Adam Greenberg: MLB's One At-Bat Inspiration

Only a tiny fraction of baseball players are fortunate enough to have a professional career. Even fewer earn the opportunity to make it to the major leagues and achieve the distinction of playing at the game’s highest level.

Even after making it, a player can have everything taken away in an instant, even if it is through no fault of their own. Adam Greenberg discovered that the hard way, but he never quit and emerged as one of baseball’s best kinds of success stories.

An outfielder, the left-handed Greenberg was a ninth-round draft choice of the Chicago Cubs out of the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill in 2002. A strong hitter for average, he possessed good speed and a strong glove; skills that allowed him to move quickly through the team’s system.

Midway through the 2005 season, he was called up to the majors. He made his major league debut on July 9th, pinch-hitting in the ninth inning for pitcher Will Ohman. With his family in the stands, Greenberg faced left-handed Florida pitcher Valerio De Los Santos. On the very first pitch he saw in the big leagues, the rookie took a fastball off the back of his head. Fortunately, he was able to leave the game under his own power, but suffered a concussion and saw his season cut short because of the ensuing symptoms.

Coming back in 2006, he was sent to the minors but couldn’t shake all of the after-effects of his injury, saw his production decline and was released by the Cubs in June. After that, he bounced around, playing in the minors for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels and the Kansas City Royals—but he was never able to get back to the majors and resume what had been taken away so quickly.

In 2009 he joined the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League and started a new phase of his career, producing very good numbers.

His brief major league stint remained an unjust memory for many fans. One, named Matt Liston, started an online petition, calling for Greenberg to receive an official major league at-bat. Incredibly, the Marlins stepped to the plate and signed the outfielder to a one-day contract in 2012 to give him the chance that had eluded him years before.

Greenberg, who donated his Marlins’ salary to charity, pinch hit for outfielder Bryan Peterson in the bottom of the sixth inning of a game against the New York Mets on October 2, 2012. Facing knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, he finally got his official major league at-bat after more than seven years in the making. Although he went down on strikes, it was the kind of wonderful moment that makes baseball such an emotional and enjoyable game.

After signing and being released before the end of 2013 spring training with the Baltimore Orioles, Greenberg played in 30 games with Bridgeport, but hit just .220. The soon-to-be 33-year-old recently officially retired, ending one of baseball’s best underdog stories.

In addition to his brief time in the majors, he hit a combined .262 with 43 home runs, 331 RBIs, 261 stolen bases and an excellent .372 OBP in 11 seasons in the minors and independent ball. More information about his career statistics is available at BaseballReference.com.

Last year (before he retired), I had an opportunity to ask Greenberg some questions about his career. It was fascinating to find out a little more about one of baseball’s good guys and great stories, so keep reading for more.

Adam Greenberg Interview:

Who was your favorite team and player growing up?: The New York Yankees and Don Mattingly.

Can you talk a bit about what your draft experience was like?: It was exciting time for sure. This was everything I had worked for growing up. My family and I watched the draft online from home.

How did you first find out you were being called up to the majors for the first time?: I happened to be in a Days Inn in Tennessee when the Cubs called.

Can you explain your feelings after being injured in your first major league at-bat and how it impacted your career?: At first there wasn't any concern. I thought I would have been back right away, but that wasn't the case.  When I realized there were issues with the positional vertigo, there was definite concern for my health and whether or not I could continue my career.  Everything happens for a reason and I have no regrets.  I am currently in the best shape of my life and playing ball at the highest level right now.

What are your current baseball plans?: I played extremely well with the Orioles organization this spring and have no regrets. I know I have the ability to contribute to a major league ball club and help them win games. My current plan is to continue to work out and wait to see if another team calls. 

How did your contract with the Marlins come about last year, and what was that experience like?: The contract came about from the generosity of Matt Liston and his One-at-Bat campaign.  Matt and his team were able to get 25 thousand signatures on a petition to get me back to the big leagues for an at-bat. With the help of social media and the human spirit, they were able to bring tons of media attention. The experience was like no other...a dream come true! Leading up to the at-bat and stepping back in the box on the major league level was amazing. 

I can't thank Matt, the fans, Marlins and Major League Baseball enough!

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Former MLBer Ed Mickelson Talks Career and Satchel Paige

Baseball is a beautiful game that takes a significant amount of talent in order to play professionally. Although many players spend years honing their craft in an effort to get one of the golden tickets that is the chance to sign with a professional team, a select few come to the game by accident. Slugger Ed Mickelson was one of those players; a natural athlete whose first choice wasn’t the National Pastime, but ultimately drew him in like so many before.

Mickelson grew up in Missouri and excelled in basketball and football. He only really took up baseball after joining the service during World War II and playing with his fellow soldiers.

At 6’3” and 205 pounds, the right-hander was a large specimen whose size translated into impressive power. His acumen with a bat and ball was enough to earn a contract in the minor league system of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Playing primarily at first base, Mickelson suffered through some injuries but had an excellent 11-year career in the minors, hitting a combined .316 with 108 home runs in 1,189 games. In additional to the Cardinals, he also played in the systems of the St. Louis Browns, Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.

His best minor league season came in 1954 with the Double-A Shreveport Sports in the Texas League (Browns). Appearing in 150 games, he hit .335 with 17 home runs and 139 RBIs.

Despite spending most of his career in the minors, Mickelson did get a few cups of coffee in the majors, appearing in brief stints with the Cardinals (1950), the Browns (1953) and the Cubs (1957). All told, he had three hits and three RBIs in 37 at-bats.

Mickelson does hold a place in major league history, although he was barely there. On September 27th, 1953, he hit an RBI single to right field off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Billy Pierce, accounting for the last RBI ever for the Browns- who became the Baltimore Orioles the following year. More details about his playing career are available here.

I had the opportunity to speak with Mickelson several years ago, and he regaled me with fantastic stories from his playing career. Make sure to check out our conversation- as the former player came away from baseball with quite a lot of great memories.

Ed Mickelson Interview:

How did you first become interested in baseball?: Well, actually, what I was interested in was basketball. That’s what I played all the way through junior high school and high school. I then went on to college and played basketball. I waited until my senior year.

I got a scholarship in football to Missouri, and I was a starter for them in football and basketball in 1944 and 1945. I was only 18 years old, but there were a lot of people in the war at the time.

But baseball, I didn’t play it until my senior year in high school, and only played in about 15 games. Then I played somewhat when I was in the service during World War II, when I was in Scottsdale and played for the base team. We played about 25 game games, so I was really a neophyte when it came to baseball.

When I signed up, I went down to Oklahoma A&M and played basketball after I got out of the service. The coach said ‘We don’t have any more basketball scholarships, but we have baseball scholarships.’ So I said, ‘Okay, I’ll give it a try.’ So, I think I was one-for-23, and I hit the heck out of the ball as long as it was a curve or a changeup

When I signed with the Cardinals, I went down there and worked out and hit some balls up into the bleachers because Del Wilber, the Cardinals catcher, was throwing them right down the middle about 75 miles an hour. I was laughing about it.

Playing with the Cardinals, I had to learn on the job really. I had to learn what the strike zone was. I knew what baseball was because I had watched a bunch of games.

Prior to college, you really didn’t play much baseball growing up?: Not at all. I was never on a team. I played softball, but never baseball.

What type of hitter were you?: I was a line drive hitter. I didn’t hit a lot of home runs, but I hit a lot of doubles, some triples, and every now and then I’d hit some home runs.

In 1950, when you earned your first major league promotion; how were you told?: My manager was Charlie Metro, and the last game of the season we played in Montgomery and I hit a home run over the scoreboard, and I was feeling good about that. Then he told me. He said, ‘The Cardinals want you to join them.’ So, I went home to get my stuff.

It took me about two days to get there, but I got there- in New York. The Cardinals were playing the Giants, and we were winning about 12 to 2, and Eddie Dyer put me in as a pinch hitter, with Larry Jansen pitching. I think he was going for his 19th victory. Anyways, I had a couple of good pitches to hit and then took a tall third strike, which I thought was a good three or four inches outside. But the umpire thought better about it and said, ‘Okay rookie, you gotta swing at those.’ So I got called out.

I didn’t play for four or five days, and then we went into Boston and we played the Boston Braves. I wasn’t playing at all; I was just sitting on the bench. Eddie Dyer came up to me and said, ‘Hey Eddie, Musial is back at the hotel with a 103-degree fever. He ain’t playing today. Warren Spahn is pitching.’ So he pitched a two-hitter that day, and they beat us 5-0, and I got one of the two hits. My first hit was off Warren Spahn.

Was your first hit against Spahn your favorite moment from your playing career?: I don’t think so. My favorite moment was in 1972. A kid I coached in high school, Ken Holtzman, pitched his first game in the World Series. I called Bing Devine, and said, ‘Hey Bing, you owe me one.’ He said, ‘Okay, you got my tickets.’ So I went to Cincinnati and saw the opening game of the 1972 World Series.

Kenny was pitching and I got to yelling at him while he was warming up. The first pitch he threw was a strike to Pete Rose. That was probably the most thrilling moment of my career.

Did you ever play against any Negro League teams?: Yeah, in the fall of 1949 I played a couple of games against some barnstormers. And that was it. I played with Satchel Paige. I played in a game that he pitched once.

What was Satchel Paige like?: He was one of a kind; absolutely one of a kind. He could back up just about anything he said he could do. Of course he was the best public relations man; Satchel himself. He would say anything to make people make a mess of themselves. As you may know, he could throw a ball 100 miles an hour and put it exactly where he wanted to.

How do you think he would have done if he could have played his entire career in the majors?: Bob Feller said he was the best pitcher he ever pitched against. Joe DiMaggio said he was the best pitcher he ever faced. Satchel, when he used to warm up before a game; now this was in ‘53 and he was with the Browns and I was with the Browns. Babe Martin was the third string catcher. Babe would tell me that Satchel wanted a chewing gum wrapper on home plate so he could hit the inside and outside corners of a chewing gum wrapper. When you can throw the ball 100 miles an hour and exactly where you want to, they aren’t going to hit you. He had a whole bunch of different pitches too.

I think I went to a Negro League All Star game around 1935 or 1936. There was always a feud between him and Josh Gibson. Satchel would tell him that if he came up to the plate again he would strike him out.

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Blather Up: Boston Red Sox Spring Training Preview Podcast

I thought I would give you something a little different to chew on as we get closer to spring training.

I had the pleasure of recording a podcast with Ron Juckett, the editor for Red Sox 101, a site with tremendous regular coverage of all the news and rumors concerning the Boston Red Sox.

It was decided, rather hurriedly I may add, to call our endeavor: Blather Up: Red Sox Chat. In our first installment, we discussed the team’s offseason, the best and worst moves the team made since winning the 2013 World Series, David Ortiz’s contract situation and our thoughts on some of the pressing questions as camp is about to open.

Check out the podcast HERE (right click to download).

For more, make sure to follow Ron on Twitter at @RedSox_101 or his personal account of @ronjuckett. Of course, you can also find me @historianandrew and through my work with the Yahoo Contributor Network.

We hope to make this a regular thing, so keep an eye out for future episodes once the 2014 season gets underway.

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You can check me out on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @historianandrew

Former New York Yankees Pitching Prospect Jack McMahan Recalls His Career

It’s hard enough to forge a professional baseball career today, so just imagine what it was like decades ago when there were fewer teams and not nearly as many ways to get noticed. Accordingly, the stories of players from decades gone by tend to have quite a bit of substance to them.

Right-handed pitcher Jack McMahan didn’t have a lengthy career but he made the majors, which is more than the vast majority of players can say. His time in the big leagues may have been brief but he came away with a lot of good memories.

McMahan was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1932. He was signed by the New York Yankees in 1952, and while he pitched effectively in the minors, he couldn’t break through to the big leagues because the franchise was so stacked with talent.

In 1955, he was taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Rule-5 draft, which turned out to be the move that changed his career.

Because of his draft status, McMahan started the 1956 season on the Pittsburgh roster. He made his debut on April 18, pitching 1.2 innings of middle relief in a 5-4 loss to the New York Giants. However, he did strike out the first batter he faced, first baseman Gail Harris, providing an initial highlight right off the bat.

His stint with the Pirates didn’t last long, as he was traded with infielder Curt Roberts to the Kansas City Athletics on June 23 in exchange for infielder Spook Jacobs.

Unfortunately, McMahan’s major league career came to an end after that year. He finished with an 0-5 record and a 5.04 ERA in 34 games (nine starts) between the two teams. He was plagued by poor control, as he struck out just 22 batters while walking 40 in 75 innings.

Although the Yankees traded to get McMahan back in 1957, he never returned to the majors, and retired from professional ball following the 1959 season.

In addition to his major league service, he had an excellent minor league career, going a combined 50-39 with a 3.65 ERA in seven seasons, pitching as both a starter and reliever. More information about his playing career is available at: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcmahja02.shtml.

In 2011, I had an opportunity to chat with McMahan and ask some questions about his career. It was fascinating listening to him reminisce, and I invite you now to have that same pleasure.

Jack McMahan Interview:

What was your favorite moment from your playing career?: Well, it’s hard to determine what it would be because I only played one year in the major leagues. I didn’t have a lot of success, but I did play several years in the minor leagues. I had a lot of moments at different times. Probably, one of the biggest thrills is that I saw the first major league game I had ever seen at the opening of the 1956 season, playing the Giants at the old Polo Grounds. I had never seen a major league baseball game before that time.

What was the strangest thing you ever saw on a baseball diamond?: I was playing for the Pirates in the games when Dale Long hit his eight home runs (over two consecutive games).

What were the reactions like from fans and opposing players as Long’s streak grew?: Of course there was a lot of excitement. We were not one of the top clubs at that time. There weren’t very big crowds, maybe seven or eight thousand. But for somebody to be on a hot streak like that; there was a lot of enthusiasm among the press. Dale was not known as a long ball hitter, which is why it was an unusual feat.

Who was your favorite coach or manager?: Phil Page and Vern Hoscheit.

What was it about them that made them your favorites?: Hoscheit, I played for in the “Three-I” League. He had been a catcher and he caught me a few innings one time to try to help me learn a little bit about pitching. I had had some success, but needed to know a little bit more about throwing the slider. I was trying at that time to learn to throw the slider, and he worked with me a little bit along that line. He was always quite encouraging and giving me compliments, which I needed to have.

Phil Paige didn’t have a whole lot to say but I definitely had a good year with him in the Southern Association. He had a lot of confidence in me, and at that time they weren’t counting saves, so I don’t know how many games I may have saved, but I pitched I think in 47 games. A lot of them were saves, where I would come in anywhere from the last two innings. When I came into the game he would just give me the ball and say, ‘Lefty, you know what you need to do. Let’s get them out and go home.’ That made me feel good that he had that much confidence in me.

What was travel like between games in the minor leagues?: In the Southern Association, we went by train a lot. In the Majors, we flew. I enjoyed both.

If you could do anything differently about your playing career, what would that be?: I would have gone to college.

What have you done since you retired from baseball?: When I came back to Arkansas after I got out of baseball, I came home and had a liquor store with my brother, and coached an American Legion baseball team. After four or five years I went to work for a company that sold golf course equipment. At that time, Arkansas was starting to get a lot of retirement business. Our business was quite good, and I had a good career in the golf course related field.

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