OOC: The following is a fully fictionalized account of the career of a MiLB player looking to make the Major Leagues. His name is Kevin Walsh, a 23-yr old SP out of the University of Richmond, and this story is told through his own eyes.
___________________________
February 15th, 2007
Hey what's up guys, my name is Kevin Walsh I am a SP in the Texas Rangers organization, I am 23-yr old, and proudly single. So your probably wondering about my career so far. Well here is how it went, I played ultra-competitively throughout my young childhood, but then abruptly quit after 8th grade and transitioned into Ice Hockey where I learned to become a goalie, and in my senior year of high school I really blossmed, I was not only a state champion but also an All-Star, and over my final 10 games I posted the lowest GAA in the state. After graduation I went off to the University of Richmond, and played a little club ACHA hockey in the winter, it was a blast and I played for two years, but every spring I joined the club baseball team.
That experience was interesting I hadn't played in 5 years, but I was decent and at the plate I did okay. However it was in my sophomore year when I began pitching for the team. I found out really quickly that I really loved pitching and that I still had amazing control, but really only threw fastballs (not that fast) and a change. Needless to say as a junior I walked on the the Spiders D1 team. That year I learned how to pitch properly, and actually got into 3 games, going 4 innings allowing 7 hits and 3 ER, striking out no one, and walking 1. Overall though I was pleased. As a senior I finally made the team full-time, and ultimately became a really solid pitcher for the team going 3-1 in 41 innings, allowing only 16 ER and scattering 53 hits. The most impressive thing was the 17 K's and only 14 BB's. I was really pleased and on May 12th 2006 I graduated with a degree in business. I was all set to move to Cherry Hill, NJ and take a desk job with a company who recruited me with a nice $50,000 offer. Then my cell rang, it was the coach at Richmond who was calling to inform me that three major league organizations had expressed interest in me. The Atlanta Braves, the Tampa Rays, and my beloved Texas Rangers. I fielded all the offers, and ultimately moved to Surprise, AZ and joined the Texas Rangers. My first two weeks were spent dominating the AZL so I was reassigned on June 24, 2006 to the Low-A Clinton Lumberkings, where I was decently successful and on August 15th, 2006 I was promoted again to the Bakersfield Blaze. In Bakersfield I made 3 appearances, 2 starts, and some how coupled with junkballer Danny Ray Herrera managed to dominate the Cali League. I pitched 14 innings allowing only 3 ER's striking out 6 walking only 2 and allowing only 8 hits. It was so successful the team has invited me to major league camp this year as a Non-Roster Invitee. So with that I got to camp yesterday and found my beautiful gear hanging right next to the other NRI's. I am currently sitting here in my #89 jersey, no name on the back. And if all goes well I might be appearing in MLB games in a few weeks.
Peace,
Kevin.
___________________________
February 15th, 2007
Hey what's up guys, my name is Kevin Walsh I am a SP in the Texas Rangers organization, I am 23-yr old, and proudly single. So your probably wondering about my career so far. Well here is how it went, I played ultra-competitively throughout my young childhood, but then abruptly quit after 8th grade and transitioned into Ice Hockey where I learned to become a goalie, and in my senior year of high school I really blossmed, I was not only a state champion but also an All-Star, and over my final 10 games I posted the lowest GAA in the state. After graduation I went off to the University of Richmond, and played a little club ACHA hockey in the winter, it was a blast and I played for two years, but every spring I joined the club baseball team.
That experience was interesting I hadn't played in 5 years, but I was decent and at the plate I did okay. However it was in my sophomore year when I began pitching for the team. I found out really quickly that I really loved pitching and that I still had amazing control, but really only threw fastballs (not that fast) and a change. Needless to say as a junior I walked on the the Spiders D1 team. That year I learned how to pitch properly, and actually got into 3 games, going 4 innings allowing 7 hits and 3 ER, striking out no one, and walking 1. Overall though I was pleased. As a senior I finally made the team full-time, and ultimately became a really solid pitcher for the team going 3-1 in 41 innings, allowing only 16 ER and scattering 53 hits. The most impressive thing was the 17 K's and only 14 BB's. I was really pleased and on May 12th 2006 I graduated with a degree in business. I was all set to move to Cherry Hill, NJ and take a desk job with a company who recruited me with a nice $50,000 offer. Then my cell rang, it was the coach at Richmond who was calling to inform me that three major league organizations had expressed interest in me. The Atlanta Braves, the Tampa Rays, and my beloved Texas Rangers. I fielded all the offers, and ultimately moved to Surprise, AZ and joined the Texas Rangers. My first two weeks were spent dominating the AZL so I was reassigned on June 24, 2006 to the Low-A Clinton Lumberkings, where I was decently successful and on August 15th, 2006 I was promoted again to the Bakersfield Blaze. In Bakersfield I made 3 appearances, 2 starts, and some how coupled with junkballer Danny Ray Herrera managed to dominate the Cali League. I pitched 14 innings allowing only 3 ER's striking out 6 walking only 2 and allowing only 8 hits. It was so successful the team has invited me to major league camp this year as a Non-Roster Invitee. So with that I got to camp yesterday and found my beautiful gear hanging right next to the other NRI's. I am currently sitting here in my #89 jersey, no name on the back. And if all goes well I might be appearing in MLB games in a few weeks.
Peace,
Kevin.
Comment