Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Features on each member of the 1990 Clearwater Phillies, high-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, as included in that year's team set.  Clearwater Phillies (28) Jimmy Barragan  moved on after CWS, saw 4 pro seasons Toby Borland  almost quit pros, then made 9 ML seasons Cliff Brantley  showed nerves in ML debut, saw 2 seasons Andy Carter  began bigs on hit-by-pitch, saw two seasons Tim Dell  played for fun over 6 seasons, more, made AA Todd Elam  pitched over three seasons Lee Elia  played, managed, remembered for what he said Kevin Fynan  signed as pro in storybook style; Played three seasons, made AA , 10/5/21 Jeff Hulse improved in college, then got drafted; Saw three seasons, made high-A , 11/1/21 Kennedy Infante  got new chance, made AAA, missed bigs Lee Langley suffered devastating on-field eye injury, then returned for one more season , 10/16/21 Al LeBoeuf  has helped hitters in minors for three decades, after own mino...

Jeff Hulse 's numbers at Kansas State markedly improved from 1987 to 1988 and Hulse credited playing time, The Manhattan Mercury wrote . "Last year it was hard to produce because I didn't get to see the field consistently," Hulse told The Mercury . The catcher hit .319, with nine home runs by that time in April 1988. That proved enough for Hulse to gain the notice of scouts as he soon turned pro. His pro career ended up lasting three seasons . He topped out at high-A. Hulse's career began that year in 1988, taken by the Royals in the ninth round of the draft out of Kansas State. While at Kansas State, Hulse also played summers with Hutchinson. In one August 1987 National Baseball Congress World Series game, Hulse led-off a five-run rally with a home run, The Wichita Eagle wrote . "I had a lot of confidence going in," Hulse told The Eagle afterward. "I think that (homer) got us going. It feels good to start an inning like that." Hulse started ...

Tim Dell took the mound in this July 2004 game and showed he could still pitch, The Red Deer Advocate wrote . The 37-year-old went six innings and gave up just two hits in the victory - a victory for Red Deer in the area senior baseball tournament, The Advocate wrote . "I play for fun," Dell told The Advocate afterward. Years earlier, Dell played professionally. He ended up seeing six seasons . He made AA in two of those campaigns, but didn't make it higher. Dell's career began in 1988, taken by the Phillies in the 28th round of the draft out of Huntington University in Indiana. He went to Indiana out of South Delta High School in British Columbia. Dell started with the Phillies at short-season Batavia . He went 1-0, with a 1.21 ERA over 22 outings, one start.  He moved to single-A Spartanburg for 1989. He saw 18 starts and threw a seven-inning no-hitter June, The Spartanburg Herald-Journal wrote .  "The innings kept running into each other," Dell told T...

Steve Scarsone recalled once needing an attitude adjustment just two seasons prior, sent from AA back to high-A. But he got through it and bettered himself, The Camden Courier-Post wrote . Then, in May 1992, his work paid off with his debut trip to the majors and Philadelphia. "It's a little overwhelming," Scarsone told The Courier-Post . "I'll try to take in as much as possible, maybe keep a little diary so I can remember it later. I don't know how long this will last. But I finally got a chance." For Scarsone, it ultimately lasted through parts of seven major league seasons , seeing his last time in the bigs in 1999 with the Royals. He's then gone on to a long career in the minors, as a manager and coordinator . Scarsone's career began in 1986, taken by the Phillies in the second round of the January draft out of Santa Ana College in California. Scarsone started with the Phillies at short-season Bend . He hit .219 over 65 games. He then saw ...

Ed Rosado helped out with his old high school baseball team in 1996 and he had some advice for the team's star player, Dan Smyth, Smyth told The Philadelphia Inquirer that June. "Ed told me to go to college and get my education," Smyth, who had been bypassed in the draft, recalled to The Inquirer . "He said I was good enough to play in the minors, but I should go to college first." Rosado spoke from experience that saw him play six professional seasons and saw him sign out of high school. Rosado briefly made it to AAA. He never made the majors . Rosado's career began in 1988, having been signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent the previous August out of Bristol High in Pennsylvania. Rosado started with the Phillies at rookie Martinsville . He also saw brief time at single-A Spartanburg and single-A Clearwater. He hit .255 over 64 games on the year, with four home runs. He then played 1989 between Spartanburg and short-season Batavia . The catche...

Cary Williams had hoped he could stay with the big club, but as spring 1993 drew to a close, the Phillies needed the spot and Williams was the one to go, The Scranton Tribune wrote . "I was disappointed about it but understood things like this happen," Williams told The Tribune . "The only way they don't is if you go out and have a big year." Sent to AAA Scranton to start the season, Williams never saw Philadelphia that year or any year. In six total pro campaigns, Williams topped out at AAA . Williams' career began in 1989, taken by the Phillies in the 10th round of the draft out of the University of Alabama. Williams started with the Phillies at single-A Clearwater . He saw 52 games there and one at AA Reading. He hit .267. He split time between the two teams in 1990, hitting .255 between then. He played all of 1991 at Reading, then made AAA Scranton for 1992. He hit .223 at Scranton that first year, with seven home runs.  Williams returned to Scranton ...

A Wilkes-Barre Times Leader columnist touched on Phillies minor league camp in spring 1989 and highlighted a young Tony Lozinski , just not for something Lozinski would want to be highlighted.  The catcher had committed a mental mistake during a base-running drill, eliciting "screams of 'What are you doing?'" from coaches there, The Times Leader columnist wrote . "Hopefully, the 21-year-old Lozinski will do something to make up for the momentary hesitation sometime soon," The Times Leader columnist wrote. Whatever he did beyond that, his 1989 season proved brief, seven appearances spent at short-season Batavia. He went on to make AA the next season, but that season also proved his last . Lozinski's career began in 1988, taken by the Phillies in the ninth round of the draft out of the University of the Pacific. Lozinski was also credited by his formal name, Anthony Lozinski. Lozinski started with the Phillies at short-season Batavia and rookie Martins...

Greg McCarthy had made AAA briefly two seasons earlier. But, after signing with the Mariners for 1996, the club had enough confidence in him to start him there, The Tacoma News Tribune wrote . The confidence turned out well-placed, according to The News Tribune . "When they started me out in AAA, I had never started out in AAA," McCarthy recalled to The News Tribune in April 1997. "Last year, I got my confidence up. It just took off from there." By the end of August 1996 - and after a decade in the pros - it took off for McCarthy all the way to the majors . From there, he ended up seeing time in three major league seasons, all with the Mariners. He also later stayed in the game, working in Europe. McCarthy's career began in 1987, taken by the Phillies in the 36th round of the draft out of Bridgeport High School in Connecticut. McCarthy started with the Phillies at short-season Utica . He went 4-1, with a 0.91 ERA over 20 relief outings. He moved to single-A S...

After going undrafted in 1988, Pat Woodruff held out hope that someone would call, he recalled later to The Tampa Tribune . Weeks later, after hearing nothing, he decided to give up on his dream and he quit baseball, he told The Tribune . "Of course, a few hours after I quit baseball the Phillies called me up," Woodruff told The Tribune in 1991. "It was an easy decision to make." Woodruff went on to a pro career that spanned five seasons . He played three of those campaigns in affiliated ball. He topped out at AA. Woodruff's career began that year in 1988, signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of  the University of Texas at Arlington. Woodruff started with the Phillies the next year, at single-A Spartanburg and short-season Batavia. He saw 54 games and hit .253. He also hit three home runs. He then played 1990 at high-A Clearwater . He hit .240 over 135 games. He also stole 32 bases. He went 5 for 5 in a May game.  Woodruff arrived with the ...

Managing the Phillies' AAA club late in 1979, Lee Elia found himself looking ahead, maybe to a shot at managing the big club in 1980, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote . "I'd like to go there," Elia told The Inquirer then. "I'd be a liar if I said I didn't. But whatever happens, happens." For Elia, he didn't make it up to Philadelphia that next year, but he did make it to the majors two years later, as manager of the Cubs in 1982. His tenure in Chicago, however, ended up being marked by something else Elia definitely did say - a three-minute long recorded, frustrated tirade that has ended up following him for the rest of a long career in baseball. Elia's long career began in 1959, signed by the Phillies as a free agent out of the University of Delaware. Elia started as a player at short-season Elmira . He made AA Chattanooga in 1961, then AAA Buffalo in 1962. After moving to the White Sox system, he finally broke through to the majors in Ch...

Lee College found itself eliminated from the postseason after this late-April 1987 game and the elimination came at the hands of Alvin Community College pitcher Shelby McDonald , The Baytown Sun wrote . McDonald gave up six hits for the 9-1 win and Lee coach Dick Smith could only praise the hurler McDonald to The Sun . "You have to give their pitcher a lot of credit," Smith told The Sun . "He really did a heck of a job." McDonald eventually did a good enough job to turn pro. He saw three seasons - and was slated to start a fourth. He topped out at AA. McDonald's career started that year in 1987, taken by the Phillies in the 33rd round of the draft out of Alvin. At Alvin, McDonald threw a three-hit shutout in a February 1987 game.  With the Phillies, he started at short-season Utica . He went 1-4 over 29 relief outings, with a 3.42 ERA. His win came in a two-batter August outing . He played 1988 at single-A Spartanburg , going 6-6, with a 2.52 ERA over 47 outi...

Mark Randall grew up in Canada, born in Hamilton. So, naturally, he loved hockey, but he loved baseball, too, he told The Allentown Morning Call in 1998. But it was baseball he pursued . "My first love is hockey, and I guess every Canadian wants to play hockey in the Olympics," Randall told The Morning Call that April. "But there came a point in my life where I had to decide between the two, and I was a little better at baseball." Randall spoke to The Morning Call as a member of the independent Allentown Ambassadors . He also spoke as a representative of Canada in his chosen sport, vying for that summer's World Championship tournament. Randall's pro career eventually took him to eight seasons - and even to Europe. His affiliated career saw him top out at high-A. Randall's career began in 1989, taken by the Phillies in the 23rd round of the draft out of Saddleback College in California. Randall started with the Phillies at rookie Martinsville.  He we...

Upon Joe Millette 's arrival in Philadelphia for his first big league call-up in July 1992, The Philadelphia Daily News noted lack of scouting interest out of college meant he'd almost given up the game then. But Millette kept at it, and kept his hopes alive. Four years later, the energetic shortstop made his major league debut, The Daily News wrote . "I want to play the field, get some hits, have a little fun," Millette told The Daily News that July. Millette went on to have fun in the majors over two seasons , 43 appearances. Millette's career began in 1988, signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of St. Mary's College in California. Millette first hit the field for the Phillies in 1989, at single-A Spartanburg and short-season Batavia. He saw 71 games and hit .239. He then played 1990 at high-A Clearwater , where he hit just .183 over 108 games, but still made the league All-Star game on the strength of his defense. In the game, however, h...

Late in Lee Langley 's career, he suffered a devastating injury on the mound in independent ball. A comebacker caught him right above his right eye. The result: legal blindness in that eye, The Marin Independent Journal wrote . But that was late in his career, not the end of it. Langley battled his way back and took the mound again the next season, in 1997, with the help of a hockey helmet. He explained to The Independent Journal why. "This is my heart's desire," Langley told The Independent Journal . "I can't let that four-ounce ball decide my future." Langley had played a decade in the pros by that point, including seven spent in affiliated ball where he'd topped out at high-A. He returned to independent ball, where he suffered his eye injury. Post-eye injury, he took the mound for part of one more season, at independent Moose Jaw . Langley's career began in 1986, taken by the Dodgers in the third round of the January draft out of Linn-Benton...

Days after being released by the Phillies from AAA Scranton in 1989, John Martin got a call from Lance Nichols, head of the Philadelphia minor league system, The Scranton Times-Tribune wrote . He'd played into his 10th professional season, but hadn't made the majors. He also wasn't sure what to do, The Times-Tribune wrote . "He asked me if I'd be interested in possibly coaching," Martin told The Times-Tribune . "I told him I'd think about it and that I liked the idea. I wanted to stay in baseball." Martin did stay in, embarking on a new career as a minor league pitching coach , and later a scout. Martin's career began in 1980, taken by the Cardinals in the 16th round of the draft out of the University of Washington. Martin was also sometimes credited as John A. Martin . Martin started with the Phillies at St. Petersburg and single-A Gastonia . He went 3-6 overall, with a 5.94 ERA. He returned to Gastonia for 1981, then saw single-A St. Pete...

Fresh off his own playing career, Al LeBoeuf worked with young Phillies minor leaguers in 1989, among them top pick Jeff Jackson, The Philadelphia Daily News wrote .  "Al (LeBoeuf) is teaching him to stay in and hit that pitch to right field," rookie Martinsville manager Roly DeArmas told The Daily News . "Jeff has such good bat speed that he can drive the ball that way." LeBeauf served that year as a coach at Martinsville after eight seasons spent in the minors as a player. He made it to AAA over four of those seasons, but not the bigs.  But LeBeauf has continued working with young hitters in the years since, coaching at various levels  of the minors for more than three decades, continuing into 2021. He's also overcome adversity, specifically a rare form of blood cancer .  LeBeauf's long career in baseball began in 1981, taken by the Phillies in the 28th round of the draft out of Eastern Connecticut State University. LeBeauf started at rookie Helena. He...

Six seasons under his belt going into 1990, Kennedy Infante 's career seemed to be over, The Scranton Times-Tribune . Then the Venezuelan stopped by the Phillies complex to say hello to some old friends and that turned into a run-in with the team's GM and a minor league contract, The Times-Tribune wrote . "I had really given up on playing," Infante told The Times-Tribune . "I had a couple of bad breaks and just figured maybe I wasn't meant to be playing." His initial trip to high-A Clearwater eventually landed him all the way up at AAA Scranton. Infante is credited as playing in one more season, but he never took the final step to the bigs. Infante's career began in 1984, signed by the Cardinals as a free agent out of his native Venezuela . Infante was also credited as Ken Infante. Infante started with the Cardinals at rookie Johnson City . He got into 61 games and hit .274. He also hit six home runs, including a game-winner in an August contest. ...