Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Lowell Spinners
From the first time I saw them in 1996 at an old make shift ball park next to a shopping center about 30 miles outside of Boston, later at a spectacular new LeLacheur Park, until this season at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD, I’ve never failed to have fun seeing the Boston Red Sox Rookie A Lowell Spinners.
Many Spinners are first year college players, just drafted out of college, who are getting their first taste of professional baseball and are anxious to please any one connected with organized baseball, including an old demanding photographer like yours truly..
They play a fun, competitive brand of baseball, where the young players can still make mistakes and learn from their failure as well as success.
Through the years, I’ve had several special moments with the Spinners.
I used to love talking to my favorite Spinners manager Billy Gardner, who nicknamed me ”Brimsley,” because he thought I looked like the guy advertising Quaker Oats on television..
I remember telling my son Thomas that David Eckstein, the little skinny kid playing second base for Lowell, was my best bet to be a major leaguer because he was always hustling and had so much desire.
During my days at Lowell, I got to know several major leaguers in the making, Freddy Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz, who pitched a no-hitter last season with Boston..
In addition to taking pictures of most of the players, I’d interviewed a player or two for Boston Baseball, in past years, future major leaguers, Shea Hillenbrand, David Eckstein, Kevin Youkillis, Anibal Sanchez, and Jonathan Papelbon, who I designated my official body guard one day in case fans got too ruly. This year’s lucky interviewees were Red Sox #3 draft picks, RHP Kyle Weiland and RHP Stephen Fife, both of whom were very articulate and great interviews.
From the Spinners I saw play this season, I think the Red Sox got some keepers in left handed hitting leadoff hitter and outfielder Mitch Dening, who is hitting 346 BA , 3 HR and 11 RBI in 28 games played, and RHP Brock Huntzinger, who is 4-0 W-L with 0.49 ERA in 37 IP.
Rodger's Diary - 2008 Portland Sea Wolves
The past 15 years or so, I've been blessed with the opportunity to shoot photos and write articles/interviews for Boston Baseball, which Publisher and Editor, Michael Rutstein has made into a first class magazine.
I've looked forward to seeing Red Sox farm teams every season with the hope I could see them all and get lots of photos for that quality magazine.
I had my best luck with the Boston Double A teams, first at Trenton, and now at Portland, ME, a beautiful Atlantic Ocean seacoast town about a 100 miles northwest of Boston..
At Double A through the years, I have gotten to know Trot Nixon, Nomar Garciaparra, Carl Pavano, Jeff Suppan, Kevin Youvilis, and several other good ball players now gracing major league rosters.
While I have been at Hadlock Field several times, Portland was always a Florida AA - affiliate. One trip there I paid a lot of attention to a young Marlins' RHP Josh Beckett, who is ironically now the Bosox pitching ace.
The past couple seasons, the Red Sox have loaded Double A - Portland with some top notch young pitchers and this season is no different.
Maybe following in the footsteps of Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz who pitched no-hitters recently up in the majors, BA #4 prospect RHP Justin Masterson, BA #7 RHP Michael Bowden, BA #22 LHP Dustin Richardson, BA #27 LHP Hunter Jones, RHP Beau Vaughn, RHP Matt Goodson, RHP Chad Rhoades, RHP Kyle Jackson, and RHP Mike James make up the Sea Wolves pitching staff when I saw them in early May at Bowie.. Masterson has since been called up to make a 3-hit start at Kansas City.
Portland has more than just pitching this season - they have a lineup which can score some runs, with a prospect laden lineup of one of Rodger's Picks last season, 1B/3B Andrew Pinckney, BA #25 OF Bubba Bell, BA #20 C Mark Wagner, BA #21 Aaron Bates, 3b Ryan Khoury, OF Jeff Corsaletti, C John Otness, and several other hard hitting position players, who opposing pitchers must be continually aware of.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Brooklyn Cyclones
They’re not my old favorite Brooklyn Dodgers, who won all those National League pennants in the 1950s, and beat the dreaded New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series. They don’t even play at famed Ebbetts Field, and Jackie Robinson isn’t at 2B, Gil Hodges at 1B or Duke Snider in center field.
They play near Coney Island at Key Span Park, which is only near Brooklyn. Their red and grays resemble old time uniforms and classic names like Reese Havens man the hot corner, and Brad Holt fires bee bees from the mound. When these youngsters make the majors, they’ll play for the Dodgers’ replacement major league team on Long Island, the New York Mets.
You caught me reminiscing again, but since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1957, the Brooklyn Cyclones in the Rookie League New York Penn League are the next best thing to my Dodgers of old..
The heroes of your youth become the idols of your old age and they can never be replaced.
I enjoyed seeing the young Brooklyn Cyclones at Aberdeen just after the short rookie season started in June. Several Met 2008 Amateur Draft picks were signed and on the team by the time I saw them. #1 Reese Havens SS, 1s Brad Holt RHP, #3 Kirk Nieuwenis CF, Josh Satin 2B, #8 Eric Campbell 3B, #9 Eric Beaulac RHP, #14 Brandon Moore RHP, and #26 John Servidio OF.
The Mets drafted a good class of young men - the Cyclones helped me every way possible to get good photos of them and I appreciated them very much.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Richmond Braves
A photo of a young Chipper Jones I took at Richmond in 1993 that was published in the July issue of the Atlanta Braves team magazine, Chop Talk, caused me to remininisce about the fun I had that season taking pictures of the Richmond Braves players.
One July afternoon, kneeling in front of Chipper and Javy Lopez at home plate while Pedro Borbon lobbed balls over my shoulder, I tried endlessly to capture the ball meeting their bats and duplicate my Manny Ramirez shot of an earlier year with my primitive camera.
Driving to and from that miserable 120 mile stretch of I-95 from Washington to Richmond in one day, I went to a record number of Braves games that season and enjoyed every moment.
Later at a Braves game in Philadelphia, Chipper, Javy, and Pedro reminded me of our special moments together that hot summer and made me feel special with their friendly gestures.
Last season, I witnessed another special moment when the Richmond Braves won the International League championship over Durham. Governor Kaine and other celebrities were there, the players were celebrating on the field and champagne flowing, especially over the head of Braves GM Bruce Baldwin when he was accepting the championship trophy. There are photos of the celebration in the Photo Galleries on this web page.
Although led by Dave Brundage, who I think is one of the best managers in the minor leagues, and maybe heir apparent to the parent Braves manager’s job when current incumbent Bobby Cox retires, Richmond have been plagued by call ups, injuries and trail Durham by 7 games at the half way mark.
Promising prospects, right fielder Brandon Jones and SS Brent Lillibridge as well as veteran pitchers, Phil Stockman and Charlie Morton were called up.
BA #18 prospect, CF Josh Anderson is hitting 278, 1 HR, 20 RBI, and #29 Diory Hernandez 290 BA, 4 HR, and 27 RBI and veteran 1B Barbaro Canizares, 304 BA, 9 HR, and 40 RBI.
Veteran Chuck James is 3-2 with a 1.69 ERA and Vladimir Nunez 3-0, 3.24 ERA.
I swallow hard when I realize after this season, there won’t be any more Triple A thrills in Richmond as the Atlanta Braves are moving their AAA team back to Georgia, but just the same, I have to admit it would be difficult to match the thrills I had back in 1993.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Harrisburg Senators
I have expressed how much I love going to Harrisburg Commerce Bank Park to see a ball game and enjoy life on City Island in the middle of the pretty Sussehanna River. Nice things happen there.
I shot my first posed photo there in 1987 and I bet you’ll never guess who it was. No other than further Hall of Fame Atlanta Braves pitcher, John Smoltz, who was a Detroit Tigers minor league pitcher with the Double A - Glen Falls Tigers.
I remember the 1987 season at Harrisburg for other reasons - minor league baseball had just returned to Harrisburg that year and the Pirates’ AA- affiliate won the Eastern League championship with a lot of the players I watched play for Carolina League Prince William Pirates the year before.
Sitting under the stands on a hot September afternoon to get close enough to shoot photos of the celebration festivities, I remember how impressed I was with Senators Manager Dave Tremblay championship trophy acceptance speech in front of all of those jubilant fans. Harrisburg manager 1987 - 1989, and manager of the Baltimore Orioles, I bet he’s talking to the press and fans all the time now..
As a Montreal Expos AA- team, Harrisburg set a record winning the Eastern League Championship four seasons in a row, 1996- 1999.
With the talent they have on the team, and only 4.5 games behind Akron in the Southern Division, Eastern League pennant race, I think they could come back to win another championship this season.
The Senators are playing as a team - Baseball America top Nationals prospects, #8 outfielder Justin Maxwell, #23 Mike Daniels, and #29 Roger Bernadina make up the starting outfield, #14 Ian Desmond, is at shortstop, and #7 Jordan Zimmerman, #18 Shairon Martis, and #28 Zech Zinicola three of the starting five and #13 Adam Carr the stopper.
Rodger’s Diary - Potomac Revisited - Memories of Old
I can't help getting nostalgic every time I get out to the old Potomac Nationals G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium. I started coming out there when the Pittsburgh Pirates, Class A Carolina League affiliate Prince William Pirates played there in 1984. I learned a whole new vocabulary that year from Pirates catcher Tommy Prince, which I could never use in polite company.
Braves minor leaguers, Chipper Jones and David Justice, took an interest in my photos and a Baseball Weekly reporter asked me to photograph Aaron Sele and Franky Rodriquez.for an article he was writing. I remember a 20-year Barry Bonds just drafted out of Arizona State dropping two flies balls in right field in one inning.
I remember him reaching out of the back door of the Cannons' locker room during a game to give me a bat and hearing him say, "Take this bat to your car right away and don't tell anyone where you got it." I can also remember talking to Mr. Baseball, and Hall of Famer Ernie Banks in the dugout before an Old Timers Game.
I can remember worrying about an aggressive young Lynchburg outfielder, Trot Nixon, after he crashed into the right field fence trying to catch a fly ball.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Chattanooga Lookouts
At least two - three games a season, usually at Zebulon, NC or at Chattanooga’s beautiful state of the art AT&T Stadium. I shoot photos of the Cincinnati Reds’ AA- affiliate, Chattanooga Lookouts for Reds Report, who I have enjoyed free lancing for the last 15 years.
No reflection on Lookouts current manager Mike Goff, who is also a good guy, but I missed seeing Jayhawk Owens, former manager of the Lookouts the past four-five seasons, who I liked and appreciated a lot for putting up with my photography antics so often. I always pictured Jay Hawk in my mind as a good Cincinnati Reds’ manager if he got the opportunity.
In any event, my other good friend since he was a player, Lookouts hitting coach Jaime Dismuke was there. and I enjoyed reminiscing with him, which made my two day stay at Kodak, Tennessee more fun.
I also enjoyed seeing many of the Lookout players, who I have photographed every year successively at Dayton, Sarasota, and Chattanooga.
I told every one who would listen, Lookouts right hander ’ Travis Wood was Cubs’ stopper Kerry Wood and my cousin , which is more my wishful thinking than sound genealogically supported fact.
I shot mostly action photos of Lookout players in the two games at Kodak, Tennessee , except for pitchers not appearing in games during my stay, who I shot posed.
The Lookouts are loaded with Reds’ Top 30 Baseball America prospects: #13 shortstop Chris Valaika, #15 Pedro Viola RHP, #16 Sean Watson, RHP, #17 catcher Craig Tatum, #20 stopper Carlos Fisher RHP, #21 cousin Travis Wood RHP, #24 Sam McCure RHP, and #28 1B Danny Dorn.
Although not listed among the Reds’ top prospects yet, southpaw pitcher Ben Jukich, is pitching good ball this season with 7-2 W-L, 2.82 ERA in 14 starts.
Rodger’s Diary - On Top of Old Smokey!
I love the Smokey Mountains of Eastern Tennessee too! More beautiful country and clean air to breathe deeply!
My camera took me there for the first time ever in my travels, June 8-9th. Before then, I had always driven by and never stopped at Kodak or nearby Knoxville in my travels west on U.S 40 to Nashville, or Memphis.
Now I think I know now why my dad used to listen to an old 78 record version of “On Top of Old Smokey,” over and over again in my youth and dream about being on the top that mountain.
Smokies Park is under five years old and one of the best minor league stadiums I have seen.
I had a good time there with the Double A - Cubs again shooting photos for Vine Line, the Chicago Cubs team publication.
I visited the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville to see their football and baseball fields and also bought myself a new Volunteers cap and football jersey.
The Tennessee Smokies are led by manager Buddy Bailey, who I am afraid to admit I go back with to 1987 when he managed Lynchburg in the Carolina League, hitting coach Barbaro Garbey, and pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn.
With some young players in key positions and the pitching rotation, and 3B Matt Craig and some injured veterans out of the line -up, the team is struggling right now, but should have a better second half
after these youngsters adjust to the tougher AA - competition and the veterans get healthy.
Baseball America ranked Smokies’ outfielder Tyler Colvin the Cubs’ #3 top prospect, LHP Donnie Veal #6, RHP Jeff Samardzija #8, catcher Wellington Castillo #15, CF Sam Fuld #18, 1B Jake Fox #19, LHP James Russell #22, and RHP Mark Holliman #27.
I think Doug Deeds and Nate Spears were overlooked - 2B Nate Spears is flawless on defense, and hitting 301, 1 HR, and 18 RBI in 163 AB in the second spot of the batting order.
1B/OF Doug Deeds is hitting 288, 5 HR, and 26 RBI in 177 AB and 57 games.
I want to thank Media Relations Director Jon Zeitz and the rest of the Smokies’ staff for showing me some good old Southern Hospitality during my stay there.
Rodger’s Diary - Look Homeward Angel!
I love the surrounding mountains, different neighborhoods, and author Thomas Wolfe’s legacy in Asheville, NC..
Last weekend, I was lucky enough to be able to mix some business with pleasure there, shooting photos
of a very good Asheville Rockies Sally League team and the Red Sox Greenville Drive affiliate.
I could breathe deep again, all that good air, that I missed at home in Northern Virginia.
Like the AA- Portland Sea Wolves, I had the pleasure of photographing and conducting two Greenville player interviews for consideration in Boston Baseball, which I wrote in an earlier article, publisher and editor, Michael Rutstein developed into a quality magazine catering to the Red Sox fans the past 15 years.
Greenville is blessed with several good Red Sox prospects, BA #6 OF Ryan Kalish, BA #9 3B Oscar Tejada, BA #24, Taiwanese OF Che -Hsuan Lin, and BA #29 Yamaico Navarro.
BA #17, 1B, Anthony Rizzo and BA #8 LHP Nick Hagadone are on the roster but not with the team having gone onto the disabled list earlier this season.
Also deserving recognition are Greenville’s 1B Michael Jones, catcher Luis Esposito and LHP Felix Doubront, who were all very impressive and important players in the Drives’ lineup. .
1B Michael Jones is hitting 320 BA, 2 HR, and 16 RBI in 28 games, and was recently named to the SALLY All Star team This 23-year old prospect has a perfect left handed stroke. Down the road, he should become a power and batting average hitter galore. I chose to interview Michael for one of my two interviews that weekend.
Luis Esposito is an aggressive catcher, who is hitting 311, 5 HR, and 12 RBI in just his first 61 AB at
Low A - Greenville . He has his act together, also demonstrating good leader and pitcher handling qualities while I was there.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Bowie Bay Sox
Since 1997, I’ve been going to Bowie an average of 10-15 games a season. Frederick and Potomac are the closest minor league parks to my house in Sterling but Bowie is a close third.
Bowie is a family oriented operation - they have a large playground for the kids, and mascot Louie, who loves to be with the young folks. Team management always makes you feel at home.
The Bay Sox are the Orioles’ Double A team located less than an hour from Camden Yards.
The Bay Sox have never been blessed with as many good ballplayers as they have on their 2008 roster
and their play shows it. Savvy veteran manager, Brad Komminsk has them contending for first place in the Eastern League.
OF Nolan Reimold is a for real hitting prospect rated by BA as Orioles #4.
RHP David Hernandez, BA #15, is a league K-leader, who gives you six, seven good innings every outing.
20 -year old RHP Chris Tillman, who was in the trade, which sent Eric Bedard to Seattle, is almost major league ready - he is 5-0 and reminds me of a younger version of the pitcher he was traded for.
6 - 9 RHP Kam Mickolio, also traded by Seattle in the Eric Bedard trade, is at Bowie looking good in
relief.
The Orioles have a solid pitching staff, which also includes two more developing starters, Brad Bergesen and Jason Berken.
Overlooked by baseball soothsayers, I think, is 1B Ryan Finian, who has hit more and more power shots each of the past three seasons at Rookie - A Aberdeen , Low A - Delmarva, and Fast A- Frederick and may be quietly earning himself a shot at the Orioles 1B job someday soon.
Rodger's Diary - More Frederick
Akron/Harrisburg Game
I saw my 25th game this season, an afternoon ball game at Harrisburg Commerce Bank Park which is on City Island in the middle of the Susshehanna River right across from the Capital.
It’s a beautiful location for a family to take in a ball game, picnic by the river, go on some amusement rides, play games, or just hit balls in the cage. You are NOT charged major league concession prices at this Double A ball park, like so many others in the nearby area.
Everything pointed towards a good photography day - I love the locale. The visiting team, Akron is a team which has a lot of highly rated players - LHP Chuck Lofgren, 3B Wes Hodges, LF/C Chris Gimenez, SS Josh Rodriquez, 1B Matt Whitney, CF Trevor Crowe, RF Stephen Head, OF Ryan Goleski, RHP Jeff Stevens and others - who I know very well. The sky was blue and clear, and the temperature about 72 degrees. You couldn’t ask for a better day and I took advantage of it shooting 972 posed and action shots.
More Frederick Photos
I’m adding more photos to the 2008 Frederick photo folder of RHP Zach Clark, 3B Bill Rowell, RF Brandon Tripp, C Matt Wieters, and C Mike Pierce.
Frederick players, let your parents and teammates know about the link and photos. There are also some
old photos I took of Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Pete Rose, Jim Thome, and Manny Ramirez on there that you can view too.
If any your parents want clean digital copies (no trademark) of your photos, please have them email me
at Rodger@aol.com
Rodger’s Diary - More Hagerstown
I got there too late to take any posed shots of the Suns’ Lexington Legend opponents but that turned out not to matter much because I had enough light to shoot over a thousand action shots of both teams anyhow.
Also I got an opportunity to see BA Nationals #9 Prospect RHP Colton Willems pitch and BA Nationals #16 prospect, Stephen King play 3B for the first time .
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Louisville Bats
Triple A - International League - Cincinnati Reds
I saw Louisville play just once this season at The Diamond in Richmond VA on a Saturday night before my grandson Sebastian’s first birthday party the following day.
Through the years, probably as far back as 1993, I’ve seen Louisville play at the old Fairgrounds Stadium in Louisville, Cooper Stadium, Columbus, and a lot at The Diamond in Richmond, VA, which is only about 145 miles southeast of my house.
In fact, I shot Louisville photos when they were still a St. Louis Cardinals AAA - franchise with Todd Zeile catching behind the plate.
I can remember once deciding to shoot only action shots of outfielder and football safety Neon Deion Saunders rather than humble myself by asking the very egotistical player to pose for my camera.
Another aside about Saunders - one time taking photos by the batting cage during New York Yankees warm ups at old Baltimore Memorial Stadium, I decided to put my camera down while he hit because I thought . he swung the bat so badly I’d be wasting my film taking photos of a player who could not hit a lick in practice.
This season is a special one for Louisville as they have the BA #1 prospect in minor league baseball, Jay Bruce, playing right field for them.
Also on the mound every fifth day, BA #10 minor league prospect, RHP Homer Bailey pitching for them.
Also on the mound, Matt Maloney BA Reds #10 prospect, at shortstop, #19 Paul Janish, #22 Adam Rosales, 1B and 3B, #27 Chris Dickerson, CF.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Peoria Chiefs
Low A - Midwest League - Chicago Cubs
Since I was snowed on in Battle Creek taking an important photo of Red Sox prospect Chris Reitsima in 1998, I vowed never to return to Michigan to take baseball photos in April again.
But I broke my vow and took a chance this year when I decided to catch Peoria in the thumb area of Michigan at Midland., Michigan and provide Vine Line, the Chicago Cubs team magazine, some early photos of their Low A - Midwest League ballplayers.
As it turned out , I missed the spring snow and cold weather by a week and saw Peoria play the LA Dodgers Low A affiliate Great Lake Loons, April 19-20th and the Toronto Blue Jays Lansing Lugnuts affiliate, April 22nd.
The Peoria Chiefs are blessed with HOF manager, Ryne Sandberg, and a bevy of good ball players.
I lucked out when BA#1 prospect Josh Vitters came up from extended spring the night before I got there.
I saw Josh hit the ball hard several times but it seemed like it was always hit at a third baseman or somebody. The ball just didn’t have eyes for him but he is a far better hitter than his lowly batting 182 average showed and I expect him to blossom into a first class major league hitter with some minor league experience.
BA #7 catcher, Josh Donaldson showed some good leadership qualities behind the plate and whacked the dickens out of the ball.
Almost before I got some good action shots of him, BA #16, RHP Dae Eun Rae knocked out of the box in the second inning at Lansing but he threw hard and I am certain he is a better pitcher than he showed that evening.
While not rated, keep an eye on 3B Marquez Smith, who, my baseball instincts say is going to be a good ball player and who is still at the hot corner for Peoria after Josh Vitters returned to extended spring. He’s hitting 253, 3HR, and 17 RBI so far this season.
Rodger’s Diary - 2008 Frederick Keys
I can remember taking my first photo of a Frederick Keys player, RHP Ben McDonald, back in August, 1989.
Ben McDonald, who was the Orioles’ #1 draft pick the previous June, was making his first professional appearance on a hot summer night at the old American Legion field and I was very anxious to get a photography scoop of this promising prospect before all the other minor league photographers.
Keys GM Keith Lupton set me up for posed shots of McDonald while warming up in the bullpen.
and thanks to him and Ben, I was on my way to my second cover shot ever, Minor League Baseball in the November, 1989 issue.
Nineteen seasons later, I have seen Frederick play four games by May 7th: , Lynchburg, Potomac, Kinston and Salem.
Brandon Tripp highlighted the Kinston game with his 6th and 7th homeruns of the 2008 campaign and Matt Wieters the Potomac game with his fifth homerun.
Frederick’s roster is crowded with Baseball America prospects, #1 Matt Wieters, catcher, #5 Bill Rowell, 3B, #6 Brandon Snyder 1B, #7 Jake Arrieta, RHP, #9 Pedro Beato RHP, #10 Brandon Erbe, RHP, #13 Tim Bascom, RHP, #17 Brandon Tripp, RF, and #25 Chris Vinyard, 1B.
Rodger’s Diary - Hagerstown Suns Photos First Published In 2008
It’s very appropriate I start off my web page team photos publication this season with Washington Nationals Low A - SALLY League affiliate, Hagerstown Suns.
It was at Hagerstown Municipal Stadium 25 seasons ago in 1983, I started taking my baseball photos. In fact, I took my first published photo there that year of Suns pitcher, Chris Eggleston. It was there also that folks started taking an interest in my photos and buying them from the team at the concession stand behind home plate.
The city of Hagerstown, its people and ball players have always been high on my list of favorites and I am very pleased to place the Suns photos on my web page first in 2008.
In the month of April and first week of May, I saw Hagerstown three day and a night game against Lake County (2), Delmarva, and Greensboro.
Shooting some photographs for their 2008 card set, I made sure I shot decent posed and action shots of each of their players, coaches and manager.
I listed each of the Suns below who I published a photo of. In most cases, there are multiple action and posed of each player.
If an editor, team representative, parent, family member, or player would like to download their photos, please send me an email at Rodger@aol.com and I will furnish you instructions.
Coaches Corner Archieve
Archieve of 2007 and before Coaches Corner articles:
Kinston Indians
Peoria Chiefs
Wilmington Blue Claws
Winston Salem Warthogs
More Vintage Rodger Photos Added!
I have added photos I took of Cal Ripken, Jim Thome, Eddie Murray, Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, and Manny Ramirez in 1989- 1990 to the “Vintage Rodger Folder”
I always took a lot of Eddie Murray photos as he was my favorite ball player who I thought was the best clutch hitter in the 8th and 9th Innings I ever saw. He always seemed to hit a dramatic three run homeruns in a clutch situation in the late innings, and even if he didn’t, it was always a thrill to see him up at the plate swinging in those situations.
The Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose photos were taken during a Phillies/Reds game in old Philadelphia Veterans Stadium. Notice how Rose always watched the pitch back to the catcher’s glove and Mike Schmidt’s long sweeping swing, which would get most young hitters in trouble if they tried it today.
The Jim Thome photos were taken at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Detroit Tigers Stadium, and Richmond’s Parker Field when Jim Thome played for the AAA- Charlotte Indians and called up in September to play with his parent club Cleveland Indians. I enjoyed every minute that season following Jimmy to Detroit and Cleveland as he was a great young man who was definitely also a hot third basemen major league prospect.
I had a ball taking the photos of Manny Ramirez when he was a young 18-year old Kinston Indian outfielder who hit balls out of sight at the old Prince William Stadium in Potomac, VA.
In the photos of him hitting at the plate, I perched three feet in front of him while Kinston pitcher Mike Soper lobbed balls into the plate that I asked Manny to take a light swing at so I could photograph his bat on impact of meeting the ball. It turned out to be a great shot which was published by Beckett’s in a full pager and I wasn’t killed by a line drive off Manny’s bat., which I was concerned about because I wasn’t sure I had communicated a “light swing” to the quiet young hard hitting ball player.
Rodger's Pick Archieve
Archieve of 2007 and before Rodger's Pick articles:
Will Thomas
Jason Place
Tripper Johnson
Andrew Pinckney
David Kelton
Garrett Olson
Jeremey West