Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

El Paso Diablo Ron Gerstein started the 1995 season badly, as in 1-8 badly. But he then worked to turn it around, and came back with a 5-2 stretch, The El Paso Times wrote that August. His fifth win in that stretch came as he nearly pitched a complete game and came out of the game to cheers, The Times wrote . "I made some adjustments after my horrible first half start," Gerstein told The Times . "Before, I would go five innings and out after giving up some runs. It was nice to get this far and have the cheers." If Gerstein started that season rough, his career started rough, as well. Injuries limited his first two campaigns to nine total outings. He then came back to see time in five more campaigns, as well as Taiwan and Italy. He topped out at AA . Gerstein's career began in 1990, signed by the independent Salt Lake City Trappers out of Oklahoma State University  and Tulane. At Salt Lake City, Gerstein saw two games and then got hurt, injuring his elbow . H...

St. Louis Cardinals hurler Tom Urbani worked his way to the majors. He just wanted to stay there - and for the club to believe he should be there, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote in July 1995. "All I've ever wanted since I've been here was that when I pitch, whether it's out of the bullpen or in the starting rotation, is for people to have confidence in me," Urbani told The Post-Dispatch . "I wanted to feel that I don't have to look back over my shoulder when I was having a bad outing." Urbani spoke that year in his third season with time in the majors . He saw one more, for 81 total major league appearances over his career. Urbani's career began in 1990, taken by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the draft out of Cal State Long Beach. Urbani went to Long Beach out of Harbor High School in Santa Cruz. There, he both pitched and hit. He spoke to The Santa Cruz Sentinel in 1986 about pressure situations. "I want to be in control," ...

Lincoln Mikkelsen took to the mound for the AA Harrisburg Senators in April 1995 and impressed, The Carlisle Sentinel wrote . In six innings of work, he gave up just two hits for the win, The Sentinel wrote . "We got some great pitching tonight," Harrisburg manager Pat Kelly told The Sentinel afterward. "Mikkelsen was just super. He had good control of all his pitches, and was able to throw his breaking ball for strikes." Mikkelsen gave that performance in his sixth season as a pro, and after spending part of the previous year in Taiwan. He went on to continue to play for another decade-plus, in independent ball, Taiwan and even Italy, last recorded playing in 2008. He topped out at AA. Mikkelsen's career began in 1990, signed by independent co-op Erie out of Lamar University in Texas. He played his high school ball in Montague, Mich. Mikkelsen was also credited as Linc Mikkelsen. Mikkelsen played that year in 1990 at short-season Erie . Mikkelsen went 7-5 on...

New Blue Jay Willie Canate wasn't expecting to play in this July 1993 game, but, in the end, he helped his team win, The Associated Press wrote . Canate came off the bench due to injury to tie the game with a single early and then hit his first major league home run to win the game late, The AP wrote . "I was happy because the start wasn't anticipated," Canate told The AP , through an interpreter. "I'm just thrilled to death to be able to help the team win. Hopefully this will lead to more opportunities to play." Canate did get some more opportunities to play, including one brief appearance later that year in the World Series. But his major league career proved confined to that single season. Canate's career began in 1989, signed by the Indians as a free agent out of his native Venezuela . Canate started with the Indians in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He moved to short-season Watertown for 1990 and then single-A Columbus and high-A Kinston in 1...

Looking back on his career in 2019, Bob Mariano went through all the positions he'd held in baseball to his hometown Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , from player, to coach, manager and scout. Having completed a run with the Giants, Mariano also looked forward to his next baseball position, The Post-Gazette wrote . "I've done pretty much everything," Mariano told The Post-Gazette then. "I still have the passion to teach. Hitting is my forte, but I love managing, too. Whatever options are available, I'm looking at 'em." Mariano's long career in baseball began as a player in 1980, signed by the Yankees out of Louisiana State University.  Mariano started with the Yankees at rookie Paintsville and in the Gulf Coast League. He made AA Nashville for 44 games in 1981. He moved to the Orioles in 1983 at AA Charlotte and last played there in 1985. Mariano then played and coached in Italy . By 1988, he was back stateside with the Yankees as a coach at AA Alban...

The Oakland public address announcer couldn't quite pronounce Jose Malave 's name in this May 1996 game, but Malave didn't really care, The Hartford Courant wrote . The Boston Red Sox hitter just went out and knocked in four runs on three hits - one his first major league home run. "It was a great day," Malave told The Courant . "They were making good pitches in the zone. I was hitting it. I've got to feel happy." Malave had that game days after his major league debut . He saw 41 games that year and four the next, marking the extent of his major league career. Malave's career began in 1989, signed by the Red Sox as a free agent out of his native Venezuela. Malave started with the Red Sox at short-season Elmira . He saw 13 games there, then played 1991 in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He played 1992 between high-A Winter Haven and Elmira. He started off hot at Elmira as he went 17 for 36, The Elmira Star-Gazette . "I'm working hard and ...

Louisville's Gab Ozuna started the 10th in this June 1993 game with an out. A single, two walks and a single later, he ended it with a loss, according to The Louisville Courier-Journal . Interim Louisville manager Mark Riggins reacted afterward by noting the walks both came on full counts, according to The Courier-Journal . "He struggled with his command there," Riggins told The Courier-Journal . "He's been around in Double-A a couple of years, and he ought to be able to handle that situation." Ozuna faced all kinds of situations over seven years in the minors . He made AAA, but not the majors. He later continued to play in Mexico, Taiwan and Italy and then turned to coaching. Ozuna's career began in 1988, signed by the Cardinals as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic . Ozuna started with the Cardinals between single-A St. Petersburg and rookie Johnson City. He went 1-4, with a 2.04 ERA over 26 relief outings between them. He...

Harry Guanchez ' Eugene Emeralds were down a run when he stepped to the plate in the sixth inning of  this June 1990 game. When he was done, the score was tied, according to The Eugene Register-Guard . That's because Guanchez launched a one-out, solo home run over the left field wall, The Register-Guard wrote . Guanchez went on to hit six home runs for the Emeralds that year, his third as a pro. He played one more year in the minors and several more in his native Venezuela, but he never made the majors. Guanchez' career began in 1988, signed by the Royals as a free agent out of Venezuela. He attended Colegio Ciudad Fajardo . Guanchez started with the Royals in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He hit .262 in 27 games there in 1988 and .332 in 59 games back there in 1989. In July 1989, he won GCL player of the month honors. He also made the league all-star team. He moved to short-season Eugene for 1990. He got into 66 games there and hit .263. He knocked in two ...

In the midst of a season for high-A San Bernardino where he hit .302, Ruben Santana explained to The San Bernardino County Sun his approach at the plate. "Hitting is being consistent," Santana told The Sun in July 1991. "I try to improve on the little things at the plate and remain consistent." Santana worked to improve those little things over a professional career that spanned 12 seasons . He made it briefly to AAA, but his hitting work never got him to the majors. Santana's career began in 1988, signed by the Cubs  as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic. Santana played his first season at single-A Charleston . His season consisted of 13 games. He moved to the Mariners for 1989 and played with the team's Dominican club. Santana moved stateside for 1990, getting time with short-season Bellingham and high-A Peninsula. He hit .238 in 73 games. He got a brief five-game look at AA Jacksonville for 1991. He played the balance of th...

Luis Brito explained to The Spartanburg Herald-Journal in 1993 just how far his minor league salary with his single-A squad went. Brito, a native of the Dominican Republic, measured it by what he could send home . "Every 15 days, I send money home by Western Union," Brito told The Herald-Journal . "I get 12 1/2 pesos for one American dollar. It’s a pretty good living." Brito made that living at Spartanburg in his fifth pro season. He went on to play in 11 pro campaigns . He made AAA, but he never had the chance to make a living in the majors. Brito's career began in 1989, signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent out of his native Dominican Republic . Brito started with the Phillies at rookie Martinsville. He got into nine games there, then moved to rookie Princeton for 1990. He singled in a run in a July game and hit .242 overall. He played 1991 between short-season Batavia and Martinsville. He singled and scored in a June game for Mart...

By the time this July 1988 game between AA Jackson and Manny Francois ' San Antonio Missions was finally suspended at 2:30 a.m., the 25th inning had come and gone . Neither team had scored . "I've never played a game like this," the San Antonio infielder Francois told reporters after the game was suspended, "and I don't want to play a game like this game again." Francois ended up playing a lot of games after that. He played two more seasons in the minors and he went on to a long career in Mexico. His career isn't credited as ending until 2001, as Francois played in Italy. That July 1988 game between Jackson and San Antonio ended shortly after it resumed - on a bases loaded Francois walk-off single . Francois' career began in 1984, signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent out of his native Dominican Republic. Francois is also referred to by his given name, Manuel Francois. Francois started at rookie Great Falls, hitting .2...

James Buccheri took off at Golden West College in 1988, literally. With the encouragement of his coach Fred Hoover, Buccheri focused on breaking the school record for steals, which stood at 35. By late March, he was on his way to doing just that, according to The Los Angeles Times . "Last season I would get the sign to go, but a lot of times I was afraid I couldn't make it, so I wouldn't," Buccheri told The Times . "This season I just have a lot more confidence that I can make it." Buccheri ended up swiping 46 bases for Golden West that year. He also turned pro that summer. In the pros, Buccheri continued running, stealing nearly 400 bases over 13 seasons as a pro. Buccheri, though, never got to attempt a steal in the majors. Buccheri's career began that year in 1988, taken by the Athletics in the 24th round out of Golden West . At Golden West, Buccheri stole those 46 bases. He also hit .444 and tried out for the U.S. Olympic team. Afte...

When Charleston Royal Jeff Hull started his second professional season in the bullpen, he had to bite his tongue, he told The Charleston Post and Courier . He then got his chance, and ran with it to a 11-2 start and a spot in the 1984 South Atlantic League All-Star Game . "I didn't say much when I wasn't starting early in the season," Hull told The Post and Courier . "But I'd always been a starter, and I wanted to start. When I finally got the chance, I said to myself, 'Great. This is it. Now I'm gonna do it." Hull eventually did turn reliever and he later moved up to AA and to AAA. For Hull, though, he never made the majors . Hull's professional career began in 1983, taken by the Royals in the 10th round of the draft, out of South Hills High School in California. With the Royals, Hull started in the rookie Gulf Coast League. In 12 starts, he went 2-3, with a 3.14 ERA . For 1984, he had that breakout year in Charleston. Over t...

Mark Funderburk  played 1984 about as far from the majors as possible, in Italy. But, every night, he told The Orlando Sentinel the next August, he prayed he would get back. His major league career to that point consisted of just eight games played for the Twins in late-1981. But he spoke to The Sentinel in August 1985, when it appeared that his dream of getting back might just become a reality. "I'm a very religious person, and my faith in God helped me learn to be patient," Funderburk told The Sentinel . "It's given me inner peace. There were times when I thought about giving up, but then I'd say, 'The Lord gave me a talent, and I'm just going to keep on trying until I make it.' I think this time I have a good chance." And he did have a good chance. Within weeks, Funderburk was back in the majors , back in Minnesota. Then, for one solid month, Funderburk was a regular in the major leagues. Funderburk's career began in 19...

Dave Richards gave up three early runs in this 1995 contest, but he then gave his team a chance to come back, The Brownsville Herald wrote . He did that by setting down 12 straight, striking out nine in all to lead his Rio Grande Valley White Wings to a win, The Herald wrote . "I'm being more aggressive," Richards told The Herald . "I'm mixing it up and my arm feels real good." Richards that year was in his ninth season of pro ball, his second in independent ball. His affiliated career had ended in 1993, Richards reaching AAA just once and never reaching the majors. By the time his career was over, though, Richards had seen time in a total of 16 professional seasons, including time in Taiwan. He spent the second half of his career in independent ball. Richards' career began in 1987, taken by the Tigers in the 27th round of the draft, out of Grossmont College. He'd been drafted by the Athletics two years earlier in the 11th round out o...

Ed Vosberg got sent back to to the minors in late June 2001. And, in a career that spanned nearly two decades, it was a message he'd received before . "Nothing is really a shock anymore," Vosberg told The Philadelphia Inquirer . "This is part of the game. This is what they felt like they had to do. Still, in the back of my mind, I thought there was a chance I might stay here." Vosberg had already stayed, or returned to the majors, in parts of nine major league seasons. He would return again that season and again for one final stint the next year. But, having played his first professional game back in 1983, Vosberg wouldn't play his last until 2007. Vosberg's career began that year in 1983 as a third round pick by the Padres out of the University of Arizona . Vosberg started at single-A Reno, moving to AA Beaumont in 1984, then AAA Las Vegas in 1986. He also made his debut in the majors in 1986, in September. With the Padres that year...