What Every Boy That's Ever Played The Game Of Baseball, Dreams Of...

Isn't that great!  All of the intrigue and the questions as to why he was not on the MLB team and then, he gets his first MLB at bat.  BOOM!  He will never forget it!

It was impressive. But it was his second at-bat. 

       
   
Why I prefaced it with '1st MLB "GAME" Debut', as the video clip already states it was the player's 2nd at bat, in it's heading. But, thank you.

It was fun to watch live

I messed up and didn't know it was his second at bat.  I was flipping back and forth between the game and the College World Series in Softball.

Yep, that would have made it even more rare....if ever. But, I doubt he is too upset, it was his first MLB game!

Actually an HR in first ML AB is not as rare as one would think. It's been done 114 times through August 2012.

They only brought him up because Craig had to go to first base, Adams hurt and the guys they picked up to fill in the gaps were not getting it done.  

They didn't want him to sit on the bench when he could have been playing every game in AAA.  They had no choice.  Its going to be interesting to see where he will end up.

Let's see if Matheny can figure it out.

 

TB is correct, it is not uncommon for a hitter to get his first call up and get a HR, once they get more on him in scouting reports,  he will probably have a tougher time.   I am not sure, yet, whether he is as talented as Puig.

 

Either way, this is good for a sluggish offense, hitting is contagious, maybe OT will start an epidemic.

Threebagger is right. Now the question is. Is he Yogi Berra or Benny Ayala? Both hit home runs in 1st  game, in first at bat.

(..."I am not sure, yet, whether he is as talented as Puig"...)


Well, for the Cardinal's organization, let's hope that the comparison stops at talent! 

And I hope that the hitting is contagious! 
They need something, that's for sure!

But, the grin on Matheny's face when Taveras hit the HR, was great! Can you remember when your son's hit their first Homerun? Or hit their first Grandslam? Pitched a complete game, or pitched a shutout? I can!

Matheny is a puppet, and many others question his management. 

 

He is killing it with his double switches.  They already have three key pitchers on the DL, two most likely for TJS.  I wish there was someone there who can figure out how to manage the pitchers better and the bullpen.

 

OT is a babe in the woods compared to Puig.

http://mlb.si.com/2014/05/31/s...s-for-first-mlb-hit/

Seems that heads are already rolling, in trying to answer some of the same questions of TPM's...

I know Mathney and did a few Fellowship of Christian Athlete things with him.  (More of a I know him but I doubt that he knows me.)  I always try to give the MLB coach a break because I think who am I to judge them when I know I was judged as a HS coach.  Having said that, he makes moves I just can't believe.  The other night, he put Martinez in to pitch to a left handed batter.  The commentators mentioned just how badly Martinez has been against lefties when the move was made.  He had left-handers in the pen.  Cardinals lose.  We were in the 9th inning and got a 1st hitter walk.  I wanted him to have the #8 hitter bunt and knowing that the pitcher's slot would require a pinch hitter.  Nope.  Our #8 hit into a dp.  We lost in extra innings.  I am starting to become a non Mathney fan as I think many more are jumping on that bandwagon. 

CoachB25,

That's awesome being part of a program, like that! My hat off to you! 

Shelby, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes puts on a baseball clinic each year in St. Louis.  Many former Cardinals show up to work as well.  I was asked a couple of times to take care of the hitting portion of the camp.  One main focus of the camp is to get kids there that can't normally afford other camps.  It was always fun working the camps.  Some of the former Cardinals are a riot to be around.  Andy Van Slyke and Ricky Horton are two that cracked me up. 

I went to one of those camps one year. It's been long enough that Matheny was still playing for the Cardinals at the time. He showed up at 8AM at this FCA camp after getting back from a road trip earlier in the morning. He hadn't even been home yet, and was headed to the ballpark.

 

So many people seem to forget the short history that Matheny has...

       
       


So true!
And as for injured pitcher's, I don't think St. Louis has the monopoly on that one either. Injuries are pretty wide spread this season.  But, no team wants to loose Pitchers, that's for sure. I think the Cardinal's, actually need a new Batting Coach, even more than a new Pitching Coach. But, it's close! 

And CoachB25, I think that is great! What fun!
And Bulldog 19, it's refreshing hearing some positive and inspiring stories. Too often anymore, you try and post something light and positive,  and it still gets off course and negative.

Shelby, if you didn't know, Bulldog19 and his dad are friends of mine.  I coached against Bulldog19 when he was a player and his dad was a coach of on of our conference opponents.  Both have also seen my kid play.  Bulldog 19 comes from a great family and played in a great program. 

       
       


That's great! Even better as you started out as rivals. Funny how life works out!