This is the stuff movies are made of. The Minnesota Twins have signed Brandon Poulson, a 24-year-old pitching prospect who can hurl 100 mph fastballs but has never been drafted.
''You just don't see stuff like this every day,'' Twins scout Elliott Strankman told the Associated Press. ''It's one of those great days as a scout you hope you have every five years.''
The Twins had heard about Poulson from his recent season with the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he had an 8.38 ERA.
At Academy of Art's scout day last fall, Strankman witnessed Poulson sprint the 60-yard dash in 6.6 seconds flat . . . wearing just socks. He also showed off a 40-inch vertical leap.
''I had cold legs,'' Poulson told AP. ''Maybe I would have run it faster.''
The 6-foot-6, 240-pound right hander had joined the Academy of Art team after taking a couple years off (before that, he'd played baseball and football at Santa Rosa Junior College), working in his father's excavating business — driving 18-wheelers, front-loaders and backhoes — with the idea that he'd take over the trade someday.
'I went to work with my father and didn't want to gamble with sports anymore,'' Poulson told AP.
He later changed his mind and spent months working on his hurling technique with Healdsburg Prune Packers pitching coach Caleb Balbuena in the collegiate summer league.
Poulson's stats this summer: 31 strikeouts and just six hits allowed in 12 1-3 innings, with four saves in 12 appearances.
It was at the Prune Packers game on July 15 that Twins scout Strankman decided to go see Poulson pitch. It took all of 18 throws to convince him that this guy was the real deal.
''He's a physical specimen. He's got the best pure arm strength I've ever seen,'' Strankman told AP.
Two days later, Poulson signed with the Twins, despite also drawing interest from the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies. Ultimately, the teams didn't have enough money left in their draft pool to match Minnesota's $250,000 — about 10 times more than an undrafted player would typically receive.
Poulson said one of his first purchases will be a therapy device to help his father with his diabetes.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Hall of Fame Class of 2014
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Frank Thomas choked back tears, Joe Torre apologized for leaving people out of his speech and Tony La Russa said he felt uneasy.
Being enshrined in the Hall of Fame can have those effects, even on the greats.
Thomas, pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, and managers Bobby Cox, Torre and La Russa were inducted into the baseball shrine Sunday, and all paid special tribute to their families before an adoring crowd of nearly 50,000.
The 46-year old Thomas, the first player elected to the Hall who spent more than half of his time as a designated hitter, batted .301 with 521 home runs and 1,704 RBIs in a 19-year career mostly with the Chicago White Sox. He’s the only player in major league history to log seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks.
Ever the diplomat as a manager, Torre somehow managed to assuage the most demanding of owners in George Steinbrenner, maintaining his coolness amid all the Bronx craziness while keeping all those egos in check after taking over in 1996. The result: 10 division titles, six AL pennants and four World Series triumphs in 12 years as he helped restore the luster to baseball’s most successful franchise and resurrected his own career after three firings.
Torre, the only man to amass more than 2,000 hits (2,342) and win more than 2,000 games as a manager, was last to speak, and in closing delivered a familiar message.
“Baseball is a game of life. It’s not perfect, but it feels like it is,” said the 74-year-old Torre, who apologized afterward for forgetting to include the Steinbrenner family in his speech. “That’s the magic of it. We are responsible for giving it the respect it deserves. Our sport is part of the American soul, and it’s ours to borrow — just for a while.”
“If all of us who love baseball and are doing our jobs, then those who get the game from us will be as proud to be a part of it as we were. And we are. This game is a gift, and I am humbled, very humbled, to accept its greatest honor.”
The day was a reunion of sorts for the city of Atlanta. Glavine, Maddux and Cox were part of a remarkable run of success by the Braves. They won an unprecedented 14 straight division titles and made 15 playoff appearances, winning the city’s lone major professional sports title.
“I’m truly humbled to stand here before you,” Cox said. “To Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, and I have to mention the third member of the big three — John Smoltz — I can honestly say I would not be standing here if it weren’t for you guys.”
Smoltz, part of the MLB Network telecast of the event and eligible for induction next year, flashed a smile in return for the compliment.
Glavine was on the mound when the Braves won Game 6 to clinch the 1995 World Series, pitching one-hit ball over eight innings in a 1-0 victory over Cleveland. And the slender lefty was one of those rare athletes, drafted by the Braves and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.
The 48-year-old Maddux went 355-227 with a career ERA of 3.16 in 23 seasons with the Braves, Cubs, Padres and Dodgers and ranks eighth on the career wins list. He won four straight Cy Young Awards in the 1990s and won 15 or more games for 17 straight seasons with his pinpoint control.
“I spent 12 years in Chicago, 11 in Atlanta, and both places are very special,” Maddux said. “Without the experiences in both cities, I would not be standing here today.”
La Russa, who ranks third in career victories as a manager with 2,728, behind only Connie Mack and John McGraw, was chosen manager of the year four times and won 12 division titles, six pennants and three World Series titles in stints with the White Sox, Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals.
La Russa spoke from the heart. There was no written speech.
“It’s uncomfortable because I didn’t make it as a player. Not even close,” said La Russa, who made his big league debut as a teenage infielder with the 1963 Kansas City Athletics and appeared in just 132 games over six seasons, hitting .199 with no home runs. “Since December, I have not been comfortable with it. There’s no way to mention everybody, and that bothers me.”
“From managing parts of two years in the minor leagues, after thinking about all the other young managers who paid a lot of dues in the minor leagues and I get a chance and then I go into the big leagues with three organizations,” he said. “All that equates to me is I’m very, very fortunate. I’ve never put my arms around the fact that being really lucky is a Hall of Fame credential.”
Being enshrined in the Hall of Fame can have those effects, even on the greats.
Thomas, pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, and managers Bobby Cox, Torre and La Russa were inducted into the baseball shrine Sunday, and all paid special tribute to their families before an adoring crowd of nearly 50,000.
The 46-year old Thomas, the first player elected to the Hall who spent more than half of his time as a designated hitter, batted .301 with 521 home runs and 1,704 RBIs in a 19-year career mostly with the Chicago White Sox. He’s the only player in major league history to log seven straight seasons with a .300 average, 20 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 walks.
Ever the diplomat as a manager, Torre somehow managed to assuage the most demanding of owners in George Steinbrenner, maintaining his coolness amid all the Bronx craziness while keeping all those egos in check after taking over in 1996. The result: 10 division titles, six AL pennants and four World Series triumphs in 12 years as he helped restore the luster to baseball’s most successful franchise and resurrected his own career after three firings.
Torre, the only man to amass more than 2,000 hits (2,342) and win more than 2,000 games as a manager, was last to speak, and in closing delivered a familiar message.
“Baseball is a game of life. It’s not perfect, but it feels like it is,” said the 74-year-old Torre, who apologized afterward for forgetting to include the Steinbrenner family in his speech. “That’s the magic of it. We are responsible for giving it the respect it deserves. Our sport is part of the American soul, and it’s ours to borrow — just for a while.”
“If all of us who love baseball and are doing our jobs, then those who get the game from us will be as proud to be a part of it as we were. And we are. This game is a gift, and I am humbled, very humbled, to accept its greatest honor.”
The day was a reunion of sorts for the city of Atlanta. Glavine, Maddux and Cox were part of a remarkable run of success by the Braves. They won an unprecedented 14 straight division titles and made 15 playoff appearances, winning the city’s lone major professional sports title.
“I’m truly humbled to stand here before you,” Cox said. “To Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, and I have to mention the third member of the big three — John Smoltz — I can honestly say I would not be standing here if it weren’t for you guys.”
Smoltz, part of the MLB Network telecast of the event and eligible for induction next year, flashed a smile in return for the compliment.
Glavine was on the mound when the Braves won Game 6 to clinch the 1995 World Series, pitching one-hit ball over eight innings in a 1-0 victory over Cleveland. And the slender lefty was one of those rare athletes, drafted by the Braves and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.
The 48-year-old Maddux went 355-227 with a career ERA of 3.16 in 23 seasons with the Braves, Cubs, Padres and Dodgers and ranks eighth on the career wins list. He won four straight Cy Young Awards in the 1990s and won 15 or more games for 17 straight seasons with his pinpoint control.
“I spent 12 years in Chicago, 11 in Atlanta, and both places are very special,” Maddux said. “Without the experiences in both cities, I would not be standing here today.”
La Russa, who ranks third in career victories as a manager with 2,728, behind only Connie Mack and John McGraw, was chosen manager of the year four times and won 12 division titles, six pennants and three World Series titles in stints with the White Sox, Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals.
La Russa spoke from the heart. There was no written speech.
“It’s uncomfortable because I didn’t make it as a player. Not even close,” said La Russa, who made his big league debut as a teenage infielder with the 1963 Kansas City Athletics and appeared in just 132 games over six seasons, hitting .199 with no home runs. “Since December, I have not been comfortable with it. There’s no way to mention everybody, and that bothers me.”
“From managing parts of two years in the minor leagues, after thinking about all the other young managers who paid a lot of dues in the minor leagues and I get a chance and then I go into the big leagues with three organizations,” he said. “All that equates to me is I’m very, very fortunate. I’ve never put my arms around the fact that being really lucky is a Hall of Fame credential.”
Monday, July 28, 2014
Kacy the American Ninja Warrior
Kacy Catanzaro just took kicking ass to the next level.
The former Division 1 Gymnast (she was named NCAA’s 2012 Southeast Regional Gymnast of the Year) competed on Monday's American Ninja Warrior and absolutely killed it. At only 5 feet tall and 100 pounds, she became the first female contestant to qualify for ANW's final round — and from what we can tell, barely broke a sweat in the process.
-- via facebook
The former Division 1 Gymnast (she was named NCAA’s 2012 Southeast Regional Gymnast of the Year) competed on Monday's American Ninja Warrior and absolutely killed it. At only 5 feet tall and 100 pounds, she became the first female contestant to qualify for ANW's final round — and from what we can tell, barely broke a sweat in the process.
-- via facebook
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Saturday, July 05, 2014
Gone in 16 seconds (by Ronda Rousey)
LAS VEGAS -- Rousey by KO is the new Rousey by armbar.
The UFC women's bantamweight champion had the most dominant performance of her dominant career, stopping Alexis Davis in 16 seconds.
The fight was a blur. Rousey wobbled Davis with a right hand behind the ear, landed a knee, used a judo throw to put Davis on the mat, and landed a series of undefended punches until Davis was unconscious.
The blinding finish of the UFC 175 co-main event sent a jolt through the Mandalay Bay Events Center crowd.
Of course, big things had been expected from Rousey, who came into the fight as 10-to-1 favorite, but most expected something a little ... longer.
Davis, a 7-year-pro, is renowned for her toughness, and most thought that combined with her Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt would at least offer some resistance. Instead, it was a blowout.
Amazingly, it was the 7th sub 1-minute win in Rousey's career, though it was the fastest among the bunch. She is now 10-0 after her second straight KO win. The last came against Sara McMann in February. Prior to that, all eight of her wins had come by armbar submission.
***
And in the co-main event, Weidman decisioned Machida
***
More from UFC 175.
The UFC women's bantamweight champion had the most dominant performance of her dominant career, stopping Alexis Davis in 16 seconds.
The fight was a blur. Rousey wobbled Davis with a right hand behind the ear, landed a knee, used a judo throw to put Davis on the mat, and landed a series of undefended punches until Davis was unconscious.
The blinding finish of the UFC 175 co-main event sent a jolt through the Mandalay Bay Events Center crowd.
Of course, big things had been expected from Rousey, who came into the fight as 10-to-1 favorite, but most expected something a little ... longer.
Davis, a 7-year-pro, is renowned for her toughness, and most thought that combined with her Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt would at least offer some resistance. Instead, it was a blowout.
Amazingly, it was the 7th sub 1-minute win in Rousey's career, though it was the fastest among the bunch. She is now 10-0 after her second straight KO win. The last came against Sara McMann in February. Prior to that, all eight of her wins had come by armbar submission.
***
And in the co-main event, Weidman decisioned Machida
***
More from UFC 175.
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