Wow! Reactions to a Wild Wild Card Wednesday!

September 29, 2011 – Matt De Lima

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you stayed up to watch the madness because you’ll never see anything like what transpired on Wednesday night happen again for the rest of your lives. One can only hope a night so magical unfolds like that every season. If the playoffs and World Series are even half as exciting, it would be an excellent postseason. By now, you’ve seen the results and you’ve seen the highlights. So instead, we’ll focus on the fan and media reactions.

Note: This page has a lot of videos on it which makes it a bit unstable if you’re doing a bunch of tasks on your computer. Your browser might freeze if you have a lot of tabs open. Sorry.

ESPN’s Buster Olney

ESPN’s Mike and Mike

MLB Network crew

“Red Sox Decline” – Parody of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”

CNBC

Baltimore Sun interviews fans after Orioles game

St. Petersberg Times video

Matt is a recognized sports writer who covers everything from baseball, football and fantasy sports. If you ever need fantasy sports advice, he’s the man to follow on Twitter and Facebook. For every update here at The Dugout Doctors, follow our official Twitter account @DugoutDoctors.

D-bag Red Sox Pitcher John Lackey Divorcing Wife With Cancer

September 26, 2011 – Matt De Lima

Boston Red Sox pitcher John Lackey is seeking to divorce his wife, Krista. Well, that’s all well and good, it’s his business, right? Not so fast. His wife is currently battling breast cancer.

Lackey filed for divorce on August 30, according to official documents. Lackey says in the papers, “the marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities.”

Krista had a double mastectomy in March and most recently had chemo in June.

Lackey pitched on Sept. 25 and expressed a lot of frustration after the game during an interview.

“Let me tell you the truth. Thirty minutes before the game, I got a text message on my cellphone from one of you, somebody in the media, talking about personal stuff,” he said. “And I shouldn’t even be standing up here having to deal with this. I don’t know who got my phone number, but that’s over the line.”

Apparently, a reporter doing their job and getting a no-name pitcher’s cell phone number and asking him a question is crossing the line, but divorcing your cancer-stricken wife is all good.

Needless to say, these sorts of stories should remain the business of the couple and any family involved. But this story drips of utter douchebaggery. Stay classy, John Lackey.

Survivalist’s Guide to When Your Team Collapses

September 26, 2011 – Andrew Martin

Until just a few weeks ago, I was traipsing down the path of the content and just, confident in my knowledge that my Boston Red Sox were well on their way to a deep run in the playoffs. They had the most dominant offense in baseball, a pitching staff that was at least adequate, and a legitimate chance to finish the regular season with 100 wins. However, since then, Boston has reeled off a putrid 6-18 run that has left their playoff spot in doubt, and their fans in disgust at how the fortunes of their team could change so quickly.

Not used to experiencing such a collapse, I have been forced to find comfort and solace in unusual places. In the event that you ever experience something similar with your own team, I wanted to note some strategies I have utilized and seen other Boston fans endure through these trying times.

1. Hindsight is not 20/20. Feel free to criticize mistakes made by your team’s front office
The season looked so bright for the Red Sox before a pitch was ever thrown in spring training. It seemed like a major coup for the Sox in getting arguably the top two free agents on the market in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Even with these two new toys, things did not go as planned.

Gonzalez has been as advertised. No problems there. But Crawford has been an absolute stinker. He can seemingly no longer hit, strikes out a ton, and has stopped running for some inexplicable reason. Excuses like he is still getting used to playing in a large market are still floating around, but that is a total cop-out, and Boston should be scared to death about the final six years of his 142 million dollar deal.

John Lackey turned out to be another major whiff for the Red Sox front office. Signed for 82.5 million last year, he was expected to be a solid number three starter, but has been anything but. Lackey 6.41 ERA in 28 starts this year has been punctuated by the way he has stared down teammates in the field after an error or perceived misplay. Despite his disgust at the play behind him, ironically he leads the majors in earned runs allowed. Hopefully he looks in the mirror sometime soon and realizes what a large role he has taken in the disappointment in Boston this year.

2. Question the injuries
This may be a little harsh, but most diehard fans want explanations of extended absences from injuries, unless something is torn, broken, or perhaps detached. I am not advocating questioning the players, but how their absence and how that has been handled by the team. That being said, a lot of us want to know where the heck guys like J.D. Drew and Clay Buchholz have been, and without their return, why the Red Sox didn’t do more to fill their shoes.

Drew has not played since mid-July because of a shoulder impingement, and Buchholz has been out since mid-June with a bad back. Neither has been seen since, and the Boston response was to bring up decidedly average Josh Reddick from the minors to play right field, and trade for Eric Bedard, who has been on the disabled list so much during his career that he might as well own a time share there. This also goes back to point #1; why wouldn’t the Sox, with seemingly endless resources, have done more to improve their depth?

Depth, particularly in the pitching staff has absolutely killed the Red Sox this year. I love him and everything he has done for Boston, but a playoff team can’t trot out a pitcher like Tim Wakefield every fifth day. He is hit hard a lot more often than he is not these days, and the time has probably come to thank him for his 17 years of service and find another option for next year.

3. Root for your enemies
Sometimes it’s okay to cheer for your enemies. Many of us Red Sox fans found ourselves in that position this past week when we lustily cheered for the Yankees to beat the Tampa Bay Rays, who were rapidly closing in on Boston in the Wild Card race. Fortunately New York came through and beat them in three out of four and helped keep Tampa at bay even as the Red Sox continued to lose.

The rivalries only mean something if they directly affect your team. If you have to root for your primary rival to better the chances that your team will then be able them in the playoffs, then so be it. The Yankees are going to still be the Yankees regardless if Boston fans want them to beat up on another team. If anything, it adds another element to the rivalry.

4.Accentuate the positives
Prior to this decade I became very accustomed to the “wait until next year” credo. The sting of losing was sometimes softened by thinking of the good parts of the team and season that could be built on for the next year.

Although Carl Crawford regressed into a shell of his former self, Jacoby Ellsbury surprised many by coming out and producing a close facsimile. His production was even more welcome, coming off his lost 2010 season, where his toughness and dedication were questioned as he battled a rib injury.

It is clear that the offense is the one area of the Red Sox that is locked down for the foreseeable future. With Gonzalez, Ellsbury, and Dustin Pedroia forming the core of the lineup, the team can focus on more important areas like pitching and defense going forward. The lineup should get even better as well since dead wood like Drew, Marco Scutaro, and (regrettably) Jason Varitek should be coming off the books at the end of the year.

5. Give no mercy
At the end of the day, don’t make excuses for why your team has collapsed. Winners win, and losers try to skirt around the fact that they were not strong enough to make to the end.

The Red Sox were good enough to be one of the best teams in baseball for the first four months of the season. No matter the challenges, they should be good enough to finish out the final month of the season and head into the playoffs without the extreme angst they have created throughout the New England region.

If the Red Sox fail to make the playoffs this year it will be nobody’s fault but their own. They had a commanding lead in the race, but have essentially lost their minds since entering September. The bats are still hitting for the most part, but the pitching has been atrocious and the defense lackadaisical. Sure, they encountered some bad breaks, but between their pedigree, collection of players, and initial lead in the standings, what has unfolded is totally unacceptable.

If your team ever collapses like my Red Sox have, you are not going to find much comfort in anything. But it is important to identify coping mechanisms to make the experience as bearable as possible. I have made it through so far by adhering to my strategies outlined above. There are just a few games left in the regular season, and somehow I am still sane, though it remains to be seen what the ultimate fate of the Red Sox is this year. All I know is I never want to go through this again.

Andrew Martin appreciates and writes about all aspects of baseball and its history at his blog, The Baseball Historian. You can also follow him on Twitter at @RedSoxFanNum1.

Fantasy Baseball 2012 Sleepers

September 24, 2011 – Chris McBrien

A fantasy baseball sleeper can be defined in a number of different ways. What it really comes down to is the ability to draft a player at a lower position than they should be positioned. In other words, a fantasy baseball sleeper is any player who will perform significantly better than other players drafted in or around the same round.

So, how does a player slip past the other fantasy baseball owners on draft day? Generally, if a player has a significantly poor season statistically, or if they experience a serious injury, then that player may be deemed to have decreased in perceived value. Sometimes, a player has in fact dropped in value. Other times however, a player may have simply had an ‘off year’ or may be able to bounce back from injury to perform at previous levels. The key is to identify who these players are and which may in fact be ‘sleepers’ heading into next year.

2012 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

Ubaldo Jimenez (CLE)
A little over a year ago, Jimenez was the talk of the baseball world. He entered the All Star break in 2010 with a record of 15-1, 2.20 ERA and was limiting opposing hitters to a .198 BA. He regressed slightly in the second half of that season but still ended up with a great season. In 2011, he didn’t fare
Quite as well and a move out of Colorado didn’t help as much as expected. Although he has seen a dip in his velocity, it hasn’t been an alarming drop so he should rebound with an off season of adjustments. Chalk it up to a poor year and expect him to drop to a favorable position at the draft table in 2012.

Adam Wainwright (STL)
Entering 2011, Wainwright was one of the top 5 pitchers in all of baseball. However, an early season elbow injury required ‘Tommy John’ surgery and ended his year. There is a long list of pitchers who have recovered nicely from the procedure (Tim Hudson, Billy Wagner, John Smoltz) and Wainwright’s prospects for beginning the 2012 season look promising. The average recovery period for the surgery is approximately 12 months putting Wainwright in a position to be a nice sleeper in 2012.

Adam Dunn (CWS)
Prior to 2011, there was no power hitter more consistent than Dunn in all of the major leagues. From 2005-2010 Dunn put up home run totals of 40, 40, 40, 40, 38 and 38. Then, he fell apart with only 11 HR and a BA of .164. That type of historic decline will sour even the most optimistic of fantasy owners. Despite of the rock solid consistency, Dunn is a human being (not a robot) and as such is susceptible to ups and downs. Keep an eye on him in the off season and spring training. He may slip so far in most fantasy owners’ minds that he may just be the sleeper of the year in 2012.

Shin-Soo Choo (CLE)
There is nothing more appealing to fantasy owners than a player who offers both power and speed. Toss in the fact that Choo also hits for a .300 average and he was being drafted among the top 20 outfielders in most fantasy leagues. The 2011 season was one of major problems both on and off the field for the Indians slugger. Even when he returned late in the season, he was able to stick around for the grand total of 1 at bat before injuring himself again. Having burned several fantasy owners (and scaring many more in the process) should allow Choo to slip to a draft position worthy of serious consideration in 2012.

Aaron Hill (TOR)
Middle infielders with power are a rare breed and highly valued in fantasy circles. After setting a Blue Jays second baseman record with 36 HR in 2009 (with 108 RBI), he slipped to 26 HR the following year and a paltry 6 HR in 2011. This led Hill to be reviled by fans and team management alike and saw him shipped out of town to Arizona, where he put up a .300 BA. A free agent, Hill won’t be returning to Toronto in 2012 and just may be a late-round steal at the draft table next season.

Alex Rios (CWS)
This isn’t the first time Rios has disappointed. In 2009, the Blue Jays were so frustrated with Rios’ that they essentially waived him to the White Sox with no return. Although he has disappointed in 2011, the problem with the outfielder seems to be less about production then it has to do with effort. Rios often gives the impression that he is ‘dogging it’ when really he is seemingly just very low-key. A player with his prominent skills tends to leave managers (and fantasy owners) wanting more. Take him for what he is: a player with power, speed and the ability to drive in runs. So long as you do not over-value him, you will be pleased with his production. He has started to show some signs of life late in the season as well as a willingness to work on his game in the off-season. Let him drop in the rankings and grab him late.

If it’s fantasy baseball sleepers in 2012 that you are looking for, there are plenty of candidates. If you allow other fantasy baseball owners to react to recent events, they might just miss the opportunity to grab a bargain next year.

Chris McBrien is a baseball writer for numerous websites and may be found at Dear Mr. Fantasy. He may also be followed on Twitter @cmcbrien.

Fantasy Baseball: Strong Second Half Blossoming into 2012 Success

September 22, 2011 – Chris McBrien

There are those who subscribe to the idea that when a baseball player has a strong second half in one season, it means that they are in line to put up good numbers the following season. This can particularly hold true for a player that may have struggled in previous seasons, one who has finally gotten a chance with additional playing time or even a younger player that is starting to put everything together. A good example of this recently was Jose Bautista. In 2010 he seemingly came out of nowhere to lead the major leagues with 54 home runs. However, to the observant fantasy baseball enthusiast, this was foreshadowed by a late-season surge in 2009.

By taking a close look at some baseball players who became upstarts in the second half of 2011, we may get a glimpse as to what may portend for 2012. As we know, finding those ‘diamonds in the rough’ at next year’s draft table can certainly help your chances in the world of fantasy baseball.

Lucas Duda (NYM)
Sometimes it’s all about opportunity. When the Mets’ regular first baseman Ike Davis went down with an ankle injury, the door was opened for Duda. With a particularly strong second half of 2011 and Carlos Beltran traded away, Duda may have secured himself a spot as the everyday RF in 2012. His second half has included 30 R, 10 HR, 37 RBI and a slash line of .322/.404/.545. It looks like he has seized his opportunity in the big leagues.

Josh Willingham (OAK)
The power has always been there (career average of 24 HR per 150 GP), but playing time has not been consistent for Willingham. With a strong second half in 2011 including 16 HR, 48 RBI, .369 OBP, .558 SLG and a nifty .925 OPS, Willingham enters 2012 as a free agent likely to find a regular gig patrolling LF and providing power in the middle of a line up.

James Loney (LAD)
Sure, he has disappointed fantasy owners who felt his power would develop but Loney contributes in 2 important categories (AVG and RBI) on a consistent basis. He also has put together a nice second half this season with a slash line of .312/.379/.532. He has also walked 20 times against only 25 K so his skills as a decent hitter are legit.

J.J. Hardy (BAL)
Hardy’s 15 second half home runs have led all major league shortstops. Throw in 41 RBI and you have a power hitter at a very weak position. It has always been about staying healthy for Hardy who has eclipsed his previous career high of 26 HR (set in 2007 while with the Brewers). As a free agent in 2012, he could be a nice fantasy option at SS.

Mike Napoli (TEX)
After a first half in which he hit for only a .232 BA, Napoli turned on the afterburners after the All Star break. He led all catchers (min. 175 PA) in the second half in HR (14), BA (.385), OBP (.468) with a major league best 1.158 OPS. This portends well for a catcher position in 2012 which will once again be shallow. Considering his eligibility at 1B as well his ability to pick up AB as the DH, Napoli may very well enter 2012 as a top 2 fantasy catcher.

Javier Vazquez (FLA)
After a first half in which he was given up for dead (5.23 ERA, 6.2 K/9), Vazquez regained velocity on his fast ball and has put up an incredible second half this season. His numbers after the break: 2.35 ERA, .93 WHIP, 9.1 K/9. Most notably, Vazquez has improved his strikeout/walk rate from 1.94 in the first half to 5.40 in the second. He could be a very interesting pick entering 2012.

Madison Bumgarner (SF)
Although hardly a slouch in the first half (3.87 ERA, 7.9 K/9), Bumgarner has emerged as ‘ace’ material since the break. His record before the All Star game was 4-9, since the break it has been 8-3. Wins and losses have not been a true indication of talent in San Francisco this year due to paltry offensive support, however. With second-half stats of 2.43 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 4.68 K/BB and 9.0 K/9 Bumgarner is poised as the co-ace of the Giants. Consider him serious keeper material heading out of 2011.

Keeping a close eye on 2011 second half statistical performance may just translate into strong numbers for 2012. Let’s hope these late bloomers help your fantasy baseball team prosper into next year and beyond.

Chris McBrien is a baseball writer for numerous websites and may be found at Dear Mr. Fantasy. He may also be followed on Twitter @cmcbrien.

Pesky Orioles Are Spoiling Everything

September 22, 2011 – Robbie Clark

The Orioles have no postseason hopes, but that’s not stopping them from making the most of the last month of the regular season. Despite the fact that they are sitting firmly in last place and were eliminated from contention weeks ago, the Orioles are proving to be an influential force in several American League playoff races.

(You may remember that I wrote a post two weeks ago about how the playoff races were already decided. Well, as a wise man often says, “you can’t predict baseball.”)

The Orioles’ September schedule has been a killer: 7 games against the Red Sox, 6 against the Rays, 4 each against the Yankees and Blue Jays, and 3 each against the Angels and Tigers. Faced with this lineup at the end of a long season the Orioles could have simply rolled over and waited to reboot in 2012. Instead they are playing like this month is their very own playoff run, and proving to be a thorn in the side of many teams.

The Orioles took 2 out of 3 games from the Angels last week, creating a speed bump in the Angels’ pursuit of the Rangers for the AL West title. They also posted wins against the Red Sox on Monday and Tuesday, narrowing the Red Sox Wild Card lead over the Rays to a mere 2 games.

Going into today’s games the Rangers and Tigers have identical records, leaving the Yankees’ ALDS opponent up in the air. If the Orioles continue their strong play into the four game series with the Tigers this weekend they could essentially stamp the Rangers’ ticket for an ALDS meeting with the Yankees, while the Tigers would face the Wild Card winner. And the three-game series against the Red Sox in Baltimore on September 26-28 will likely decide whether the Red Sox see postseason play or whether they go home to play golf while the Rays play in October.

And this, my friends, is exactly what makes baseball great. With a record of 64-90 the Orioles are terrible by all accounts. But they are also having a huge and undeniable impact on the final weeks of the season, not to mention adding some incredible drama to what could otherwise have been a bland and predictable playoff race. And if that kind of excitement isn’t good for baseball, I don’t know what is.

Robbie is the author of The Baseblawg and you can follow her on Twitter @clarkbar213.

Fantasy Baseball: Who’s Hot & Cold – September 20

September 20, 2011 – Chris McBrien

HOT

Mike Moustakas (KC)
The highly-regarded Royals’ rookie third baseman has been showing what all the hype is about with a recent offensive surge. Moustakas has gone 11-21 with 7 R, 3 HR and 7 RBI over the past week. He also chipped in his 1st stolen base.

Erick Aybar (LAA)
After a brutal August in which he hit .156, The light-hitting Angels shortstop has been on a tear recently, including a 4-4 effort against Baltimore in which he hit 2 HR (his 1st multi-HR game of his career) while scoring 5 R (tying a team record).

James Loney (LAD)
Loney has quietly been putting together a nice second half for himself and had another good week at the dish, going 9-for-25 (.360) with 5 R, 2 HR and 10 RBI.

COLD

Casey McGehee (MIL)
After hitting 23 HR and 104 RBI in 2010, McGehee has regressed markedly in 2011 and this past week was no different. The Brewers’ 3rd sacker managed a lone double in 18 AB this past week.

Hideki Matsui (OAK)
Matsui’s struggles (including 1-for-19 last week) have contributed to him losing AB at the DH position to players like Josh Willingham and Chris Carter recently.

Jonathan Lucroy (MIL)
Not one to offer huge fantasy value anyway (a paltry .670 OPS post-All Star break), Lucroy has struggled recently managing only 1 single and a run scored the past 7 days.

Chris McBrien is a baseball writer for numerous websites and may be found at Dear Mr. Fantasy. He may also be followed on Twitter @cmcbrien.

(VIDEO) Mariano Rivera Breaks All-Time Saves Record

September 20, 2011 – Andrew Martin

Mariano Rivera just broke the all time regular season saves record when he recorded number 602 against the Minnesota Twins. Since then I have seen a number of comments and tweets stating that Rivera is now the “undisputed” best reliever of all time. It is important for me to point out that he already held that title prior to getting the record breaking save, and anyone who felt otherwise clearly hasn’t been paying attention.

Albert Pujols is commonly referred to as a once-in-a-generation type player; the type that comes along every few decades and establishes new standards of baseball awesomeness. These labels are generally reserved for players who not only produce monster numbers on the field, but also represent what is good about the game off it. The fact is that is that Rivera is also a once-in-a-generation and most people have never realized it.

Rivera is a no-brainer first ballot Hall of Fame player after he retires. It remains to be seen where his final numbers will end up, but he is already far and away the most dominant relief pitcher of all time. He has pitched in an era where the closer rarely records more than three outs in a game, but that does not diminish his accomplishments and legacy. It is incredible to say, but if anything, Rivera is underrated for what he has done in baseball.

The numbers only tell part of Rivera’s story. At the age of 41 (soon to be 42) he has pitched in 1039 regular season games, posting 75 wins, 602 saves, and a 2.22 ERA. In 17 seasons he has given up a total of 65 home runs; 11 of which came in his first 67 professional innings. He has made 12 All-Star teams, been part of 5 World Championship teams, and 9 additional post season teams.

Rivera has been even more impressive in the playoffs, going 8-1 with 42 saves and a 0.71 ERA in 94 games. Most remarkable about all of these accomplishments is that he has done them all with primarily one pitch, a smile on his face, and reputation as the kindest and most gracious man in baseball.

The most indelible memory I have of Rivera is from Opening Day at Fenway Park in 2005. The previous postseason he uncharacteristically blew three save opportunities against Boston in the ALCS, where the Red Sox made their historic comeback from a 3-0 deficit. During the Opening Day ceremonies the entire Yankee roster was individually introduced, and when the announcer came to Rivera, the crowd cheered and gave him a standing ovation for the role he played in helping the Red Sox capture their first World Series title in 86 years. In one of the greatest displays of sportsmanship I have ever seen, Rivera laughed, took of his cap, and acknowledged the ebullient crowd, proving that he is every inch the classiest man in baseball.

Sadly, Rivera is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Although he is on the wrong side of 40, there is no indication that he and his magnificent cutter are anywhere close to being finished. Even though he is “only” a relief pitcher, he belongs in baseball’s pantheon with the likes of the Mays, Mantles, and Ruths as some of the greatest of all time. Although he has always gotten a lot of attention by playing for the New York Yankees during his entire career, if you think about all he has done and the legacy he will eventually leave behind, you should realize that he is not only one of the best players to ever play the game, but also one of its best people.

Andrew Martin appreciates and writes about all aspects of baseball and its history at his blog, The Baseball Historian. You can also follow him on Twitter at @RedSoxFanNum1.

(GIF) The Perfect 3D TV Baseball Moment

September 19, 2011 – Matt De Lima

Nobody really watches the Little League World Series but if you had 3D TV and this happened, the purchase would have been justified.

(Thanks to Gifulmination.com)

Interview with Cleveland Indians prospect Tony Wolters

September 9, 2011 – Andrew Martin

The Cleveland Indians surprised a lot of people at the beginning of the season with the way they started out of the gate. However, as the season progressed it became apparent that while the team has a good young base, there are still areas where they need to get better. One of the primary ways they hope to accomplish this is by cultivating more young talent in their minor league organization. Shrewd drafting has put them in a position where their farm system is dotted with highly regarded prospects and more help is on the way.

One of the players that the Indians are most excited about is shortstop Tony Wolters. The left-handed hitter just completed his second professional season, playing in 69 games with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. He was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 MLB draft, and many believe that the Indians got a steal with that pick. Wolters has been described as a “gamer” and a “baseball rat,” all terms of endearment, and is the type of player that fans love to watch.

At 5’10 and 165 pounds, Wolters is slight of build, but already possesses excellent fielding skills, above average speed, and a projectable bat that many feel will be best suited for the number two position in a batting order. Scouts consider him to have an advanced bat already, and he also has more pop than one might think. He was originally planning on attending the University of San Diego, but changed his mind after the Indians made him an contract offer he couldn’t refuse.

Wolters signed late in 2010, so he only appeared in a handful of games in the rookie instructional league that year. This year, he played a short-season schedule and validated the expectations the Indians have in him. He hit .292 with 10 doubles, 3 triples, a home run, and 20 RBI. He also contributed 19 stolen bases in 23 attempts, and his 30 walks were impressive for a player his age.

The Indians may have one of their best current players in Asdrubal Cabrera manning shortstop, but that won’t stop them from developing Wolters. By the time Wolters is ready for the major leagues, Cabrera will likely have been moved back to his more natural position of second base, or perhaps been deemed too expensive for the rebuilding Cleveland. Whatever it takes, it will be worth having someone like Wolters on the roster if he continues to develop into the player so many people believe he will become.

Tony Wolters Interview

How did you first become interested in baseball?
Well, my first sport was hockey, then a lot of my friends signed up for Little League. So I started playing Little League, and that’s how I got interested in it.

How much were you into hockey?
It was my first sport, and I loved it. I loved the contact, but I like baseball better. I feel like it comes more natural. I was playing with all my friends and I didn’t know a lot of people in ice hockey.

Who was your favorite baseball team and player when you were growing up?
I always watched the Padres. My Dad always took me to Qualcomm to watch the Padres, and always watched Tony Gwynn. I went to the last game he played. He was one of the guys I watched a lot.

How did you first find out that Cleveland was interested in you?
The second day of the draft when I found out they drafted me. I had never talked with them.

What were you doing when you were drafted?
I was at breakfast with my parents. I was at a party the day before, thinking I was going to get drafted. It didn’t happen, and I was at breakfast with my parents,
and my Dad told me I got drafted and that it was Cleveland.

What did you do to celebrate after you signed?
I got a truck, and that was mostly it. I got my Mom something; my Dad something; my sister something.

So far, what has been the toughest thing to adapt to off the field, as a professional player?
The Indians make it so nice. They’re really first class about everything; where we stay, what we eat, how we train. It’s hard being away from home, missing my family and everything. I think one of the keys is keeping in touch, and I’ve been talking with them every day. The Indians make it perfect. They’re first class.

Andrew Martin appreciates and writes about all aspects of baseball and its history at his blog, The Baseball Historian. You can also follow him on Twitter at @RedSoxFanNum1.