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Showing posts from October, 2019

Mike Napoli: Former Italian / American MLB Player (2006-2017)

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Michael Anthony Napoli was born on October 31st, 1981 in Hollywood Florida. The Italian American would play at catcher, first base & in the outfield, as well as DH.  He was drafted out of high school in Pembroke Pines, Florida by the Anaheim Angels.  In 2004 at A Ball he hit 29 HRs with 118 RBIs getting promoted to AA in 1995 where he hit 31 HRs with 99 RBIs. By 2006 he was on the Angels roster as their main catcher taking over from Jose Molina. Napoli entered the major leagues with a HR in his first career at bat, coming against the Detroit Tigers. Overall in his rookie year he hit 16 HRs with 13 doubles in 94 games, although he only batted .228. By 2008 he brought his average up to .273 and would hit twenty HRs.   Napoli began a string of hitting 20 or more HRs in each of the six seasons. He competed for the catching job with Jeff Mathis, although Napoli was a far better hitter than Mathis, manager Mike Scioscia preferred a better defensive catcher. Mathi

Phil Regan: 2019 Mets Pitching Coach

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Philip Raymond Regan was born April 6th 2937 in Ostego, Michigan. The six foot three right handed ptcher, began a long baseball career, getting signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1956. He would debut in 1960 & spend six seasons in Detroit as both a starter & reliever going 42-44 with a 4.50 ERA. In 1963 he won 15 games (10th most in the AL) for the 5th place Tigers who won 81 games. In 1965 he asked the Tigers GM to be traded, he was soon sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dick Tracewski. He landed on one of the best teams in baseball, with a pitching staff of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton & Claude Osteen. He became a full time relief pitcher, leading the NL in saves (21) & games finished (48) going 14-1 with 1.62 ERA with 88 strike outs 116 innings. It was here he was known to "swoop in" a game & earned the moniker the Vulture.  He earned both the Comeback Player & Reliever of the Year Awards.  He would win 13 straight decisions that ye

R.A. Dickey: 2012 NL Cy Young Award Winner (2010-2012)

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Robert Alan "R. A." Dickey was born October 29, 1974 in Nashville, Tennessee. He majored in English Literature with 1 3.3 GPA at the University of Tennessee, before getting drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1996. That year he was a member of the US Olympic baseball team that won a bronze medal at the summer games in Atlanta. Dickey was the winning pitcher in two of the games. The Intelligent right hander was offered a contract over $800,000 until a doctor noticed his arm hanging in an odd way. An x-ray found a missing ulnar collateral ligament and the Rangers lowered their offer to $75,000. Doctors said he shouldn’t be able to turn a door knob let alone, pitch in the major leagues. Upset & angry he found a spiritual enlightment and moved on. He began a minor league career that lasted straight 14 seasons where he pitched at least three games at the level every seasons. Dickey made his MLB debut in Texas on April 22nd, 2001 finishing off an 11-2 win over the Oakland