Do You Personally Know Anyone in Major or Minor League Ball?

[All In Cards]

Guess this counts. Friend growing up is pretty high with the Red Sox

Director of Amateur Scouting
Amiel Sawdaye

 

[DaleMurphyCollector]

Jeff Bagwell.

 

[Hawkhawk]

Ive played against: Bo Greenwell, Bobby Borchering, David Holmberg (The best pitcher ive faced, and i got 2 hits off him
I know personally: Casey Coleman, Cookie Rojas, David Bromberg, Aaron Hicks, Loek Van Mil, Steve Singleton, Juan Portes,

 

[A_Pharis]

Used to have rounds of beer with Babe Ruth every Friday.

 

[Daltonb1219]

I know Joey Devine. He went to the same highschool i go to his mom is a photographer here in junction.

 

[pitt23]

I know Dave Freeborn - played minor league ball in the Dodgers system back in the 1970s. He worked with my dad post baseball career.

I know and played baseball with Sean Barker (played for the Rockies for a few years but is no longer playing baseball).

 

[dukedynasty2009]

A_Pharis Used to have rounds of beer with Babe Ruth every Friday.

:lol: Too funny!!

 

[leatherman]

Bill Hohn, major league umpire.

 

[Kardkollector46]

I've talked to Pat Dean (BC, Twins 4th Rounder, GCL Twins) a few times and I played Legion ball against him twice.

 

[Codasco07]

Steve Kline in the majors and Bobby Felmy in the minors. Neither are playing anymore.

I actually play in a National Wooden Bat League now with Kline's brother. Pretty solid catcher.

nice. i havent talked to steve in a few years. last i heard was that he moved back to lewisburg when he got out of baseball.

Kline is a coach in the Giants organization. I believe he's at the Augusta affiliate.

 

[TBTwinsFan]

Let's see...

I have a few added on facebook... just some lower end guys... I tried adding Strasburg thinking he would add me as we have 1 mutual friend... but he didn't

I know Justin Gominsky somewhat... he is a junior for the Gophers but will probably be drafted after this upcomming season.

Mike Kingery (kinda... my grandparents knew him better)
Dana Kiecker (same deal... he is an annoucer now)

My friend played VFW and Legion (one of the two) against Jordan Smith, who leads the NWL in batting right now... I am getting his first ever card tonight!!!!! He wants to go to a game with me so I am sure I can meet him.

My 4th grade teacher's husband played for the Expos (or in the Minors for them... I heard about this last night! He works with my dad)

I hope to meet Glen Perkins this year

 

[ahill1]

I have talked to all of the Sarasota High grauates over the years, and keep in touch with some of them..

Greg Blosser- former #1 pick of the Red Sox

Matt Drews- former #1 pick of the Yankees

Doug Million- former #1 pick of the Rockies (since passed away)

Bobby Seay- former #1 pick of the white sox

Mark Sobolewski- Blue Jays minoe leaguer playing for Dunedin

Casey Kelly- Red Sox #1 pick

Scooter Gennet- AFLAC AA and drafted by the Brewers

 

[seitas]

I have a friend who is currently an MLB player. Through him I have met a lot of his teammates. I also played with a few guys that made it like Ted Lilly, Johnny Estrada and many more that got stuck in the minors.

 

[yankees23657]

My Dad and I have become friends with Pat Vendittes family over the past two spring trainings. We have met Pat a few times, but we really enjoy talking with Pat Sr., one of the most knowledgeable baseball guys i have ever met

 

[pgwtamu]

Drew Stubbs....3 years younger than me...went to high school with him...still talk to his parents when I see them!!! Saw drew at a christmas party last christmas, chatted with him for a little while, real down to earth guy!!

 

[joey12508]

i stayed at a holliday inn last nite. :mrgreen:

 

[All The Hype]

I have a cousin who used to play ball in the Cubs organization, but he is now out of baseball. I have also played against a handful of guys who are currently in the Minors. Of those, DJ LeMahieu is probably the biggest name.

 

[MallCopKJ]

I know a lot of players who I talk to pretty often from my time working in the minor leagues. The ones I talk to most often are Red Sox/former Sox players. Ellsbury, Masterson, Lowrie, Buchholz, Dustin Richardson, Felix Doubront, Nick Hagadone. Theres a bunch of guys from different teams I have stayed friends with. When I traveled with the team I made good friends with the clubhouse managers as we would see each other when they played at the field I worked at and when my team went on the road. I was real good friends with Wily Mo Pena but havent seen him much since he left Boston. He introduced me to David Ortiz if that means anything lol. I was also pretty tight with, and still talk to Luis Exposito, Kris Johnson, Ryne Lawson a lot.


Players dorms were right down the street from the field and I got to hang out with the players a lot there. There was nothing like watching a MLB game with pro players. Some players thought it was awesome that I had a car (as there are really no stores close and their rooms had no fans or air conditioning) and I drove a bunch of guys to the mall, Wal Mart, Models Sporting Goods and really would just hang out wherever they felt like going. Usually they would always try to give me money for driving them and I would always say no..just remember me when you make it to Boston. That has gotten me a lot of tickets to Sox games since lol.

One time I drove Dustin Richardson, Justin Masterson, Ryne Lawson and Kris Johnson to Best Buy so they could buy laptops and someone working there recognized them, actually invited everyone to a party he was having and started taking pictures with them which drew a lot of attention. At the time I dont think anyone else really knew who they were so it wasnt a huge deal. There was a lot of good times to be had for sure.

Anytime a Major League player came to do a rehab stint, a day in advance we would hear about it but they wouldnt say who it was. One day, it had to be about 95 degrees and extremely humid, after BP all the players and coaches went into the lockerroom to eat and relax before the game. I was sitting in the dugout after refilling a water cooler and Keith Foulke walked out towards the field. He was looking around and came over to me and asked where the team was. I swear, he was standing in Sox warm-up shorts and one of the teams t shirts with his glove. I told them everyone was inside and he says to me "well I need to get loose". I said, "ill go get someone to come out". He kind of looked me up and down and said "you have a glove? can you throw? whats the matter...you cant play catch?" Needless to say I got the hell out to the outfield and played catch with him. It ended up almost getting me in trouble because when the pitching coach and trainer came out the field they were pretty pissed I was out there. Keith ran over and told them he had asked me to do it and nothing ended up happenning. That was probably the coolest experience I had. There are a lot more cool/strange/funny/etc stories but playing catch with a Major Leaguer stands out considering the topic of this thread.

 

[Bruin7]

The first couple guys are from my hometown of Danville, CA. Funny thing is they used to frequent the card shop I worked at there. They are: Nate Schierholtz (Giants), James Darnell. I also personally know Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Tim Hudson from the bar we used to drink at in Walnut Creek, CA. Zito would frequently play his stupid guitar A LOT. Those three used to get HAMMERED! I also know the dentist that rents his VERY LARGE house out to the younger Oakland Athletics who are usually up and comers; its like a mini frat house.

Allen

 

[Card Magnet]

While it's not baseball, I do kind of know Scott Gordon, a former NHLer and current Head Coach of the NY Islanders. He was the goalie for the local ECHL team in between his NHL playing and coaching days. I was just a young, young kid at the time, so I don'tr really remember much, but my mom has a few pictures of him holding me as a kid, and they were pretty well acquainted since my parents were high up in the fan club. I forgot about him until now.