Posts belonging to Category Videos

2011 has been a monumental year for MLB prospects.  This season we have seen an inordinate amount of top-ranked prospects make their Major League Debuts, most of which have been celebrated here at the Sombrero.

On June 10 we celebrated Mike Moustakas Day; June 17: Dustin Ackley Day; July 8: Mike Trout Day; July 22: Jason Kipnis Day; August 5: Brett Lawrie Day; and most recently, Matt Moore Day on September 12.

Today we celebrate the debut of The Golden Sombrero’s No. 8 prospect, RHP Jarrod Parker.

Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in first round (9^th overall) of the 2007 draft, Parker validated his draft position by going 12-5 with a 3.44 ERA and 117/33 K/BB ratio over 118 inning for South Bend in 2008.  He began the following season with High-A Visalia before earning a quick promotion to Double-A Mobile where he recorded a 0.95 ERA over four starts.

However, the 6-foot-1 right-hander was plagued by elbow problems and Tommy John surgery prematurely ended his season, while the subsequent rehabilitation forced him to miss the entire 2010 season.

With a brand new elbow, the 22-year-old has stayed healthy this season, and his numbers reflect such: 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA and 112/55 K/BB in 131 innings.

Parker’s fastball sits in the low- to mid-90s, and he has touched 96-97 mph on occasion.  His slider, which was graded a plus pitch and served as his out pitch prior to surgery, remains a plus despite the fact that he’s thrown it considerably less.  In it’s place, the Indiana native has shown an improved changeup – many consider it to be a plus now, too – and he also flashed a solid curveball.

With four above average pitches and mechanics that make pitching coaches uncontrollably drool, Parker figures to become a front-end starter (likely a two or three) for the Diamondbacks within the next couple years.

Parker’s debut tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers will be fans first taste of the highly regarded prospect, as he hopefully makes his case to be part of the D-backs’ 2012 starting rotation.

 

On Monday night, Mike Stanton belted not one, but two of his most impressive bombs of the 2011 season at home against Mike Minor and the Atlanta Braves.  While he hasn’t hit the 50 home runs that I had hoped for (he will next year), Stanton’s power has been every bit as advertised; of his 34 home runs, 26 have traveled over 400 feet.

According to ESPN Home Run Tracker (formerly Hit Tracker Online), Stanton has hit five balls over 450-feet, and 15 of his gargantuan blasts have been classified as “no-doubters.”  Thanks to MLB.com and their wise decision to allow the use of their videos, here are Stanton’s tape-measure shots from Monday night at Dolphins Stadium.

Perhaps it’s the astonishing lack of attendance and background noise, but the sound of Stanton striking the ball just sounds different than everyone else.

True Distance: 408 ft.

True Distance: 461 ft.

–  Congrats to Tim Wakefield on his 200^th win.  Dude is 45 (2^nd oldest pitcher to ever record 200 wins btw) and throws a flippin’ knuckleball.  That tells you a lot about the guy.

–  Was J.P. Howell actually crying in the dugout after giving up that dinger to Matt Weiters?  I wonder what Jimmy Dugan would have said to him.

–  Does anybody else think that Charlie Furbush might have been a beaver trapper in some previous life?  And was Doug Fister a former Gonzo style actor?  Where does Seattle find these names?

–  I am not sure which one of these home runs got out of the yard faster, but I would have been getting out of the way of both Ryan Braun’s walk-off and Josh Hamilton’s laser. (Unless I had a glove of course…but I am no longer 7-years-old and when I go to games my hands hold beer.)

–  Speaking of homeruns, I am unsure of which homerun swing is more fun to watch…that of a fat kid named Prince, or the swing of a miniature named Dustin?  Either way, I love watching these two guys take hacks.

–  I loved watching Gerardo Parra drop trou (short for trousers you morons) and squeeze out a Clevland Steamer all over a Hong-Chih Kuo’s fastball after getting buzzed.  And I appreciated not only his massive pimping of that homerun, but that he looked at Kuo and grabbed his nuts after the up and in pitch…classic.

–  Troy Patton got the 1^st win of his big league career last night.  Congrats buddy.  I was fortunate enough to be teammates with Troy at the 2003 Tournament of Stars and watched him mow through hitters like a riding lawnmower.  Congrats Troy, it’s about time you got that W.

–  Does Rick Ankiel ever look back on his past and think, “Why did I ever waste time trying to pitch?”  Probably not, but I think that after watching him throw out yet another runner last night.

–  And to close out this edition of Changeups and Screwballs, the way he has done 600 times for the Yankees, is Mariano Rivera.  He’s closed out every last game with one team, and one pitch.  Congrats, Mariano.

In conjunction with Dee’s post about our recent Grinnell College alumni weekend, I thought it would be a nice change-of-pace to post some videos from our glory days.

We’ll get things going with a yardball from Dee circa 2008.  He may have only hit a couple in his college career, but that no-doubt trot would have you think otherwise.  Things to look for: the light wind that accentuates his flowing mane; his Brandon Phillips-like speed around the bases; Dee screaming “Gotta Eat!” right before touching the plate.

“It’s gotta be the hair, Cotton. It’s beautiful! Feathered and lethal.”

Here’s a double-dose of Dee.  In this video, he demonstrates his defensive prowess:

Next up is yours truly, going yard and unabashedly pumping my fists before hitting first base:

I know, tough act to follow. But this just might top it. Here’s Ryan Harris getting knocked cold while trying to catch an infield pop up.  This is precisely why the pitcher needs to get the hell out of the way, unless you’re Harris, who lives for these plays.  Not only did he catch the ball, but he also received a few stitches to commemorate the play.

And now for the Sombrero’s newest staff writer, Jim Malewitz. In 2008, Jyme Tyme was an extra-base machine. He also happens to be a ginger, which frankly frightens the crap out of me.

And last but not least, me again.  This might be the best catch I’ve ever made (in the outfield). I was told I should have pimped it and flipped the ball to our fans, which would have only been for show.  It’s not like we can afford to just give away game balls like that in Division III baseball, folks.