compassion child development centers. The LDP program in Honduras is in its first year, and Rosa is one of 19 students in the inaugural class. It is inspiring to hear the LDP stories throughout the world, and I was honored to be in attendance at Ethiopia's first LDP graduation a few months ago.
Compassion's President, Wess Stafford, stood in front of the 24 Ethiopian graduates and congratulated them on completing their college degrees and then challenged them to be servant leaders in their communities and nation. He closed his talk to them by saying, "You may have been born into poverty, but poverty was not born into you."
Rosa is a testimony to Wess' statement. There were many times in her difficult life where she could have given up, and most of us would not have blamed her. However, if you spend just a few minutes with this remarkable 17-year-old girl, you will realize that giving up was not an option. She shared with us her daily schedule, and it is a great snapshot of the will and determination of Compassion's LDP students.
6 a.m. – Wakes up each morning to clean the house and make sure all laundry is done for her mother and brother. Rosa's mother raised all five of her children alone and works at a local restaurant cooking chicken.
8 a.m. – Prepares breakfast for her family.
9:30 a.m. – Begins baking tortillas to sell for the business she operates out of her home. Each day Rosa makes tortillas and people come from around the neighborhood to purchase them to eat for lunch. The money she earns from her business is used to help buy food for her family, and it also pays for her bus fare to and from the university.
12 p.m. – Finishes selling the tortillas and starts lunch for her 14-year-old brother. After he has eaten, she makes sure he gets off to school.
12:30 p.m. – Cleans up, eats her own lunch, and studies for her afternoon classes.
1:30 p.m. – Takes the city bus to the University of Tegulcigalpa, where she is a first-year student studying Business Administration.
7:30 p.m. – Returns to her home and spends the rest of the evening studying and spending time with her mother.
Rosa was asked what she would like to do once she graduates from university. "I eventually want to own and operate a business in my community but first I think I want to get my Masters degree," she says.
The question, "What does success look like for Compassion International?" has become an easy one to answer because of students like Rosa.
Brian Seay is an artist relations manager for Compassion, working with musicians and bands who advocate for Compassion and children in poverty. He was one of the bloggers on the Uganda blog trip.


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"Thank you for your great witness and ministry to Christ and His Church. I have enjoyed listening to Catholic Answers Live and your apologists for a number of years now. It has been very formative and inspirational in my journey towards becoming a well versed and devoted servant of Christ and His people on earth via His Church."
"All heretics wish to be styled Catholic, yet if anyone asks them where is the Catholic place of worship none would venture to point out his own."


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I'm a first-time mom so am very new at all of this. I breastfeed my little girl, but have had to start supplementing 1oz of formula with each bottle because I'm not producing enough to keep up with her (although I'm working on increasing my milk supply after some suggestions from a friend).
My little girl is 4 mos 1 week old and we started giving her rice cereal. She is actually doing quite well with it. It is supplemented with my breastmilk, not in place of. (I breastfeed first and then we have some cereal). However, should I be doing this???


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"I am a cradle Catholic and my husband of eight years just went through RCIA this Easter. Praise the Lord! His conversion was due, in large part, to your show and the awesome answers of Tim Staples, Jimmy Akin, and the rest of the gang. Your show has helped me, my now husband, grow deeply in love with the Church."
~ Patty
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"The Church has always taken great care that no one should be compelled against his will to embrace the Catholic Faith, because, as Augustine wisely declares: 'except he be willing, man cannot believe'."
~ Leo XIII in his encyclical Immortale Dei (November 1, 1885) quoting Augustine of Hippo, as detailed in the article Religious Toleration


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More facts about Taxpayer Relief Act
Recent passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 has made permanent the $5 million tax-free amount that each person can give to family and friends during lifetime or through their estate without owing any gift or estate taxes. The $5 million base amount will be indexed for inflation each year. For 2013, the tax-free amount is $5,250,000.
Above the tax-free amount, gift/estate taxes of up to 40 percent are owed on gifts to family members (except spouses) and friends.
For a married couple, if one person's estate cannot use the full $5.25 million (or the current amount in effect at the time), the balance is "portable" and is available to the surviving spouse to use.
This means that the great majority of Americans do not have to be concerned about those taxes and can give away more during lifetime as well. Previous laws had restricted the total of lifetime giving to family and friends.
As in the past, all assets transferred to a spouse are tax-free, but it may not make sense to "bunch up" significant assets in only one person's estate. Instead, the use of trusts can assure tax-efficient results, especially for couples with assets in excess of $10.5 million.
Many choose to give portions of their estate to grandchildren and skip the taxation that would occur when a child inherits the funds first. The generation-skipping transfer tax which made doing that an expensive direction earlier is now also effective only after exceeding the $5.25 million level of assets.
As in the past, charitable support can be carried out through a will or revocable trust and earn a tax deduction for the estate.
For lifetime charitable giving, those who are age 70 1/2 and older and have funds in IRAs can make direct transfers of up to $100,000 during 2013 to qualified nonprofit organizations. Such transfers avoid income taxes and satisfy the required minimum distribution for 2013.
While estate taxes have become less of an issue, it still makes sense to take the time to set up an estate plan to provide control of the assets in the way you feel is important. The laws that govern when a person dies without a will cannot provide the same result.
Although it can take time to establish everything needed for your estate plan, the effort can benefit you during your lifetime through getting financial and medical powers of attorney finalized for use as needed.
* * *
Deborah Miller is director of planned giving for the West Virginia University Foundation, Inc.


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The School Library Profiles developed by the Library Research Service are meant to be used as a comparative tool for school libraries in Colorado. The results represent data received from school libraries that completed the 2011 Colorado School Library Survey. Profiles for each participating school compare individual school data with averages for schools with similar grade level and enrollment ranges. Please note that since all data were derived from responses to the survey, schools that did not respond to the survey are not represented in the Profiles.
Use the school locator (below) to find the school for which you would like to see the 2011-2012 School Library Profile. Remember, schools that did not respond to the 2011 Colorado School Library Survey will not be represented in the Profiles.
Please Note: Starting with the 2008-09 profiles, we are using medians instead of averages for the comparison groups. Medians represent the school in the middle of each statistic - i.e., there are equal numbers of schools above and below the median. For this reason, we felt this was more representative of the "typical" school than average, which can be more strongly influenced by outliers.
- Galileo School Of Math And Science, Colorado Springs
- Garfield Elementary School, Loveland
- Gateway School, Gateway
- George Washington High School, Denver
- Gilcrest Elementary School, Gilcrest
- Gilpin Co Elementary School, Black Hawk
- Glennon Heights Elem School, Lakewood
- Glenwood Springs High School, Glenwood Springs
- Glenwood Springs Middle Sch, Glenwood Springs
- Global Leadership Academy, Denver
- Goddard Middle School, Littleton
- Godsman Elementary School, Denver
- Golden High School, Golden
- Goldrick Elementary School, Denver
- Governor's Ranch Elem School, Littleton
- Graham Mesa Elementary School, Rifle
- Granada Combined High School, Granada
- Grand Junction High School, Grand Junction
- Grand Mesa Middle School, Grand Junction
- Grand Valley High School, Parachute
- Grandview Elementary School, Windsor
- Grandview High School, Aurora
- Grant Beacon Middle School, Denver
- Grant Elementary School, Co Sp
- Grant Ranch Elementary School, Littleton
- Green Acres Elementary School, Fort Morgan
- Green Gables Elem School, Lakewood
- Green Mountain High School, Lakewood
- Greenlee Elementary School, Denver
- Greenwood Elementary School, Greenwood Village
- Gunnison Community School, Gunnison
- Gunnison High School, Gunnison
- Gust Elementary School, Denver
- Gypsum Creek Middle School, Gypsum
- Gypsum Elementary School, Gypsum


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my baby was born on dec 5th 2008, I had a difficult labour and was not able to start BF as soon as shea was born and the nurse in the hospital was not very helpful either. The next day the lactation nurse just tried once to get her to latch and more over i was not having any milk supply so she handed me a bottle with formula and asked me to give formula untill my milksupply is established. i was not shown how to pump either. after i came home my daughter was not latching and i purchased medela pump in style and started to pump after 2 days but was not able to pump more than 5 c.c. meanwhile a person from the hospital Family care centre called to check on me and i discussed my problem with her, she got in touch with different Lactaion nurse who advised me not to try to get my baby to latch now but to pump eevry 3 hrs and try to get my milk supply up. I did that for 2 DAYS AND WAS able to bring up my supply from 5 to 15 c.c only. I called back the lactation nurse and she gave me phone No of an outpatient LC , but even after calling daily she has never returned my call.
Now my baby is 17 days old, and is not latching because she is used to bottle. after religiously pumpimg every 3 hrs for for past 2 wks my milk supply is just 30 c.c every pumping session. I am giving her the pumped milk and formula. I very desperately want to breastfeed my baby. Is it too late now to get her to latch or increase my Breast milk supply.
Please help this desperate mom.


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Lake Huntington News September 26
September 25, 2013 —
Who says there is nothing to do? I had a busy weekend. Saturday we went to the Fall Harvest Festival at the Grover Hermann Hospital and were lucky to be there for Marie Zalesky's 106th birthday. Yes, I said 106. Can you believe it? Marie is a beautiful person. When I asked Marie, "How did you get to be 106?" she said, "Hard work and a lot of volunteering." Marie still lives alone and volunteers a few days a week. God love her.
The hospital would like to thank everyone who helped with this event.
Sunday was Coffee, Tea and History at the Cochecton Train Station hosted by Jerry Yavarkovsky. It was very interesting listening to Ed Grund talk about going to school in Narrowsburg back in the '60s and '70s.
Ed explained how learning math helped him in life being a contractor. He gave an example about drawing up the designs for the new town hall. Bill Grund, Ed's brother, went to a one-room schoolhouse in the '40s and '50s and then went on to Narrowsburg. Bill talked about his teacher Anna Maas, who made ice cream in class. Bill would go to the creek to get the ice and the girls in his class would crank the ice cream maker. I have to say Helena Indelicato cracked me up with her stories of being a student in the Narrowsburg School in the '50s. Mildred Meyer and Etta Pierce talked about their adventures in the one-room school houses in the 1940s—how the teacher would bring each grade to the front of the room for their lesson. No electricity, heat or running water, no toilets or hall passes. I would never have made it. Art Hassis gave a good talk on the history of the train station and how they are always looking for new members.
On Saturday, September 28 from 5:30 to 10 p.m., the Cochecton Republican party is having a fundraiser—a dinner buffet and dance at Tony's on the Lake, with music by Mickey Barnett. The cost is $40 per person, or $75 per couple. Call Ed Grund for more information at 845/252-7363.
Tuesday, October 8 at 7 p.m. at the old town hall on County Route 116 in Lake Huntington, the Woman's Community Club of Cochecton (WCCC) invites everyone to come to a meet-the-candidate night. County and town candidates who are running for the November 5 election will be there to give answers to the questions that concern all of us.
I was given one correction: The Presbyterian Church in Lake Huntington card party is on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. All are welcome.
Please keep Bill Cavanaugh in your prayers. He lost his dad a few weeks ago and his mother last week.


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LEGO contest set in BrattleboroOctober 17,2013The Associated Press
BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center will host its sixth annual LEGO contest and exhibit later this month.
This year's event, set for Oct. 25-27, is open to all ages. Prizes will be awarded based on creativity and craftsmanship in seven age groups. There will also be overall prizes for Best in Show, Best Architectural Design, Best Use of Moving Parts, Best Title, Best Diorama and Best Space-Themed Creation.
Every contestant will receive a personalized certificate of participation and four admission passes to BMAC.
Complete contest guidelines and entry forms are available at www.brattleboromuseum.org or by calling 257-0124, ext. 101.
Contest entries must be delivered to the museum by Oct. 23. The opening reception and awards ceremony will take place Oct. 25. Admission to the awards ceremony is $4 for adults and teens, $3 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and under.
Admission to the museum Oct. 26-27, while LEGO entries are on display, is $8 adults, $6 seniors, $4 students, free for contestants, BMAC members, and children 5 and under.MORE IN This Just InMONTPELIER A new report from a commission that studied the cost, availability and quality of... Full StoryVermont fish hatchery changes focus, looks inland
BETHEL, Vt. Full StoryHONOLULU (AP) A group of Hawaii musicians and a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant provided... Full Story
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text: 0 Trey's Driskill by Brandon Watts Best Sellers Trending Art Best Selling Paintings Best Selling Abstract Art Prints Best Selling Photography Best Selling Posters Popular Subjects Animals Architecture Childrens Art Floral & Still Life Landscape Maps Military & War Music Science Fiction & Fantasy Skylines Spiritual Transportation Featured Artists Brickhut Cozamia Eric Joyner Erin Ashley James Niehues Jennifer Lommers Jonas Gerard Marcia Baldwin Mark Lawrence Michael Creese Michael Tompsett Collections ArtLoversOnline Design Pics The Fine Art Masters Panoramic Images Retro Images Archive StockTrek Images WorldWide Archive Create Your Own Photo Canvas Custom Frame Photos Trey's Driskill by Brandon Watts Sign inCustomer Service Cart Houzz Share on Tumblr Tweet +Add to Cart Available Sizes inches / cm Petite $57.50 Small $69.00 Medium $86.25 Large $115.00 Grande $230.00 » component prices Print Frame Mats Glazing Fitting Customize Framing or choose Canvas Print Customize Canvas or choose Framed Art Print Click to save as artist's preferred kit Paper Enhanced MattePremium Photo GlossyPremium Photo LusterUltraSmooth Fine ArtHahnemuhle Photo Rag 308Hahnemuhle Fine Art PearlHahnemuhle Torchon Mounted? ★★★☆☆ Details Paper print only, too large to frame online. Frames Choose a color » ø Top Mat | Middle Mat | Bottom Mat ø Glazing Style Soft EdgeWhite EdgeBlack EdgeImage WrapUnstretched 1½ inches thick (3.75 cm) Product Details Artist grade canvas, archival inks, wooden stretcher bars, and UVB protective coating Availablity Usually ships within five business days. Artist Brandon WattsCollection Portfolio Popular Configurations Stretched Canvas Modern Lines Contemporary White Classical Baroque Unframed print Explore More from the same collection View All Brandon Watts's Recent Work About the artist Brandon Watts, San Antonio Member Since June 2007 Artist Statement I just recently got into photography but have been learning quite a bit. I love working with Photoshop CS4 and Lightroom and continue to learn more as I use it. As of right now I enjoy HDR photography and try to commit myself to learning and perfecting HDR, although I believe that it is evolving and growing into a more popular state then when it first started. If you like any of my images then please feel free to drop a comment, I always love to hear from others. Community Comments Catalog Details Product No 2746131 Subjects Style Medium Tags Brandon, Driskill, HDR, Watts, austin, bookrelease, brandonwatts, geo:lat=30267713, geo:lon=97741915, geotagged, hotel, texas, treyratcliff Create Frame Photos Photos on Canvas Sell Sell Art Online Become an Affiliate Get a Trade Account Common Questions Company Info About Us Contact Customer Comments Return Policy Social Tumblr Pinterest Twitter Facebook Instagram Our Wall Art Family CanvasOnDemand | Photo Canvases GreatBigCanvas | Decorate Huge Terms of Service Privacy Policy Copyright © 2016