Random Questions With Former Phillies Catcher Dave Watkins

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Andrew Martin

Watkins

Many baseball players have the singular goal of doing whatever it takes to reach the major leagues. Even after a lot of work and time, it only pays off for a small percentage. While it didn’t last long, Dave Watkins was one of the lucky few who got to reach baseball’s summit.

Watkins, a catcher and outfielder, was signed by the Detroit Tigers as a 19-year-old free agent in 1963. He only lasted one year in the low minors with Detroit, despite hitting .294 with 18 home runs. Following that season he was taken in the first-year draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, the organization with which he would spend the remainder of his professional baseball career.

Life wasn’t all about baseball for Watkins. In 1967, the Reading Eagle reported that the prospect spent his offseason studying biology at Kentucky Wesleyan. (more…)

Filed under: Down and Dirty - Interviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

NL East Players To Watch

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Daniel Marino

Turner

Dan Marino is trekking through each division in the major leagues and giving you one player he thinks is the: Rookie to Watch, Breakthrough Player, The Party’s Over, Non-Roster Invitee Most Likely to Stick, and Just Not Seeing it.

He has already given us his AL East Players to Watch. Now, in part two of six, he brings you the National League East: (more…)

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Dennis Bennett: The Quintessential Left-handed Pitcher

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Andrew Martin

Bennett

Over time, left-handed pitchers have acquired the stereotype of being an eccentric bunch. From quirky exploits on the field to adventures off the field, southpaws are a breed unto themselves. One of the best was Dennis Bennett, who sadly passed away last year.

Bennett signed with the Philadelphia Phillies out of Shasta Junior College (California) in 1958. He pitched well in the minors, but saw his 1961 season cut short because of an ill-conceived somersault race. Fortunately, he was able to recover and made his MLB debut with the Phillies the following year, winning nine games for the seventh place team.

A tragic car accident in the winter of 1963 in Puerto Rico nearly ended Bennett’s career and his life. Remarkably, he recovered in time to assume his place in the Phillies’ rotation by late June of that year, and finished 9-5 with a 2.64 ERA. (more…)

Filed under: Baseball History, Down and Dirty - Interviews | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Baseball Notes for December 10, 2012

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Andrew Martin

ZGreinke

If you happen to follow many baseball writers on Twitter, chances are your timeline was blowing up this past week. With MLB’s winter meetings taking place in Nashville, Tennessee, there was a lot of activity, as more free agents were taken off the market. Heck, there was even some trading going on. It was all part of the dance as we get closer and closer to the start of spring training.

***Perhaps the most shocking move to come out of the winter meetings was the Red Sox giving a three-year, $39 million deal to outfielder Shane Victorino. The Red Sox have publicly declared their new distaste in  giving out large contracts of lengths exceeding more than three or four years. Apparently they are content with grossly overpaying players on shorter-term deals. (more…)

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Phillies Overpay for Ben Revere

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

Revere

The Philadelphia Phillies, desperate for a center fielder, decided not to overpay in cash on a free agent like Michael Bourn and instead opted to overpay in trade to obtain Ben Revere from the Minnesota Twins who adds more young pitching to their organization. (more…)

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments »

Victorino Deal Could Be a Loss for the Red Sox

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

Victorino

The Boston Red Sox decided to give a three-year deal worth $39M to free agent Shane Victorino to become their starting right fielder but Victorino comes with a lot of red flags that may end up making this deal a loss for the Sox. (more…)

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Baseball Notes for December 3, 2012

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Andrew Martin

Marvin Miller

So much went on in baseball this past week that this could easily be a 10,000 word article. I will spare you that and try to limit myself to touching base on only the stories I found to be the most urgent and interesting in the week that was. This will probably be just a precursor to even more action this week, as the Winter Meetings are now underway down in Tennessee. Buckle your seatbelts, kids.

***Former MLB union head and labor pioneer Marvin Miller died last Tuesday at the age of 95. Miller helped found the Players Association in 1966 and guided them through legal battles and obstacles, which ultimately led to free agency and exploding player salaries. His 16-year tenure as head of the union was easily the most productive of any of his colleagues in baseball or other sports. (more…)

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Fantasy Baseball: September Studs

Posted on August 22, 2012 by David Kerr

With a little over six weeks to go in the 2012 Major League Baseball season, I want to take a look at five players that you can count on to be strong down the stretch. If you’re near the top, but haven’t made it to the top of the mountain, these guys will help you get over the hump. If you need to sustain your spot at the top, look no further. You’re almost to the final lap, it’s time to set your roster up for that final push. These five guys are what I’d like to call “September Studs.” (more…)

Filed under: Fantasy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Seth Rosin: The Newest Philadelphia Phillies Prospect

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Andrew Martin

Nothing raises the profile of a baseball prospect like being part of a trade involving a major league player. When that happens, even the most casual fans perk their ears, curious to know who the young players are who were thought of enough to be exchanged for a big leaguer. At last month’s trade deadline a number of prospects came into the national spotlight as deal after deal went down. Seth Rosin is one of those young players, having just been acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies in a deal for All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence. (more…)

Filed under: Down and Dirty - Interviews, On the Farm - Prospects | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Phillies Deal Pence to Giants for Three Players

Posted on July 31, 2012 by mlbdirtstaff

The unloading by Phillies GM Ruben Amaro continues as Philadelphia is sending outfielder Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Nate Schierholtz, catcher Tommy Joseph, and right handed pitcher Seth Rosin. They already traded Shane Victorino earlier today to the Dodgers and Pence will also be on his way to the NL West. (more…)

Filed under: Digging Deep - Analysis | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Next Page »
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,664 other followers