Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Features on each member of the 1990 Myrtle Beach Blue Jays, as included in that year's team set Interview (1) 1 - Aaron Small, Stadium Sounds Aaron Small didn't hear one sound, but he heard another. 1990 Myrtle Beach Blue Jays (28) 1  -  Bill Abare  got big hit at Dunedin, saw three pro seasons 2  -  Greg Bicknell  won early pro title, played 20 years in minors 3  -  Rob Blumberg  proved strikeout pitcher early, saw 4 seasons 4  -  Eric Bradley  did what he needed to do over 3 pro seasons 5  -  Daren Brown  played, managed in minors, filled in in bigs 6 - Mike Fischlin : Mike Fischlin made 10 major league seasons. He later turned agent with his old friend Scott Boras. ( Continue ) 7 - Rickey Holifield : Rickey Holifield saw fall ball as a stepping stone to bigger things. He never made the bigs. ( Continue ) 8 - Shawn Holtzclaw : Shawn Holtzclaw played in four pro seasons, never made AA. He then...

Cal State-Los Angeles' Brad Mengel got hits in 1989, enough to give him a .347 average and 40 RBIs on the year, according to The Los Angeles Times . It was also enough for Mengel to make the all-conference first team , even with his team finishing fifth overall in the conference. That performance was also enough for the Blue Jays to select Mengel in that June's draft. But it wasn't enough for a long career as a pro. Mengel's professional career lasted just four seasons , making it to AA, but no higher. Mengel's pro career began that year with his selection by Toronto in the 43rd round of the draft out of Cal State L.A. At Cal State L.A., Mengel hit a double in a January 1989 game , knocking in a run. In the field, Mengel recorded what is still tied as the most putouts in a game in school history May 13, 1988, with 18. With the Blue Jays, Mengel signed by late-June and was assigned the club's rookie mini-camp . Soon, he arrived in the Pioneer Leagu...

Todd Provence came back from a shoulder injury and, in his first outing back in 1986, didn't pitch as well as he had hoped . For help, he turned to his manager at single-A Ventura County, Glenn Ezell, he told The Los Angeles Times . "But Ezell helped me over the last few days with my slider," Provence told The Times , "and it had a good, tight break on it. I'm getting my confidence back. I just had to be patient." Provence's patience as a pitcher lasted into the next season, when he made AA Knoxville as a reliever. Then Provence stopped pitching and turned position player. As a position player, though, Provence played three more seasons, but never returned to AA . Province's professional career began 1984, taken by the Blue Jays in the fifth round of the draft, out of Anderson Union High School in California. With the Blue Jays, Provence started at rookie Medicine Hat , going 4-5 over 12 starts. He moved to single-A Florence for 1985, ...

Originally published Sept. 15, 2013 Rob Montalvo got some advice from the Blue Jays minor league hitting coach in May 1992. "Use your legs, use your legs," coach Bill Buckner told Montalvo in a hitting session, according to Scripps Howard News Service . Montalvo got that advice in his fourth professional season that year, playing at AA Knoxville . By the end of the year, Montalvo was at AAA Syracuse. No matter what advice Montalvo received, AAA was as far as he got. In seven total seasons, he never made the majors . Montalvo's career began in in 1989, taken by the Blue Jays in the seventh round of the draft out of Memorial High School in West New York, N.J. At Memorial, Montalvo was a part of a team described years later by The Newark Star-Ledger as the state's best. Montalvo played shorstop on the 1988 squad that went 28-1. With the Blue Jays, Montalvo played his first season between single-A Myrtle Beach and single-A Dunedin. He hit just .180 b...

Bill Abare came up in the fourth inning of this May 1991 contest with two on. When he was done, there was just one on, himself on third . Abare hit a bases-clearing triple, leading his high-A Dunedin Blue Jays to a 3-2 win over Osceola, according to The Orlando Sentinel . Abare hit that triple in his third season as a pro, one of three triples he hit that year. For Abare, though, that season was also his last as a pro, Abare never making AA . Abare's pro career started in May 1989, signed by the Blue Jays out of Polk Community College . Abare had been drafted by the Blue Jays the previous June, deep in the 60th round of the draft. At Polk, Abare made the state all-star team in fall 1988, called a power-hitter by The Lakeland Ledger . He also made the spring team . That March, Abare showed his skills off the field, according to The Ledger , winning a hamburger-eating contest. With the Blue Jays, Abare played 1989 at short-season St. Catharines . In 54 games, the first ...

Daren Kizziah went five innings in this April 1986 game for Shelton State, giving up just a single hit, according to The Tuscaloosa News . It was a performance that caught the eye of his coach, Bobby Sprowl, The News wrote . "Daren Kizziah threw the ball as good as he has all year," Sprowl told The News . "He really turned it loose. If he continues pitching like that, he'll really help us." Kizziah ended up pitching like that enough to helping himself on to Western Kentucky, and the pros. In his pro career, Kizziah lasted five seasons. He made AA in three of those seasons, but he never made it higher . Kizziah's pro career began in 1989, taken by the Blue Jays in the 37th round of the draft, out of Western Kentucky. A native of Alabama, Kizziah attended Brookwood High School and then Shelton State. In summer 1985, Kissiah played for Tuscaloosa Post 34 , picking up a win in the regional tournament that August. From Shelton State, Kissiah moved...

The story behind this post: The story of Scott Miller(s) Sarasota Riverview High School's Scott Miller was heading off to college in 1985 and his coach was sorry to see him go, according to The Sarasota Herald-Tribune . That's because of Miller's tenacity, helping the team to a state championship and continuing to practice later, even after breaking his wrist, according to The Herald-Tribune . "I'm going to miss him," Miller's coach Larry Altier told The Herald-Tribune , "not only as an excellent ballplayer, but also as a person, too. He does things not everyone else does. He's special." Miller went from there on to college, and to the pros. In his pro career, Miller lasted four seasons, never seeing AA . Miller's pro career began in 1989, signed by the Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent out of the University of South Florida. He went to South Florida after first attending Manatee Community College , before that Riverview Hig...

Rick Nowak and his teammates got some good advice in 1987, from both his coaches and visiting coaches . Among the visitors was Texas Rangers pitching coach Tom House and former major leaguer Warren Brusstar, according to The Los Angeles Times . "They've shown me things I've never seen before," Nowak told The Times that May. "Before, I was just throwing the ball." Nowak eventually took what he learned from his coaches and turned pro. But, whatever he learned, he couldn't turn it into a long pro career. Nowak's professional career consisted of parts of just two seasons . Nowak's professional career began in 1988, taken by the Blue Jays in the 26th round out of the University of California-San Diego. At UC-San Diego, Nowak had success even before seeing those coaches. In April 1986, as a freshman, Nowak struck out seven as he threw a no-hitter . The next March, he did it again. Nowak threw his second no-hitter in a 2-0 win. Then, ...

Northwestern's Gregg Martin was expected to attract some scouts to watch him pitch in a May 1989 series against rival Iowa, The Chicago Tribune wrote . By that point, Martin was 7-1, with an ERA of just 1.45. His fastball also came in at 88 MPH . In the end, it was the scout from the Blue Jays that mattered for Martin. That's because it was Toronto who selected Martin in the 21st round of that June's draft. For Martin, though, a good college career didn't translate into a long pro career. Slowed by injuries, Martin's career ended just four seasons later, never making it to AA . Gregg Martin's pro career began that June in 1989, the Blue Jays assigning him to short-season St. Catharines. There, Martin got into 19 games, three starts. He went 4-3, with a 4.10 ERA . For 1990, Martin turned stopper. Playing between single-A Myrtle Beach and high-A Dunedin, Martin saved 22 games while putting up a 2.70 ERA . Martin came into a jam in a July 1990 conte...

Mike Fischlin had hardly gotten two hits in a major league game before, much less this, according to The Toledo Blade . But, in the third inning of this June 1982 game with Cleveland, the Indians second baseman first picked up one hit, then another, for two hits in the same inning, according to The Blade . "I can't remember ever getting two hits in one inning," Fischlin told The Toledo Blade afterward, "not even in my front yard." With performances like that, Fischlin eventually saw time in 10 major league seasons , getting over 100 games in a season that year in 1982. His playing career over, Fischlin went on to a brief career as a manager in the minors, and a longer one as a sports agent. As an agent, Fischlin has worked to get his clients top dollar on the open market while working under super agent Scott Boras. Fischlin's playing career began in 1975, taken by the Yankees in the seventh round of the draft, out of Cal State-Sacramento. F...

Hector Mercedes hit at the bottom of the Myrtle Beach lineup in this July 1990 game, but he still provided some power . In the bottom of the fourth against Sumter, Mercedes' team already up 3-0, Mercedes knocked a two-run blast. That blast ended up giving Myrtle Beach enough for the win, the single-A Blue Jays taking the game 6-4, according to The Sumter Item . Mercedes hit that home run in his second season as a pro, one of four he hit on the year. For Mercedes, though, he also hit that home run in his final season as a pro . Mercedes' professional career began in 1988, signed by the Blue Jays as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic. He first hit the field in the U.S. in 1989, at short-season St. Catharines . There, the shortstop hit just .156 over 37 games. For 1990, Mercedes moved to single-A Myrtle Beach. He got into 98 games, hitting .196. In a June game, Mercedes got on base, scoring on a triple . In another June game, he knocked in a run with ...

John Wanish came on in the eighth and was nearly perfect. He had to be, because he was protecting a one-run Salem Dodgers lead in this August 1988 contest . Wanish ended up finishing out the game, going two full innings. He gave up a single walk, but no hits. More importantly, he didn't give up a run, saving the game for the short-season club, according to The Eugene Register-Guard . It was Wanish's first professional save, in his second professional season. He went on to pick up 14 other saves over the next three seasons. Wanish, though, would never make AA . Wanish's professional career began in 1987, taken by the Dodgers in the 16th round, out of Florida State. At Florida State in 1987, Wanish was 2-1, with a 2.42 ERA by late-May, a season in which Wanish and the Seminoles would go to the College World Series . With the Dodgers, Wanish started at rookie Great Falls. He went 2-7 over 15 outings , seven starts. He moved to short-season Salem and single-A Bak...

Leroy Stanton went back on the Reggie Jackson fly ball in this April 1973 game, then he leaped at the wall, according to The Oakland Tribune . On what would have been another Jackson home run, the Angels' Stanton pulled it back, The Tribune wrote . "When it hit my glove," Stanton told The Tribune , "my hand was all the way over the fence. I had to look in my glove to make sure I had it." Stanton pulled back that home run in his second full season in the majors, his fourth with time in the bigs. He went on to see time in nine seasons . His playing career over, Stanton went on to another career, one as a coach in the minors . Stanton's career in baseball began in 1965, signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent, out of his native South Carolina. With the Mets, Stanton played 1965 in the minors, then isn't recorded as playing again until 1968. Stanton made AA Memphis in 1969, then AAA Tidewater in 1970. Stanton also debuted in Queens that ...

In choosing colleges, Mike Ogliaruso chose the familiar , his home state school Stetson University. "I wanted somewhere to go where I would be comfortable," Ogliaruso told The Orlando Sentinel in June 1988. "I felt Stetson would be the place." By then, though, Ogliaruso had another choice to make. Should he actually go to Stetson ? Or should he pursue his career in the pros as a sixth-round draft pick of the Blue Jays? Ogliaruso ultimately chose the pros. Ogliaruso's ended up being a career that lasted five seasons , never getting above AA. Ogliaruso's career began that June, taken by the Blue Jays out of Clearwater's Countryside High School. At Countryside, Ogliaruso drew attention with performances like one in April 1986, where Ogliaruso and another pitcher combined on a three-hit shutout . His senior year, Ogliaruso struck out 120 over 78 innings, according to The Sentinel . "He may or may not do it sign with Toronto," Oglia...

Originally published Aug. 8, 2013 Anton Mobley helped his Myrtle Beach Blue Jays get off to a quick start in this June 1990 contest. He did so by hitting a second-inning solo home run . With Mobley scoring another run on the day, his single-A Blue Jays went on to defeat Charleston by a score of 10 to 6. Mobley hit that home run for Myrtle Beach in his second professional season. It was also his last . Mobley's pro career began as the Blue Jays selected him late in the 1988 draft, in the 73rd round, out of Fernandina Beach High School in Florida. He didn't hit the field for the Blue Jays, though, until the next year, at short-season St. Catharines . At St. Catharines, the outfielder hit .224, with eight home runs. He also knocked in 31 and stole five bases. For 1990, Mobley started at single-A Myrtle Beach, getting into 52 games there. His average, though, dropped to .181. He hit six home runs along the way and knocked in 13 . By mid-year, though, Mobley was...

Scott Hutson got the quality start and both he and his Arizona State team got the win. In this March 1987 game against Azusa Pacific, Hutson went six innings, giving up just two earned runs on seven hits. His Sun Devil team then went on to the 8-6 win . Hutson ended up pitching well enough in college to be drafted into the pros. His professional career, though, didn't last. He got into just three seasons, never making it above single-A . Hutson's pro career began in 1988, taken by the Blue Jays in the 30th round, out of Arizona State. Hutson, who was also credited by his given name Jason Hutson, was drafted twice before, by the Athletics and Twins out of Mesa Community College. With the Blue Jays, Hutson started at rookie Medicine Hat . There, he got into 20 games in relief. He picked up two wins and one save. His ERA came in at 5.61. Hutson also picked up two losses for Medicine Hat, one of them coming in a July game against Salt Lake . For 1989, Hutson moved ...

The Sumter Braves scored their first run of the night off reliever Jose Olivares . But it was the only run Olivares would give up over two innings of work, according to The Sumter Item . That run on this July night in 1989 also ended up not mattering as Olivares' Myrtle Beach Blue Jays won the game by a score of 5-2. For Olivares, that run was one of 49 he gave up on the year for Myrtle Beach over 86 innings. It was is third season as a pro, he would get just one more . Olivares' professional career began in 1985, signed by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent out of his native Dominican Republic. With the Pirates, Olivares started in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He got nine outings there, posting a 6.75 ERA. Olivares returned to the GCL for 1986, getting into another six games, with a 2.08 ERA. Olivares isn't recorded as playing in 1987. For 1988, though, he signed with the Blue Jays. He played that year beween rookie Medicine Hat and short-season St. Cat...

Rickey Holifield played in the Arizona Fall League after his seventh professional season. He'd made AAA briefly in that seventh season, but he hadn't made the majors. But he knew he had to play in the fall league, and play well, if he was going to get his shot, he told The Reading Eagle . "It's a steppingstone," Holifield told The Eagle of the fall league. " Next is taking the same level of intensity - or turning it up a notch - and playing at the major league level. That's where I want to be." Holifield ended up playing a dozen years as a pro. He never took that last step to the majors. Holifield's career began in 1988, taken by the Blue Jays in the 21st round of the draft, out of Ganesha High School in California. With the Blue Jays, Holifield started with rookie Medicine Hat, hitting .271 over 31 games . He moved to short-season St. Catharines for 1989 and then single-A Myrtle Beach for 1990. Holifield returned to Myrtle Bea...