Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Freddie Benavides hoped to make AAA Nashville out of spring 1990, according to The Nashville Tennessean , but the lockout that year limited his time and he instead started back at AA Chattanooga. Benavides, though, went right to work, The Tennessean wrote . "I didn't complain about going to Chattanooga. That would have done no good," Benavides told The Tennessean after advancing to Nashville later that year. "I went there, had some at-bats, had pretty good numbers and they called me up." Benavides went on to advance to the majors in 1991 and see time there over four seasons. He then later became a coach and a manager, ultimately returning to the majors as a coach for the Reds. He continues with the Reds in 2017, helping decide if runners should advance as first base coach. Benavides' career began in 1987, taken by the Reds in the second round of the draft out of Texas Christian University . At TCU, Benavides stole 34 bases in 1987, still thi...

Luis Vasquez ' performance wasn't lost on his manager at AA New Britain this night in April 1988, even if he did take the loss, according to The Hartford Courant . Vasquez struck out 10 batters and at one point set down 20 in a row, but he still took the 3-2 loss, The Courant wrote .  "He was outstanding after the first inning," New Britain manager Dave Holt told The Courant of Vasquez. "We are just not getting enough clutch hitting." Vasquez turned in that performance in his fourth season as a pro - a season where he would also see AAA for the first time. But, in a career that spanned seven campaigns, and saw him at AAA over four, he ultimately missed the majors .  Vasquez' career began in 1985, signed by the Red Sox out of his native Venezuela. Vasquez started with the Red Sox at short-season Elmira . He went 2-4, with a 3.45 ERA over 18 outings, 9 starts. He moved to single-A Winter Haven for 1988 and went 15-3, with a 3.39 ERA over 31 outings, 22 s...

As any minor leaguer does, Larry Schmittou had his sights set high in 1990 - the big leagues. Only Schmittou had them set there as an owner, not as a player. The president and GM of the AAA Nashville Sounds hoped to bring the bigs to Music City, The Nashville Tennessean wrote . "We owned a minor league baseball team in Greensboro, N.C., for nine years, and I'll tell you right now, Nashville doesn't have to take a back seat to Charlotte or anybody else," Schmittou told The Tennessean . "Nashville can do anything if Nashville wants to bad enough." While Schmittou never succeeded in bring the majors to Nashville, he did succeed in many other areas, from minor league baseball ownership, to college coaching at Vanderbilt and even through a chain of bowling centers. Schmittou grew up in the Nashville area. He started as a teacher and coach in Nashville schools from 1961 to 1968, according to his Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame bio . (He was inducted in 2006) He arri...

Billy Bates only made the Reds postseason roster in 1990 due to an injury. But he and Cincinnati took advantage in the tenth inning Game 2 of the World Series to help get the win, The Associated Press wrote . Put in as a pinch hitter, Bates singled and came around to score the winning run, The AP wrote . "It hasn't really sunk in yet, what I accomplished," Bates told The AP afterward. "I'm just glad I was able to help." Bates picked up that key World Series hit after only being traded to the Reds mid-season - and then only seeing eight regular season games with the big club . Overall, he saw 22 big league games that year, and seven the year before. Those two seasons proved his only ones in the bigs. That World Series hit proved his final big league at bat. Bates' career began in 1985, taken by the Brewers in the fourth round of the draft out of the University of Texas at Austin . At Texas, Bates helped his team to the other World Series, the College ...

Up and down with the Dodgers over two seasons, Kip Gross wasn't interested in continuing that, he told The Boston Globe years later. So, when he got another call at AAA Albuquerque in 1994, he declined, he recounted to The Globe . Instead, he went to Japan. "Best decision I ever made in my life," Gross told The Globe in 1999. Gross' decision turned into a regular slot with the Nippon Ham Fighters over the next five seasons. He eventually returned stateside for two final seasons. He ended up seeing six seasons in the bigs in all. Gross' career began in 1986, taken by the Mets in the fourth round of the draft out of the University of Nebraska. Gross started with the Mets at single-A Lynchburg . He went 7-4, with a 2.72 ERA over 16 outings, 15 starts. He saw single-A St. Lucie in 1988, then AA Jackson and AAA Tidewater in 1989. He arrived with the Reds for 1990 in a trade. He debuted with Cincinnati that April.  Gross saw five relief outings with the Reds and ...

The Pirates were heading down the stretch in 1991, but the bullpen wasn't been performing, according to The Washington Observer-Reporter . One of the pitchers the Pirates should consider for the closer role, Observer-Reporter columnist John Sacco wrote: Rosario Rodriguez . "He's very nasty for left-handed hitters to handle," Sacco wrote in The Observer-Reporter , "and he has proven in his short stay in the majors he can get key outs." Rodriguez already had two saves by that point. He went on to pick up four more as the Pirates won the division. Only one bad outing caused his ERA to balloon. Rodriguez was in his third season with time in the majors that year. Injuries and other problems meant he didn't get back . Rodriguez' career began in 1987, signed by the Reds as a free agent out of his native Mexico. Rodriguez started in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He had a 3.08 ERA there. He played 1988 between single-A Greensboro and single-...

Chris Lombardozzi always dreamed about playing in the majors, but he didn't realize it was possible, he told The South Florida Sun-Sentinel in April 1986. Giving the single-A player hope, though, was his brother. His brother Steve Lombardozzi debuted the previous year with the Twins. "Steve says I can make it," Chris Lombardozzi told The Sun-Sentinel . "I'll just have to work hard, be disciplined and see what happens. I do know it's possible." While Steve Lombardozzi made it and had a long major league career, his brother Chris never did. Chris Lombardozzi played in six pro seasons, making AAA, but not the bigs . Chris Lombardozzi's career began in 1985, taken by the Yankees in the ninth round of the draft out of the University of Florida. At Florida in May 1985, Lombardozzi explained to The Gainesville Sun his style on the field. "I'm what you call an intense person," Lombardozzi told The Sun . "I sometimes get...

Whatever problems Tony DeFrancesco and his Seton Hall team came out on top in this February 1982 game, according to The Miami News . Those problems included an active Miami home crowd that did their best to interfere, The News wrote . "We had a lot of trouble communicating," DeFrancesco told The News . "The people were yelling so loud that I couldn't hear myself think. I'm not complaining about them, though. It's just part of the game." DeFrancesco has ended up be involved in a lot of games. He's also had to showcase his communication skills . DeFrancesco has gone on to a professional playing and coaching career that has spanned more than three decades . He's spent parts of two of those seasons in the majors, including time as a major league manager . DeFrancesco's career began in 1984, taken by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the draft out of Seton Hall . DeFrancesco started at short-season Elmira. He made AAA Pawtucket br...

Features on each member of the 1990 Nashville Sounds, AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Interviews (3) 1 - Terry McGriff, Chose Baseball Terry McGriff chose baseball over football, then made the majors. He went on to play two decades as a pro, then moved into coaching. 2 - Paul Noce, The Deal Paul Noce took chose to take everyday spot back at AA. It paid off the next year, as he found himself in the majors. 3 - Donnie Scott, Down the Road Donnie Scott made it back to the majors after six years away. It was preparation for being a manager in the minors. 1990 Nashville Sounds (34)   1  -  Neil Allen  found majors success as closer, later as starter 2  -  Skeeter Barnes  made bigs over 9 seasons, visualized return 3 -  Billy Bates  hit key WS single, six others in two ML seasons 4  -  Freddie Benavides  saw 4 ML seasons, then coached, managed 5  -  Keith Brown  saw 4 majors seasons, then fought canc...

Rob Lopez ' coach at North Alabama talked up the performance of his senior starter in the first half of that April 1985 double-header by comparing it to the second half, The Florence Times Daily wrote . In the first half, Lopez shut down visiting Delta State, throwing a complete game, giving up just one run. In the second game, that same Delta State team showed it could hit, putting up 10 runs . "Robert threw the ball well against a very good hitting ball club," North Alabama coach Mike Lane told The Times Daily . "It's obvious by the second game that they can hit the ball. He kept them off-balance with his breaking pitches all day." Lopez went on to keep hitters off-balance as a pro, signing with the Reds as an undrafted free agent. He even went on to make the team's 40-man roster. Lopez, though, never had the opportunity to try to keep hitters off-balance in the major leagues. Lopez arrived at North Alabama, growing up in Port Arthur, Texas....

Brian Lane and the Chattanooga Lookouts got a look at a major league pitcher this exhibition game in April 1993 . This major league pitcher also had a perfect game behind him, Tom Browning. Browning, though, was far from perfect . He gave up 13 hits. Among those Lookouts who got in on the action was Lane. "It wasn't really his day," Lane told The Associated Press afterward. "This guy's got a perfect game in the major leagues. We got to him early and it was fun. Some days you go to the plate and get good pitches." While Lane and the Lookouts had a good day that day, for Lane, that look at major league pitching would be among the few he had. And, in a career that saw time in six seasons , Lane never got to see major league pitching in the majors. Lane's career began in 1987, taken by the Reds in the third round of the draft, out of Midway High School in Waco, Texas. He played that first year at rookie Billing. He hit .200 in 56 games. He move...

After seeing time in three major league seasons with the Reds, Milt Hill tried to find a home in 1994 with his hometown Braves . That spring, Braves manager Bobby Cox could see Hill doing just that, according to The Associated Press . "He throws an excellent split finger, is a good competitor and has no problem throwing strikes," Cox told The AP . Hill did make the Braves that year, but he got just 10 appearances before a June waiver claim by the Mariners. His time with the Mariners after the claim ended up being his last time in the majors. Hill's career began in 1987, taken by the Reds out of DeKalb College in the 28th round of the draft. Hill started with the Reds at rookie Billings, moving to single-A Cedar Rapids in 1988. He picked up 13 saves for Cedar Rapids and 13 more the next year at AA Chattanooga. He made AAA Nashville in 1990, then first made Cincinnati in 1991. With the Reds, Hill debuted in August , getting into 22 games in relief down the ...

Scott Scudder made the Reds in 1989, getting 17 starts. To start 1990, though, he got sent back to AAA Nashville . "I was disappointed when I got sent down," Scudder told The Associated Press after his return May 6, "but I expected to be back." Scudder returned to the Reds with a start where he went into the eighth inning, giving up a single earned run . Scudder went on to pitch in five major league seasons, playing for the Reds and the Indians, getting 96 outings, 64 starts. He also played on a World Series champion. Scudder's career began in 1986, signed by the Reds as the 17th overall pick out of Prairieland High School in Texas. He started at rookie Billings, moving to single-A Cedar Rapids in 1987. He made AA Chattanooga for the first time in 1988, then AAA Nashville in 1989. In 1989, Scudder also made Cincinnati. Scudder debuted with the Reds in June. He picked up his first win June 22, in his fourth outing. He got into the eighth, giving ...

Neil Allen finally found success in 1986, something he hadn't seen in some time, The Associated Press wrote . By that July, the former New York Mets closer was 6-1 and hurling as a starter . "I made my name in the bullpen, but my whole career was going downhill," Allen told The AP . "The way things were going, if the White Sox hadn't come along, I might have been on Long Island right now cutting grass." Allen stayed on a major league mound, and away from cutting grass, into 1989. But he still isn't cutting grass. Allen has gone on to a post-playing coaching career. For 2012, he's serving as pitching coach for AAA Durham . Allen's career began back in 1976, taken by the Mets in the 11th round of the draft out of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City. Allen made AAA Tidewater in his third season and Flushing in his fourth. With the Mets in 1979, Allen got into 50 total games, starting five of them. He went 6-10, with eight saves. A...