Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Features on each member of the 1990 Columbia Mets, single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. Columbia Mets (29) 1  -  Jay Brazeau  served as a minor league general manager 2  -  Bob Burton  started as trainer, then moved to sports medicine 3  -  Stanton Cameron  hit home runs in minors, missed bigs 4  -  Kevin Carroll  had baseball background, played 5 seasons 5  -  Alberto Castillo  worked hard, saw 12 majors seasons 6  -  Brian Davis  had good night at high-A, saw 5 seasons 7  -  Nick Davis  opened pro career with big hit, saw 4 seasons 8  -  Alberto Diaz  made perfect sacrifice in 1991, saw 5 seasons 9  -  Chris Dorn  delivered at high-A, played six seasons 10  -  Art Emm  pitched well in rookie ball, saw 3 pro seasons 11 -  Jack Fisher , Home Runs, 4/25/18 12 -  Brook Fordyce , Newfound Confidence, 6/30/18...

Joe Vitko had to wait until the end of the AA Eastern League playoffs in 1992, but he got his call . The Mets summoned Vitko to Queens in his fourth season and Vitko looked forward to the opportunity, he told his hometown Altoona Mirror . "I am really a bit surprised," Vitko told The Mirror . "I'm really pleased and I'm just hoping to learn a lot" Vitko learned what he could over three appearances for the Mets to end the season, but he didn't get to apply that knowledge further. He played two more seasons, but didn't return to the bigs. Vitko's career began in 1989, taken by the Mets in the 24th round of the draft out of St. Francis University in Pennsylvania. He played his high school ball at Central Cambria High in Ebensburg, Pa. Vitko started with the Mets at short-season Pittsfield and in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He went 6-2, with a 2.29 ERA. He then played 1990 at single-A Columbia . He went 8-1 there over 16 outings, ...

The New York Times called Julian Vasquez ' ERA at high-A St. Lucie in 1991 staggering. Vasquez gave up just two runs over 56 relief appearances and there was a possibility he might jump to AAA for 1992, The Times wrote . "I'm ready," Vasquez told The Times in spring 1992. "I don't have a lot of patience. I've got too many good pitches." Vasquez posted that ERA at St. Lucie in his fifth season as a pro. Despite seeing AAA in 1993, he never made the majors and the main part of his career ended after that AAA campaign. Vasquez' career began in 1987, signed by the Mets out of his native Dominican Republic. Vasquez started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He went 2-3, with a 3.29 ERA over 25 relief outings. He returned to Kingsport for 1988, then saw single-A Columbia for 1989 and 1990. He turned in a 2.17 ERA over 25 outings in 1990. Vasquez then had his season at St. Lucie. In addition to his 0.28 ERA, he went 3-2 and saved 2...

With a runner on third base in the third inning, Columbia's James Harris stepped up to the plate and knocked a run-scoring single, The Spartanburg Herald-Tribune wrote . Columbia went on to beat Spartanburg by a score of 8-3, while Harris went 3 for 5, with two RBI, The Herald-Tribune wrote . "They don't miss opportunities," Spartanburg manager Mel Roberts told The Herald-Tribune . "They got the base hits when they had runners in scoring position, and we didn't." Harris got the base hits over a professional career that spanned 10 seasons, but he never got enough to make it to the high minors. He never made the majors . Harris' career began in 1988, taken by the Mets in the 45th round of the draft out of St. John the Baptist High in West Islip, Long Island. Harris started with the Mets in the rookie Gulf Coast League and at rookie Kingsport. He hit .288 over 60 games, with 34 RBI. He played 1989 at single-A Columbia and a...

Joe McCann worked on his mechanics early in the 1990 season with single-A Columbia's pitching coach and it seemed to pay off, according to The Spartanburg Herald-Journal . McCann took a shutout into the ninth inning and gave up five hits, all singles, The Herald-Journal wrote . "I've been struggling the first couple of games," McCann told The Herald-Journal afterward. "I told the guys before the game that I needed to break out of my pitching slump." McCann went on from Columbia to high-A St. Lucie the next year, but that's as high as he got. McCann played in five pro seasons . He never made AA. McCann's career began in 1989, taken by the Mets in the 47th round of the draft out of Georgia Perimeter College and Milton High School in Georgia. McCann was also credited as Joseph McCann. McCann started with the Mets at short-season Pittsfield . He went 4-2, with a 3.04 ERA over 13 outings, six starts. He then moved to Columbia for 1990. H...

Alberto Castillo revealed his approach to the game in 1994 to T he Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin . He spoke to The Press and Sun-Bulletin in his eighth pro season - and his first at AA. "I just try to work hard, try to improve and show I can play," Castillo told The Press and Sun-Bulletin . "You cannot be a tough guy. You have to be happy to everyone. If you're the kind of guy that comes to the clubhouse with an ugly face, no one wants to talk to you. You can't get mad." Castillo had yet to make the majors, but his hard work eventually paid off. He made the bigs the next season and went on to a major league career that spanned 12 campaigns . Castillo's career began in 1987, signed by the Mets as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic . He started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He made short-season Pittsfield in 1989. He then didn't hit AA until 1994. He finally made the majors the next year, 1995. Castillo got int...

Starting his eighth professional season in 1996, Brook Fordyce saw the majors only in the previous year. Even then, he only saw four games . So, after signing with the Reds, Fordyce set out on another season at AAA and had a career-year. "I knew then that I could do it," Fordyce told The South Florida Sun Sentinel . "My confidence turned in one year. I knew that I was ready to play." Fordyce then took that confidence on to a string of eight-straight major league seasons where he saw at least 40 games played. He got into more than 90 games in four of those campaigns. He played in three of those seasons after he almost died when an artery burst near his stomach. Fordyce's career began in 1989, taken by the Mets in the third round of the draft out of St. Bernard's High School in Connecticut. Fordyce started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He made single-A Columbia in 1990, then AA Binghamton in 1992. The catcher hit AAA Norfolk for 199...

Kevin Carroll signed on with the Cortland Crush for 2017 as an assistant coach and the team was glad to have him, according to their Facebook post . "We are very fortunate to have a coach with Kevin's baseball background on our staff," team manager Bill McConnell said in the post . "Proven as a player and as a Coach, Kevin is one of the best baseball men that I've had the opportunity to work with. Our players will learn a tremendous amount from him." Carroll brought with him experience in five professional seasons as a player. He then had a long stint as an assistant coach in high school. As a player, he never made it past AA. Carroll's career began in 1989, signed by the Mets as a free agent out of Siena College in New York State. He previously attended Onondaga Community College and LaFayette High School near Syracuse. Carroll graduated from LaFayette in 1985 and he later made the school's Hall of Fame . He then moved on to Onondaga,...

The St. Lucie Mets won big on this night in May 1991 and Brian Davis helped them get there, according to The Palm Beach Post . Davis picked up two hits and three RBI for St. Lucie as they beat Sarasota by a score of 8-2, The Post wrote . Though he had a good night, Davis' five-season career neared its end. He was released by the end of the month . He never made AA. Davis' career began in 1987, signed by the White Sox as a free agent out of Cleveland High School in Texas. Davis started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He hit .219 in 42 games. He then returned to the GCL and saw single-A Tampa in 1988. He hit .250 between them. He played at short-season Utica and at single-A South Bend in 1989. He then moved to the Mets in the minor league draft. Davis played 1990 at single-A Columbia. He hit .273 in 111 games and stole 28 bases. He then started 1991 at St. Lucie. He got into 22 games and hit .222 to end his career . Palm Beach Post, May 7,...

The St. Lucie Mets needed a good relief outing in this June 1991 game and Chris Dorn delivered, according to The Palm Beach Post . The Mets ended up winning the game and Dorn's outing won praise from his manager John Tamargo, The Post wrote . "Dorn did a great job in relief," Tamargo told The Post . "We have strong relief pitching; now we have to work on hitting on the ground." Dorn turned in that outing in his fourth professional season. He went on to play in a total of six. He briefly made AAA, but never made the majors . Dorn's career began in 1988, taken by the Mets in the 29th round of the draft out of San Jacinto College. He started with the Mets in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He went 1-6, with three saves and a 4.50 ERA over 26 relief outings. Dorn split 1989 between single-A Columbia and short-season Pittsfield. He also spent the season as a starter. In 16 outings, 12 starts, Dorn went 8-2 overall, with a 2.52 ERA. He played 199...

Art Emm had himself a good game in this July 1989 contest, but he'd just as soon have his next good game elsewhere, he told The Orlando Sentinel . That's because Emm pitched that game in the rookie Gulf Coast League, according to The Sentinel . "I thought I pitched pretty well," Emm told The Sentinel . "But I hope I'm not around long enough to have more like that, if you know what I mean." Emm eventually did pitch somewhere else, two other places, to be exact. He never pitched at AA or higher. Emm's career began in 1988, signed by the Astros out of Onondaga Community College. He played his high school ball at Baldwinsville High, near Syracuse, where he made the school's Hall of Fame in 2016. Emm has also been referred to as Artie Emm and Arthur Emm. Emm spent his first full season in the GCL with the Astos. He went 1-4, with a 3.51 ERA over nine outings, six starts. He returned to the GCL for five starts in 1989, then spent the r...

Reid Hartmann 's dad Frank coached for one school, but he decided to leave, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote . His reason: His baseball playing son, The Post-Dispatch wrote . "I really liked it (coaching) but I wanted to see my son play," Hartmann told The Post-Dispatch , after he eventually took a job coaching his son. "I figured it was one or the other." The elder Hartmann eventually got to see his son play at higher levels. Reid Hartmann went on to play in college and in the pros. His pro career lasted three seasons. He never made the majors . Hartmann's pro career began in 1988, taken by the Mets in the 41st round of the draft out of St. Louis Community College-Meramec. He played his high school at Mehlville High in St. Louis. At Meramec, Hartman went 3 for 4 in a March 1987 game. He also knocked the game-winner . He hit .396 that year, then lost most of the next with a injured thumb. He started with the Mets in 1988 in the rookie Gulf C...

When Tim Howard returned stateside from two seasons in Taiwan, he expressed excitement to The Yuma Sun . Howard had just signed on with the Yuma Bullfrogs of the independent Western League. "It's been a long time since I've had any of my family or friends see me play," Howard told The Sun . "The first couple of games, I might have 200-300 fans from Brawley come to Yuma. I think they're itching to see me play." Howard's family and friends had had plenty of opportunities to see Howard over the previous decade plus, but not as close. Regardless of that, they never had the opportunity to see Howard in the majors. Howard's long career began in 1988, taken by the Mets in the fifth round of the draft out of Imperial Valley College in California. Howard started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He hit .280 in 68 games. He then moved to short-season Pittsfield and single-A Columbia for 1989. He hit .281 between them. He returned to Col...

Bill Stein had a couple big nights for the Texas Rangers in June 1983, he knew his role, he told UPI that month. "When I have a chance to play I want to produce and my chances of doing that are enhanced when the guys are on base for me," Stein told UPI . "But I'm not an everyday player. When Wayne Tolleson gets healthy, he'll be back at second and I'll be on the bench because I'm a utility player." While Stein knew his role through a major league career that spanned 14 seasons , he took a different role later, as a minor league manager. Stein's career in baseball began in 1969, taken by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the draft out of Southern Illinois University. He started with the Cardinals at AAA Tulsa . He then played at AA Arkansas, returned to Tulsa and made St. Louis in 1972. Stein got into 14 games for the Cardinals that year and 32 the next. He moved to the White Sox for 1974 and saw 13 games. After 76 games in 1975...

The young Wausau trainer turned out to be OK, but Bob Burton gave his team a scare during an early 1989 practice session, according to The Wausau Daily Herald . Burton collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, The Daily Herald wrote . "We gave him a few days off," Timbers' ' General Manager Jack Roeder told The Daily Herald . "It apparently was just mental and physical exhaustion. He'll be back with us on Wednesday." Burton was starting his career as a trainer that year. He graduated the previous year from the University of Iowa with a degree in exercise science , and an emphasis in athletic training. He went on from Wausau to serve as a trainer in the minors for several years before he moved into sports medicine and later briefly returned as a trainer in independent ball. Burton got his first taste of training in school. He served as a trainer for the University of Iowa football team. He then signed on with the Mariners at single-A Waus...

Tim McClinton played football and baseball in high school, but he knew by April 1989 he didn't want to play football in college. He just had to decide whether he wanted to play baseball in college or skip that to play in the pros, according to The Chicago Sun-Times . "I've always wanted to play professional baseball," McClinton told The Sun-Times . "So I'll have to make a decision if I'm drafted." McClinton was drafted that June and he decided to turn pro. His career lasted five seasons . He never made AA. McClinton's career began as a fourth-round draft pick of the Mets out of Downers Grove North High School in Illinois. At Downers Grove North, McClinton served as the kicker in an October 1988 game, but missed a late field goal . He started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He hit .278 in 70 games. He also hit eight home runs and stole 16 bases. He hit one of his home runs early in a July game. McClinton moved to single-A C...

Gregg Langbehn 's manager at high-A St. Lucie expressed confidence in the lefthander in 1991, according to The Palm Beach Post . "Anytime I send Gregg Langbehn out there, I've got a chance to win," John Tamergo told The Post that August. "Give the kid two or three runs and let him pitch relaxed. That's a different ballgame." Langbehn ended up pitching in eight pro seasons, but he never got a chance to pitch relaxed in the majors. He later continued in a different role at the ballgame, as a manager in the minors and independent leagues. Langbehn's career in baseball began in 1988, taken by the Mets in the 11th round of the draft out of Everest High School in Wisconsin. Langbehn has also been credited as Greg Langbehn. Langbehn started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He went 3-3 over seven outings. At short-season Pittsfield in 1989, he went 10-3, with a 1.80 ERA over 14 starts. He went 13-11 at single-A Columbia in 1990 and then 10...

Alberto Diaz tried to set the table, but his teammates in this May 1991 game couldn't bring the runners home, according to The Palm Beach Post . In the bottom of the eighth, high-A St. Lucie picked up a single and benefited from an error to put two on. Diaz came up and perfectly sacrificed them over, The Post wrote . A fly ball and perfect throw to the plate, however, ended the threat. Diaz played that year at St. Lucie in his fourth season as a pro. His career would end there soon afterward. He never made AA . Diaz' career began in 1987, signed by the Mets out of Colegio Santa Elena in his native Santo Domingo, D.R. Diaz was also credited as Al Diaz. Diaz' started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport . He hit .208 in 22 games. He moved to the rookie Gulf Coast League for 1988. He got into 23 games there and hit .307. Diaz returned to Kingsport for 1989. In 68 games there, he hit his first two professional home runs and ended with an average of .278. He also s...

Nick Davis opened his professional career in 1988 for the Mets in the rookie Gulf Coast League and he opened it with a run-scoring hit in his first at bat, put into the game in the seventh inning, according to The Orlando Sentinel . ''I wanted to get in the game because my family came down to see me," Davis told The Sentinel . "I also like it when a coach has confidence in me and he Mets Coach John Tamargo showed it in that situation, I wanted to come through, and it was just a matter of relaxing.'' Davis relaxed enough to see four seasons as a pro. He never saw AA . Davis' career began that year in 1988, taken by the Mets in the 15th round of the draft out of Merritt Island High School in Florida. Davis was also credited by the name Nicky Davis. He started in the GCL. He got into 62 games at first base and hit .212. He then moved to rookie Kingsport for 1989. He hit .252 there in 64 games. He also hit 10 home runs. Davis split 1990 between...

Jarrod Parker coached kids at a local high school. He mentored them as a pastor. He also presided over their funerals . "Since 2002, I've buried 15 kids who have been shot," a frustrated Parker told The Rock Island Dispatch-Argus in 2013. As a reverend, "that comes to me with an obligation. I just don't want to show up when we're burying somebody. Let me prevent one one time." Parker spoke to The Dispatch-Argus as he called on community leaders to find solutions to violence. Years earlier, Parker focused on much less weightier issues than life or death. Years earlier, Parker played baseball. The player-turned-reverend saw four seasons in pro ball. He never made AA. He's since gone on to serve first as a substance abuse counselor, then as a pastor near his hometown of Davenport, Iowa. More recently, he's assumed pastor duties in Omaha, Neb. Parker's brief baseball career began in 1987, signed by the Braves out of Davenport Cent...