I am also called Steve and Barfy. I currently live and reside in Dallas, Texas, where I attend the Texas A & M Health Science Center’s Baylor College of Dentistry as a member of the DDS class of 2013. I graduated from Grinnell College in May of 2008 after playing four years under coach and mentor Tim Hollibaugh as an infielder (primarily a 3B). I also played in the St. Louis Metro League in 2006 and 2007 as an Alton Indian under manager Chad Opel. I was the salutatorian of the Farmington High Class of 2004 in Farmington, NM. I won a state title with the Scorpions under head coach Don Lorett in 2002. As a member of the Farmington Sky Sox club team I played in two Connie Mack World Series under managers Sean Trotter and David Null. After my playing days were over, I coached the hitters and infielders at Piedra Vista High in Farmington under manager Dick Laughlin for the 2009 season in which the Panthers placed second in the 4A state title game. I also managed the New Mexico Yankees club team in 2009 with fellow blogger, Griffin Phelps, and plan to be the bench coach for the Farmington Cardinals club team this summer that Griffin is managing.
I have never finished outside the top four in the fantasy league all of the Golden Sombrero bloggers participate in, which is called the Denslow Cup 2010 this season. Hopefully this season will bring me my first title as well as a number of other titles. I currently am playing in three leagues, in one of which my wonderful ladyfriend is also participating for the second consecutive season. She is bitter toward the game right now, however, because she drafted Berkman and Kinsler.
I hope that anyone reading The Golden Sombrero who likes, dislikes, is annoyed by, or moved by anything I write would be willing to shoot me an email telling me why at clarkdan17@hotmail.com.
GO PIONEERS, SCORPS, PANTHERS, and CARDINALS!
Daniel "Dee" Clark
2011 Draft Preview: Vanderbilt
There are very few schools each year that land a kid in the first round. Maybe a couple will land two. This year Vanderbilt has a realistic chance to land three kids in the first round, including two righties who potentially could wind up in the top 10 overall. Those two righties are Sonny Gray [...]
A Long Goodbye to Baseball
Late last Wednesday night the Farmington Caridinals lost 4-0 to the Arizona Firebirds at Ricketts Park, thus ending their run in the Connie Mack World Series. The game was very even, very clean, and seemingly very quick. The following day I was on my way back to Dallas, where I had second-year orientation Friday morning. [...]
2011 Draft: A Look at the Arms of the Connie Mack World Series
The Connie Mack World Series is always littered with draftable talent, and first-rounders are in the Series annually. This year has been a little different, though. The first round of this year’s CMWS has seen potentially four first round picks and a handful of guys who should eventually land within the top few rounds (or [...]
A Preliminary Look at Some of the 2011 MLB Draft Class
While it is hardly early for this sort of piece considering the 2010 draft took place over a month ago, I think it is time the Sombrero begins investigating some of the guys in 2011’s class. This first piece will examine the top three collegiate arms and the top collegiate hitter. They are all potential [...]
Cardinals Win City Tourney and Connie Mack World Series Hosting Rights
Monday evening, fans at Ricketts Park saw the final two rounds of the Farmington Connie Mack City Tournament, a night closing out the most grueling and exciting week of New Mexican baseball each year (in this writer’s opinion). Still left on the final evening were the Strike Zone Cardinals of Farmington, the Four Corners Thunder [...]
Previewing the 2010 Farmington Connie Mack City Tournament
With the upcoming city league tournament set to begin Wednesday evening, tension around the Farmington baseball community is very high. The team that wins city receives one of the three Connie Mack World Series berths not requiring a regional title. It is basically the path of least resistance into the Series, and as a consequence [...]
What’s Going on in the NL West?
If you check back to my preseason predictions, you will find that mine for the American League are spot on. While the exact order of teams is not perfect, the top of each division is without blemish so far. In the National League, however, I’m not right on a single division through the first half. [...]
A Look at the Surging Texas Rangers
I told a couple of friends at school who are Dallas locals that I would write occasionally about the Rangers this summer. Today seems like a pretty reasonable day to do that considering that they now sit comfortably atop their own division and tied with the New York Yankees for first in the American League. [...]
What Baseball Can Learn from the World Cup
Yesterday morning the United States netted the most important goal in American history in the 91st minute against an Algerian team that was supposed to suck. Despite how bad they were supposed to be, they certainly challenged the Americans to their absolute limit. This World Cup has seen the French and Italians both eliminated before [...]
Welcome to Summer: The College World Series begins
After watching the USA claw back into a draw with some tiny Eastern European country this morning, I’m feeling a little proud to be an American. With the College World Series set to begin tomorrow and Ron Ron’s single apparently dropping sometime in the near future, it’s a pretty fun time in sports. The best [...]
Sunday's SombreroCast
In the latest installment of the SombreroCast, Griff and Dee reflect on a recent Farmington Cardinals game, discuss hitting philosophies, talk about some players and player development and touch on ideas regarding coaching theory. Click here to listen to Part I Click here to listen to Part II Related Posts What Baseball Can Learn from the World Cup
The Golden Sombrero's First Podcast
Griff and Dee weigh in on Farmington High School players selected in the MLB Draft, the North/South series and Stephen Strasburg. Click here to listen to the podcast Related Posts What Baseball Can Learn from the World Cup
Wittels a Prospect?
Yesterday the Florida International Panthers fell to Ivy League Champs, Dartmouth College, for their second, and eliminating, loss at the Miami regional. Three-hole hitter and infielder Garrett Wittels had a 3 for 5 day with a double to end the season hitting .413/.463/.541. Wittels closed the season with a 56-game hitting streak intact, ready to [...]
An Eventful Weekend
June 2, 2010 I recently told Arlo that I would attempt to make more frequent Sombrero posts, but this weekend was a busy one for me. I was in Denver attending the Calcote/Lucero bachelor party. Jason Calcote is a lifelong friend of mine and was kind enough to invite me to be one of the groomsmen [...]
Requirements for a Job in Today's Front Office
May 25, 2010 A friend of the Sombrero has had quite a month of May (and parts of April). He accepted a job with a large scouting agency to analyze prospect statistics for a summer, he earned his masters degree from a very high-ranking economics program, and he is currently in a long interview process with [...]
Recent Trade Involvement in the Denslow Cup
May 22, 2010 Jim got engaged! To a terrific young lady I might add. Congratulations, buddy! We’re really proud and excited for you. Two more engagement shout-outs: first one for our buddy, Kevin (Kev Kong) Wilcox; second one for my dental school classmate/friend and cadaver dissecting partner, Val Sanchez. Very fun things. Before I get going with [...]
Piedra Vista Wins First District Title Despite Loss; Farmington Baseball Prepares for State
May 8, 2010 Friday evening saw what will go down as a historic District 1AAAA title game between Farmington High and Piedra Vista High. The game saw two Division 1 signees in dead lockstep on the mound, extra innings, and victory for the home team. As FHS 3B, Joe Cervantes, touched home in the bottom of [...]
Things to Consider When Dealing with a Young Player's Motivation
May 3 , 2010 Coaches set out to accomplish a few things at the beginning of every season. At the very top of this list is the development of players. In other words, the primary objective of any coach is to provide the resources and skills needed to ensure that each of his players turn more [...]
Golden Sombrero Nation
April 27, 2010 So this blog has existed for around a month now. We have almost 30 pieces written by six different bloggers from various corners of this country and London. I personally view the blog as quite the successful project even though it is only in its infancy. Arlo(Mike), the mastermind of the operation, has [...]
Thinking at the Plate
April 22, 2010 A lot of coaches, fans, parents, friends, and critics talk about the elimination of thinking during at-bats. In some respects I have no room to argue. Thoughts, typically those deviating from the task at hand, are simply distractions and ultimately lead to inefficiencies likely resulting in a slow bat. However, I have found [...]
FHS/PVHS Round 1
April 22, 2010 If you are unfamiliar with Four Corners or New Mexican high school baseball, this post will probably be meaningless to you. However, if you are familiar with baseball in this area, then you know that this year is a very unique one for baseball in San Juan County. Both Farmington High School and [...]
My Current Thoughts on Hitting
April 15, 2010 Recently my thoughts on hitting have been addressed in other blogger’s pieces. While I certainly don’t take offense to these allusions, I feel as though it is necessary to explicitly state my current hitting philosophy. Before I begin, however, I must make perfectly clear that, like all philosophies, my thoughts on hitting are [...]
Gallardo a Steal?
April 11, 2010 Yesterday Milwaukee inked 24-year old Yovanni Gallardo to a five-year deal worth a minimum of $30.1 million and potentially as much as $42.5 million. The deal could keep Gallardo a Brewer through 2015 if the club so chooses. The deal is really quite novel in that it provides both the Brewers and Gallardo [...]
The Umpire's Opinions is News-Worthy Now?
April 11, 2010 Following a thrilling opening series between the Yankees and Red Sox earlier this week, umpire crew chief for the series, Joe West, blasted the two organizations for playing a little sluggishly, even making the suggestion that there perhaps is a positive correlation between ability and rate of play. While everyone realizes that this [...]
Are Offensive Signals Necessary?
April 7, 2010 In a telephone conversation with Griff the other night, I was stunned when he told me that his C-Teamers missed a whopping 19 signals in double-dip. Immediately I wondered why Griff was giving his hitters 19 signals over two games in the first place. I considered that we were talking about young players [...]
Daniel "Dee" Clark's 2010 Predictions
April 3, 2010 NL West: Dodgers, Giants, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Padres NL Central: Cardinals, Cubs, Brewers, Reds, Astros, Pirates NL East: Phillies, Marlins, Braves, Mets, Nationals NL Wild Card: Marlins NL Pennant: Phillies over Dodgers NLCS MVP: Chase Utley AL West: Rangers, Mariners, Angels, Athletics AL Central: Twins, Tigers, White Sox, Indians, Royals AL East: Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, Orioles, Blue Jays AL Wild Card: Rays AL [...]
Reflections and Opening Day
March 31 , 2010 Sox/Yanks. CC/Beckett. On paper the matchup is just another game. One of the 162 everyone signed up for. Still, the first one means more. I personally can’t wait, and my eyes will be glued to my TV from the first pitch until the last. This Opening Day is a little different for [...]
The Yankees Ever-Improving Pitching Staff
March 29 , 2010 It was announced a couple of days ago that Phil Hughes had won the battle with Joba Chamberlain for the fifth rotation spot in the Bronx. It would have been tough to imagine this competition four years ago when Phil Hughes and Matt Garza were fighting for Minor League Pitcher of the [...]
The Next Ryan Braun?
March 26 , 2010 After spending a couple of weeks with Stephen Strasburg this spring, Nyjer Morgan decided to nickname him, “Jesus.” It seems nowadays like every organization, especially those in dire need of a savior, tout their young prospects as though they will one day absolutely be middle-of-the-order smashers with Ozzie’s skills at whatever positions [...]
R.I.P Ted Denslow
March 23 , 2010 Ted Denslow, deceased former owner of the Milwaukee Beers baseketball club, fought to prevent unionization, free agency, and corporate tie-ins from contaminating his league. In the process he allowed his players to develop the brotherhood and camaraderie that can only come through shared experiences together on the field of battle, as both [...]
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