Top Prospects from 15 Years Ago

Was going through old minor league programs and found these interesting gems. The program was 1998 Midland Angels team who was at the time LAA Angels Double-A affiliate. They previewed teams of Texas League with small profile of club affiliate no. 1 prospect. The teams and affiliates at the time were this:

Midland Angels = LAA Angels
El Paso Diablos =  Milwaukee Brewers
San Antonio Missions = LA Dodgers
Jackson Generals = Houston Astros
Arkansas Travelers = St. Louis Cardinals
Shreveport Captains = SF Giants
Tulsa Drillers = Texas Rangers
Wichita Wranglers = KC Royals

The top prospects featured:

Eli Marerro - bounced back from cancer scare playing 10 years in majors. Spent 1997-2003 with Cardinals. He bounced through various teams in 2004-2006. Came full circle playing for Cardinals Triple-A team in 2007 his final year of playing. Currently manager of Reds Single-A affiliate team.

 

Valerio de los Santos -  spent 9 years in the majors with little success in journeyman career as he was turned from starter to reliever. Forever known as the pitcher who beaned Adam Greenberg in his first MLB at-bat.

Richard Hidalgo - had up and down career as he would have one good year then one off year like a see-saw. Had monster 2000 season with 44 homeruns, 122 RBIs, and .314 batting average looking like an All-Star.  He follow it up with 19 HR, 80 RBI, and batting .275 in 2001 with another low in 2002. Bounced back up in 2003 with 28 HR, 88 RBI, and batting .309. Astros cut their loss sending to the Mets in 2004. He played for Rangers in 2005, his last year in the majors. He made a comeback in 2008 and 2009.

 

Paul Konerko - 17 years in the league and still going strong with 6 All-Star selections. This turned out one of bad trades for TWO teams. In 1997 Dodgers shipped him along with Dennys Reyes to Cincinnati Reds for Jeff Shaw. In the offseason Reds traded him to Chicago White Sox for Mike Cameron. He found a home as member of White Sox becoming All-Star caliber player helping team break a drought winning World Series in 2005. Could 2013 be his final season?

Dante Powell - flamed out playing total of 70 games in 4 years. Last played in 2002.

Ruben Mateo - 6 year journeyman career last playing the majors in 2004. Made a return in 2007 playing minor league ball til 2009. Made another comeback last year in Mexican League.

Mike Sweeney - Played 16 seasons and four teams becoming five-time All-Star. All his All-Star selections came as member of the Royals.

As for Angels top prospect?

He became four-time All-Star and MVP of 2002 World Series. Seven of the players on top 10 went to the majors. Norm Hutchins who never made it last played in 2012.

For changes:
- Jackson Generals became Round Rock Express. Express later became Triple-A team (after buying Edmonton team) and Corpus Christi Hooks took its place. Still Astros affiliate to this day. This Generals team was located in Mississippi, not the current incarnation in Tennessee.

- Shreveport Captains changed their names to Swamp Dragons then relocated becoming Frisco Roughriders who are now Rangers Double-A affiliate. They went back to Captains name being independent team before getting sold in 2011 and moving to Laredo.

- El Paso Diablos became Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate and played til 2004 as it got sold and moved to Springfield, Missouri becoming Springfield Cardinals, a Cardinals affiliate. Diablos soldiered on with another team playing independent ball til this year. Next year El Paso gets a Triple-A team.

- Wichita Wranglers still Royal affiliate to this day, but relocated to Springdale, Arkansas calling themselves Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Wichita got independent team now called Wingnuts.

- Arkansas Travelers became Angels affiliate.

- San Antonio Missions changed affiliates to Mariners then Padres who now their current affiliate.

- Midland became A's affiliate the following year changing the name to Rockhounds.

- Tulsa Drillers changed affiliates to Rockies.

Who's running NASCAR YouTube channel?

These are screenshots from few days ago on NASCAR YouTube site.

The reason I subbed NASCAR YouTube channel is I want highlights, not just crashes only. Seems like the only way draw "new" fans is to promote shock value of crashes only.

  What's with use of exclamation points? Another lame attempt to garner more views?

Then there's this:

For a driver that been around for over a decade you expected them to get the name right. Wrong. They completely misspelled it very badly with viewers posting comments about the misspelling than the video itself.

Few days passed they have completely got rid of exclamation points on their titles and corrected spelling on Johnny Sauter.

It's NASCAR. It's been run by idiots for past few years.

Ayrton Senna

May 1.... its not just May Day. To auto racing fans May 1 will bring memories.... dark memories at race track in Imola.... the day a king perished in a wreck that is forever known Black Weekend at Imola. On May 1, 1994 3-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna died from massive head injuries when he went off and crashed going into Tamburillo corner. An era ended on that day as new era of Formula 1 started the next day.

Ayrton Senna was more than one of the greats in a race car. He became God-like with mastery drives on road/street courses whether the track is dry or rain slicked. His impressive control of a car made a car "dance" through the straights and corner. He made race cars that were built like a dog turned into competitive rides. It was like watching artist creating masterpiece on canvas as he did on the track. His fearless intense balls to the wall drives created rivalries with Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell. He, along with the two, help ushered in exciting era of Formula 1 in the late 80s to early 90s which help skyrocket the popularity of Formula 1 throughout the world ushering in new fans and big money. His finest drives came in streets of Monaco as he won 6 times. Could have won 7 in 1984 if the race didn't stop for rain and he was pressing hard on Alain Prost when he was driving for Toleman. Speaking of the rain fans notice his mastery on the rain slick tracks. His drive in Donnington track in 1993 is widely consider one of top 3 drives in Formula 1 history as he won nearly lapping entire field on the wet track. His legendary achievements on the track earned him 41 wins and 3 Formula 1 championships. Whether fans loved or hated him they respected him. The fans knew he was just not the best but one of kind talented driver.

 

I knew where I was when he had fatal crash. I was still in bed sleeping. When I woke I caught NASCAR race on ESPN. An update announced he was killed. I refused to believe it. It was minutes later the announcers mentioned his death on the air. I was in crushed state of shocked. Legends aren't suppose die. They have this God-like aura around them. As a race fan, innocence died for me and I was introduced cruel side of reality in racing. Ever since the day safety improvements made on cars and tracks. There hasn't been a death in Formula 1 racing since.

I never felt the same way Senna died til.... the day Dale Earnhardt died.

Rest in Peace Ayrton Senna

1960-1994

Random Autograph Card: Carlos Corporan

My featured autograph card is Astros catcher Carlos Corporan. He had career game against hated New York Yankees going 4-5 with a homerun, 4 RBIs, and double just a triple shy of a cycle. A good defensive player while low on batting side he will surprise you, at times, with impressive game using his bat. You just don't know til it happens. One of Astros games I attended he went 2-3 with a RBI against San Francisco Giants. Astros shut out then-champions Giants 6-0 thanks part of his contribution along being behind the plate catching strikes from Wandy Rodriguez. This is second straight game he caught for starter Lucas Harrell and both games were quality starts. The guy has been down the road of majors and AAA ball and sitting on the bench being the no. 2 catcher. When given opportunity to start on the lineup he will scrap his way to produce a spark for the team. That's why he's one of my favorites in the game. Forget stats as long a player performs their hardest in the game in offense, defense, or both. The card got signed last year when he was at AAA club Oklahoma City.

Also obtain is his game-used jersey I picked up Astros game last year. Glad to find one. Go Astros!

Randon Autograph Card: Chris Davis

Week and half into the season Orioles' Chris Davis on rampaging tear. In 7 games he bashed 4 homeruns and driven in 17 runs while batting above .400 earning him AL player of the week.  This is nothing new as he been crushing homers since started in the minors. It was different story in the majors when he go for broke swinging at the fences, Rob Deer and Gorman Thomas style, but found himself leaving the batter box with a K. He was on the fringe with the label of "AAAA" hanging above his head being stuck between Rangers and their AAA club. Then came the trade at 2011 trade deadline. Rangers wanted reliever Koji Uehrara from the Orioles offering pitchers Tommy Hunter. Orioles willing complete trade if they send Davis as part of the package. Reluctantly, Rangers agreed and in a three-way deal involving Pirates Davis goes to Baltimore. It's what he needed. A fresh new start after four years crushing balls in Rangers organization, but fallen out of favor when Mitch Moreland took over his starting 1B spot. Now with Orioles he can shed away "AAAA" tag and be regular starter for down and out Orioles team. Orioles got more than they bargained. In his first full season with Orioles he broke with 33 homeruns and 85 runs batted in becoming a contributor to the team's surprise run of AL East crown and in the playoffs. Now in his second season with the team he's already off to fast start. Orioles won out big in the trade as they got a player with a heavy bat. Koji Uehrara never became a factor in the Rangers organization and left for free agency after end of last season.

I got this card signed in 2007 when he was playing for Rangers Double-A club. The fans who saw him crush balls at minor league parks expected big things from him. After so many jump starts and stalls he finally living it up.

Random Autograph Card: Rick Ankiel

First regular MLB game of 2013 season in the record books. Rick Ankiel, now playing for Houston Astros, made a good impression. In pinch-hit performance he hits first homerun of 2013 MLB season with a 3-run shot off Derek Lowe putting the game out of reach for Texas Rangers as Astros went up 7-2. Astros went on to win 8-2.
 
I got this card signed in 2005 when he was playing for St. Louis Cardinals Double-A affiliate. At the time he was making transition from pitcher to batter. Ten years in the league and still going.

Random Autograph Card: Quintin Berry

Quintin Berry featured as my random autograph card. After seven years of toiling in the minors he finally got the call last year with Detroit Tigers two months into the season. The speedy outfielder made impression with the team as he stayed on the roster as the team made it to the postseason and into World Series losing to the champs San Francisco Giants.

Quintin Berry became one of cuts of Tigers in spring training as he gets sent down to Triple -A club missing opening day opportunity. He will be back up soon hopefully.

I got the card signed when he was playing for Padres Double-A club.