Looking
back at some entries written over the years, I’m fascinated by how things
evolved vs. expectations. I normally
don’t note when predictions come true, but this one feeds into a childhood
fantasy of pitching in the major leagues.
I never made it out of the Babe Ruth league or whatever passed for that
kind of league in the 1950s. It wasn’t
for lack of effort. l practiced or
played most days or even into the twilight trying to perfect my pitches
(luckily, I had two neighborhood friends during my childhood years who fancied
themselves catchers and had catcher mitts).
I fashioned my assortment of pitches and delivery after my childhood
idols, particularly Whitey Ford and Bobby Schantz.
Never
heard of Bobby? Pitched for 16 years in
the majors with a 3.38 ERA, and won the MVP when he had 24-7 record and a 2.48 ERA
in 1952. Those kinds of numbers would
have made him a mint in today’s baseball world.
I wonder how much Bobby made during his career. Chump change compared to today’s multiyear
contracts that approach a quarter of a billion dollars! Are today’s stars worth any more than Schantz
or Ford (who also had 16 year major league career, a 2.75 era and of course an
incredible winning record given he was with the Yankees mostly during the 1950s
and early 1960s)?
They
were both lefties, as I am, and I wanted to be just like them. Physically, I matched up to Bobby Schantz at
5’6”. I figured if he could pitch in the
big leagues without an overbearing fast ball, I could too. So I worked on my control and off speed
stuff, particularly a screw ball (most lefties have a natural fade away from a
right hand batter with their fast balls).
Alas, such ambition also needs extraordinary talent, and other interests
found me drifting away from baseball by college.
Still,
I love to follow the game, and even pride myself on being a “closet scout”
particularly when it comes to lefty pitching.
This brings me to my observation about a year ago when I first saw Andrew
Heany pitch for the Marlins’ Class A Plus Jupiter Hammerheads. At the time I said “I'll go out on a limb and predict he will make the majors in 1-2 years, maybe sooner depending on the Marlin's pitching needs. It was a pleasure to see him work the other night.”
Since
then he has gone to AA and then AAA ball.
According to last Sunday’s Palm
Beach Post, “since joining Class A Jupiter last season, he has shined at
each level with a 0.88 ERA in 61 2/3 innings in Jupiter, a 2.58 ERA in 87 1/3
innings in Jacksonville (AA) and 0.82 ERA in 11 innings in New Orleans
(AAA). Heaney, 22, will be in Miami
soon.” Mark your calendars for the end
of June, sort of what I predicted. This
guy has it all.
Soon
after seeing Heaney, I watched lefty Justin Nicolino pitch and said: “The Marlins farm club is loaded with lefty pitching talent and it will be interesting to watch Nicolino's and Heaney's rise to the majors."
Nicolino
is now in AA with a 4-2 recorded and a 3.30 era. He recently took a no hitter into the seventh
inning in a win over Montgomery. He’ll
be up soon as well.
The
Marlins have all sort of farm talent and it’s good to see them first in
Jupiter. I count it as one of the
reasons this area is so appealing – one of Florida’s big pluses.
And
the Marlins farm club shares Roger Dean Stadium with the Palm Beach
Cardinals. Last night I went to see their
highly touted left hander Kyle Helisek.
With an ERA of 2.59, he’s made the Class A All Star team. Looking at his record, he has had some
control issues striking out about only 50% more than he’s walked. This game he had control, no walks as I
recall, but his fast ball is not domineering and he left some pitches too close
to the heart of the plate, therefore giving up seven hits over five innings,
and two runs, but striking out six. With
better control, he’s yet another lefty who could make it all the way, maybe within
a couple of years. It was a pleasure to watch Helisek’s form on the mound, as
these photographs attest. Classic stuff.
