Rob Hoffman, Learning Experience - 14

Playing on his first professional team across the country from where he grew up, Rob Hoffman knew being away from home was hard, he told The Orlando Sentinel in July 1990.

But the Gulf Coast League Dodger also knew it was something players got used to, he told The Sentinel.

"Everyone seems to have made the adjustment," Hoffman told The Sentinel of his rookie-ball teammates. "For a team that hasn't been playing together long, we've done pretty well so far. Every step you move up the players are as good as you are. We're using each day as a learning experience."

Hoffman may have used each day as a learning experience, his days in the pros were numbered. Hoffman played only that single season. He didn't return for a second.

Hoffman's career began and ended that year, signed by the Dodgers out of Contra Costa College. Hoffman was also credited by his formal name, Robert Hoffman.

He was taken by the Dodgers the previous year in the 54th round and the club initially showed interest as he graduated from Richmond, Ca.'s Kennedy High School. They took him then in the 60th round.

Hoffman hit the field with the Dodgers for their Gulf Coast League entry in Kissimmee. The catcher got into 13 games, 28 plate appearances and 24 at bats. He picked up five hits, scored three times, stole a base and knocked in two. Those stats proved the extent of his professional career.

• Orlando Sentinel, July 1, 1990: Kissimmee Dodgers rounding into form

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,121
Made the Majors:1,139-36.5%
Never Made Majors:1,982-63.5%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 472
10+ Seasons in the Minors:282

Mitch Lyden, Couldn't Script - 9

Originally published July 10, 2013

Mitch Lyden swung. The only thing in doubt then was whether the ball would stay fair, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote.

It did stay fair for Lyden's first major league home run - in his first major league at bat.

"I couldn't have scripted it any better," Lyden told The Sun-Sentinel. "Wrigley Field. The mystique. But it could have been more sweet if we had won the game."

For Lyden, though, that home run would be his only home run in the majors. Having finally made the bigs after a decade in the minors, but the script Lyden hoped for didn't play out. Lyden only got into five more major league games.

Lyden's trip to that first-at-bat home run began in 1983, taken by the Yankees in the fourth round, out of Beaverton High School in Oregon.

With the Yankees, Lyden started at short-season Oneonta. He made single-A Fort Lauderdale in 1985, then first hit AA Albany in 1986. He suffered a knee injury late in that spring training, not hitting the field until that July, The Schenectady Gazette wrote.

"There's no telling where I'd be if I hadn't been injured," Lyden told The Gazette after he joined the team. There were a lot of injuries in New York and at Triple-A. That's what hit home the most."

Lyden did make AAA, the next season. But he never did make New York. He stayed with the Yankees system through 1990, getting a second look at AAA that season, at Columbus.

After that, he saw AAA each season through 1995. It was in 1993, that he saw the majors, with Florida. After his call up, Lyden told The Sun-Sentinel what his hopes were.

"I just want to stay up here as long as I can, but I'm not too sure how long it will be," Lyden told The Sun-Sentinel. "This is my ultimate goal, to be sitting right here."

Lyden ended up getting just 10 at bats, nine after that home run. He got two other hits, ending his major league career.

Lyden, though, continued to play. His last recorded season with playing time was in 2000, at independent Elmira. In 2002, Lyden took a shot at managing, with independent Elmira.

• Schenectady Gazette, July 14, 1986: Injuries Have Made Life Difficult for Top A-C Yanks' Prospects
• South Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 13, 1993: Catcher Lyden Is Latest Marlin Miracle
  
• South Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 17, 1993: Homer Could Help Lyden Keep Job

Ivan DeJesus, His Best - 29

Ivan DeJesus was a good shortstop for the Cubs in 1981, but he didn't get as much attention as other good players at that position, UPI wrote.

DeJesus was OK with that. He had his sights elsewhere, according to UPI.

"It doesn't matter, really. I'd like to be on an all-star team, a World Series winner, but I've got a job to do and I do it the best I can," DeJesus told UPI. "I want to win and I want to do the best I can."

DeJesus did his best over 15 major league seasons. He never made an all-star team, but he did make the World Series twice, with the Phillies in 1983 and the Cardinals in 1985.

He then went on to a long career as a minor league manager and coach. He also returned to the majors with the Cubs in 2007 as a coach.

DeJesus' long career in baseball began in 1969, signed by the Dodgers as an amateur free agent out of Puerto Rico.

He started with the Dodgers in 1970 at single-A Daytona Beach. He made AAA Albuquerque in 1974 and debuted in Los Angeles that September.

DeJesus got into three games for the Dodgers in 1974 and into 63 the next. He moved to the Cubs in 1977 and became a major league regular.

He hit .266 for the Cubs that year over 155 games. He then hit .278 and stole 41 bases over 160 games in 1978.

He continued with the Cubs through 1981, when he moved to the Phillies. In 1983, the Phillies made the World Series, but DeJesus made a costly error late that gave the game to Baltimore.

"No excuses," DeJesus told reporters afterward, according to The New York Times. "I'm supposed to catch the ball and I didn't. We lost the game because I made the error. He made the right pitch. I couldn't catch the ball and they won."

DeJesus saw his last extended play in 1985 with the Cardinals. He then played briefly in each of the next three seasons to end his playing career.

By 1990, DeJesus was back with the Dodgers, managing their Gulf Coast League entry at Kissimmee.

"This is the first time most of these young men have been away from home," DeJesus told The Orlando Sentinel that July, "so I'm trying to teach them what I know about the game - how to learn from their mistakes and be organized."

DeJesus continued on from that start to serve as a coach and manager for more than 20 years. He served as hitting coach at AA Jacksonville in 1993, manager at short-season Pittsfield in 2001 and made the Cubs as assistant coach in 2007.

He coached with the Cubs through 2011. In 2012, he served as manager at single-A Lexington.

• UPI, May 23, 1981: Cub Infield Shakeups Plague Ivan DeJesus
• New York Times, Oct. 15, 1983: DeJesus offers no excuse
• Orlando Sentinel, July 1, 1990: Kissimmee Dodgers rounding into form

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,120
Made the Majors:1,139-36.5%-X
Never Made Majors:1,981-63.5%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 472
10+ Seasons in the Minors:282

Bobby Dickerson, Taught Him - 4

Originally published July 12, 2013

Speaking years later about his manager in the Yankees system, Bobby Dickerson credited that manager with helping him improve as both a player and a pro.

"He taught me to be professional, how to respect the game, and the effort that I was going to have to make," Dickerson told MLB.com in August 2010. "I know I got the most out of my talent. And our young players will get the most out of their abilities."

Dickerson was then manager at the Orioles' AAA team in Norfolk. He was speaking about his old manager at AA Albany Buck Showalter, then the newly named manager in Baltimore.

Three years later, Dickerson would be back serving under his old manager, named Orioles third base coach for 2013.

Dickerson's career in baseball began in 1987, taken by the Yankees in the 23rd round of the draft, out of Nicholls State University in Louisiana.

With the Yankees, Dickerson played his first season between short-season Oneonta and Showalter's single-A Fort Lauderdale. He hit .216 over 31 games.

For 1988, Dickerson returned to Showalter's Fort Lauderdale, hitting .246. He hit a bases-loaded double in a June contest. In an April game, he had three doubles, knocking in three.

In 1989, Dickerson split 45 games between AA Albany and AAA Columbus, then played 58 games at Albany in 1990. For 1991, Dickerson moved to the Orioles system, playing there through 1993, ending his playing career without making the bigs.

In his final year, Dickerson served as a player-coach. He then moved into other positions with the Orioles, including managing at rookie Bluefield for 1996 and 1997.

He moved to the Diamondbacks system for 1998, becoming manager at AA El Paso for 2000. He then moved to the Cubs system for 2002, managing at AA West Tennessee. In August 2002, Dickerson spoke to The New York Times about one of his players struggling with expectations.

"A lot of times they wear all those things that were written about them out on the field," Dickerson told The New York Times. "It's tough with all those expectations."

After a stint as a Cubs minor league coordinator, Dickerson became manager at AAA Iowa in 2009. He then moved to the Orioles and Newark for 2010.

For 2013, he was named third base coach in Baltimore, under Showalter. Dickerson had also just made the major leagues.

"It’s just an honor," Dickerson told The Baltimore Sun after his selection. "I'm like a lot of guys in the minor leagues, I've paid my dues. I've tried to do it the right way, the best I could. ... To be chosen, it's just a very nice gesture. And, again, at this time I know we have to go win and it's going to be a big responsibility and I am ready for it."

• New York Times, Aug. 16, 2002: Downs and Ups Of a Top Prospect
• MLB.com, Aug. 2, 2010: Showalter brings winning track record to O's
• Baltimore Sun, Dec. 13, 2012: Bobby Dickerson named Orioles third base coach

Bob Zeihen, Took Advantage - 23

Originally published July 11, 2013

Bob Zeihen's Albany Yankees up by one in this May 1990 game, Zeihen appeared to hit into an inning-ending double play, The Schenectady Gazette wrote. But then a balk was called.

Back at the plate, Zeihen took that break and knocked a single, The Gazette wrote, extending the Yankee lead to two as the Yankees soon tacked on two more.

"On the balk, we got a break and we capitalized on it by hitting the ball," Albany manager Rick Down told The Gazette. "We took advantage of it."

Zeihen took advantage of that situation in his third pro season. It was also his last pro season, his career ending at season's end.

Zeihen's pro career began in 1988, taken by the Yankees in the 23rd round of the draft out of Indiana State University.

At Indiana State, Zeihen holds the school's all-time record for games played at 235, runs scored at 234, hits at 290 and triples at 32, according to the school's record book. He also led his team in stolen bases as a freshman in 1985.

With the Yankees, Zeihen started at short-season Oneonta, also getting playing time at single-A Prince William. Between the two, he hit .299 with 27 RBI. In an August win with Prince William, Zeihen doubled and scored.

For 1989, Zeihen moved to single-A Fort Lauderdale, playing there the entire season. He hit .252, with 46 RBI. That May, Zeihen tripled and scored in a Yankees win, picking up three hits in another game. In August, Zeihen drove in the tying run with a double, then scored the winning run.

Zeihen moved to AA Albany full time for 1990, hitting .248 over 92 games, picking up three hits in a late-April contest. In August, Zeihen got promoted to AAA Columbus, playing 10 games there, hitting .265. But it was his final season as a pro.

In 1993, Zeihen is listed as being named as a coach at rookie league Butte.

• Schenectady Gazette, May 7, 1990: Opportunistic A-C Yankees Snap Losing Streak, Split Twin Bill

Javier Puchales, Two Hits - 23

The Gulf Coast League Dodgers charged to the league title in 1990 and Javier Puchales helped get them there, according to The Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

The GCL Dodgers took the championship with a 9-4 decision over the GCL Expos. Puchales knocked two hits in the game, The Herald-Tribune wrote.

Puchales knocked those two hits in his second professional season. He saw time in four more campaigns. He never saw AAA.

Puchales' career began in 1989, taken by the Dodgers in the 25th round of the draft out of his native Puerto Rico.

Puchales started with the Dodgers in the GCL. The outfielder got into 41 games there in 1989 and hit .333. He returned to the GCL for 1990. He saw 29 games that year and hit .200.

He played at Great Falls in 1991. In 41 games there, his average went back up to .357.

After not being recorded as playing in 1992, Puchales returned to the field in 1993 at high-A Vero Beach. He hit .337 in 77 games there, while  knocking in 27.

He made AA San Antonio for 1994 and 1995, but saw only brief time. He played in 20 games there in 1994 and 31 there in 1995 to end his career.

• Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sept. 3, 1990: Dodgers Win GCL Crown

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,119
Made the Majors:1,138-36.5%
Never Made Majors:1,981-63.5%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 472
10+ Seasons in the Minors:282

Ramon Manon, Few Adjustments - 10

Originally published July 7, 2013

Ramon Manon's manager at AA Albany Rick Down knew the pitcher would be all right, Down told The Schenectady Daily Gazette in May 1990.

It was just that Manon, in the majors the previous month with the Rangers, Down told The Daily Gazette.

"He had a few adjustments to make," Down told The Daily Gazette. "He'd been a starter and now he was a reliever. And he'd been in the major leagues, flying to games. All of a sudden, he's back riding a bus. It took a couple days to get adjusted."

Actually, Manon had little time to get adjusted during his stint in the majors. He got all of one appearance, a two-inning outing where he gave up three earned runs. He also never got another chance to get adjusted to the bigs. His big league career was limited to that single appearance.

Manon's pro career began in 1985, signed by the Yankees as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic.

With the Yankees, Manon started on the field in 1986, in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He moved to single-A Prince William for 1987, then a shortened season at single-A Fort Lauderdale in 1988.

In his first three seasons, Manon served as a reliever. For 1989, back at Fort Lauderdale, Manon turned starter. In 22 starts that year, Manon went 7-9, with a 3.53 ERA.

In a May 1989 contest, Manon struck out 10 in a complete-game win, one where he gave up two hits. That August, Manon spoke to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel about his team's fans.

"Everyone is really nice here," Manon told The Sun-Sentinel. "You notice them. It helps."

After that season, the Rangers saw something in Manon, taking him in the Rule 5 draft. He also made it through the lockout-abbreviated spring training, to the expanded Rangers roster.

Manon did that having not previously played above single-A. He ended up getting into one game, April 19, giving up those three earned runs in his two innings of work. His major league career then ended.

Manon returned then was taken back by the Yankees, getting into just nine games, three starts, at Albany.

For the next three seasons, Manon never got above AA, spending his final year with the White Sox at AA Birmingham. Manon then came back for one final season in 1995, with independent Minnesota, ending his career.

• South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Aug. 13, 1989: Fort Lauderdale Yankees Remain Safe At Home
• Schenectady Daily Gazette, May 17, 1990: Rain Playing Havoc With A-C's Schedule