The Laker/Lutz News

MLB

Locals make impact during 2021 MLB season

By

Looking back, the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) season brought some normalcy to the sports world, with a full spring training slate, the traditional 162-game regular season and fans once again allowed to return to the stadium stands.

There were lingering signs of the COVID-19 pandemic, however.

For instance, the Toronto Blue Jays began the season playing “home” games in Dunedin — and then Buffalo, New York — amid Canadian-U.S. border restrictions. They eventually returned to Toronto in late July.

Meanwhile, a coronavirus outbreak hampered the Boston Red Sox between parts of August and September, where a dozen players and two members of the team’s support staff tested positive.

Even so, there were just nine games postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks across the league the entire season.

As the big league season went into full swing, several pro ballplayers with roots in The Laker/Lutz Newspaper coverage area made notable impacts in one way or another.

Here’s a rundown on those with local connections.

San Diego Padres pitcher Austin Adams is a Zephyrhills High product. (File)

Austin Adams, San Diego Padres, pitcher
Local tie: Zephyrhills High School

It was a tale of two seasons for Austin Adams.

Before the mid-July All-Star break, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound righty posted an impressive 1.71 ERA in 31.2 innings, but slumbered in the second half of the year, with a 7.71 ERA in 21 innings.

Adams, 30, completed the campaign with a collective 3-2 win-loss record, 4.10 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched, and pitching shutouts in 52 of his 65 appearances.

His late-season struggles represented a microcosm of the San Diego Padres, who went 79-83 after going 53-40 in the first half of the season and 26-43 in the second half.

Adams also made some interesting baseball history this season.

He set a new MLB record for the Live Ball Era (since 1920) for most hit-batsman in a season — with 24.

The reason for the plunks isn’t intentional, but rather due to his heavy-moving slider, which he throws about 87% of the time.

Besides his struggles of late, Adams earns praise for strong advanced metrics against opposing hitters, with elite marks in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, whiff percentage, hard hit percentage, strikeout percentage and fastball spin rate.

Adams grew up in Zephyrhills and played Little League at Sam Pasco Park.

He went on to earn four letters in baseball, as well as one in basketball, at Zephyrhills High School from 2006 to 2009.

Adams’ high school pedigree led to a baseball scholarship at the University of South Florida, before entering pro ball as an eighth-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 MLB Draft.

Minnesota Twins pitcher John Gant is a Wiregrass Ranch High product. (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

John Gant, Minnesota Twins, pitcher
Local tie: Wiregrass Ranch High School

John Gant experienced a respectable 2021 campaign serving a variety of pitching roles between the St. Louis Cardinals and then the Minnesota Twins, who acquired him in a July 30 trade.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound righty had a 5-11 record, 4.09 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 110 innings.

The season didn’t end as hoped for the 29-year-old Gant, however.

He went 1-5 with a 5.40 ERA over his last seven appearances, and ended the year on the 10-day injured list with a mild right groin strain — this, after he missed time with a left abdominal strain.

Although he ended the year on the injured list, he’s expected to be ready for the start of spring training in 2022.

Gant’s arsenal features as many as six different pitches, headlined by a sinker (37%) and changeup (21.4%), along with a cutter (19.6%), four-seam fastball (11.8%), curveball (5.6%) and slider (3.1%), according MLB.com’s Statcast metrics.

Gant starred on the Wiregrass Ranch High varsity baseball team from 2008 to 2011 — striking out over 200 batters and sustaining just three losses in four years.

He also was a member of the Wiregrass Ranch basketball and swimming teams. His father, John Sr., was a science teacher at the school and longtime varsity girls basketball coach.

In the past, Gant has spent the baseball offseason training in and around the Wesley Chapel area.

Cleveland Indians outfielder Oscar Mercado is a Gaither High product (File)

Oscar Mercado, Cleveland Indians, outfielder
Local tie: Gaither High School

Oscar Mercado is still trying to live up to his strong rookie campaign in 2019.

After a substandard 2020 season  — .138 batting average in 36 games — Mercado bounced back to a more respectable showing this time around after earning a promotion from Triple-A Columbus in late June.

In 214 at-bats across 72 games, the 26-year-old Mercado posted a .224/.300/.369 slash line, with 18 extra-base hits (including six home runs), seven stolen bases, 19 RBIs, and 27 runs scored.

In earning regular playing time, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound Mercado also exhibited versatility, making starts in all three outfield spots — the majority in centerfield.

Some other positive signs of improvements included notably cutting his strikeout rate (17.6% in 2021, down from 29% in 2020) while upping his walk rate (8.8% in 2021, 5.4% in 2020).

A lingering question remains if Mercado will be on the Indians roster in 2022, as he’s out of minor league options, which would allow him to be sent to the minors without first being subjected to waivers.

A native of Colombia, Mercado and his family emigrated to the United States, and settled in the Tampa area when he was 7 years old.

He became a four-year starter at shortstop at Gaither High School from 2010 to 2013, leading the program to back-to-back district crowns and ranked among the nation’s top prep middle infielders.

Following high school, Mercado was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (57th overall) in the 2013 MLB Draft.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson is an Odessa native and Bishop McLaughlin product. (File)

Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays, pitcher
Local tie: Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (Odessa native)

Nate Pearson spent the bulk of the season in the minor leagues, but became an integral member of the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen as a September call-up, as the team fell just short of a playoff berth in going 91-71.

He posted a 4.20 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 15 innings. (This included a stellar 3.09 ERA in 11.2 innings across 10 appearances in September.)

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound righty is known for one of baseball’s highest-velocity fastballs, averaging 97.8 mph on his four-seamer, to go along with an 87-mph slider and seldom-used curveball and changeup.

Going forward, Pearson is expected to take on a larger multi-inning role with the team, contingent upon his status with a groin injury that set him back over the course of the 2021 campaign.

Expectations remain lofty on the 25-year-old flamethrower, as he entered the 2021 season as the Blue Jays top-ranked prospect and the sport’s No. 10 prospect overall, according to MLB.com.

Born and raised in Odessa, Pearson starred at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, helping the program to the Class 3A state semifinals as a senior in 2015.

Pearson went on to play college baseball at Florida International University, then transferred to the College of Central Florida.

Pearson was taken by Toronto late in the first round (28th overall) in the 2017 MLB Draft.

Land O’ Lakes native Kevin Quackenbush made a brief appearance for the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media/MLB.com)

Kevin Quackenbush, Los Angeles Dodgers, pitcher
Local tie: Land O’ Lakes native

Kevin Quackenbush’s showing in the majors this season was very brief — appearing in one game and firing just a third of an inning in a Los Angeles Dodgers 8-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 8.

It represented the 32-year-old’s first MLB action since 2018.

Quackenbush since elected for free agency in early October, after being outrighted off the Dodgers 40-man roster.

Quackenbush was a staple of the San Diego Padres bullpen from 2014 to 2017, then bounced around to a few other clubs including the Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals.

Across a six-year major league career, he’s posted a 4.41 ERA, 1.341 WHIP and 187 strikeouts across 209 innings in 204 appearances.

Quackenbush brings the presence of a hard-nosed reliever, as a bearded, 6-foot-4, 235-pound athlete. His arsenal features three pitches — a four-seam fastball, curveball and slider.

A Land O’ Lakes native, Quackenbush attended Tampa Jesuit High School and the University of South Florida, where he was the team’s closer and a second team All-American. He was an eighth-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in 2011.

Published October 27, 2021

Local athletes ink pro baseball contracts

By

First came the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, then came the matter of signing the dotted line to become a professional baseball player — and officially make boyhood dreams become reality.

This was the scenario for several athletes with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Five local ballplayers were taken in last month’s MLB first-year player draft, which spanned 20 rounds (and 612 picks).

All but one of the area selections inked contracts with respective baseball organizations by the Aug. 1 signing deadline.

Sunlake High/University of Florida right-handed pitcher Tommy Mace signed with the Cleveland Indians for $1.1 million. He was taken 69th overall (Compensation Round B) of the 2021 MLB Draft. (File)

Sunlake High alum Tommy Mace, a fourth-year junior from the University of Florida, was the highest selection and had the largest signing bonus, among locals.

Mace signed for $1.1 million with the Cleveland Indians, who took him 69th overall in Competitive Balance Round B between the second and third round.

The imposing 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-hander received well-above the recommended slot value for the lofty pick (slightly under $929,800). The announcement was made official on the team’s website July 24.

The 22-year-old is noted for a respectable four-pitch mix — fastball, slider, curveball and changeup — highlighted by a sinking two-seam fastball that touches 96 mph.

Mace very well could’ve turned pro last year, but returned to school with hopes of further improving his draft stock following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

This past year at Florida he posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched, along with a 6-2 record.

Across his four-year college career, Mace compiled a combined 4.37 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and 258 strikeouts in 269.2 total innings pitched, with a 22-7 mark.

The long-limbed pitcher has been highly regarded since his prep days at Sunlake, where he was a three-year varsity letter winner.

As a senior, Mace tallied a 1.29 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 77.2 innings, with an 8-2 record in 11 appearances — guiding the Seahawks to the Class 7A regional finals.

He won 19 games during his high school career, posting a combined 1.65 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 165.2 innings.

Mace previously was drafted out of high school in the 12th round (347th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017, but didn’t sign, in favor of college.

Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for $125,000. He was taken in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of Gaither High School athletics department)

Other area ballplayers selected later in the draft also agreed to contract terms with MLB franchises, for varying dollar figures.

Gaither High senior A.J. Graham signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for $125,000 after being the first pick in the 18th round (523rd overall).

Graham has been assigned to the Pirates Florida Complex League. He was signed on July 30 by Pirates scout Nick Presto, according to a team news release.

The 6-3, 180-pound right-handed shortstop batted .346 with two homers, seven doubles, 18 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 78 at-bats across 23 games this season for Gaither.

Graham comes from an athletic family background.

His mother, Mindy, played volleyball at Ball State University and is a member of the Muncie, Indiana-based institution’s athletics Hall-of-Fame.

His father, Darrell, played defensive back in football at Syracuse University and Ball State University, respectively.

Also picked in the 18th round was Saint Leo University lefty pitcher Jimmy Burnette, landing 542nd overall to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Burnette signed with the club for $50,000 on July 21, according to the team’s website.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt senior led Saint Leo this season in innings pitched (45.0), wins (three) and strikeouts (53) to go along with a 5.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP and a pair of complete games.

Burnette emerged in the inaugural MLB Draft League, a summer showcase for top draft-eligible prospects providing exposure to scouts, coaches and advanced baseball technologies.

Saint Leo University left-hander Jimmy Burnette signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for $25,000. He was taken in the 18th round (543rd overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft. (File)

Playing for the league’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles, Ohio, Burnette posted a 3.09 ERA, 1.4 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 23.1 innings pitched.

The league’s advanced statistical metrics underscored Burnette’s standout secondary offerings, including his slider (32.8% chase rate, 41.5% called strike plus whiff rate) and changeup (29% chase rate, 10 inches induced vertical break, 16 inches horizontal break).

Meanwhile, league metrics show a fastball that touches 95 mph, from a quasi-sidearm release.

A Chicago native, Burnette transferred to Saint Leo from the University of Illinois this past season.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams signed for $25,000 with the Kansas City Royals after being taken in the 19th round (559th overall).

The signing became official on July 15, according to the club’s website.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Odessa native starred for a Longhorns squad that had a third-place appearance at the 2021 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

A fourth-year senior, Williams led Texas with 20 doubles and was second with 12 homers, along with a .295 average, 42 runs scored and 51 RBIs spread across 61 starts at third base.

Prior to college, Williams led Gaither to the 2016 7A state championship his senior year and was named Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.

He originally was drafted out of high school in the 39th round by the Seattle Mariners, but didn’t sign, electing for Dallas Baptist University and San Jacinto College before transferring to Texas.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams signed with the Kansas City Royals for $25,000. He was taken in the 19th round (559th overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft. (File)

Williams joins a growing list of family members to play professional baseball.

His father, Reggie, played four MLB seasons with the Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers throughout the 1990s.

Williams three older half-brothers all played professional baseball, too.

They include Reggie Williams Jr., who spent three years in the St. Louis Cardinals organization (2010-2012); J.D. Williams played five years in the Minnesota Twins minor league system (2010-2014); and Javier Reynoso spent two seasons in the Kansas City Royals’ organization (2013-2014).

Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard was taken by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round (367th overall), but didn’t sign by the Aug. 1 deadline.

Ehrhard theoretically could’ve received a decent chunk of change — as teams can give up to $125,000 to players drafted in rounds 11 through 20 before tapping into their bonus pool allotments.

He instead will attend Division I powerhouse Oklahoma State University, which has made eight consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (the 2020 pandemic-shortened season notwithstanding).

Interestingly, Ehrhard was one of four Red Sox draftees that chose not to sign.

The others were second-round pick Jud Fabian (University of Florida), 15th- rounder selection Payton Green (North Carolina Pro5 Academy) and 20th-rounder Josh Hood (University of Pennsylvania).

Ehrhard was this year’s recipient of the Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, which honors a high school baseball player in Hillsborough County on the basis of outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements.

The a 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitter batted .438 this season for the Wildcats, with three homers, 12 doubles, 29 runs scored and 21 RBIs, along with 26 stolen bases.

Ehrhard’s older brother, Drew, was a recipient of the prestigious award in 2017 and went on to play baseball at the University of Tampa.

Though just outside of The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area in Pasco, Fivay High School/University of Mississippi product Gunnar Hoglund signed with the Blue Jays for $3.25 million, after being picked in the first round at 19th overall.

The signing bonus fell slightly below the recommended slot value of $3.36 million.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander from Hudson was viewed as among the draft’s most polished arms, but slipped slightly after having Tommy John elbow surgery in May, meaning the 21-year-old likely will be out of action through at least summer 2022.

Locals from the 2021 MLB Draft

  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace— signed with Cleveland Indians for $1.1 million (drafted in Comp B, 69th overall)
  • Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard — did not sign with Boston Red Sox (drafted in 13th round, 376th overall)
  • Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham — signed with Pittsburgh Pirates for $125,000 (drafted in 18th round, 523rd overall)
  • Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette — signed with Toronto Blue Jays for $50,000 (drafted in 18th round, 543rd overall)
  • Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams — signed with Kansas City Royals for $25,000 (19th round, 559th overall)

Published August 11, 2021

Several local athletes taken in 2021 MLB Draft

By

Aspirations of playing professional baseball may soon become a reality for a handful of athletes from local high schools and colleges in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) 2021 first-year player draft spanned 20 rounds (and 612 picks) from July 11 through July 13.

The draft is held every summer by conference call among the 30 Major League clubs.

The clubs take turns selecting players in reverse order of their won-lost records at the close of the previous regular season.

Generally, a player is eligible for selection if the player is a resident of the United States or Canada and the player has never before signed a Major League or Minor League contract. Residents of Puerto Rico and other territories of the United States also are eligible for the Draft.

The basic categories of players eligible to be drafted are:

  • High school players, if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college
  • College players, from four-year colleges who have either completed their junior or senior years or are at least 21 years old; and
  • Junior college players, regardless of how many years of school they have completed.

Representing the highest selection from the local community was Sunlake High alum Tommy Mace, now a fourth-year junior from the University of Florida.

Sunlake High product Tommy Mace has been an impactful right-handed pitcher for the Florida Gators baseball program the past four seasons. He was selected 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft. (Courtesy of University of Florida athletics department)

The imposing 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-handed pitcher was taken 69th overall by the Cleveland Indians — in Competitive Balance Round B between the second and third round.

The recommended bonus slot value for that lofty pick is just under $1 million, at $929,800.

If and when Mace signs, he’ll join another local product in the Indians organization — Gaither High product Oscar Mercado, who earned a call-up with the big league club in June.

Mace, 22, very well could’ve turned pro last year, but opted to return to school with hopes of further improving his draft stock.

This past season at Florida he posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched, along with a 6-2 record.

Across his four-year college career, Mace compiled a combined 4.37 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and 258 strikeouts in 269.2 total innings pitched, with a 22-7 mark.

Mace was ranked as the No. 45 draft prospect, according to MLB.com’s 2021 pre-draft rankings.

He exhibits a four-pitch mix — fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. This includes a sinking two-seam fastball that is viewed as his top offering, touching 96 mph with cutting action, according to various scouting reports, including MLB.com.

MLB.com’s draft profile on Mace otherwise states: “Mace has gotten a bit bigger physically, which could help with consistency of velocity and stuff. He’s always been good at throwing strikes, but has been more a contact, ground ball kind of pitcher, rather than one who misses tons of bats. He did increase his strikeout rate while continuing to fill up the strike zone in 2021.”

Mace has been highly-regarded since his prep days at Sunlake, where he was a three-year varsity letter winner.

As a senior, Mace tallied a 1.29 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 77.2 innings, with an 8-2 record in 11 appearances — guiding the Seahawks to the Class 7A regional finals.

He won 19 games during his high school career, posting a combined 1.65 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 165.2 innings.

Mace was rated as No. 72 prep player in the class of 2017 by Perfect Game and No. 15 overall prep player in all of Florida — including the fifth-ranked, right-handed pitcher in the state.

Wharton High senior baseball standout Zach Ehrhard, left, won Hillsborough County’s 2021 Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award on the basis of athletic, scholastic and community achievements. Ehrhard was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Also pictured here is Boggs, middle, and Ehrhard’s older brother, Drew, who also won the award in 2017. (File)

Among other accolades, he was named MaxPreps Second Team All-American and National High School Coaches Association All-Southeast Team.

Mace previously was drafted out of high school in the 12th round (347th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017.

He, of course, didn’t sign with the Reds, instead opting to pitch for the Gators, which had then come off a 2017 College World Series crown — the first national championship in the program’s history.

Others drafted in later rounds
Mace was one several area players taken, albeit those in later rounds, on day three of the baseball draft.

Wharton High School senior Zach Ehrhard — an Oklahoma State University signee — was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round (367th overall).

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitting shortstop batted .438 this season for the Wildcats, with three homers, 12 doubles, 29 runs scored and 21 RBIs, along with 26 stolen bases.

Ehrhard was this year’s recipient of the Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, which honors a high school baseball player in Hillsborough County on the basis of outstanding athletic, scholastic and community achievements.

Baseball talent runs in the Ehrhard family.

His older brother, Drew, received the same prestigious county award in 2017 and went on to play collegiate baseball at the University of Tampa.

Another area prep position player, Gaither High senior A.J. Graham, was taken with the first pick in the 18th round (523rd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 6-3, 180-pound right-handed shortstop batted .346 with two homers, seven doubles, 18 runs scored, 14 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 78 at-bats across 23 games this season.

Also picked in the 18th round was Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette, landing 542nd overall to the Toronto Blue Jays.

This season the 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt senior led the Lions in innings pitched (45.0), wins (three) and strikeouts (53) to go along with a 5.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP and a pair of complete games.

Burnette appears to have emerged in the inaugural MLB Draft League, a summer showcase for top draft-eligible prospects providing exposures to scouts, coaches and advanced baseball technologies.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of University of Texas athletics department)

Playing for the league’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles, Ohio, Burnette posted a 3.09 ERA, 1.4 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 23.1 innings pitched.

A Chicago native, Burnette transferred to Saint Leo from the University of Illinois this past season.

Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams was taken in the 19th round (559th overall) by the Kansas City Royals.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Odessa native starred for a Longhorns squad that had a third-place appearance at the 2021 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

The fourth-year senior led Texas with 20 doubles and was second with 12 homers, to go along with .295 average, 42 runs scored and 51 RBIs spread across 61 starts at third base.

Prior to college, Williams led Gaither to the 2016 7A state championship his senior year and was named Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.

He was drafted out of high school in the 39th round by the Seattle Mariners, but didn’t sign, opting for Dallas Baptist University and San Jacinto College before transferring to Texas.

Williams’ father, Reggie, played four MLB seasons with the Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.

(Note: While slightly outside our coverage area, Fivay High/University of Mississippi product Gunnar Hoglund went in the first round (19th overall) to the Blue Jays. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander from Hudson was viewed as one of the draft’s most polished arms, but slipped slightly after having Tommy John elbow surgery in May.)

Robust draft history
It’s not uncommon for at least a few ballplayers from area high schools and colleges to be drafted each year.

In 2020, Steinbrenner High/Florida State University right-handed pitcher CJ Van Eyk went to the Blue Jays in the second round (42nd overall), and Wesley Chapel native/Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High/University of South Florida right-handed pitcher Carson Ragsdale went in the fourth round (116th overall) to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University athletics department)

(Though slightly outside our coverage area on the west side of Pasco, Trinity native/Mitchell High catcher Jackson Miller went in the second round (65th overall) to the Reds.)

The 2019 MLB Draft also yielded a trio of area selections.

Land O’ Lakes High/St. Petersburg College second baseman Dustin Harris was selected in the 11th round (344th overall) by the Oakland Athletics; Pasco-Hernando State College/University of Tampa pitcher Tyler Beck was selected in 30th round (899th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in the; and Steinbrenner High/Mississippi State University pitcher Cole Gordon was selected in the 32nd round (958th overall) by the New York Mets.

Prior drafts yielded several community picks as well, including four in 2018 and six in 2017, respectively.

Locals picked in the 2021 MLB Draft

  • Sunlake High/University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace (Cleveland Indians, Comp B, 69th overall)
  • Wharton High shortstop Zach Ehrhard (Boston Red Sox, 13th round, 376th overall)
  • Gaither High shortstop A.J. Graham (Pittsburgh Pirates, 18th round, 523rd overall)
  • Saint Leo University left-handed pitcher Jimmy Burnette (Toronto Blue Jays, 18th round, 543rd overall)
  • Gaither High/University of Texas third baseman Cam Williams (Kansas City Royals, 19th round, 559th overall)

Published July 21, 2021

Checking in on locals during MLB’s All-Star break

By

The 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) season has reached its designated July midway point with the All-Star break — with weeklong festivities like the All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, MLB Draft, Futures Game and Celebrity Softball Game all happening in Denver, Colorado.

The league’s breather offers several days off for ballplayers before returning to the extensive 162-game regular schedule (not including spring training or playoffs)  — with most of the 30 teams out of action from July 12 through July 15.

There are several ballplayers, and a manager, that have their roots in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Here’s a closer look at these locals’ performances, halfway through the Major League season:

Zephyrhills High product Austin Adams is a reliever for the San Diego Padres. (File)

Austin Adams, San Diego Padres, pitcher
Local tie: Zephyrhills High School
Austin Adams has solidified himself as one of the more important bullpen pieces for the contending San Diego Padres (53-40, third in NL West), posting a 1.71 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 48 strikeouts across 31.2 innings pitched in 30 appearances.

Much of the credit for his success harkens to his high-spin slider, which he throws nearly 89% of the time and averages about 87 mph.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound righty has struggled with command and control at times (issuing 19 walks and MLB-leading 14 hit batters), yet he’s only allowed 14 hits, with batters averaging just .137 against him.

The 30-year-old has had stints in the Majors since 2017, also playing for the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners.

Adams grew up in Zephyrhills, playing little league at Sam Pasco Park.

He went on to earn four letters in baseball (and one in basketball) at Zephyrhills High School from 2006 to 2009. He posted a 2.43 ERA and 80 strikeouts in his Bulldog career.

Adams’ high school pedigree led to a baseball scholarship at the University of South Florida, where he was a cog in the program’s first-ever Big East Championship final in 2012, as a junior. Adams went on become an eighth round draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels, signing for $127,500.

Wiregrass Ranch High product John Gant is a veteran right-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. (FIle)

John Gant, St. Louis Cardinals, pitcher
Local tie: Wiregrass Ranch High School
John Gant began the season in the St. Louis Cardinals rotation, but was assigned to a bullpen role weeks ago.

It’s a role he’s flourished with strike-throwing and walk prevention.

Across 71.2 innings in 21 appearances — the second-most innings he’s thrown in his six-year Majors career — the 6-foot-4, 200-pound righty has posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 60 strikeouts, with a 4-6 record for a Cardinals team that sits fourth in the NL Central at 44-46.

Gant’s arsenal features as many as six different pitches, headlined by a sinker (38.6%) and changeup (21.4%), along with a four-seam fastball, slider, cutter and curveball, according to MLB.com’s Statcast metrics.

Like his diverse pitch selection, the 28-year-old also has gone viral on social media for altering hairstyles and facial hair during the course of a season.

He’s sported everything from a full beard and long hair to corn rows to bushy mustache to some more traditional clean-shaven looks.

Gant made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Atlanta Braves, but has played for St. Louis since 2017.

Locally, Gant starred on the Wiregrass Ranch High varsity baseball team from 2008 to 2011 — striking out over 200 batters and sustaining just three losses in four years.

He also was a member of the Wiregrass Ranch basketball and swimming teams. His father, John Sr., was a science teacher at the school and longtime varsity girls basketball coach.

Gant was selected out of high school by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 MLB Draft, where he signed for $185,000.

Bishop McLaughlin product/Odessa native Nate Pearson is a right-handed pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. (Courtesy of Major League Baseball Advanced Media)

Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays, pitcher
Local tie: Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (Odessa native)
Labeled one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, many tabbed Nate Pearson to garner American League Rookie of the Year consideration this year for the Toronto Blue Jays.

It’s been anything but that so far.

The 24-year-old right-hander was quickly optioned to the minors in early May after firing just 2.1 innings in one big league appearance — a 7-4 road loss to the Houston Astros on May 9, where he allowed five walks, four hits and three earned runs.

Since then, Pearson exhibited up and down showings for the Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons (4.74 ERA, 1.176 WHIP, 36 strikeouts in 24.2 innings).

Meanwhile, he hasn’t pitched since June 16 as he nurses a right groin strain — a befuddling injury that has him seeking a handful of different medical opinions, according to various media reports.

Measuring 6-foot-6, 250-pounds — aptly nicknamed “Big Nate,” — Peason’s regarded for a high-velocity fastball that can regularly touch 100 mph and above, along with a mid-80s slider and cutter.

He made his MLB debut during the pandemic-shortened season in 2020, so still maintains rookie-level status.

It remains up in the air if Pearson will pitch for Toronto the rest of this season, which is fighting for positioning in the uber-competitive AL East, where they sit in third place with a 45-42 mark.

Born and raised in Odessa, Pearson starred at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, helping the program to the Class 3A state semifinals as a senior in 2015.

He wrapped up his prep career with a career 1.24 earned run average and 144 strikeouts in 101.2 innings pitched, with a 12-1 record.

Pearson went on to play college baseball at Miami’s Florida International University, then transferred to College of Central Florida in Ocala.

Pearson was taken by Toronto late in the first round (28th overall) in the 2017 MLB Draft, signing for a $2.45 million bonus.

Gaither High product Oscar Mercado is an outfielder with the Cleveland Indians. (File)

Oscar Mercado, Cleveland Indians, outfielder
Local tie: Gaither High School
Oscar Mercado was one of the Cleveland Indians final roster cuts during spring training, but has since worked himself back to the big league club, earning a promotion from Triple-A Columbus on June 28.

The 26-year-old has cobbled together a respectable .281/.343/.500 line with nine hits (including a homer, triple and two doubles), five runs, four RBIs, three walks and nine strikeouts across 32 at-bats in 12 MLB games, along with two stolen bases. Defensively, he’s seen action in left field and center field.

The 6-foot-2, 197-pound right-handed hitter had an impressive debut season in 2019. That season he batted .269 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs in 119 games, adding 70 runs scored, 25 doubles, three triples and 15 stolen bases — finishing eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year race.

But what followed was a subpar 2020 campaign — with a paltry .128 with a .348 OPS in 86 at-bats across 36 games.

Mercado’s since worked to revamp his swing after last season’s slump, with help from the coaching staff and front office, according to various media reports.

He now appears on the right track.

A native of Colombia, Mercado and his family emigrated to the United States, and settled in the Tampa area when he was 7 years old.

He became a four-year starter at shortstop at Gaither High School from 2010 to 2013, leading the program to back-to-back district crowns and ranked among the nation’s top prep middle infielders.

Following high school, Mercado was picked by St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (57th overall) in the 2013 MLB Draft, signing for $1.5 million.

He spent nearly six years working through the Cardinals minor league system until he was traded to the Indians in July 2018.

Gaither High product/Lutz native Kevin Cash is in his seventh year as manager of the Tampa Bay Rays. (File)

Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays, manager
Local tie: Gaither High School
Unlike most other MLB managers and coaches, Kevin Cash will have on-field duties during the All-Star break.

That’s because he was named manager for the AL All-Star squad — a reward designated for leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a World Series appearance last season.

The 2021 MLB All-Star Game— otherwise known as the midsummer classic — is scheduled for July 13 at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The game will air live on FOX at 7:30 p.m.

There, Cash will oversee 34 of the sport’s top players during the contest, including two familiar faces in Rays catcher Mike Zunino and super-utility Joey Wendle, who were both named All-Star reserves.

Cash’s encore from last year’s historic Rays campaign hasn’t been too shabby, guiding the franchise to a 53-37 record — good for second in the AL East (1.5 game back of first-place Boston Red Sox) and tops in the Wild Card race.

The seventh-year skipper has done it navigating tough team injuries (like ace pitcher Tyler Glasnow) and melding an eclectic group of rookies and veterans, with ages ranging from 20 years old (rookie infielder Wander Franco) to 41 years old (lefty veteran pitcher Rich Hill).

Likewise impressive, Cash’s ballclub entered the season with MLB’s fifth cheapest payroll at around $69.1 million — ahead of only the Miami Marlins ($58.5 million), Baltimore Orioles ($58.1 million), Pittsburgh Pirates ($55.9 million) and Cleveland Indians ($52.8 million).

Cash is regarded for his relatability to players, plus his quasi-mad scientist approach to managing, with ever-changing batting orders, substitutions, heavy bullpen usage and substitutions, unique defensive positioning and shifts — all designed to maximize the roster and play to player’s individuals strengths.

Locally, Cash spent his younger days growing up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood, situated across from Lake Park in Lutz.

He first hit the national scene in 1989 — then a 12-year-old second baseman for a Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series.
Cash later starred at Gaither High School, penning that into a successful college run at Florida State University and eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher mostly.

Cash comes from a baseball family, as his father and uncle both played professionally, the latter reaching the big leagues in the 1970s.

Published July 14, 2021

Zephyrhills runner competes in U.S. Olympic trials

By

Evan Miller’s sprint for a spot on Team USA for the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics came up short — but it was still an experience most athletes can only ever dream about.

The Zephyrhills athlete on June 25 competed in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at the legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Miller — a rising senior at University of South Carolina — clocked 21.04 seconds in the first round heat of the men’s 200-meter dash, finishing 23rd overall.

Zephyrhills native Evan Miller earned an invitation to the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, where he competed in the men’s 200-meter dash. Miller missed the cut for a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, but his track career is far from over. He next gears up for his senior season at the University of South Carolina, where he earned second-team NCAA All-American honors a few months ago. (Zephyrhills native Evan Miller earned an invitation to the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon, where he competed in the men’s 200-meter dash. Miller missed the cut for a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, but his track career is far from over. He next gears up for his senior season at the University of South Carolina, where he earned second-team NCAA All-American honors a few months ago. (Courtesy of University of South Carolina athletics department)

He competed in the same heat against other widely known professional sprinters, including Terrance Laird and Jaron Flourney, among others.

The competition was televised live nationally on the NBC Sports Network.

Miller’s trials mark was a shade off his personal best of 20.50 seconds — which he recorded at the Weems Baskin Relays hosted on-campus at South Carolina in late March. He wound up earning second-team NCAA All-American honors during the season, too.

A last-minute heat and lane scheduling change at trials in Oregon arguably impacted his performance, in some form or another.

Miller originally was slated to compete in heat 2, lane 5, but event officials switched him to heat 3, lane 9 just hours before the race.

Here’s why it matters: The middle lanes (such as lane 5) are viewed as more advantageous in track, as it allows sprinters to visibly pace themselves against competitors in real time, Miller said, “to have someone to kind of push me toward where I’m trying to go, how fast I’m trying to run.”

But being positioned in outside lanes (such as lane 9) is more out on an island of sorts — unable to see if you’re going too fast or too slow against the competition. “You’re just out there, (so) you’ve just kind of got to run your own race,” Miller said.

Miller was one of about 30 sprinters nationwide who either qualified or accepted an invitation, and declared for the men’s 200-meter trials event.

From there, the top three men’s 200-meter finishers at trials earned spots on the U.S. Olympic team — Noah Lyles (first, 19.74 seconds), Kenny Bednarek (second, 19.78) and Erriyon Knighton (third, 19.84). (Knighton is a 17-year-old sensation from Tampa who attends Hillsborough High School and became the youngest track and field athlete to join Team USA since 1964.)

While disappointed with his own trials output overall, Miller relished the opportunity so very few earn — let alone coming off a 2020 track season hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He had plenty of support at the momentous event, as both his parents and sister were in attendance, along with several coaches and teammates.

“All around, it was a really good experience,” Miller said. “It was kind of surreal that I was there with the top athletes in the country. It was just a really good feeling. I was kind of trying to take it all in, but I also couldn’t like believe it at the same time.”

Miller has since flown back to the Tampa Bay area, but may soon head back to Columbia, South Carolina, for the remainder of the summer to take on more in-person instruction from college coaches.

He’s already eyeing the next trials in advance of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. He plans to be a professional track athlete by then.

Miller appears on the video board ahead of the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. (Courtesy of Erica Miller)

“I’ll definitely be there,” he said. “This isn’t going to be the last time.”

More immediate tasks, however, include the upcoming college indoor and outdoor track seasons, as well as the 2022 World Championships.

Goals are set on running in the low-20s in the 200, somewhere between 20.1 and 20 seconds flat for the time being.

Miller also is considering adding the 400-meter dash to his repertoire, with the aim of reducing his time in the 200, he said.

Focusing on nutrition will be key to moving forward, Miller said. He noted his calves cramped up a few days before the trials, showing perhaps a sign of dehydration.

Further fine-tuning sprint techniques — from starting block to transition and finish — also is on his mind, to yield improvements.

“There’s a lot of stuff I’ve got to work on,” he said, “so that’s why I’m confident that I’ll be able to drop my time, because there’s still a lot to be done.”

From Zephyrhills to Olympic hopes
Miller has generated buzz athletically since his days at Zephyrhills Christian Academy.

He was better known for his play on the football field, but he took track more seriously following a broken ankle while playing in a 7-on-7 tournament.

As a teenager he eventually linked up with AAU track and high school coach BB Roberts, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based Speed Starz Track Club, and lists NFL and MLB athletes as training clientele.

Roberts, a former track star in his own right at Wesley Chapel High School and Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, worked to correct Miller’s sprinting form and technique, among other tips.

Miller proceeded to win the Class 1A crown 100-meter dash (10.75) at the 2018 FHSAA State Track & Field Championships, as a senior at Zephyrhills Christian. He also was a member of the program’s 4×100 relay team that won back-to-back state crowns in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

He would go on to qualify for AAU nationals, too.

Miller initially planned to compete in football and track at Warner University, a small NAIA school in Lake Wales.

Zephyrhills athlete Evan Miller readies for warm-ups at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials, held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. He finished 23rd in the men’s 200-meter dash, clocking 21.04. (Courtesy of Erica Miller)

That was until the more prestigious South Carolina track and field program came calling with an offer from longtime head coach Curtis Frye — who’s overseen over 60 NCAA champions, 121 SEC champions, 20 Academic All-Americans and more than 500 NCAA All-Americans across his 25-year career.

It’s all been a whirlwind for the hometown speedster, from small private school off Eiland Boulevard to joining a blue-blood SEC college program, to much-grander Olympics aspirations.

“I definitely wish I would’ve discovered track sooner, but I really didn’t expect to be able to do all these things,” said Miller.

“The switch from Warner to (South Carolina), that happened so fast, and then, once I got to (South Carolina), I knew, I wanted to be great at anything I do, not just track but anything in general, so I made it work.

“I’m glad I’ve made it to where I am, in such a short amount of time.”

Miller has grown to love the sport over time. It not only feeds his competitive nature, but also forges mental toughness, he said.

Said Miller, “I like to be the best, in anything that I do, but also I started to realize, it’s a very mental sport. You’ve got to be very mentally strong, and that just also helps me with life in general, being able to handle certain situations, having that mental strength to push through anything.

“It definitely helps me push through certain situations, but just everyday training, it just makes me mentally stronger.”

Published July 07, 2021

NBA hopefuls showcase hoops skills in Wesley Chapel

By

Pasco County and the greater Tampa Bay region isn’t really known for its basketball prowess, but that reputation, or lack thereof, may soon change.

Pursuing dreams of playing professional basketball, a large group of athletes recently dropped by Wesley Chapel, of all places.

Six-foot-11-inch Nate Reuvers, from the University of Wisconsin, takes a few practice shots prior to the start of the 3-point and slam dunk competitions held during the Tampa Bay Pro Combine. Some 50 players from throughout the country converged in Wesley Chapel for the NBA Draft event. (Fred Bellet)

More than 40 National Basketball Association (NBA) draft-eligible hopefuls descended upon the area to showcase their athleticism and hoops skills in the inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC), held June 3 through June 5, at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County.

The elite-level hoopers — many from recognizable high and mid-major NCAA Division I programs — dribbled, dunked, jumped, shot and passed their way into the eyes and impressions of various NBA and international coaches and scouts.

Several names may be familiar from deep runs in the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball March Madness tournament, such as University of Southern California guard Tahj Eaddy, University of Houston forward Justin Gorham, and University of Loyola-Chicago center Cameron Krutwig, among others.

Draft hopefuls participate in drills during an open gym event on Day One of the three-day Tampa Bay Pro Combine, at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Wesley Chapel. Players showed analysts their best skills.

The local hoops combine was designed to give exposure to players for the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29, or merely get on the radar as undrafted signees or internationally.

The three-day event featured drills, games (5-on-5, 2-on-2 and 3-on-3), athletic testing and measurements, as well as a 3-point shootout, dunk contest and more.

The player selection committee was led by ESPN television analyst Fran Fraschilla and BasketballNews.com NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock, who were there to evaluate players during the weekend.

The competition came together in a matter of about six weeks, seeking to replicate the Virginia-based Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a long-running hoops combine event canceled a second straight year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Six-foot-five-inch Makuach Maluach, a star player from the University of New Mexico, stretches as part of a drill on Day One at the Tampa Bay Pro Combine for NBA draft prospects. Maluach hails from Sydney, Australia.

Darryl Hepburn, a former Leto High and Hillsborough Community College basketball standout who played professionally throughout Asia, co-founded the TBPC with Rashaad Ubah, a former sports talent agent who played college hoops at the University of California-Irvine and Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Hepburn, Ubah and others quickly leveraged their connections with players, agents, coaches and media outlets to make the TBPC a go.

“There’s a void that was needed (to be filled),” Ubah told The Laker/Lutz News on the event’s first day.

“We thought that Tampa Bay was the perfect place, just because of the setting. Honestly, the (basketball) scouts want to come down here,” he said.

Six-foot-four-inch Justin Turner, of Bowling Green reaches for 11 ½ feet in a vertical jump test on Day One of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine.

Naturally, they targeted the brand-new Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus as a locale.

The 98,000-square-foot facility offers eight full-size basketball courts, including a center spine separating courts, as well as an athletic training center and second-level mezzanine for bird’s eye viewing.

“It was a big team effort of people who had different reaches in different areas,” said RADD Sports CEO Richard Blalock, whose private company is charged with managing the sports complex’s day-to-day operations. “We went on board with them to help them provide the facility and help them any way we could.”

The Pasco Tourist Development Council also leaped in as title sponsor, spending $50,000. Besides providing residents and basketball lovers a tangible event, participating players combined have millions of social media followers, garnering nationwide attention to Pasco and its tourism arm, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast (FSC).

Six-foot-11-inch Jordy Tshimanga, from Dayton University, goes up for a basket prior to the start of the slam dunk and 3-point shot competition.

Adam Thomas, FSC’s tourism director, put it like this: “It really expands the professionalism of Florida’s sports coast and provides another level of exposure that we couldn’t create without the partnership of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine.

“This actually gives Florida’s Sports Coast and Pasco County that professional look that we’ve been looking for, outside of our youth and amateur events.”

The expectation is to make the TBPC an annual affair “for the next 20 or 30 years, if possible,” Ubah said, dependent upon the community’s level of support.

The long-term vision for the event is to create a hoops hub of sorts at the Wiregrass Sports Campus, attracting college, professional and international players to maintain a training residency there for anywhere from a week to a month — staying at adjacent hotels.

“We feel like it’s a place where we can bring basketball down here, the same way that (Major League Baseball) Spring Training is here,” Ubah said. “We want this to be something that’s here every year, and something that we can get the community involved with, especially in Pasco County that doesn’t necessarily have professional sports, so this is a chance to get those communities and kids integrated to something that’s tangible,” he said.

Quade Green, who took part in the combine, was the leading scorer at the University of Washington this past season, at 15.4 points per game.

Participants ran drills on Day One. Here, competitors were Basic Athletic Measurement (BAM) tested and timed, running patterns.

The 6-foot guard and former McDonald’s All-American used the event as a chance to face “good competition,” particularly to show scouts he can handle long-limbed wings and big guards.

“I’m trying to play to my strengths,” Green said, “see what I can get better on.”

Like others, it was his first time stepping into the Wiregrass Sports Campus. He came away impressed with the state-of-the-art digs.

“This is a beautiful gym,” Green said. “Lot of great players here, great people around you, too. They’ve got connections. Life connections, too, for the long run.”

Sterling Manley’s hoops career at the University of North Carolina was often burdened by injuries, including surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He missed all of the 2019-2020 season.

The inaugural Tampa Bay Pro Combine (TBPC) ran June 3 through June 5 at the AdventHealth Sports Arena at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Pro Combine)

The 6-foot-11-inch center from Pickerington, Ohio, ventured to TBPC to demonstrate he’s healthy and can still hold his own against other top-notch bigs.

“I think the biggest thing is just showcasing my skills and being able to be around good talent and a good group,” Manley said, “and just playing against good competition and showing I belong.”

Manley came away pleased with the entire showcase.

He referenced the “very nice” facility, plus organizers bringing in BAM (Basic Athletic Measurement) electronic sensor tracking technology. It provides accurate athletic assessments on sprint speed, agility and vertical jumps, he said.

“We get good testing, legit numbers and measurements,” he added.

Another bonus? “The hotel’s only a walk away,” Manley said, “so everything’s in a good distance.”

Former University of Tampa star Mark Borders was among several instructors on hand, guiding players through various skills and drills, such as pick and roll situations.

Pinpoint passing is an area he knows a thing or two about, as the Division II program’s all-time career assists leader, tallying 649 total from 2003 to 2006.

Borders detailed how the event provides an outlet for overlooked but solid pro prospects, while also giving basketball lovers — particularly college hoops fans rooting for a player from their favorite program — an opportunity to watch high-end talent either in-person or via livestream.

“It’s a historical event, giving these kids an opportunity of a lifetime,” he said.

For information, visit TampaBayProCombine.com.

Tampa Bay Pro Combine rosters

Black Team
Jahvon Blair (Georgetown University)
Nojel Eastern (Howard University)
Ethan Esposito (Sacramento State University)
Loren Jackson (University of Akron)
Sterling Manley (University of North Carolina)
Obadiah Noel (University of Massachusetts — Lowell)
Nate Reuvers (University of Wisconsin)
Terry Taylor (Austin-Peay University)
Andre Melendez (None)
Coach: James Posey

Green Team
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (University of Illinois)
Chudier Bile (Georgetown University)
Ryan Daly (St. Joseph’s University)
Jimma Gatwech (Core4 Atlanta)
Javion Hamlet (University of North Texas)
Jalen Johnson (Mississippi State University)
Micah Potter (University of Wisconsin)
Justin Turner (Bowling Green State University)
Brandon Williams (University of Arizona)
Coach: Xavier Silas

Red Team
Troy Baxter (Morgan State University)
Manny Camper (Siena University)
Tahj Eaddy (University of Southern California)
Jordan Goodwin (Saint Louis University)
Loudon Love (Wright State University)
Ashbjorn Mitgaard (Grand Canyon University)
Chandler Vaudrin (Winthrop University)
Keith Williams (University of Cincinnati)
Coach: Bob MacKinnon

Blue Team
Mitch Ballock (Creighton University)
Jayvon Graves (University of Buffalo)
Quade Green (University of Washington)
Cameron Krutwig (University of Loyola-Chicago)
Makuach Maluach (University of New Mexico)
Joel Ntambwe (Texas Tech University)
Jordy Tshimanga (University of Dayton)
Richard Washington (San Jose State University)
Coach: Doc Martin

White Team
Marcus Burk (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis)
Hasahn French (Saint Louis University)
DJ Funderburk (North Carolina State University)
Justin Gorham (University of Houston)
Justin Jaworski (Lafayette College)
Damien Jefferson (Creighton University)
Clay Mounce (Furman University)
D’Mitrik Trice (University of Wisconsin)
Coach: Jesus Verdejo

Published June 09, 2021

Watch these locals during 2021 MLB season

By

The 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) season is officially here —with more normalcy, to boot.

Following last year’s COVID-19 pandemic-delayed and shortened season that saw the World Series played at its first-ever neutral site in Arlington, Texas, America’s pastime has returned back to its traditional 162-game schedule on time, April 1 — with live fans allowed back in stadiums.

Sure, quirks remain.

For instance, the Toronto Blue Jays are starting off the season playing “home” games in Dunedin —amid Canadian-U.S. border restrictions.

For the most part, though, the peanuts and Cracker Jacks will be a flowing much like they were in simpler times.

As the big league season gets into full swing, there are several ballplayers, and a manager, that have their roots in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area — and are expected to make major contributions to the show.

Here’s a rundown on some of those, with local connections.

Zephyrhills High product Austin Adams is expected to play a major bullpen role for the San Diego Padres this season. (File)

Austin Adams, San Diego Padres, pitcher
Local tie: Zephyrhills High School
Austin Adams is seeking a more pronounced role in 2021 on a contending San Diego Padres squad after garnering limited action last year — where he posted a 4.50 ERA, 12.5 WHIP and seven strikeouts in four innings pitched following offseason knee surgery.

Some experts project the 29-year-old, 6-foot-3, 220-pound righty will have a breakout season, thanks to a high-spin rate fastball and slider, which generate plenty of swings and misses.

But, he’ll begin the season on the 10-day injured list with what’s described as a minor elbow issue, preventing him from making a spring appearance since March 7.

Adams grew up in Zephyrhills, playing little league at Sam Pasco Park. He went on to earn four letters in baseball (and one in basketball) at Zephyrhills High School from 2006 to 2009.

He posted a 2.43 ERA and 80 strikeouts in his Bulldog career.

Adams’ high school pedigree led to a baseball scholarship at the University of South Florida, a program that achieved its first Big East Championship final in 2012, during his junior year.

He then was drafted in the eighth round by the Los Angeles Angels in 2013. He also spent time with the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners organizations.

His road to the big leagues was lengthy, having thrown more than 250 innings across five minor league seasons before making his MLB debut in 2017 with the Nationals (from where he was traded to by Los Angeles in late 2016).

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher John Gant, a Wiregrass Ranch High product

John Gant, St. Louis Cardinals, pitcher
Local tie: Wiregrass Ranch High School
Following several seasons of sustained solid output with the St. Louis Cardinals, John Gant has secured the organization’s fifth starter spot to begin the regular season.

The 28-year-old Gant exhibited enough in spring training, making four appearances (three starts) and posting a 4.40 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 13 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound righty has held a variety of pitching roles entering his sixth big league campaign, including a mid- and late-inning bullpen arm in 2020, turning in a 2.40 ERA, 1.076 WHIP and 18 strikeouts across 15 innings.

Gant is known for having one of the more unique windups in all of baseball, whereby he takes a couple left-footed toe taps, then pauses before firing off a pitch.

Part of his repertoire is a changeup nicknamed “The Vulcan,” which involves gripping the ball between the middle and ring fingers. Its nicknamed after the Vulcan salute used by Spock in the Star Trek series.

Gant has other interesting baseball footnotes, too.

He earned 11 wins in relief in 2019, the most of any reliever that year and most by a Cardinals relief pitcher since Al Hrabosky had 13 in 1975. Also, in 2018, he became the only player in Major League history to have hit at least two home runs while never having reached base safely by any other means.

Gant starred on the Wiregrass Ranch High varsity baseball team from 2008 to 2011 — striking out over 200 batters and sustaining just three losses in four years.

He also was a member of the Wiregrass Ranch basketball and swimming teams. His father, John Sr., was a science teacher at the school and longtime varsity girls basketball coach.

The pitching standout signed with the New York Mets out of high school and spent five years in the minors before making his big league debut in 2016 with the Atlanta Braves, then was traded to the Cardinals that offseason.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Nate Pearson is an Odessa native and Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School product.

Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays, pitcher
Local tie: Odessa native, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
Nate Pearson enters the 2021 season on the 10-day injured list due to a strained right groin suffered in spring training, but is expected to make substantial contributions to a Toronto Blue Jays poised for a second straight playoff berth — as he was all but penciled in to be the team’s No. 2 starter before multiple injury setbacks.

One of the game’s top-rated prospects, Pearson made his MLB debut last season, finishing the year with a 4.22 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 10.2 innings.

The 24-year-old, 6-foot-6, 250-pound righty flamethrower is regarded for a fastball that regularly touches triple digits, plus a low-to-mid 90s slider and a developing changeup.

Born and raised in Odessa, Pearson starred at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, helping the program to the Class 3A state semifinals as a senior in 2015. He wrapped up his prep career with a career 1.24 earned run average and 144 strikeouts in 101.2 innings pitched, with a 12-1 record.

Pearson went on to play college baseball at Miami’s Florida International University, then transferred to the College of Central Florida in Ocala. There, he was named the Rawlings/Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year, and subsequently selected by the Blue Jays in the first round (28th overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft, signing for a $2.45 million bonus.

Pearson has proceeded to shine at each level of the minors, boasting a combined 2.19 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 119 strikeouts across 123.1 innings from rookie ball through Triple-A.

Staying healthy and available will be key.

Cleveland Indians outfielder Oscar Mercado is a Gaither High product.

Oscar Mercado, Cleveland Indians, outfielder
Local tie: Gaither High School
Oscar Mercado was one of the Cleveland Indians’ final spring training cuts and optioned to Triple-A Columbus, but expect to see the speedy centerfielder garner some action sometime this season if others get hurt or otherwise underwhelm over the course of the long-winded 162-game regular season.

Reports indicate the decision by the team’s front office and coaching staff was to help boost 26-year-old’s confidence following a subpar 2020 campaign where he hit a paltry .128 with a .348 OPS in 36 games.

His spring training numbers didn’t fare much better, batting .214 with a .527 OPS in 28 at-bats.

This is all a far cry from his breakout rookie season in 2019 where the 6-foot-2, 197-pound Mercado batted .269 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs in 119 games, adding 70 runs scored, 25 doubles, three triples and 15 stolen bases.

Getting more reps on a hitting program out of the pressure and spotlight of the major league club should help Mercado’s cause going forward.

A native of Colombia, Mercado and his family emigrated to the United States, and settled in the Tampa area when he was 7 years old. He became a four-year starter at shortstop at Gaither High School from 2010 to 2013, leading the program to back-to-back district crowns and ranked among the nation’s top prep middle infielders.

Following high school, Mercado was picked by St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (57th overall) in the 2013 MLB Draft, signing with the club for a $1.5 million signing bonus. He spent nearly six years working through the Cardinals minor league system until he was traded to the Indians in July 2018.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, a Lutz native and Gaither High alum

Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays, manager
Local tie: Lutz native, Gaither High School
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash last year managed his hometown franchise to heights it never before reached — Game 6 of the World Series.

The seventh-year manager and his team are hoping for a similar historical encore, albeit with an altered roster that blends in plenty new faces, particularly on the pitching side, and already enters the season with a handful of key injuries.

But, the reigning American League Manager of the Year surely has myriad solutions in the way of ever-changing batting orders, openers, platoons, shifts, and mixing and matching the rotation and bullpen. His reputation for fostering a loose, welcoming clubhouse to settle players shouldn’t hurt, either.

The question is if the 43-year-old Cash and company can lead the Rays to a third straight playoff berth amid an AL East division that features a financially beefier New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays rosters, plus the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles.

The Rays are once again an underdog, as many media outlets peg them for a third- or even fourth-place finish in the division and winning fewer than 90 regular season contests.

The respected skipper is a key cog to proving naysayers wrong.

Cash spent his younger days growing up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood, situated across from Lake Park in Lutz.

He first hit the national scene in 1989 — then a 12-year-old second baseman for a Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series.
Cash later starred at Gaither High School, penning that into a successful college run at Florida State University and eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher mostly.

Cash is a baseball legacy of sort, as his father and uncle both played professionally, the latter reaching the big leagues in the 1970s.

Others to follow:

• Frank German, Boston Red Sox, pitcher: This Bishop McLaughlin product joined the Boston Red Sox in January, in a trade with the New York Yankees, who had selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of University of North Florida. The 23-year-old German was a non-roster invitee to Red Sox spring training, where he faced 14 batters across three innings before a reassignment. German has posted a 3.56 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 128 innings across 111.1 innings of the minors, between rookie ball and Single-A.

• Joe Hudson, Pittsburgh Pirates, catcher: This Odessa native who prepped at Tampa Jesuit (and college at Notre Dame) played in nine regular season games last season with the Seattle Mariners then signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason. The 29-year-old Hudson enjoyed a strong spring training as a Pirates non-roster invitee, collecting five hits (including a homer) in 13 at-bats across nine games, which may be credited to a revamped swing.

• CJ Van Eyk, Toronto Blue Jays, pitcher: The Lutz native and Steinbrenner product has yet to play in a minor league game since being drafted in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Florida State University. However, the well-rounded 22-year-old righty thrower could be a quick riser in the Toronto Blue Jays system, considering his college experience and limited action in spring training as a non-roster invitee.

Published April 07, 2021

New year in sports to deliver joy, excitement, adventure

By

As we embark on a new year, the sports world within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area promises to deliver plenty to watch, experience and appreciate.

Here is a sampling of what’s ahead in 2021:

Wesley Chapel’s AdventHealth Center Ice will host the United States Premier Hockey League. (File)

Elite junior hockey at Center Ice
The AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel may best be known for housing the 2017-2018 U.S. women’s national ice hockey team in its historic run to winning an Olympic gold medal.

The 150,500-square-foot facility — the largest ice rink south of New York — also will play host to another prestigious hockey group in 2021.

The United States Premier Hockey League — one of the nation’s top junior-level development programs — announced plans to play a six-weeklong, 20-game schedule across Center Ice’s four sheets of ice, beginning in January.

Using a “Hub City” concept, teams and players throughout the country will lodge at nearby Saddlebrook Resort, in between games and practices at Center Ice.

Some these players will wind up playing collegiate and maybe even professional hockey.

Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center in Zephyrhills (File)

Zephyrhills tennis center to host pro tournament
The newly opened Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center soon will begin living up to its promise of being a national and international draw.

The multimillion sports complex will host a $25,000 United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit Event from Jan. 25 through Jan. 31.

The competition will feature 32 women’s singles players and 16 doubles teams — which encompasses some of the world’s top pros who are also slated to compete in the Australian Open.

The prestigious tourney is expected to be an annual affair at the facility, at 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills.

(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Sports Commission)

Super Bowl LV in Tampa
America’s most-watched sporting event — the Super Bowl — will take center stage at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 7.

The community and economic impact to the surrounding area — even amid the COVID-19 pandemic — is sure to spread northwards through Hillsborough and Pasco counties, in the form of hotel stays, restaurant patronage and leisure about town. Several ancillary Super Bowl events and outreach programs have already been scheduled in those areas, too.

Also, don’t be shocked if a former local prep star (or more) is a part of contending teams in the 55th edition of the NFL championship game.

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet hones his shooting at Saint Leo University’s Marion Bowman Activities Center. (File)

Toronto Raptors call Tampa home, temporarily
As if history wasn’t already made with Super Bowl being in Tampa this year, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors are playing at least the first half of its 2020-2021 home slate at Amalie Arena on Channelside.

A limited number of fans are being allowed to the games, so it’s a good opportunity to be a part of a rare occurrence and see some of the sport’s most talented players in the world, not too far from your backyard.

There’s also a further local connection: The Raptors had their two-weeklong preseason training camp at Saint Leo University’s Marion Bowman Activities Center, back in December.

The Bishop McLaughlin varsity boys basketball program may be a state title contender. (Courtesy of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School)

Bishop’s ballers
The Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School varsity boys basketball team has quickly established itself as one of the area’s highest-scoring and high-flying squads since beginning its 2020-2021 season in November.

The team features a junior trio of bona fide Division I prospects in 6-foot-4 guard Antonio Davis Jr., 6-foot-7 forward Dillon Mitchell and 6-foot-4 guard Emanuel Sharp, who last year led the state in scoring (31.9 points per game) while at Tampa’s Blake High School. An example of the Hurricanes dominance: They defeated Land O’ Lakes High School 80-34 in an early December contest. The team is coached by former USF and Israel pro standout Derrick Sharp.

With all that talent, perhaps a state title is in the team’s reach come early March? Wait to see.

Florida’s high school spring sports, like track and field, are expected to make their long-awaited returning after being canceled last March amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (File)

Spring can’t come soon enough
The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out most, if not all, of last year’s Florida high school spring sports season throughout Florida from March onward, as a matter of health and safety.

The long-awaited return of these athletic events — baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track and field, boys volleyball, water polo, boys weightlifting — should yield special (and emotional) moments for countless athletes, fans, coaches and parents alike.

Perhaps a few records will be broken and championships won by locals will occur along the way, too.

Worth noting: The area generates its fair share of the state’s strongest baseball, softball and track and field programs, among others.

Bored? Take a hike
Still suffering from pandemic-induced cabin fever? Perhaps some fresh air and outdoor exercise in a local park or preserve can clear the homebound blues.

Hillsborough County’s Hiking Spree continues through March 31. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County)

That can be done via Hillsborough County’s fifth annual Hiking Spree, which challenges participants to complete at least eight trail hikes from November through March 31.

The Hiking Spree’s trail list this year features 25 different trails at 20 locations throughout the county.

And, several of those sites fall within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area: Carrollwood Village Neighborhood Park, Peterson Road Park, Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, Lake Rogers Conservation Park, Lake Dan Nature Preserve and Cypress Creek Nature Preserve.

Participants may hike on their own, or in a group setting with friends and family. Some sites have entrance and parking fees. Hikers may repeat any trail twice for credit, as long as the hikes occur on different dates.

Aside from the feeling of accomplishment, those who complete the hiking extravaganza earn their choice of a patch, medallion for a walking stick, or a dog bandana.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, a Lutz native and Gaither High alum (File)

Lutz native again leads Tampa Bay Rays
The new year should again generate another fruitful campaign for Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, a Lutz native and Gaither High School alumnus.

Prospects remain high for a Cash-led club that reached Game 6 of the 2020 World Series and finished with the best record in the American League during a pandemic-delayed and shortened season.

Also, expect to see and hear more of the reigning AL Manager of the Year in the new year, given the MLB is seeking terms resembling pre-pandemic levels, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 to 162 regular season games, plus spring training.

However long the 2021 slate, the Rays will be fighting its third-straight playoff berth under the 43-year-old Cash, entering his seventh season as Rays skipper.

Sunlake High School product Tommy Mace is now a standout pitcher at the University of Florida. (File)

Preps to pros
The annual MLB Draft creates an opportunity for boyhood dreams of becoming a professional baseball player to become true.

Each year, about a handful of area high school or college prospects are taken in the draft —offered anywhere from thousands to hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars to play America’s greatest pastime.

At least one name to watch in the July event is former Sunlake High School right-handed pitcher Tommy Mace, now a senior at the University of Florida. Various baseball outlets believe the 6-foot-6 Mace has the potential to be a first round pick, which could mean a signing bonus of several million dollars.

In three varsity seasons at Sunlake from 2015 to 2017, Mace posted a 19-6 record, 1.65 ERA and 196 strikeouts across 165.2 innings pitches. He also guided the Seahawks to the 2017 Class 7A regional finals.

Bay Scallop season in Pasco County runs from July 16 through July 25. (File)

Seeking an outdoor adventure? Try scalloping
Grab a snorkel, a swim mask and some fins because recreational scallop season returns again this summer in Pasco County.

The now annual 10-day bay scallop season in Pasco County is tentatively scheduled from July 16 through July 25. It begins the third Friday in July each year.

The county’s scallop zone encompasses all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, and includes all waters of the Anclote River.

The outdoor family friendly activity of hunting for scallops is often referred to as an underwater Easter egg hunt.

Requiring only basic swimming skills, the idea is to float along the top of the water until you spot scallop shells in Florida seagrass beds lying several feet underwater, then you grab them by hand, or with a landing or dip net.

Pasco is the southernmost county in Florida to offer a scallop season.

Published January 06, 2021

Lutz native Kevin Cash named AL Manager of the Year

By

Tampa Bay Rays manager and Lutz native/Gaither High School alum Kevin Cash notched yet another feather in his proverbial ball cap.

Weeks after guiding the Rays to the American League’s best regular season record (40-20) and the franchise’s second World Series berth in history, Cash was crowned 2020 AL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

The 42-year-old Cash received 22 of 30 first-place votes and 126 total points in the BBWAA’s scoring to win over former Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria (61) and current Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo (47).

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash recently was named 2020 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. The Lutz native and Gaither High School alum guided the hometown franchise to a league-best 40-20 regular season mark and 2020 World Series appearance in Arlington, Texas. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays Communications)

The Rays skipper also was a finalist the previous two seasons, becoming just the fifth AL manager to record three consecutive top-three finishes.

The regular season-based managerial award was announced on a national television broadcast Nov. 10.

Cash called the accolade “a huge honor,” at a Zoom media briefing later that evening, adding the recognition is meaningful coming from local and national baseball writers.

“When you’re being voted (on) and appreciated by people that don’t always agree with your opinion, and there can be some back and forth, I think it says a lot,” said Cash, who wrapped up his sixth season as Tampa Bay’s top coach.

Within minutes of the award’s official announcement, Cash volunteered that he’d received some 140 congratulatory text messages from peers throughout the sport’s industry: “It felt like a World Series win, or clinching the ALCS (American League Championship Series), that’s what it felt like. …It means a lot when your peers and your friends throughout the game reach out.”

Cash mostly deflected his role in the team’s success to the organization as a whole, crediting the leadership of Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg, team presidents Brian Auld and Matt Silverman, and general manager Erik Neander, among others.

“It’s a really special group,” Cash said. “It’s a special place to work, led by Stu, Matt and Erik, Brian, everybody involved. …It certainly is a tremendous place to work.”

Cash, too, mentioned being “so lucky” to have a roster of ballplayers who are “very much team first” and embrace a “team-oriented approach.”

Hometown heroics
Cash becomes the fourth Tampa area product to win a Major League Baseball (MLB) Manager of the Year award — joining four-time winner Tony La Russa (St. Louis Cardinals in 2002; Oakland Athletics in 1988, 1992; Chicago White Sox in 1983), three-time winner Lou Piniella (Chicago Cubs in 2008; Seattle Mariners in 1995, 2001) and the one-time winner Al Lopez (Chicago White Sox in 1959, when the award was presented by the Associated Press).

La Russa was raised in West Tampa and graduated from Jefferson High School. Piniella likewise was raised in West Tampa, attending Jesuit High School and the University of Tampa. The late Lopez grew up in Ybor City and attended Jesuit High.

Cash, meanwhile, grew up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood across from Lake Park in Lutz, along North Dale Mabry Highway.
His baseball notoriety started young.

Some three decades ago, he was a 12-year-old second baseman on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series.

He would later star at Gaither High and Florida State University through the mid- and late- 1990s before enjoying an eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher. As a pro, he spent time on the then Devil Rays (in 2005), along with the Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, respectively.

Upon the end of his playing career, Cash in became a scout for the Blue Jays (2012) and then bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians (2013-2014), before landing the Tampa Bay gig in 2015.

Success on a shoestring budget
Amid a logistically emotionally taxing, pandemic-delayed, 60-game shortened season, Cash navigated monumental feats out of a young, diverse team with a low payroll, and dearth of superstars and household names.

Consider: Tampa Bay’s $28.3 million prorated payroll — third lowest in the Majors — paled in comparison to the $108.4 million sum of the National League’s Los Angeles Dodgers, who the Rays ultimately lost to in six games in the Fall Classic.

Also consider: The Rays this season had 15 different players serve a total of 20 injured-list stints. On Sept. 1, they set a team-record-tying (not in a good way) 13 players unavailable for action.

Handling the team’s ballooning attrition rate was arguably the greatest challenge this year, Cash said.

“I think the injuries were up there, especially at the onset,” he said. “We all dealt with (COVID-19) protocols and we can’t talk about those enough, but I know that answer has gotten old. The injuries, for sure.”

On the whole, Cash is widely revered for putting players in position to prosper via ever-changing batting orders, increased bullpen usage, openers, platoons, positional versatility, defensive positioning and shifts, and more.

He’s likewise praised for cultivating a loose, welcoming clubhouse that features so many players from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. The team’s roster, in addition to players from all quadrants of the United States, was also represented by Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Japan and South Korea, respectively.

Some unique footnotes from the Rays 2020 season under Cash:
• 59 different lineups in 60 games (tied for most in MLB)
• Constructed the only all-lefty lineup in Major League history
• AL-best 20 come-from-behind wins
• MLB-best 14-5 mark in one-run games
• 12 different pitchers recorded a save (tied MLB record set by the 1973 Texas Rangers)
• Used 4.7 pitchers per game, more than the MLB average
• Used an AL-most 1.15 pinch-hitters per game

Cash’s essential managerial philosophy centers around openness and honesty with players regarding in-game and in-house decision-making. Keeping a level-headed approach in victory and defeat is crucial, too.

He observed of his role: “You’ve gotta make good decisions, there’s no doubt, but I think more times than not it’s being consistent and genuine, authentic with the people that you work with every day. It would be wrong of myself or any of our staff to change, depending on wins or losses. I don’t think you’re going to get players to really want to be in that environment, and our goal is to get them to want to be in that environment that we’re proud of, and I think you do that by consistency, and our staff is top-notch in that.”

The 2020 campaign represented a pinnacle of Cash’s run in Tampa Bay — as he now claims the franchise’s best all-time managerial winning percentage (.522).

The team had a losing record in Cash’s first three seasons, but has enjoyed three straight winning campaigns since, one better than the next.
The team won 90 regular season games (.556 winning percentage) in 2018, then 96 games (.592) in 2019 — marking the franchise’s first playoff berth in six years.

Extrapolating this year’s 40 wins (.667) to a traditional 162-game season, the Rays would’ve been on pace to collect 108 victories. Its 20 postseason games (including reaching Game 6 of the World Series) was the deepest playoff run in franchise history.

“We had some ups and downs over the last years,” Cash sad. “I mean this year, 40 (wins) and 20 (losses), you can’t have too many downs. A lot of things went well. We got to the World Series, a lot of things went well. But, there were tough moments in there, but we owe it to the players to stay as consistent as possible.”

Looking back, Cash is fortunate the 2020 baseball season was even able to get off the ground, considering countless COVID-19 hurdles and fragmented negotiations between team owners and players on salary structures, gameplay, health and safety protocols, and so on.

“I wasn’t overly confident that we were going to get this thing up and running (this season). I don’t know of anybody that was,” he said. “So, there’s been a lot of head scratching, a lot of moments that it was really, really special, and really, really impressive what our team and organization accomplished this year, and hopefully as time continues, we’ll be able to appreciate it that much more.”

Published November 18, 2020

Lutz native manages hometown Rays to World Series

By

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash has come full circle (err, diamond) with his baseball career.

The Lutz native and Gaither High School alum is managing his hometown pro ball club at the sport’s grandest stage, in the 2020 World Series.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash has led the franchise to the 2020 World Series in Arlington, Texas. Cash is a Lutz native and Gaither High School alum. (File)

He’s making other sorts of history, too.

The 42-year-old Cash is the first person to have played in the Little League Baseball World Series and manage a team to Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Fall Classic.

He was a 12-year-old second baseman on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series, which then consisted of the top four little league teams each — from both the United States and the world.

The North Tampa-based team fell in the quarterfinals to Eastview (California) Little League 12-5, though it was a team from Trumball, Connecticut, that took home the title in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Cash is hoping for a better outcome some three decades later against a much more distinguished California-based club in the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The best-of-seven World Series could run through Oct. 28.

Whatever the result, Cash has done yeoman’s work guiding the Rays to its second World Series appearance in franchise history — the other coming in 2008, where the team lost in five games to the Philadelphia Phillies.

“Pretty special feeling,” Cash said about reaching the World Series, during a recent postseason press conference. “I don’t think I’ve had many better, other than getting married and having three kids. This is right there below that. Can’t get much better than that. This is a special group to be a part of. It’s fun to see them win games and fun to be a part of it.”

Among baseball’s brightest
Amid a logistically, emotionally taxing, pandemic-delayed, 60-game shortened season, Cash navigated success for a young, diverse team with a low payroll, and dearth of superstars and household names.

Also consider: The Rays this season had 19 players serve 20 injured-list stints. On Sept. 1, they set a team-record-tying (not in a good way) 13 players unavailable for action.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash is the first person to have played in the Little League Baseball World Series and manage a team to Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Fall Classic. The Lutz native was a 12-year-old second baseman on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series. (File)

All that, though, didn’t stop Tampa Bay from finishing with an American League (AL)-best 40-20 regular season record and division title — then downing the Toronto Blue Jays, the large-pocket New York Yankees and the Houston Astros en route to the World Series in an expanded 16-team playoff format.

Cash, in his sixth year as Rays skipper, has consistently garnered high marks throughout the baseball industry as a steadying cog in the team’s accomplishments.

Last season he steered the team to 96 regular season wins and its first playoff berth in six years. He also holds the franchise’s best all-time managerial winning percentage (.522).

Sporting News already crowned him AL Manager of the Year, for a second-straight time. Other outlets are likely to follow.

Cash is revered for putting players in position to succeed via ever-changing batting orders, increased bullpen usage, openers, platoons, positional versatility, defensive positioning and shifts, and more.

He’s likewise praised for cultivating a loose, welcoming clubhouse that features so many players from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. The team’s World Series roster, in addition to players from all quadrants of the United States, also is represented by Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Japan and South Korea, respectively.

While some old-school baseball types scoff at some of the team’s myriad unconventional methods, Cash and other Rays coaches embrace it, with understandable assistance from the team’s front office and analytics department.

The organization’s philosophy as a whole facilitates free-thinking and considers all sorts of out-of-the-box ideas in trying to eke out games in any way fathomable against richer teams with pockets three or four times as great. The Rays $28.6 million payroll pales in comparison to the Dodgers’ $105.5 million, for instance.

Cash described the Rays’ approach this way: “We think what we’re doing is maximizing a roster and doing everything we can to make the best decisions and put the players in the right spot to succeed, and ultimately win as many games as possible.”

Such a collaborative working environment allowed Cash to grow and thrive when he became the game’s youngest manager back in December 2014.

“Well, personally for me, it’s helped me immensely, for somebody that had never managed six years ago, to be able to make some mistakes and learn from them. Try some things that people would use the word ‘different’ and it be OK and accepted, it’s been hugely beneficial,” said Cash. “We’ve listened to everybody, we’ve learned from everybody, and everybody’s opinions are valued here, and that’s how we think we can come up with what we think is the best decision on a given year, a given season, a given game, whatever it is, so it’s a pretty great situation to be a part of.”

Lutz roots
Besides leading the Rays to baseball’s promised land, Cash enjoyed a spirited playing career beyond his Little League days and growing up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood across from Lake Park, along North Dale Mabry Highway.

He recalled those early roots back in a 2016 interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“I remember when my parents moved to the neighborhood in Lutz, it was like a one street cul-de-sac, and there were boys everywhere,” Cash said. “We had pickup football games, pickup basketball, baseball games every day. It was just a pretty cool neighborhood to grow up in, because there were so many kids our age that we could go out there and have a complete game with.”

Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Cash was an All-State baseball player at Gaither High School. He graduated in 1997. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Schools)

Cash would later star at Gaither High School and Florida State University before enjoying an eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher, spending time on the then-Devil Rays (in 2005), along with the Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros and Boston Red Sox, respectively.

Once his playing career ended, Cash became a bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians, working under manager Terry Francona from 2013-2014, until landing the Tampa Bay gig.

Cash’s knack for getting the best out of his team was a learning process as he ascended through the sport’s ranks.

“I was really fortunate to be around a lot of good coaches, managers, just baseball people, teammates, and watched how people went about it different ways, and not every way works for individuals, and not every player responds to one way.

“I think Terry Francona was probably the biggest influence, in the way that he came to the ballpark, in watching the way he treated players one through 25 on the roster,” Cash explained.

As for the significance of delivering a baseball championship to the region where he was born and raised, it’s a question Cash hasn’t yet given much reflection.

“You know what, I’ve briefly thought about that, but I’m trying to avoid it,” Cash said. “You want to bring it back to the club that you work for. If you add another layer to it, it was similar to getting the job six years ago, but this is now more magnified than being a guy that was born and raised in the Bay Area. I think any city, I would appreciate it, any team in this position would appreciate it, (but) it just might make it a little sweeter if we’re able to do some special things here in Texas.”

Visit MLB.com for a full broadcast schedule and results of the 2020 World Series.

Published October 28, 2020