Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Features on each member of the 1990 Princeton Patriots, rookie Appalachian League team that included players from the Phillies, Tigers and Braves organizations. Princeton Patriots (30) 1 -  Joel Adamson  proved himself over 3 major league seasons 2 -  Ron Blazier  made bigs ahead of schedule, saw two seasons 3 -  Luis Brito  made living as pro over 11 seasons, made AAA 4 -  Pat Cheek  hit well as high schooler, saw 2 pro seasons 5 -  Jerome Edwards , More Aggressive, 7/28/17 6 -  Sam Edwards , Top Priority, 7/10/17 7 -  Jesus Garces , Young Age, 7/12/17 8 -  Mario Garcia , His Goal, 7/17/17 9 -  Eli Grba , Grew Up, 7/12/17 10 -  Jeffrey Gunn , Supplied Offense, 7/11/17 11 -  David Hammond , New Title, 7/13/17 12 -  Brad Hassinger , Awesome Experience, 7/22/17 13 -  Ramon Henderson , His Losses, 7/19/17 14 -  Steve Hollins , Another Added, 7/23/17 15 - ...

Bryan Manicchia pitched well for rookie Princeton in August 1990, well enough to get noticed, according to The Camden Courier-Post . Manicchia completed all five saves presented. He also pitched in 17 total innings on the month without giving up an earned run. The month earned Manicchia co-pitcher of the month honors in the Phillies organization, The Courier-Post wrote . Manicchia went on to play in two more seasons for the Phillies. He made it as high as single-A. Manicchia's career began that year, signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of the University of South Florida. He previously attended and played at Hillsborough Community College. At Hillsborough, Manicchia helped the squad to the 1988 junior college national championship. He attended a 2008 reunion . He picked up a save in an April 1989 game for South Florida, striking out four of the six batters he faced. Manicchia started with the Phillies at Princeton. He went 2-1, with a 2.16 ERA . H...

Jerome Edwards helped seal this 1998 game early for the independent Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs. He hit a grand slam in the third to put them up 5-0, The Schenectady Daily Gazette wrote. The win helped the Diamond Dogs salvage a poor start to he series, The Daily Gazette wrote . "The first couple games we weren't aggressive," Edwards told The Daily Gazette . "(Sunday), we were more aggressive, more focused." Edwards used his own on-field aggressiveness to play seven seasons as a pro . He made AA, but he never made the majors. Edwards' career began in 1990, taken by the Phillies in the 13th round of the draft out of Jackson State University. Edwards is also credited as Jay Edwards. Edwards started with the Phillies at rookie Princeton . He hit .192 in 64 games. He moved to short-season Batavia for 1991. He hit .273 there over 67 games that year. He played 1992 at single-A Spartanburg , scoring on a groundout in a September playoff game. He mad...

Pressed into the starters role in this August 1997 game, reliever Joel Adamson showed what he could do,  according to The Associated Press . He gave up four hits, two runs in six innings of work,  The AP wrote.  He also recorded the win. "It's something you can't think about. You just have to think that you're getting another opportunity to start," Adamson  told The AP  afterward of the surprise call. "Every time they give me an opportunity to prove myself I'm grateful for the chance " Adamson proved himself enough to make the majors for the first time the year before. His call up to the Marlins in 1996 proved a missed call the year before was no fluke. He also had to prove himself with his teammates, according to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel . Adamson's career began in 1990,  taken by the Phillies  in the seventh round of the draft out of Cerritos College in California. Adamson started with the Phillies at rookie Princeton . He ma...

Taking a break from his off-season workout in January 1995, minor leaguer Ron Blazier spoke to his hometown Altoona Mirror about his progress and his expectations. A veteran of five seasons , Blazier had yet to see AA. To The Mirror , though, he looked forward to the ultimate goal, the majors. "I wasn't in a rush my first three years because I knew there were steps and I knew there were 200 people in front of me," Blazier told The Mirror . "Now I'd like to make it up (to the majors) within two or three years." Blazier ultimately did make the majors. And he did it ahead of his self-ascribed schedule. Blazier debuted in Philadelphia just over a year later , in May 1996. The reliever saw time in two big league seasons, both with the Phillies. He got into 63 major league games in all. Blazier started his career in 1990, signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of Bellwood High School in Pennsylvania. Blazier started with the Phillies...

Dave Hollins debuted for the Phillies in April 1990, starting a 12-season major league career that included an All-Star nod for Philadelphia. Two months after that Hollins' major league debut, the Phillies added another Hollins to their organization, Hollins' brother Steve Hollins , according to The Philadelphia Inquirer . Steve Hollins' professional career, however, ended up being brief. He played a single season as a pro . Steve Hollins' career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Phillies in the 41st round of the draft out of Appalachian State University. He went to Appalachian State after growing up outside of Buffalo, NY. At Appalachian State, Hollins won all-conference honors in 1989. He walked 43 times that year, still fifth all-time at the school. He hit a home run in an April win. He played the summer of 1989 back home in Buffalo in muny ball. He scored four runs in a July game and picked up three hits in an August contest. He played his se...

Playing for Athletes in Action on a Moscow trip in 1989, Chad Silver met and befriended a young Soviet player named Andre Tselikovsky, according to Scripps Howard News Service . Tselikovsky had big baseball dreams and Silver helped him at least pursue them. Silver helped make a trip to the United States and Silver's Carson-Newman College team possible, the news service wrote . "Everybody likes him," Silver told Scripps Howard of Tselikovsky. "It's a wonderful adventure. I can't believe I'm involved in such an experience. (Andre) is the most highly motivated person I've ever met. I enjoy baseball a lot, but he's really hooked." While Tselikovsky never realized his dream of playing in the pros, Silver did realize his, though briefly. Silver went on from Carson-Newman to play in the Phillies system. His career consisted of a single season . Silver's career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Phillies in the 42nd round of the d...

The Stanhope-Elmore Mustangs remained quiet for much of this first part of this November 1987 game, that is until Mustang quarterback Terrell Smith dropped back to pass, according to The Anniston Star . Smith connected on the third-quarter pass for a 75-yard touchdown, The Star wrote . Smith threw another three-yard pass later for a second touchdown, but it wasn't enough. Smith went on from Stanhope-Elmore to turn pro in another sport, baseball. But his career there, for Smith, likely wasn't enough. Assigned to rookie ball, Smith's pro career lasted all of five games . He picked up a single pro hit. Smith's career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Phillies in the 27th round of the draft out of Stanhope-Elmore in Alabama. Smith is also credited as Terry Smith. As a senior at Stanhope, Smith won all-state honors in football as a quarterback. But it was in baseball that he signed. He signed with the Phillies shortly after being drafted. With the Phillie...

Brad Hassinger looked back on his professional baseball career years later to his hometown Sunbury Daily Item . Hassinger played five seasons as a pro, for six different minor league teams . He made AA. He didn't make the majors. "The minors are a tough life, but a great life," Hassinger told The Daily Item . "I've done something that a lot of people will not do. I got to play winter ball in Hawaii, play in the minors for a few years. It was an awesome experience." Hassinger took the occasion to reminisce on his induction into his local Elizabethtown College athletics hall of fame in 2009. Hassinger's career in baseball began in 1990, signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. At Elizabethtown, he won 21 games, struck out 217 and completed 15 contests, all among the top 10 in their categories at the time of his hall induction. He played June 1988 in a summer league game with Quakertow...

Originally published Nov. 1, 2015 A minor injury delayed the start of Ron Lockett 's 1993 season, but he quickly made up for lost time, according to The Reading Eagle . In his first start of the season, Lockett slammed two home runs and knocked in five runs. The second shot was a no-doubter, The Eagle wrote . The first wasn't. "I thought the first one was just a double or a triple," Lockett told The Eagle afterward. "I didn't stop running till I heard the people yelling and clapping. I didn't know what was going on." Lockett may have moved into his home run trot that night after hearing the cheers, but he didn't stop running in his career for six more seasons. In all, Lockett played a decade as a pro . He made it as high as AAA, but he never got to make the majors. Lockett's career began in 1990, taken by the Phillies in the eighth round of the draft out of Jackson State University. Lockett started with the Phillies at rookie...

Bobby Abreu won the 2005 Home Run Derby by hitting a record-setting 41 home runs. Serving him up those home runs was his personal batting practice pitcher, Ramon Henderson , according to The Associated Press . "Bobby did all the work," Henderson told The AP afterward. "It takes a lot of talent and a lot of power to do what he did. I was just happy to be part of it." Henderson had worked in the pros at that point as a player and as a coach for nearly a quarter century. But he had yet to accept his hardest task of his career - fighting alcoholism . That ultimately led him away from the game. "My losses have been priceless," Henderson told MLB.com in 2012. "I can only tell you that people can't understand it unless they were in my shoes. The alcohol took what I loved to do the most, which is baseball, what I've done all my life." Henderson's long career in the pros began in 1982, signed by the Phillies as an amateur free age...

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...

Mario Garcia both looked at the present in 1991 and his hoped for future in a quote included on his baseball cards that year. "I feel good to be able to play in a great city," Garcia said, according to his card . "My goal is to make the show and become a great pitcher." Garcia's 1991 present saw him playing in his second year as a pro, in rookie ball at Huntington with the Cubs. His future, however, included just one more season. His future never included the show . Garcia's career began in 1990, signing a pro contract out of his native Dominican Republic. He later played in the Cubs organization, though it is unclear who he signed with originally. Assigned to rookie Princeton for 1990, the pitcher Garcia got into 15 games, starting one. He went 3-2, with a 5.40 ERA. He also collected one save. Garcia moved to rookie Huntington with the Cubs for 1991. He went 1-2, with a 2.19 ERA over 22 relief appearances. He then returning to Huntington for...

Jose Sosa came to the United States in 1990 likely hoping for a long pro career, or at least one where he had a chance to show what he could do. Instead, the Dominican native had few opportunities to show his skills. The outfielder saw time in a single season, 14 total games, marking the extent of his pro career . Sosa's career began and ended that year in 1990, signed to a professional contract and assigned to co-op Princeton of the rookie Appalachian League. He is listed as residing in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, east of the capital of Santo Domingo. The team that held his rights is unclear. Phillies signees predominantly filled the Princeton roster, however, the Tigers and Braves also added players to the team. With the Patriots, Sosa got into those 14 games. He picked up five hits in 32 at bats, for a .156 overall average. He hit one double, knocked in three runners, walked twice and struck out 18 times. Those numbers are largely all that is recorde...

Mark Steffens decided in favor of college two years before. So, when the Phillies came calling again in 1990, albeit as a free agent signing rather than in the draft, Steffens expressed excitement, according to The Doylestown Ingelligencer . "I like to be around my family a lot. I'm a family oriented person," Steffens told The Intelligencer . "And I think it's great to go to the local team." Steffens signed with the Phillies and started his pro career that year. He went on to play in three seasons. He never saw Philadelphia . Steffens began his career that year, signed by the Phillies out of Pensacola Junior College. He went there out of Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pa. The Phillies originally took him in the 23rd round of the 1988 draft, but he didn't sign. At Germantown, Steffens won first-team all-conference all four years and won Player of the Year honors his final two, according to the school . With the Phillies, he started a...

Jeff Repoz practiced hitting with his father in the family's garage. His father also gave him highlighted the importance of Ted Williams' book "The Science of Hitting," The Los Angeles Times wrote in 1986. Repoz' father, The Times wrote , was former longtime major leaguer Roger Repoz . "It's been an advantage for me because he helps me out," the younger Repoz told The Times that April, "and he knows what he's talking about." Repoz' father made the majors over nine seasons , playing with the Yankees, Angels and others. The younger Repoz turned pro himself, but had a much shorter career. Jeff Repoz played over two seasons, getting six total appearances . Jeff Repoz' career began in 1989, signed by the Phillies as an undrafted free agent out of Golden West College in California. Repoz played his high school ball at Katella High in Anaheim. He singled and scored in a March 1986 game. He then  knocked in two runs on...

The Princeton Patriots took the loss in this late-August 1990 game and The Bluefield Daily Telegraph announced the next day's starter. That starter against rival Kingsport, The Daily Telegraph wrote , was lefthander Chris Snyder . That start for Snyder came near the end of his first season as a pro. It also marked one of his final as a pro. Snyder started 13 games for rookie Princeton that year, marking the extent of his career . Snyder's pro career began and ended that year in 1990, signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Tennessee. The Tennessee media book identifies the team that signed him as the Braves. With the Volunteers, Snyder gave up two runs in relief in a March 1989 game against North Carolina. Overall, he went 3-6 in 1989 , with a 5.17 ERA and 4-3, with a 5.95 ERA in 1990. Assigned to co-op rookie Princeton in the Appalachian League, Snyder got into 14 games, starting 13. He went 5-5, with a 2.48 ERA. He also threw one shutout an...

Brent Leiby described to The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle his job as trainer for the short-season Batavia Clippers. His job in the Phillies organization entailed more than just athletic training, he told The Democract and Chronicle . "I went to college for athletic training," Leiby told The Democrat and Chronicle , "but treating players takes up only about 20-25 percent of my time. I'm helping them with their banking. They tell me if they are having problems with their families or their girlfriends or with homesickness." Leiby served as a trainer in the Phillies organization then in high school and college. But years later, he ran into some problems of his own, before continuing on with his training career. Leiby started with the Phillies in 1990 at rookie Princeton. He later served as trainer at Batavia and at AA Reading . He later served as trainer at Reading High School. In 2006, he moved to Warwick High School in Lititz, Pa. Leiby continu...

Julio Vargas hoped to turn pro out of high school in 1989 and his coach Bill Ross assessed his chances to The Los Angeles Times . Ross included in his assessment injuries Vargas suffered playing football the previous fall, The Times wrote . "He's had some trouble with his elbow and I'm sure the scouts are a bit suspect of his arm," Ross told The Times . "But there are games where he just dominates. He picked off two runners against Villa Park and tagged out two runners at home against Foothill." Scouts for the Phillies thought high enough of Vargas to take him in the fourth round of that year's draft out of Santa Ana High. Vargas signed and started his pro career, but his career ended up being brief. He played three seasons. He briefly made high-A . At Santa Ana, Vargas hit two home runs in a April 1987 game. He won league player of the year honors in 1988. Vargas started with the Phillies at rookie Martinsville . The catcher got into 30 ...

Juan Villareal did the best of Princeton's three pitchers in this August 1990 game, but it wasn't nearly enough . Villareal threw two shutout innings against rival Kingsport, according to The Bluefield Daily Telegraph . He gave up a single double. By the time Villareal took the mound, though, Princeton already found itself on its way to an 8-1 defeat, according to The Daily Telegraph . While Princeton's chances of winning that day were nearly over by the time Villareal took the mound, Villareal's pro career also neared its end. Villareal played that one season as a pro . He didn't get another. Villareal's career began and ended that year in 1990, apparently signed by the Phillies out of his native Panama . He only played at co-op Princeton and records do not specify whether the Phillies signed him or another Princeton contributing club, like the Tigers. There is also a question about the spelling of Villareal's name. He is credited on his card a...