How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part thirteen is about young first baseman Brandon Belt.
Brandon Belt was born on April 20, 1988, in Nacogdoches, Texas. He attended Hudson High School in Lufkin, Texas, and in 2006, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eleventh round, but he chose not to sign with them, moving along to San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas. In his freshman year of college, he was again drafted in the eleventh round of the 2007 draft, this time by the Atlanta Braves, but he again chose not to sign. He transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, and in his junior year, he was drafted a third time, in the fifth round of the 2009 draft by the San Francisco Giants. Belt signed this time, but closed out 2009 in college. For 2010, he entered the Giants farm system, beginning with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League. He played a majority of his season here, making seventy-seven appearances at first base, while hitting to a .383 batting average, ten home runs, and sixty-two runs batted in. He jumped up to the Class AA Richmond Flying Squirrels of Richmond, Virginia, in the Eastern League, where he expanded his fielding repertoire to include both left and right field. With the Flying Squirrels, he posted a .337 batting average, nine home runs, and forty runs batted in. He closed out the year with the Fresno Grizzlies in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, where he hit .228 with four home runs and ten runs batted in a short thirteen game trial. Overall, his 2010 season saw hit hit .352, with twenty-three home runs and 112 runs batted in. He made the San Francisco opening day roster in 2011, and made his debut on March 31st. His first at bat was a single off of Clayton Kershaw, but besides the next day, when he hit his first home run, his first major league stint was a disappointment. He went to went down to Fresno again on his twenty-third birthday. He stayed there for the rest of the month and most of May, but returned for two games at the end of May. He suffered an injury in the second game, a hairline fracture, and was placed on the disable list. He returned to the Giants after rehabilitating his injury in San Jose and Fresno on July 19th, but was sent back to the Grizzlies after August 2nd. He continued his ping-pong-resembling season by returning to the Giants on August 13th, and the next day he hit two home runs. He stayed with the San Francisco Giants for the rest of the season. In the majors, he had a .225 batting average, nine home runs, and eighteen runs batted in, while in Fresno he posted a .309 batting average, eight home runs, and thirty-two runs batted in. He also earned the nickname "The Baby Giraffe" during the season, in regards to his style of fielding fly balls. In the 2012 season, Belt spent the entire year in San Francisco, compiling a .275 batting average, seven home runs, and fifty-six runs batted in. He easily made the postseason roster as the starting first baseman, and sat out only one game during the playoffs, the October 18th game in the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was mostly ineffective against the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Division Series, but hit a timely home run against the Cardinals in Game 7 en route to a 9-0 victory, as well as a triple in the clinching game of the World Series to start the scoring to sweep out the Detroit Tigers. In only his second major league season, Belt gets the honor of being named a World Series Championship, and his clutch hitting helps him hold the honor in its fullest.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 12
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part twelve tells us of the young relief pitcher George Kontos.
George Kontos was born on June 12, 1985, in Lincolnwood, Illinois. He went to high school at Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois. He was named High School Baseball Player of the year in Illinois for the 2003 school year. A tri-sport athlete, he also lettered in golf and basketball. He attended college at Northwestern University, and despite his unattractive collegiate statistics, he was a fifth round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 2006. He began with the Class A Short Season Staten Island Yankees in Staten Island, New York, of the New York-Pennsylvania League, working fourteen starts with a 2.64 earned run average and eighty-two strikeouts over seventy-eight and one-third innings pitched. In 2007, Kontos was assigned to the Tampa Yankees in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. He appeared in nineteen games, seventeen of which he started, with his end-of-season numbers reading 4.02 for earned run average, 101 strikeouts, and ninety-four innings. He made another step up in the 2008 season, pitching in the Class AA Eastern League with the Trenton Thunder of Trenton, New Jersey. Here, he posted 3.68 earned run average with 152 strikeouts in 151 and 2/3 innings over twenty-seven starts. Kontos was only able to make thirteen appearances in 2009, and his season ended in June after tests revealed damage requiring Tommy John ligament surgery to repair his elbow. Between Trenton and the Class AAA International League with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he produced a 3.15 earned run average over thirteen starts, with sixty-three strikeouts over seventy-one and one-third innings. He returned in 2010, pitching with Tampa first, before stepping up to Trenton again, and then ending the year in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He made twenty-four appearances, primarily working out of the bullpen to assist his injury rehabilitation, posting a 3.60 earned run average, thirty-eight strikeouts, and forty-five innings of work. On December 9, 2010, the San Diego Padres drafted Kontos from the Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft, but after a lackluster spring training showing, he was returned to the Yankees organization. Kontos spent most of the 2011 season pitching in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, making forty appearances (four starts), and the statistics read a 2.62 earned run average, ninety-one strikeouts, and eighty-nine and one-third innings pitched. The results were good enough that the major league Yankees decided to call Kontos up for September, where he made seven appearances over six innings. He had an earned run average of 3.00 and struck out six batters. Early in the 2012 season, the Yankees flipped Kontos to the San Francisco Giants to address their need of another catcher, and in that the deal New York received Chris Stewart to fill their void. Kontos was assigned to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and appeared in twenty-three games, in which he had a 1.71 earned run average, twenty-six strikeouts, and thirty-one and two-thirds innings to his credit before the Giants added him to their major league bullpen. In the big leagues, Kontos played from June 10th onward, making forty-four appearances with a strong 2.47 earned run average, forty-four strikeouts, and forty-three and two-thirds innings. He stayed with the team during their postseason run, pitching in mostly batter-determined situations, although his effectiveness was questionable. In his eight games, he had a 6.75 earned run average, but his performance was not detrimental, as he won his first World Series Championship when the Giants swept away the Detroit Tigers.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
George Kontos was born on June 12, 1985, in Lincolnwood, Illinois. He went to high school at Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois. He was named High School Baseball Player of the year in Illinois for the 2003 school year. A tri-sport athlete, he also lettered in golf and basketball. He attended college at Northwestern University, and despite his unattractive collegiate statistics, he was a fifth round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 2006. He began with the Class A Short Season Staten Island Yankees in Staten Island, New York, of the New York-Pennsylvania League, working fourteen starts with a 2.64 earned run average and eighty-two strikeouts over seventy-eight and one-third innings pitched. In 2007, Kontos was assigned to the Tampa Yankees in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. He appeared in nineteen games, seventeen of which he started, with his end-of-season numbers reading 4.02 for earned run average, 101 strikeouts, and ninety-four innings. He made another step up in the 2008 season, pitching in the Class AA Eastern League with the Trenton Thunder of Trenton, New Jersey. Here, he posted 3.68 earned run average with 152 strikeouts in 151 and 2/3 innings over twenty-seven starts. Kontos was only able to make thirteen appearances in 2009, and his season ended in June after tests revealed damage requiring Tommy John ligament surgery to repair his elbow. Between Trenton and the Class AAA International League with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he produced a 3.15 earned run average over thirteen starts, with sixty-three strikeouts over seventy-one and one-third innings. He returned in 2010, pitching with Tampa first, before stepping up to Trenton again, and then ending the year in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He made twenty-four appearances, primarily working out of the bullpen to assist his injury rehabilitation, posting a 3.60 earned run average, thirty-eight strikeouts, and forty-five innings of work. On December 9, 2010, the San Diego Padres drafted Kontos from the Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft, but after a lackluster spring training showing, he was returned to the Yankees organization. Kontos spent most of the 2011 season pitching in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, making forty appearances (four starts), and the statistics read a 2.62 earned run average, ninety-one strikeouts, and eighty-nine and one-third innings pitched. The results were good enough that the major league Yankees decided to call Kontos up for September, where he made seven appearances over six innings. He had an earned run average of 3.00 and struck out six batters. Early in the 2012 season, the Yankees flipped Kontos to the San Francisco Giants to address their need of another catcher, and in that the deal New York received Chris Stewart to fill their void. Kontos was assigned to the Fresno Grizzlies of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and appeared in twenty-three games, in which he had a 1.71 earned run average, twenty-six strikeouts, and thirty-one and two-thirds innings to his credit before the Giants added him to their major league bullpen. In the big leagues, Kontos played from June 10th onward, making forty-four appearances with a strong 2.47 earned run average, forty-four strikeouts, and forty-three and two-thirds innings. He stayed with the team during their postseason run, pitching in mostly batter-determined situations, although his effectiveness was questionable. In his eight games, he had a 6.75 earned run average, but his performance was not detrimental, as he won his first World Series Championship when the Giants swept away the Detroit Tigers.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thursday Night Football Week 10 2012
This week, we begin with an AFC South battle between the host Jacksonville Jaguars and the visiting Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis started in the first quarter as Adam Vinatieri kicked a 31 yard field goal. The Colts added on as Andrew Luck ran 5 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, and Vinatieri made the extra point. Indianapolis padded the lead with Luck running 1 yard for a touchdown, and Vinatieri again handled the PAT. Jacksonville got on the board with a 40 yard field goal by Josh Scobee. The Colts replied in the third quarter on an interception of Blaine Gabbert by Darius Butler, which was returned 11 yards for a touchdown, and Vinatieri supplied the extra point. The Jaguars took some back in the fourth quarter as Chad Henne passed 4 yards for a touchdown to Cecil Shorts, and Scobee was true with the extra point. Indianapolis answered with a 41 yard field goal by Vinatieri. This finished the scoring off at 27-10, with the Colts now at 6-3 while the Jaguars drop to 1-8.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 11
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part eleven tells us about sidearm reliever Javier Lopez as we hit the one-third mark of our project.
Javier Lopez was born on July 11, 1977, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He graduated from Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia, before continuing his education at the University of Virginia. Lopez was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998 just under the age of twenty-one. He appeared in a handful of games with the Class A South Bend Silver Hawks in South Bend, Indiana of the Midwest League. He stayed with the Silver Hawks for the 1999 season, and over those two years, he posted a crooked 6.17 earned run average, along with 101 strikeouts over 143 innings, mostly as a starting pitcher. Lopez moved up to the Class A Advanced California League in the 2000 season, where he played for the High Desert Mavericks of Adelanto, California. The Diamondbacks changed Class A Advanced affiliations in 2001, meaning that Lopez transferred over to the Lancaster JetHawks of Lancaster, California in the same league. Throughout his time in Class A Advanced, he produced a 4.83 earned run average and 116 strikeouts over 160 and 1/3 innings pitched, mostly as a starter, but with some time converted into a relief pitcher. For the last part of 2001 and all of 2002, Lopez pitched with the El Paso Diablos of the Texas League at the Class AA level. Here, his statistics read a 4.90 earned run average, sixty-eight strikeouts, and eighty-six and one-third innings pitched. While not all that stellar, it was enough for the Boston Red Sox to draft him from the Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 Draft on December 16, 2002. The Red Sox then flipped him for a player to be named later (minor-leaguer Ryan Cameron) to the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies gave Lopez a major league job in 2003, and he pitched the whole year with the big league squad. His numbers read out as a 3.70 earned run average, forty strikeouts, and fifty-eight and one-third innings pitched out of the bullpen. His first major league win came on April 10th, and his first save was on August 12th. He began the 2004 season with the Rockies as well, but struggled, and was sent to Class AAA Colorado Springs to figure out his issues with the Sky Sox in the Pacific Coast League. In mid-August, he rejoined the team, and closed out the season with a 7.52 earned run average, twenty strikeouts, and forty and two-thirds innings pitched. He pitched himself to a 4.00 earned run average in Colorado Springs. The 2005 season brought a bit of change to Lopez's life, as he was placed on waivers by the Rockies early in the year, and claimed on April 14th by his original organization, the Arizona Diamondbacks. He stayed with them until mid-season, before being sent down to play in the Pacific Coast League with the Tuscon Sidewinders of Tuscon, Arizona. In Tucson, he pitched to a 2.22 earned run average, sixteen strikeouts, and twenty-four and one-third innings pitched, while his major league numbers read out as 11.02 earned run average, twelve strikeouts, and sixteen and one-third innings. The Diamondbacks decided to give up on the reclamation project, and granted him free agency after the 2005 season, allowing him to sign on January 9, 2006 with the Chicago White Sox. He never appeared with the White Sox at the big league level, only working in their organization at Class AAA Charlotte, North Carolina, with the Knights. Here, he saw a huge improvement in his statistics, as he put up a 0.55 earned run average and twenty-six strikeouts over thirty-three innings pitched. These were numbers for trading, and on June 15th, the White Sox did just that. Lopez was sent to the Boston Red Sox for David Riske. His initial time in Boston was strong, but as his effectiveness slipped, the Red Sox sent him to play for the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League. His numbers here were a 4.86 earned run average with twelve strikeouts in sixteen and two-thirds innings. He earned a late call up to Boston, and ended the year with a line of 2.70 for an earned run average, over sixteen and two-thirds innings, while striking out eleven. Lopez was the victim of roster management in 2007, as he shuttled back and forth between Boston and Pawtucket throughout the year. His Class AAA numbers were almost the same in workload and efficiency, while he also managed his baserunners better by shaving almost a full run from his earned run average. His expanded role at the big league level saw a little regression, as he posted a 3.10 earned run average with twenty-six strikeouts and forty and two-thirds innings pitched during the regular season. He was assigned to the postseason roster that year as well, and appeared in five games for the Red Sox en route to their 2007 World Series Championship. He was not all that effective in his time, but was not used in high-leverage situations. Lopez avoided the minor leagues in 2008, pitching the whole year with Boston, and at a strong level too, with a 2.43 earned run average, thirty-eight strikeouts, and fifty-nine and one-third innings pitched. He made three postseason appearances during the short-lived Red Sox title defense, and showed growth in improving his playoff numbers. However, all three of those appearances came in losses, and the Red Sox were eventually eliminated in the American League Championship Series. Lopez could not repeat his success in 2009, and was designated for assignment by Boston on May 10th. He spent the rest of the year in Pawtucket, where he worked to a 3.18 earned run average with twenty-three strikeouts over thirty-nine and two-thirds innings. On December 18th, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 2010 season, and he posted a 2.79 earned run average with twenty-two strikeouts over thirty-eight and two-thirds innings before being traded on July 31, 2010 to the San Francisco Giants. He cut his earned run average in half over the last two months of the season, and was selected for the postseason roster. He appeared in nine playoff games, mostly in high-leverage and late inning situations, putting up a 1.59 earned run average over five and two-thirds innings, striking out six. He picked up six holds and a win in that time, and earned his second World Series title as the Giants worked past the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers. Lopez found himself again working a mostly set-up role for the 2011 season with San Francisco, and during the full season, he achieved a 2.72 earned run average with forty strikeouts over fifty-three innings. This solidified Lopez as a premier lefty specialist, further accentuated by his sidearm delivery in pitching style. For 2012, Lopez again pitched out of the Giants bullpen, and was a part of the three-man closer committee after Brian Wilson's season ending injury. No matter the role, Lopez again pitched well, throwing a 2.50 earned run average with twenty-eight strikeouts over thirty-six innings, guiding the Giants to another postseason. He made the playoff roster again and was used in five games (none of which in the World Series), only allowing two walks over three innings of work, while striking out four. Lopez earned his third World Series Championship as the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers aside, and looks to continue to be a vital part of the Giants bullpen for years to come.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Javier Lopez was born on July 11, 1977, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He graduated from Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia, before continuing his education at the University of Virginia. Lopez was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998 just under the age of twenty-one. He appeared in a handful of games with the Class A South Bend Silver Hawks in South Bend, Indiana of the Midwest League. He stayed with the Silver Hawks for the 1999 season, and over those two years, he posted a crooked 6.17 earned run average, along with 101 strikeouts over 143 innings, mostly as a starting pitcher. Lopez moved up to the Class A Advanced California League in the 2000 season, where he played for the High Desert Mavericks of Adelanto, California. The Diamondbacks changed Class A Advanced affiliations in 2001, meaning that Lopez transferred over to the Lancaster JetHawks of Lancaster, California in the same league. Throughout his time in Class A Advanced, he produced a 4.83 earned run average and 116 strikeouts over 160 and 1/3 innings pitched, mostly as a starter, but with some time converted into a relief pitcher. For the last part of 2001 and all of 2002, Lopez pitched with the El Paso Diablos of the Texas League at the Class AA level. Here, his statistics read a 4.90 earned run average, sixty-eight strikeouts, and eighty-six and one-third innings pitched. While not all that stellar, it was enough for the Boston Red Sox to draft him from the Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 Draft on December 16, 2002. The Red Sox then flipped him for a player to be named later (minor-leaguer Ryan Cameron) to the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies gave Lopez a major league job in 2003, and he pitched the whole year with the big league squad. His numbers read out as a 3.70 earned run average, forty strikeouts, and fifty-eight and one-third innings pitched out of the bullpen. His first major league win came on April 10th, and his first save was on August 12th. He began the 2004 season with the Rockies as well, but struggled, and was sent to Class AAA Colorado Springs to figure out his issues with the Sky Sox in the Pacific Coast League. In mid-August, he rejoined the team, and closed out the season with a 7.52 earned run average, twenty strikeouts, and forty and two-thirds innings pitched. He pitched himself to a 4.00 earned run average in Colorado Springs. The 2005 season brought a bit of change to Lopez's life, as he was placed on waivers by the Rockies early in the year, and claimed on April 14th by his original organization, the Arizona Diamondbacks. He stayed with them until mid-season, before being sent down to play in the Pacific Coast League with the Tuscon Sidewinders of Tuscon, Arizona. In Tucson, he pitched to a 2.22 earned run average, sixteen strikeouts, and twenty-four and one-third innings pitched, while his major league numbers read out as 11.02 earned run average, twelve strikeouts, and sixteen and one-third innings. The Diamondbacks decided to give up on the reclamation project, and granted him free agency after the 2005 season, allowing him to sign on January 9, 2006 with the Chicago White Sox. He never appeared with the White Sox at the big league level, only working in their organization at Class AAA Charlotte, North Carolina, with the Knights. Here, he saw a huge improvement in his statistics, as he put up a 0.55 earned run average and twenty-six strikeouts over thirty-three innings pitched. These were numbers for trading, and on June 15th, the White Sox did just that. Lopez was sent to the Boston Red Sox for David Riske. His initial time in Boston was strong, but as his effectiveness slipped, the Red Sox sent him to play for the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League. His numbers here were a 4.86 earned run average with twelve strikeouts in sixteen and two-thirds innings. He earned a late call up to Boston, and ended the year with a line of 2.70 for an earned run average, over sixteen and two-thirds innings, while striking out eleven. Lopez was the victim of roster management in 2007, as he shuttled back and forth between Boston and Pawtucket throughout the year. His Class AAA numbers were almost the same in workload and efficiency, while he also managed his baserunners better by shaving almost a full run from his earned run average. His expanded role at the big league level saw a little regression, as he posted a 3.10 earned run average with twenty-six strikeouts and forty and two-thirds innings pitched during the regular season. He was assigned to the postseason roster that year as well, and appeared in five games for the Red Sox en route to their 2007 World Series Championship. He was not all that effective in his time, but was not used in high-leverage situations. Lopez avoided the minor leagues in 2008, pitching the whole year with Boston, and at a strong level too, with a 2.43 earned run average, thirty-eight strikeouts, and fifty-nine and one-third innings pitched. He made three postseason appearances during the short-lived Red Sox title defense, and showed growth in improving his playoff numbers. However, all three of those appearances came in losses, and the Red Sox were eventually eliminated in the American League Championship Series. Lopez could not repeat his success in 2009, and was designated for assignment by Boston on May 10th. He spent the rest of the year in Pawtucket, where he worked to a 3.18 earned run average with twenty-three strikeouts over thirty-nine and two-thirds innings. On December 18th, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 2010 season, and he posted a 2.79 earned run average with twenty-two strikeouts over thirty-eight and two-thirds innings before being traded on July 31, 2010 to the San Francisco Giants. He cut his earned run average in half over the last two months of the season, and was selected for the postseason roster. He appeared in nine playoff games, mostly in high-leverage and late inning situations, putting up a 1.59 earned run average over five and two-thirds innings, striking out six. He picked up six holds and a win in that time, and earned his second World Series title as the Giants worked past the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers. Lopez found himself again working a mostly set-up role for the 2011 season with San Francisco, and during the full season, he achieved a 2.72 earned run average with forty strikeouts over fifty-three innings. This solidified Lopez as a premier lefty specialist, further accentuated by his sidearm delivery in pitching style. For 2012, Lopez again pitched out of the Giants bullpen, and was a part of the three-man closer committee after Brian Wilson's season ending injury. No matter the role, Lopez again pitched well, throwing a 2.50 earned run average with twenty-eight strikeouts over thirty-six innings, guiding the Giants to another postseason. He made the playoff roster again and was used in five games (none of which in the World Series), only allowing two walks over three innings of work, while striking out four. Lopez earned his third World Series Championship as the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers aside, and looks to continue to be a vital part of the Giants bullpen for years to come.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 10
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part ten tells us the story of longtime Bay Area pitcher Santiago Casilla.
Santiago Casilla was born on July 25, 1980, in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. He went unsigned until 2000, when it was presumed that he was seventeen-year old Jairo Garcia. The Oakland Athletics signed him under this name and age, and he began his North American career with the Arizona League Athletics in Phoenix, Arizona at the Rookie level. His first season was 2001, and he appeared strongly in a handful of games. In 2002, he split time with the AZL Athletics and also a little time with the Class A- Vancouver Canadians of Vancouver, British Columbia in the Northwest League. He pitched effectively again for the season as a whole, working at a pace of over a strikeout an inning with an earned run average just above 3.00. He spent all of 2003 with the Class A Kane County Cougars of Geneva, Illinois, in the Midwest League. The tranquility he found in 2003 was replaced by utter chaos in 2004, where, working entirely as a reliever, he appeared in four separate levels of baseball. He began in Kane County, pitching to a miniscule 0.30 earned run average and forty-nine strikeouts over thirty innings. He stepped up to the Class AA Midlan RockHounds of Midland, Texas in the Texas League, and posted a 1.50 earned run average and thirty-two strikeouts in eighteen innings. He continued up on the ladder, appearing with the Sacramento River Cats of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and he produced a 3.95 earned run average to go with twenty-one strikeouts over thirteen and two-thirds innings. His last stop of the year was with the big league Athletics in Oakland, and his four appearances here were mostly forgettable. In 2005, he again made appearances in three places, with a short stint in Midland being used as a confidence booster before playing the bulk of the year in Sacramento. For the season, he ended with a 3.60 earned run average and 103 strikeouts over sixty-five innings in the minor leagues, and in a short pair of stints in Oakland, he showed much more poise over the course of three games. He was at the Athletics spring training camp in 2006, where he informed the team that he had lied about his age by three years, as well as telling them that his real name is Santiago Casilla instead of the Jairo Garcia alias he had been using. He again spent most of the year at Sacramento, although in late May he played in two games with the Athletics in Oakland. He had better ratios than the year previous, putting up a 3.27 earned run average, but his strikeouts (thirty-two) were one behind his innings pitched (thirty-three) for the year, the only time he did that over the course of a full minor league season. In 2007, Casilla appeared in Sacramento again to begin the year, recording a 4.12 earned run average, twenty-nine strikeouts, and twenty-four innings, before being called up to Oakland to reinforce a depleted bullpen for the rest of the year. With the Athletics, he posted a 4.44 earned run average for fifty and two-thirds innings, while striking out fifty-two. Casilla appeared in only a handful of minor league games during the 2008 season, rehabilitating an injury at Class A Advanced Stockton with the California League Ports, before moving along to Sacramento. The appearance with Stockton allowed Casilla to have appeared in six unique minor league levels. In the majors, Casilla posted very similar numbers to his 2007 campaign, with just a handful less strikeouts over a near identical amount of innings. He did shave half of a run off of his earned run average. The 2009 season was not nearly as kind to Casilla, and he again appeared in a game each with Stockton and Sacramento. His 5.96 earned run average was the worst full-season number he had posted, and his strikeout numbers dipped significantly as well. The Athletics had decided they had seen enough, opening the door for Casilla to take a trip just slightly to the west to play for the San Francisco Giants. He was signed on January 21, 2010 He began the season in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League with the Fresno Grizzlies, and was called up to pitch for the Giants in his first game on May 21st against the Athletics. From there, Casilla would dominate out of the bullpen, with a 1.95 earned run average and fifty-six strikeouts over fifty-five and one-third innings. He also made his first appearance in the postseason, appearing in four games with a 1.93 earned run average while pitching in a set-up or situation role as the Giants moved past the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers for a World Series Championship. In 2011, he spent April and most of May rehabilitating an injury with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, as well as with the Grizzlies in Fresno for a short period of time. Casilla returned to the San Francisco bullpen in late May, and posted strong enough numbers that the Giants decided he would pitch in a closer's role after an injury to Brian Wilson in mid-August. He ended the year with a 1.74 earned run average and forty-five strikeouts over fifty-one and two-thirds innings. Casilla finally avoided time in the minor leagues during 2012, pitching throughout the season with the Giants. Due to another injury to Wilson, Casilla served as the closer for the Giants from mid-April to mid-July, when Sergio Romo took over the duties. He ended the regular season with a 2.84 earned run average and fifty-five strikeouts over sixty-three and one-third innings pitched, and was an obvious choice for the postseason roster. He made eleven postseason appearances, mostly in a situation role as part of a larger plan by manager Bruce Bochy, and over the seven innings he worked, he produced a 1.29 earned run average en route to another World Series Championship with the Giants.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Santiago Casilla was born on July 25, 1980, in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. He went unsigned until 2000, when it was presumed that he was seventeen-year old Jairo Garcia. The Oakland Athletics signed him under this name and age, and he began his North American career with the Arizona League Athletics in Phoenix, Arizona at the Rookie level. His first season was 2001, and he appeared strongly in a handful of games. In 2002, he split time with the AZL Athletics and also a little time with the Class A- Vancouver Canadians of Vancouver, British Columbia in the Northwest League. He pitched effectively again for the season as a whole, working at a pace of over a strikeout an inning with an earned run average just above 3.00. He spent all of 2003 with the Class A Kane County Cougars of Geneva, Illinois, in the Midwest League. The tranquility he found in 2003 was replaced by utter chaos in 2004, where, working entirely as a reliever, he appeared in four separate levels of baseball. He began in Kane County, pitching to a miniscule 0.30 earned run average and forty-nine strikeouts over thirty innings. He stepped up to the Class AA Midlan RockHounds of Midland, Texas in the Texas League, and posted a 1.50 earned run average and thirty-two strikeouts in eighteen innings. He continued up on the ladder, appearing with the Sacramento River Cats of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, and he produced a 3.95 earned run average to go with twenty-one strikeouts over thirteen and two-thirds innings. His last stop of the year was with the big league Athletics in Oakland, and his four appearances here were mostly forgettable. In 2005, he again made appearances in three places, with a short stint in Midland being used as a confidence booster before playing the bulk of the year in Sacramento. For the season, he ended with a 3.60 earned run average and 103 strikeouts over sixty-five innings in the minor leagues, and in a short pair of stints in Oakland, he showed much more poise over the course of three games. He was at the Athletics spring training camp in 2006, where he informed the team that he had lied about his age by three years, as well as telling them that his real name is Santiago Casilla instead of the Jairo Garcia alias he had been using. He again spent most of the year at Sacramento, although in late May he played in two games with the Athletics in Oakland. He had better ratios than the year previous, putting up a 3.27 earned run average, but his strikeouts (thirty-two) were one behind his innings pitched (thirty-three) for the year, the only time he did that over the course of a full minor league season. In 2007, Casilla appeared in Sacramento again to begin the year, recording a 4.12 earned run average, twenty-nine strikeouts, and twenty-four innings, before being called up to Oakland to reinforce a depleted bullpen for the rest of the year. With the Athletics, he posted a 4.44 earned run average for fifty and two-thirds innings, while striking out fifty-two. Casilla appeared in only a handful of minor league games during the 2008 season, rehabilitating an injury at Class A Advanced Stockton with the California League Ports, before moving along to Sacramento. The appearance with Stockton allowed Casilla to have appeared in six unique minor league levels. In the majors, Casilla posted very similar numbers to his 2007 campaign, with just a handful less strikeouts over a near identical amount of innings. He did shave half of a run off of his earned run average. The 2009 season was not nearly as kind to Casilla, and he again appeared in a game each with Stockton and Sacramento. His 5.96 earned run average was the worst full-season number he had posted, and his strikeout numbers dipped significantly as well. The Athletics had decided they had seen enough, opening the door for Casilla to take a trip just slightly to the west to play for the San Francisco Giants. He was signed on January 21, 2010 He began the season in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League with the Fresno Grizzlies, and was called up to pitch for the Giants in his first game on May 21st against the Athletics. From there, Casilla would dominate out of the bullpen, with a 1.95 earned run average and fifty-six strikeouts over fifty-five and one-third innings. He also made his first appearance in the postseason, appearing in four games with a 1.93 earned run average while pitching in a set-up or situation role as the Giants moved past the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers for a World Series Championship. In 2011, he spent April and most of May rehabilitating an injury with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, as well as with the Grizzlies in Fresno for a short period of time. Casilla returned to the San Francisco bullpen in late May, and posted strong enough numbers that the Giants decided he would pitch in a closer's role after an injury to Brian Wilson in mid-August. He ended the year with a 1.74 earned run average and forty-five strikeouts over fifty-one and two-thirds innings. Casilla finally avoided time in the minor leagues during 2012, pitching throughout the season with the Giants. Due to another injury to Wilson, Casilla served as the closer for the Giants from mid-April to mid-July, when Sergio Romo took over the duties. He ended the regular season with a 2.84 earned run average and fifty-five strikeouts over sixty-three and one-third innings pitched, and was an obvious choice for the postseason roster. He made eleven postseason appearances, mostly in a situation role as part of a larger plan by manager Bruce Bochy, and over the seven innings he worked, he produced a 1.29 earned run average en route to another World Series Championship with the Giants.
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Tuesday, November 6, 2012
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 9
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part nine tells us about infielder Joaquin Arias.
Joaquin Arias was born on September 21, 1984, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He went undrafted, and wasn't signed until 2001, when the New York Yankees took a chance on him. Arias began his career with the Gulf Coast League Yankees at the Rookie level, where he posted a .300 batting average and twenty-one runs batted in during the 2002 season. Arias moved up to the Class A Midwest League in 2003, where he played with the Battle Creek Yankees in Battle Creek, Michigan. Here, he hit .266 with three home runs and forty-eight runs batted in. Arias got his first time in the headlines in 2004, although it had nothing to do with his performance on the field. Instead, he completed the February 16, 2004 deal between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. The deal, commonly known as the Alex Rodriguez trade, sent Rodriguez to the Yankees with cash in exchange for another well-known player, Alfonso Soriano, and a player to be named later. Arias was that player, picked from an offering of five prospects that included now-star second baseman Robinson Cano. For the 2004 season, he played in the California League with the Stockton Ports of Stockton, California at the Class A Advanced level. Again, he hit .300, this time with four home runs and sixty-two runs batted in, as well as thirty stolen bases, establishing a speedy reputation. In 2005, Arias again stepped up, going to Class AA Frisco to play with the Roughriders in the Texas League. He hit .315 with five home runs and fifty-six runs batted in. This performance earned him a spot with the Oklahoma RedHawks of Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League at the Class AAA level. His numbers tailed off a bit for the 2006 season, as he hit only .268 with four home runs and forty-nine runs batted in, although he racked up twenty-six stolen bases as well. He also earned a call-up to the major league Texas Rangers, appearing in six games with a large amount of success. Arias was on the wrong end of luck for 2007, appearing in only five games the whole season, and due to injury, he sat out the rest of the year. He was back in Oklahoma City for the 2008, and so were his numbers, as he posted a .296 batting average with seven home runs and forty-nine runs batted in. He also returned to the majors, beginning on August 18th, and he would hit .291 with three home runs and nine runs batted in during his limited time. Arias didn't stick with the big league Rangers for 2009, appearing in only three midsummer games with them, failing to get on base, while the rest of his season was spent with the RedHawks. He had a down year there as well, hitting only .266 with five home runs and fifty-two runs batted in, but managed to find his way back to the Texas Rangers for the 2010 season. He began the year in Arlington, and spent most of his time there, although he appeared with the Frisco Roughriders for eight games to rehabilitate an injury in May. Arias started out strong with the Rangers, but was traded on August 31 to the New York Mets in exchange for Jeff Francoeur and cash. Oddly enough, at the end of the disappointing 2010 campaign, Arias was selected off of waivers by the Kansas City Royals on November 4th, and just over a month later, Francoeur signed a free agent deal with the Royals as well. He never played for the big league Royals squad, being designated for assignment on December 19th, and playing the season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Pacific Coast League. Arias had very weak numbers in Omaha during the 2011 season, and was granted free agency on November 2nd. On December 15th, the San Francisco Giants signed him, and he began the season with their Class AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. He was called up to the Giants on April 25, 2012, and spent the rest of the season with them. During the year, he hit his first major league home run (he finished with five for the year), as well as fielding the final out of Matt Cain's perfect game on June 13th. His season statistics included a .270 batting average and thirty-four runs batted in to go with his five home runs mentioned above. The 2012 season also brought Arias his first postseason experience, where he was mostly used as a ninth inning defensive replacement at third base for the rotund Pablo Sandoval. He went three for eight in the postseason, and his defensive prowess was much appreciated on the way to the Giants' 2012 World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Joaquin Arias was born on September 21, 1984, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He went undrafted, and wasn't signed until 2001, when the New York Yankees took a chance on him. Arias began his career with the Gulf Coast League Yankees at the Rookie level, where he posted a .300 batting average and twenty-one runs batted in during the 2002 season. Arias moved up to the Class A Midwest League in 2003, where he played with the Battle Creek Yankees in Battle Creek, Michigan. Here, he hit .266 with three home runs and forty-eight runs batted in. Arias got his first time in the headlines in 2004, although it had nothing to do with his performance on the field. Instead, he completed the February 16, 2004 deal between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. The deal, commonly known as the Alex Rodriguez trade, sent Rodriguez to the Yankees with cash in exchange for another well-known player, Alfonso Soriano, and a player to be named later. Arias was that player, picked from an offering of five prospects that included now-star second baseman Robinson Cano. For the 2004 season, he played in the California League with the Stockton Ports of Stockton, California at the Class A Advanced level. Again, he hit .300, this time with four home runs and sixty-two runs batted in, as well as thirty stolen bases, establishing a speedy reputation. In 2005, Arias again stepped up, going to Class AA Frisco to play with the Roughriders in the Texas League. He hit .315 with five home runs and fifty-six runs batted in. This performance earned him a spot with the Oklahoma RedHawks of Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League at the Class AAA level. His numbers tailed off a bit for the 2006 season, as he hit only .268 with four home runs and forty-nine runs batted in, although he racked up twenty-six stolen bases as well. He also earned a call-up to the major league Texas Rangers, appearing in six games with a large amount of success. Arias was on the wrong end of luck for 2007, appearing in only five games the whole season, and due to injury, he sat out the rest of the year. He was back in Oklahoma City for the 2008, and so were his numbers, as he posted a .296 batting average with seven home runs and forty-nine runs batted in. He also returned to the majors, beginning on August 18th, and he would hit .291 with three home runs and nine runs batted in during his limited time. Arias didn't stick with the big league Rangers for 2009, appearing in only three midsummer games with them, failing to get on base, while the rest of his season was spent with the RedHawks. He had a down year there as well, hitting only .266 with five home runs and fifty-two runs batted in, but managed to find his way back to the Texas Rangers for the 2010 season. He began the year in Arlington, and spent most of his time there, although he appeared with the Frisco Roughriders for eight games to rehabilitate an injury in May. Arias started out strong with the Rangers, but was traded on August 31 to the New York Mets in exchange for Jeff Francoeur and cash. Oddly enough, at the end of the disappointing 2010 campaign, Arias was selected off of waivers by the Kansas City Royals on November 4th, and just over a month later, Francoeur signed a free agent deal with the Royals as well. He never played for the big league Royals squad, being designated for assignment on December 19th, and playing the season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Pacific Coast League. Arias had very weak numbers in Omaha during the 2011 season, and was granted free agency on November 2nd. On December 15th, the San Francisco Giants signed him, and he began the season with their Class AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. He was called up to the Giants on April 25, 2012, and spent the rest of the season with them. During the year, he hit his first major league home run (he finished with five for the year), as well as fielding the final out of Matt Cain's perfect game on June 13th. His season statistics included a .270 batting average and thirty-four runs batted in to go with his five home runs mentioned above. The 2012 season also brought Arias his first postseason experience, where he was mostly used as a ninth inning defensive replacement at third base for the rotund Pablo Sandoval. He went three for eight in the postseason, and his defensive prowess was much appreciated on the way to the Giants' 2012 World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Fantasy Football All-Stars Week 9 2012
Quarterback: Carson Palmer
Running Backs: Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson, and Mikel LeShoure
Wide Receivers: Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker
Tight End: Brandon Myers
Kicker: Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould
Team Defense: Chicago
Defensive Players: Brian Urlacher and Michael Boley
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Running Backs: Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson, and Mikel LeShoure
Wide Receivers: Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker
Tight End: Brandon Myers
Kicker: Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould
Team Defense: Chicago
Defensive Players: Brian Urlacher and Michael Boley
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Monday, November 5, 2012
Monday Night Football Week 9 2012
This week, the offensive powerhouses of the host New Orleans Saints and visiting Philadelphia Eagles go at it. New Orleans began in the first quarter as Patrick Robinson picked off Michael Vick and took it 99 yards for a touchdown, and Garrett Hartley made the extra point. Philadelphia got on the board in the second quarter on an Alex Henery 22 yard field goal. The Saints padded the lead as Chris Ivory ran 22 yards for a touchdown, and Hartley nailed the extra point. New Orleans struck again as Drew Brees passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Marques Colston, and Hartley handled the extra point. The Eagles chipped away in the third quarter as Vick found DeSean Jackson for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Henery tacked on the PAT. Philadelphia got closer with a 37 yard field goal by Henery. The Saints shot back as Brees passed 6 yards to Jimmy Graham for a touchdown, and Hartley booted in the extra point. This ended the scoring at 28-13, with both teams moving to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 8
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part eight delves into the young career of backup catcher Hector Sanchez.
Hector Sanchez was born on November 17, 1989, in Maracay, Venezuela. At age 17, he was signed to an amateur contract by the San Francisco Giants on July 12, 2006. He began his career in the Giants organization playing with their Dominican Summer League team in the abbreviated season rookie level league. He stayed with the DSL Giants for 2007 and 2008, posting a .325 batting average, eight home runs, and eighty-one runs batted in over two seasons. In 2009, he came to the states, playing in the Arizona League with the AZL Giants at the rookie level. His statistics here were also strong, as he hit .299 with one home run and twenty-two runs batted in. He is not considered a player who hits for high power. The 2010 season saw Sanchez step up to the Class A Augusta Greenjackets in the South Atlantic League, where his season numbers read .274 for batting average, with five home runs and thirty-one runs batted in. He was fast-tracked in 2011, appearing with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, where he hit .302 with eleven home runs and fifty-eight runs batted in, his best single season numbers since 2008 in the DSL. Sanchez skipped Class AA and went immediately to Class AAA Fresno to play with the Grizzlies in the latter parts of 2011, appearing in forty-six games with a .261 batting average, one home run, and twenty-six runs batted in. He earned his first major league call-up on July 15, 2011, to help shore up the Giants depleted catching situation. His time in San Francisco that year was mainly spent on the bench, but he appeared in thirteen games, with .258 for a batting average, and he only had one run batted in. While he was in Fresno, he established a connection with Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito, and Sanchez has frequently been used as Zito's personal pitcher since that time. In 2012, he spent a minimal amount of time with the Grizzlies, while the bulk of his time was spent as the backup catcher for the big league squad. He continued to start when Zito was up to pitch, and he established a .280 batting average with three home runs and thirty-four runs batted in. He also made his first postseason appearance in only his second season, and while he didn't contribute much in the playoffs, his presence as a possible pinch hitter, insurance policy should Buster Posey get hurt, and in the World Series, as a designated hitter, proved him a versatile and valuable part of the 2012 Giants World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Hector Sanchez was born on November 17, 1989, in Maracay, Venezuela. At age 17, he was signed to an amateur contract by the San Francisco Giants on July 12, 2006. He began his career in the Giants organization playing with their Dominican Summer League team in the abbreviated season rookie level league. He stayed with the DSL Giants for 2007 and 2008, posting a .325 batting average, eight home runs, and eighty-one runs batted in over two seasons. In 2009, he came to the states, playing in the Arizona League with the AZL Giants at the rookie level. His statistics here were also strong, as he hit .299 with one home run and twenty-two runs batted in. He is not considered a player who hits for high power. The 2010 season saw Sanchez step up to the Class A Augusta Greenjackets in the South Atlantic League, where his season numbers read .274 for batting average, with five home runs and thirty-one runs batted in. He was fast-tracked in 2011, appearing with the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants of the California League, where he hit .302 with eleven home runs and fifty-eight runs batted in, his best single season numbers since 2008 in the DSL. Sanchez skipped Class AA and went immediately to Class AAA Fresno to play with the Grizzlies in the latter parts of 2011, appearing in forty-six games with a .261 batting average, one home run, and twenty-six runs batted in. He earned his first major league call-up on July 15, 2011, to help shore up the Giants depleted catching situation. His time in San Francisco that year was mainly spent on the bench, but he appeared in thirteen games, with .258 for a batting average, and he only had one run batted in. While he was in Fresno, he established a connection with Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito, and Sanchez has frequently been used as Zito's personal pitcher since that time. In 2012, he spent a minimal amount of time with the Grizzlies, while the bulk of his time was spent as the backup catcher for the big league squad. He continued to start when Zito was up to pitch, and he established a .280 batting average with three home runs and thirty-four runs batted in. He also made his first postseason appearance in only his second season, and while he didn't contribute much in the playoffs, his presence as a possible pinch hitter, insurance policy should Buster Posey get hurt, and in the World Series, as a designated hitter, proved him a versatile and valuable part of the 2012 Giants World Series Championship.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
NFL Afternoon/Night Games Week 9 2012
Four games here, beginning with...
The Oakland Raiders hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland started with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards in the first quarter. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second quarter on a Josh Freeman 20 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson, and Connor Barth nailed the extra point. The Raiders took the lead as Carson Palmer passed 25 yards to Rod Streater for a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the PAT. The Buccaneers took the lead back in the third quarter as Doug Martin ran 45 yards for a touchdown, and Barth was true with the extra point. Tampa Bay extended their lead when Freeman found Mike Williams for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Barth booted the extra point. The Buccaneers padded the lead again on a Martin touchdown run of 67 yards, and Barth iced the drive with the extra point. Oakland pulled back a little bit as Palmer passed 4 yards to Brandon Myers for a touchdown, and Janikowski made the extra point. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Martin ran 70 yards for a touchdown, and Barth dutifully kicked the extra point. The Raiders shot back as Palmer and Myers hooked up for a 1 yard touchdown connection, and Janikowski booted the extra point. Oakland chipped closer with Palmer passing 13 yards to Marcel Reese before finding Juron Criner on the two-point attempt. The Buccaneers put it away with Martin's fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1 yard rush, capped off by the Barth extra point. The final was 42-32, with Tampa Bay going to 4-4 and Oakland dropping to 3-5.
Up north, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a first quarter Adrian Peterson 1 yard touchdown run, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. Seattle tied it as Russell Wilson passed 6 yards to Golden Tate for a touchdown, and Steven Hauschka booted the extra point. The Seahawks gained the lead as Wilson found Sidney Rice for 11 yards and a touchdown, followed by a Hauschka extra point. The Vikings tied it in the second quarter with a 4 yard Peterson touchdown run, and Walsh's extra point was the equalizer. Minnesota took the lead with a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. Seattle took the lead back as Wilson found Tate for 11 yards and another touchdown, but Hauschka was blocked on the extra point attempt. The Seahawks extended the lead with a third quarter 3 yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, and Hauschka made the extra point this time. The Vikings replied with a 55 yard field goal by Walsh. Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 40 yard field goal. This stood up for a 30-20 win, and both teams are now 5-4.
Back east, the New York Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh opened in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham handled the extra point. New York tied it when Andre Brown ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Lawrence Tynes made the extra point. The Giants took the lead as Roethlisberger's fumble was recovered by Michael Boley and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes extra point. The Steelers got some back as Suisham made a 30 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Tynes made a 50 yard field goal in the third quarter. The Giants struck again as Tynes made a 23 yard field goal. Pittsburgh answered with Roethlisberger passing 51 yards to Mike Wallace for a touchdown, and Suisham booted the PAT. The Steelers took the lead with an Isaac Redman touchdown run of 1 yard, and Suisham made the extra point. This held up for a 24-20 final, and Pittsburgh goes to 5-3 while the Giants are now 6-3.
For the Night game, the Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas began with a first quarter Dan Bailey 23 yard field goal. The Cowboys added on as Bailey nailed a 32 yard field goal. Atlanta got on the board in the second quarter as Matt Bryant made a 45 yard field goal. The Falcons tied it as Bryant was true from 46 yards for a field goal. Atlanta gained the lead in the fourth quarter on a Michael Turner 3 yard touchdown run, and Bryant was true with the PAT. The Falcons padded the lead as Bryant kicked in a 36 yard field goal. Dallas shot back as Tony Romo passed 21 yards to Kevin Ogletree, and Bailey handled the extra point. Atlanta padded the lead on a Bryant 32 yard field goal. This made it 19-13, the final, with Atlanta moving to 8-0 while the Cowboys fall to 3-5.
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The Oakland Raiders hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oakland started with a Sebastian Janikowski field goal of 29 yards in the first quarter. Tampa Bay took the lead in the second quarter on a Josh Freeman 20 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson, and Connor Barth nailed the extra point. The Raiders took the lead as Carson Palmer passed 25 yards to Rod Streater for a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the PAT. The Buccaneers took the lead back in the third quarter as Doug Martin ran 45 yards for a touchdown, and Barth was true with the extra point. Tampa Bay extended their lead when Freeman found Mike Williams for 4 yards and a touchdown, and Barth booted the extra point. The Buccaneers padded the lead again on a Martin touchdown run of 67 yards, and Barth iced the drive with the extra point. Oakland pulled back a little bit as Palmer passed 4 yards to Brandon Myers for a touchdown, and Janikowski made the extra point. Tampa Bay extended the lead as Martin ran 70 yards for a touchdown, and Barth dutifully kicked the extra point. The Raiders shot back as Palmer and Myers hooked up for a 1 yard touchdown connection, and Janikowski booted the extra point. Oakland chipped closer with Palmer passing 13 yards to Marcel Reese before finding Juron Criner on the two-point attempt. The Buccaneers put it away with Martin's fourth touchdown run of the game, a 1 yard rush, capped off by the Barth extra point. The final was 42-32, with Tampa Bay going to 4-4 and Oakland dropping to 3-5.
Up north, the Seattle Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota led off with a first quarter Adrian Peterson 1 yard touchdown run, and Blair Walsh made the extra point. Seattle tied it as Russell Wilson passed 6 yards to Golden Tate for a touchdown, and Steven Hauschka booted the extra point. The Seahawks gained the lead as Wilson found Sidney Rice for 11 yards and a touchdown, followed by a Hauschka extra point. The Vikings tied it in the second quarter with a 4 yard Peterson touchdown run, and Walsh's extra point was the equalizer. Minnesota took the lead with a Walsh field goal of 36 yards. Seattle took the lead back as Wilson found Tate for 11 yards and another touchdown, but Hauschka was blocked on the extra point attempt. The Seahawks extended the lead with a third quarter 3 yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, and Hauschka made the extra point this time. The Vikings replied with a 55 yard field goal by Walsh. Seattle extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Hauschka made a 40 yard field goal. This stood up for a 30-20 win, and both teams are now 5-4.
Back east, the New York Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh opened in the second quarter as Ben Roethlisberger passed 4 yards to Emmanuel Sanders for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham handled the extra point. New York tied it when Andre Brown ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Lawrence Tynes made the extra point. The Giants took the lead as Roethlisberger's fumble was recovered by Michael Boley and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes extra point. The Steelers got some back as Suisham made a 30 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Tynes made a 50 yard field goal in the third quarter. The Giants struck again as Tynes made a 23 yard field goal. Pittsburgh answered with Roethlisberger passing 51 yards to Mike Wallace for a touchdown, and Suisham booted the PAT. The Steelers took the lead with an Isaac Redman touchdown run of 1 yard, and Suisham made the extra point. This held up for a 24-20 final, and Pittsburgh goes to 5-3 while the Giants are now 6-3.
For the Night game, the Atlanta Falcons host the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas began with a first quarter Dan Bailey 23 yard field goal. The Cowboys added on as Bailey nailed a 32 yard field goal. Atlanta got on the board in the second quarter as Matt Bryant made a 45 yard field goal. The Falcons tied it as Bryant was true from 46 yards for a field goal. Atlanta gained the lead in the fourth quarter on a Michael Turner 3 yard touchdown run, and Bryant was true with the PAT. The Falcons padded the lead as Bryant kicked in a 36 yard field goal. Dallas shot back as Tony Romo passed 21 yards to Kevin Ogletree, and Bailey handled the extra point. Atlanta padded the lead on a Bryant 32 yard field goal. This made it 19-13, the final, with Atlanta moving to 8-0 while the Cowboys fall to 3-5.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
NFL Morning Games Week 9 2012
Back to splitting the games up again. Eight games roll early, beginning with...
The Indianapolis Colts hosting the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off with a first quarter Dan Carpenter field goal of 37 yards. Indianapolis took the lead as Andrew Luck passed 9 yards to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. The Dolphins took the lead in the second quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 31 yards to Charles Clay, and Carpenter handled the extra point. The Colts retied it when Vinatieri kicked a 23 yard field goal. Miami took the lead back with an 18 yard Reggie Bush touchdown rush, and Carpenter booted the extra point. Indianapolis pulled back a bit with a Vinatieri 47 yard field goal. The Colts gained the lead when Luck passed 36 yards to T.Y. Hilton, and Vinatieri was good with the extra point. The Dolphins retied it in the fourth quarter as Carpenter nailed a 31 yard field goal. Indianapolis edged ahead on a Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards out. This was all they needed to win 23-20, with the Colts now standing at 5-3 while Miami falls to 4-4.
Down in Houston, the Texans host the Buffalo Bills. Houston began with a first quarter Matt Schaub touchdown pass of 39 yards to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was there with the extra point. Buffalo got on the board as Rian Lindell kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Bills got closer with a 38 yard field goal by Lindell. The Texans extended the lead in the third quarter on an Arian Foster 3 yard touchdown run, and Graham kicked the extra point. Buffalo replied as Lindell made a 39 yard field goal. Houston padded the lead as Schaub passed 5 yards to Garrett Graham for a touchdown, and then the other Graham made the PAT. This held up for a 21-9 win, with Houston now at 7-1 and Buffalo fell to 3-5.
Back north a bit, the Cleveland Browns welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore got going with a first quarter Ray Rice touchdown run of 8 yards, and Justin Tucker booted the extra point. The Ravens added on as Bernard Pierce ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Tucker again made the extra point. Cleveland got on the board in the second quarter with a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal. The Browns got closer as Dawson made a 28 yard field goal. Cleveland chipped away with a Dawson 29 yard field goal. The Browns kept going in the third quarter as Dawson made a 33 yard field goal. Cleveland got the lead as Dawson made a fourth quarter 41 yard field goal. Baltimore pulled back in front with a Joe Flacco touchdown pass of 19 yards to Torrey Smith, followed by a successful two point conversion to Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added on as Tucker made a 43 yard field goal. This ended the scoring at 25-15, with Baltimore improving to 6-2 and Cleveland dropping to 2-7.
Across Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos. Denver was first to score with a first quarter field goal by Matt Prater from 43 yards away. Cincinnati tied it in the second quarter on a Mike Nugent field goal from 28 yards out. The Broncos took the lead in the second quarter with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Eric Decker, and Prater kicked in the extra point. Denver extended the lead on a 105 yard kickoff return in the third quarter by Trindon Holliday, and Prater supplied the extra point. The Bengals answered as Andy Dalton passed 10 yards for a touchdown to A.J. Green, and Nugent knocked in the extra point. Cincinnati pulled closer with a 49 field goal from Nugent. The Bengals took the lead in the fourth quarter as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Nugent tacked on the extra point. The Broncos shot back when Manning passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Joel Dreessen, and Prater made his extra point. Denver kept going with a Manning pass of 4 yards to Decker for another touchdown, and Prater was true with the extra point. Nugent pulled Cincinnati in range with a 41 yard field goal, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 31-23 loss. The Broncos are now 5-3 while the Bengals drop to 3-5.
South to Tennessee, where the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears. Chicago started with a first quarter blocked punt as Brett Kern tried to kick the ball away, allowing Corey Wootton to pick the ball up and run it in 5 yards for a touchdown, and Robbie Gould ended the play with an extra point. Tennessee got on the board as Chicago committed a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears padded the lead on an 8 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago struck again as Brian Urlacher picked off Matt Hasselbeck and ran it in 46 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gould another PAT. The Bears kept going as Jay Cutler passed 13 yards to Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould kicked the extra point. Chicago added on in the second quarter as Gould made a 40 yard field goal. The Titans answered with a Rob Bironas 39 yard field goal. Tennessee chipped away in the third quarter as Hasselbeck passed 30 yards to Nate Washington for a touchdown, and Bironas recorded the extra point. The Bears replied on a 25 yard Gould field goal. Chicago got some more as Gould was good with a 22 yard field goal. The Bears extended the lead again in the fourth quarter as Cutler passed 39 yards to Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould was again true with the extra point. Chicago struck again when Cutler found Marshall for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Gould was there for the extra point. The Titans pulled back with an 80 yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson, and the two point attempt from Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt was also good. They got no closer, falling 51-20, allowing the Bears to move to 7-1 while the Titans fall to 3-6.
Southeast to Jacksonville, as the Jaguars bring in the Detroit Lions. Detroit got going in the second quarter as Mikel LeShoure ran 7 yards for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson was true on the PAT. The Lions added on as LeShoure ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Hanson made another extra point. Detroit kept going with a third touchdown rush by LeShoure, an 8 yard run, and Hanson kicked the extra point again. The Lions extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Hanson kicked a 42 yard field goal. Jacksonville got on the board as Blaine Gabbert passed 5 yards to Micheal Spurlock for a touchdown, and then he converted the two point attempt to Rashad Jennings. Detroit replied with Joique Bell running 10 yards for a touchdown, and Hanson knocked in the extra point. The Jaguars answered back as Gabbert passed 6 yards to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown, but he failed to convert the two-point attempt. This made it 31-14, a final, with Detroit moving to 4-4 and Jacksonville dropping to 1-7.
Back to the north, the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay opened in the first quarter as Aaron Rodgers passed 13 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby kicked in the extra point. Arizona tied the game in the second quarter as LaRod Stephens-Howling ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Jay Feely made the extra point. The Packers took the lead back on another Rodgers touchdown pass to Cobb, this time for 21 yards, and Crosby again made the PAT. Green Bay got some more as Rodgers found James Jones for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby was true on the extra point. The Packers struck again in the third quarter as Crosby made a 33 yard field goal. The Cardinals got some back with John Skelton passing 31 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown, and Feely tacked on the extra point. Arizona got some back with a 20 yard Feely field goal. Green Bay answered as Rodgers passed 72 yards for a touchdown to Tom Crabtree, and Crosby supplied the extra point. This concluded the scoring at 31-17, with Green Bay now standing at 6-3 while Arizona dips to 4-5.
Finally, the early games end in DC, as the Washington Redskins host the Carolina Panthers. Washington struck first in the first quarter as Kai Forbath kicked a 47 yard field goal. Carolina took the lead as DeAngelo Williamsran farther than he has all year ran 30 yards for a touchdown, and Justin Medlock handled the extra point. The Panthers added on in the second quarter as Cam Newton passed 19 yards to Steve Smith, and Medlock made the extra point. The Redskins pulled back in the third quarter as Forbath made a 25 yard field goal. Carolina extended the lead with a fourth quarter Newton touchdown run, iced off by Medlock's extra point. Washington tried a late rally as Evan Royster ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Forbath booted the PAT, but this only made it 21-13 final. Carolina is now 2-6 while Washington falls to 3-6.
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The Indianapolis Colts hosting the Miami Dolphins. Miami led off with a first quarter Dan Carpenter field goal of 37 yards. Indianapolis took the lead as Andrew Luck passed 9 yards to Reggie Wayne for a touchdown, and Adam Vinatieri knocked in the extra point. The Dolphins took the lead in the second quarter as Ryan Tannehill passed 31 yards to Charles Clay, and Carpenter handled the extra point. The Colts retied it when Vinatieri kicked a 23 yard field goal. Miami took the lead back with an 18 yard Reggie Bush touchdown rush, and Carpenter booted the extra point. Indianapolis pulled back a bit with a Vinatieri 47 yard field goal. The Colts gained the lead when Luck passed 36 yards to T.Y. Hilton, and Vinatieri was good with the extra point. The Dolphins retied it in the fourth quarter as Carpenter nailed a 31 yard field goal. Indianapolis edged ahead on a Vinatieri field goal from 43 yards out. This was all they needed to win 23-20, with the Colts now standing at 5-3 while Miami falls to 4-4.
Down in Houston, the Texans host the Buffalo Bills. Houston began with a first quarter Matt Schaub touchdown pass of 39 yards to Owen Daniels, and Shayne Graham was there with the extra point. Buffalo got on the board as Rian Lindell kicked in a 22 yard field goal. The Bills got closer with a 38 yard field goal by Lindell. The Texans extended the lead in the third quarter on an Arian Foster 3 yard touchdown run, and Graham kicked the extra point. Buffalo replied as Lindell made a 39 yard field goal. Houston padded the lead as Schaub passed 5 yards to Garrett Graham for a touchdown, and then the other Graham made the PAT. This held up for a 21-9 win, with Houston now at 7-1 and Buffalo fell to 3-5.
Back north a bit, the Cleveland Browns welcome the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore got going with a first quarter Ray Rice touchdown run of 8 yards, and Justin Tucker booted the extra point. The Ravens added on as Bernard Pierce ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Tucker again made the extra point. Cleveland got on the board in the second quarter with a Phil Dawson 32 yard field goal. The Browns got closer as Dawson made a 28 yard field goal. Cleveland chipped away with a Dawson 29 yard field goal. The Browns kept going in the third quarter as Dawson made a 33 yard field goal. Cleveland got the lead as Dawson made a fourth quarter 41 yard field goal. Baltimore pulled back in front with a Joe Flacco touchdown pass of 19 yards to Torrey Smith, followed by a successful two point conversion to Anquan Boldin. The Ravens added on as Tucker made a 43 yard field goal. This ended the scoring at 25-15, with Baltimore improving to 6-2 and Cleveland dropping to 2-7.
Across Ohio, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos. Denver was first to score with a first quarter field goal by Matt Prater from 43 yards away. Cincinnati tied it in the second quarter on a Mike Nugent field goal from 28 yards out. The Broncos took the lead in the second quarter with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Eric Decker, and Prater kicked in the extra point. Denver extended the lead on a 105 yard kickoff return in the third quarter by Trindon Holliday, and Prater supplied the extra point. The Bengals answered as Andy Dalton passed 10 yards for a touchdown to A.J. Green, and Nugent knocked in the extra point. Cincinnati pulled closer with a 49 field goal from Nugent. The Bengals took the lead in the fourth quarter as BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran 2 yards for a touchdown, and Nugent tacked on the extra point. The Broncos shot back when Manning passed 1 yard for a touchdown to Joel Dreessen, and Prater made his extra point. Denver kept going with a Manning pass of 4 yards to Decker for another touchdown, and Prater was true with the extra point. Nugent pulled Cincinnati in range with a 41 yard field goal, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 31-23 loss. The Broncos are now 5-3 while the Bengals drop to 3-5.
South to Tennessee, where the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears. Chicago started with a first quarter blocked punt as Brett Kern tried to kick the ball away, allowing Corey Wootton to pick the ball up and run it in 5 yards for a touchdown, and Robbie Gould ended the play with an extra point. Tennessee got on the board as Chicago committed a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Bears padded the lead on an 8 yard Matt Forte touchdown run, and Gould was there with the extra point. Chicago struck again as Brian Urlacher picked off Matt Hasselbeck and ran it in 46 yards for a touchdown, allowing Gould another PAT. The Bears kept going as Jay Cutler passed 13 yards to Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould kicked the extra point. Chicago added on in the second quarter as Gould made a 40 yard field goal. The Titans answered with a Rob Bironas 39 yard field goal. Tennessee chipped away in the third quarter as Hasselbeck passed 30 yards to Nate Washington for a touchdown, and Bironas recorded the extra point. The Bears replied on a 25 yard Gould field goal. Chicago got some more as Gould was good with a 22 yard field goal. The Bears extended the lead again in the fourth quarter as Cutler passed 39 yards to Marshall for a touchdown, and Gould was again true with the extra point. Chicago struck again when Cutler found Marshall for 5 yards and a touchdown, and Gould was there for the extra point. The Titans pulled back with an 80 yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson, and the two point attempt from Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt was also good. They got no closer, falling 51-20, allowing the Bears to move to 7-1 while the Titans fall to 3-6.
Southeast to Jacksonville, as the Jaguars bring in the Detroit Lions. Detroit got going in the second quarter as Mikel LeShoure ran 7 yards for a touchdown, and Jason Hanson was true on the PAT. The Lions added on as LeShoure ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Hanson made another extra point. Detroit kept going with a third touchdown rush by LeShoure, an 8 yard run, and Hanson kicked the extra point again. The Lions extended the lead in the fourth quarter as Hanson kicked a 42 yard field goal. Jacksonville got on the board as Blaine Gabbert passed 5 yards to Micheal Spurlock for a touchdown, and then he converted the two point attempt to Rashad Jennings. Detroit replied with Joique Bell running 10 yards for a touchdown, and Hanson knocked in the extra point. The Jaguars answered back as Gabbert passed 6 yards to Justin Blackmon for a touchdown, but he failed to convert the two-point attempt. This made it 31-14, a final, with Detroit moving to 4-4 and Jacksonville dropping to 1-7.
Back to the north, the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay opened in the first quarter as Aaron Rodgers passed 13 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby kicked in the extra point. Arizona tied the game in the second quarter as LaRod Stephens-Howling ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Jay Feely made the extra point. The Packers took the lead back on another Rodgers touchdown pass to Cobb, this time for 21 yards, and Crosby again made the PAT. Green Bay got some more as Rodgers found James Jones for 28 yards and a touchdown, and Crosby was true on the extra point. The Packers struck again in the third quarter as Crosby made a 33 yard field goal. The Cardinals got some back with John Skelton passing 31 yards to Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown, and Feely tacked on the extra point. Arizona got some back with a 20 yard Feely field goal. Green Bay answered as Rodgers passed 72 yards for a touchdown to Tom Crabtree, and Crosby supplied the extra point. This concluded the scoring at 31-17, with Green Bay now standing at 6-3 while Arizona dips to 4-5.
Finally, the early games end in DC, as the Washington Redskins host the Carolina Panthers. Washington struck first in the first quarter as Kai Forbath kicked a 47 yard field goal. Carolina took the lead as DeAngelo Williams
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
KHL November 4th 2012
This is the last game until November 14th, so I get a pretty much immediate vacation from KHL work. So far, so good in my opinion. Just to let you all know, I will blog the KHL throughout the end of their postseason regardless of if the NHL returns from their work stoppage. Here's the last game to hold you over for awhile, with...
Dinamo Minsk hosting Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist tends the twine for Riga while Pekka Rinne does the same for Minsk. Minsk began in the first period with a goal by Alexander Kitarov, assisted by Alexander Kulakov and Lukas Krajicek. Minsk extended the lead in the second period as Tim Stapleton found the back of the net, with helpers provided by Geoff Platt and Teemu Laine. The third period saw no scoring, resulting in a 2-0 Minsk victory. The three stars belong to Rinne (27 save shutout), Kitarov, and Stapleton.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Dinamo Minsk hosting Dinamo Riga. Mikael Tellqvist tends the twine for Riga while Pekka Rinne does the same for Minsk. Minsk began in the first period with a goal by Alexander Kitarov, assisted by Alexander Kulakov and Lukas Krajicek. Minsk extended the lead in the second period as Tim Stapleton found the back of the net, with helpers provided by Geoff Platt and Teemu Laine. The third period saw no scoring, resulting in a 2-0 Minsk victory. The three stars belong to Rinne (27 save shutout), Kitarov, and Stapleton.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 7
How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a
one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San
Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the
players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the
postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general
manager. Part seven tells us the story of the interesting Aubrey Huff.
Aubrey Huff III was born on December 20, 1976, in Marion, Ohio. He grew up in Mineral Wells, Texas, and from age six onward, had the misfortune of living in a one-parent household after a tragic domestic dispute claimed the life of his father, who was a bystander when the altercation occurred. Despite the early scars, Huff was able to continue a life in sports, and at both Mineral Wells High School and Brewer High School in Fort Worth, Texas, he played baseball and basketball. Huff split his college time between Vernon College, and was named 1996 Most Valuable Player, before transferring to the University of Miami for his last two years. At University of Miami, he had the following accomplishments to his name: single game runs record (5), most doubles in a game (4), both in his junior year, and in his senior year he had the fourth-best batting average for a single season at .412, second best slugging percentage, .768, twenty-one home runs (fifth best), and a record ninety-five runs batted in. Baseball America, The Sporting News, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named him a first team All-American. His career .400 batting average and .719 slugging percentage at University of Miami earned him a spot in their Sports Hall of Fame. In 1998, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him in the fifth round. He spent time during that season at the Class A level Charleston RiverDogs, in the South Atlantic League. In 1999, he played the full season with the Class AA Orlando Rays of the Southern League. His numbers remained strong at both levels, as he held his average over .300 and hit for a modest amount of power and run production. In 2000, he made another step up to play with the Class AAA Durham Bulls of Durham, North Carolina in the International League. He was with them until the beginning of August, again posting numbers north of .300 with twenty home runs and seventy-six runs batted in. From August 1st to the end of the year, Huff was with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, playing mostly third base in a starting role, where he hit .287 with four home runs and fourteen runs batted in during the two-month span of time. He began the 2001 season in Durham again, but joined the Rays on April 13th, manning the corner infield positions and occasionally appearing as the designated hitter as well. His numbers fell off dramatically for the whole season, as he struggled to hit the ground running in his first full season, and he was even sent back to Durham in late August. It was his worst season at the time. He again started the season at Durham in 2002, after spending time on the disabled list due to a broken cheekbone. He started very strong in Durham, and earned a late May call-up, resulting in him staying with Tampa Bay for the rest of the season. He hit .313 with twenty-three home runs and fifty-nine runs batted in throughout the year in a very strong rebound campaign. His home run total led the team despite his missing the first two months of the season. In 2003, he had two new things happen. First, he began the year and played the entire season with the Devil Rays, appearing in all 162 games. He also became the starting right fielder, his first professional experience in the outfield. This was a defining season for Huff, who batted .311 with thirty-four home runs and 107 runs batted in, falling just two hits short of two hundred. His total numbers for the year have been matched only by eleven players in the history of the major leagues. In 2004, Huff went back to third base, and his numbers experienced a negligible decline, hitting .297 with twenty-nine home runs and 104 runs batted in. His 398 game streak of starts ended on August 22nd, when he sat out with a back injury. The 2005 season saw Huff go back to right field, but his numbers took a second drop, with a .261 batting average, twenty-two home runs, and ninety-two runs batted in. He did achieve his 100th home run and first grand slam during the season, but overall it was a disappointing effort for the versatile Huff. For the 2006 season, Huff transitioned back to third base, and his numbers made a slight improvement. He made his first appearance on the disabled list on April 12th with a knee injury, and he made his rehabilitation appearances with Visalia Oaks in the Class A Advanced California League. He hit .283 with the Devils Rays during this time, but he was deemed expendable on July 12, 2006, as he was traded with cash to the Houston Astros in exchange for Mitch Talbot and eventual utility man Ben Zobrist. His numbers with the Astros were worse than those he had with Tampa Bay, and he struggled to find his form for the rest of the year. On January 3, 2007, he signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Orioles. With the Orioles, he played some first base and served time as the designated hitter. He rebounded here, hitting .280 in his first season, and he also hit fifteen home runs with seventy-two runs batted in. On June 29th, he became the fourth Orioles player to hit for the cycle, and also recorded his 1,000th hit and 200th double in the same game. In 2008, he switched his number in honor of a former teammate, Joe Kennedy, which saw Huff wear number 17. Huff played inspired baseball that season, regaining his early career numbers in full fashion by hitting .304 with thirty-two home runs and 108 runs batted in. He was designated the team's Most Valuable Player, and was also the designated hitter of the year as recognized by the Edgar Martinez award. Alas, he failed to hold onto the strong numbers and suffered a very forgettable 2009 season. With the Orioles, he only managed a .253 average, and on August 17th, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for minor-leaguer Brett Jacobson. His limited time with the Tigers was even worse, and they did not bring him back for the 2010 season. The San Francisco Giants took the chance for 2010 with Huff, where he played first base, left field, and right field depending on the needs the lineup presented. The change of scenery served Huff well, as he helped the Giants reach the playoffs by posting a .290 average with twenty-six home runs and eighty-six runs batted in. He wasn't as effective in the playoffs, but his contribution of a .268 average with a home run and eight runs batted in were enough to help the Giants to the World Series Championship that year, and also earned him a contract extension. He also coined the phrase "Rally Thong" for the Giants postseason run, as he revealed he wore a red thong when the Giants needed a big win. In 2011, he continued to play for San Francisco, but the championship hangover appeared to wear on him a bit. Altogether, his numbers slumped drastically, and as regression (along with a key injury to Buster Posey) hit the Giants, they all failed to make the playoffs for a chance to defend their title. San Francisco made the rebound in 2012, but Huff was not on board, and his numbers dipped even lower, falling below the Mendoza line for the first time in a full season in his career. He spent three stints on the disabled list, struggling with anxiety issues and knee tendinitis. While his numbers were far from usual, he was still brought along for the ride on the postseason roster, making his appearances as a pinch hitter. His production in the postseason was also below average, but his presence on the roster earned him his second championship in three years. Considering all that he's been through, I wish him the best as he makes an attempt to rebound somewhere new next season.
As an aside, since we are now one week into this project, I would like to give credit where credit is due. I get my information and season statistics from Yahoo! Sports, personal information and accomplishments from Wikipedia.org, and minor league statistics, transaction information, and position information from Baseball-Reference.com. Without these well operated websites, this project would not be possible and I thank their dedication to accurate information for allowing me to dabble in the art of journalism. If you would like to cite my articles from the How They Got Here series, please also mention the above websites. Thank You.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
Aubrey Huff III was born on December 20, 1976, in Marion, Ohio. He grew up in Mineral Wells, Texas, and from age six onward, had the misfortune of living in a one-parent household after a tragic domestic dispute claimed the life of his father, who was a bystander when the altercation occurred. Despite the early scars, Huff was able to continue a life in sports, and at both Mineral Wells High School and Brewer High School in Fort Worth, Texas, he played baseball and basketball. Huff split his college time between Vernon College, and was named 1996 Most Valuable Player, before transferring to the University of Miami for his last two years. At University of Miami, he had the following accomplishments to his name: single game runs record (5), most doubles in a game (4), both in his junior year, and in his senior year he had the fourth-best batting average for a single season at .412, second best slugging percentage, .768, twenty-one home runs (fifth best), and a record ninety-five runs batted in. Baseball America, The Sporting News, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named him a first team All-American. His career .400 batting average and .719 slugging percentage at University of Miami earned him a spot in their Sports Hall of Fame. In 1998, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted him in the fifth round. He spent time during that season at the Class A level Charleston RiverDogs, in the South Atlantic League. In 1999, he played the full season with the Class AA Orlando Rays of the Southern League. His numbers remained strong at both levels, as he held his average over .300 and hit for a modest amount of power and run production. In 2000, he made another step up to play with the Class AAA Durham Bulls of Durham, North Carolina in the International League. He was with them until the beginning of August, again posting numbers north of .300 with twenty home runs and seventy-six runs batted in. From August 1st to the end of the year, Huff was with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, playing mostly third base in a starting role, where he hit .287 with four home runs and fourteen runs batted in during the two-month span of time. He began the 2001 season in Durham again, but joined the Rays on April 13th, manning the corner infield positions and occasionally appearing as the designated hitter as well. His numbers fell off dramatically for the whole season, as he struggled to hit the ground running in his first full season, and he was even sent back to Durham in late August. It was his worst season at the time. He again started the season at Durham in 2002, after spending time on the disabled list due to a broken cheekbone. He started very strong in Durham, and earned a late May call-up, resulting in him staying with Tampa Bay for the rest of the season. He hit .313 with twenty-three home runs and fifty-nine runs batted in throughout the year in a very strong rebound campaign. His home run total led the team despite his missing the first two months of the season. In 2003, he had two new things happen. First, he began the year and played the entire season with the Devil Rays, appearing in all 162 games. He also became the starting right fielder, his first professional experience in the outfield. This was a defining season for Huff, who batted .311 with thirty-four home runs and 107 runs batted in, falling just two hits short of two hundred. His total numbers for the year have been matched only by eleven players in the history of the major leagues. In 2004, Huff went back to third base, and his numbers experienced a negligible decline, hitting .297 with twenty-nine home runs and 104 runs batted in. His 398 game streak of starts ended on August 22nd, when he sat out with a back injury. The 2005 season saw Huff go back to right field, but his numbers took a second drop, with a .261 batting average, twenty-two home runs, and ninety-two runs batted in. He did achieve his 100th home run and first grand slam during the season, but overall it was a disappointing effort for the versatile Huff. For the 2006 season, Huff transitioned back to third base, and his numbers made a slight improvement. He made his first appearance on the disabled list on April 12th with a knee injury, and he made his rehabilitation appearances with Visalia Oaks in the Class A Advanced California League. He hit .283 with the Devils Rays during this time, but he was deemed expendable on July 12, 2006, as he was traded with cash to the Houston Astros in exchange for Mitch Talbot and eventual utility man Ben Zobrist. His numbers with the Astros were worse than those he had with Tampa Bay, and he struggled to find his form for the rest of the year. On January 3, 2007, he signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Orioles. With the Orioles, he played some first base and served time as the designated hitter. He rebounded here, hitting .280 in his first season, and he also hit fifteen home runs with seventy-two runs batted in. On June 29th, he became the fourth Orioles player to hit for the cycle, and also recorded his 1,000th hit and 200th double in the same game. In 2008, he switched his number in honor of a former teammate, Joe Kennedy, which saw Huff wear number 17. Huff played inspired baseball that season, regaining his early career numbers in full fashion by hitting .304 with thirty-two home runs and 108 runs batted in. He was designated the team's Most Valuable Player, and was also the designated hitter of the year as recognized by the Edgar Martinez award. Alas, he failed to hold onto the strong numbers and suffered a very forgettable 2009 season. With the Orioles, he only managed a .253 average, and on August 17th, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for minor-leaguer Brett Jacobson. His limited time with the Tigers was even worse, and they did not bring him back for the 2010 season. The San Francisco Giants took the chance for 2010 with Huff, where he played first base, left field, and right field depending on the needs the lineup presented. The change of scenery served Huff well, as he helped the Giants reach the playoffs by posting a .290 average with twenty-six home runs and eighty-six runs batted in. He wasn't as effective in the playoffs, but his contribution of a .268 average with a home run and eight runs batted in were enough to help the Giants to the World Series Championship that year, and also earned him a contract extension. He also coined the phrase "Rally Thong" for the Giants postseason run, as he revealed he wore a red thong when the Giants needed a big win. In 2011, he continued to play for San Francisco, but the championship hangover appeared to wear on him a bit. Altogether, his numbers slumped drastically, and as regression (along with a key injury to Buster Posey) hit the Giants, they all failed to make the playoffs for a chance to defend their title. San Francisco made the rebound in 2012, but Huff was not on board, and his numbers dipped even lower, falling below the Mendoza line for the first time in a full season in his career. He spent three stints on the disabled list, struggling with anxiety issues and knee tendinitis. While his numbers were far from usual, he was still brought along for the ride on the postseason roster, making his appearances as a pinch hitter. His production in the postseason was also below average, but his presence on the roster earned him his second championship in three years. Considering all that he's been through, I wish him the best as he makes an attempt to rebound somewhere new next season.
As an aside, since we are now one week into this project, I would like to give credit where credit is due. I get my information and season statistics from Yahoo! Sports, personal information and accomplishments from Wikipedia.org, and minor league statistics, transaction information, and position information from Baseball-Reference.com. Without these well operated websites, this project would not be possible and I thank their dedication to accurate information for allowing me to dabble in the art of journalism. If you would like to cite my articles from the How They Got Here series, please also mention the above websites. Thank You.
Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.
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