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Major League Baseball's Next Super Stars
Posted in:
Articles by ProSource,
Superfeature Articles,
Supplement Articles,
Supreme Protein: Supreme Protein Bars
| Dec 15, 2008
Phenoms Brett Wallace, Matt Wieters, and Tommy Hanson
polish their skills as they prepare for the spotlightFor the last 16 years, baseball fans have flocked to Arizona in October and November to experience the showcase of the world's premier fall baseball league.
Just as the desert begins to cool down, baseball's hottest young
players descend on the Phoenix area to display their skills for scouts,
general managers, and farm directors from around the league.
Each Major League Baseball
franchise sends their top prospects to gain valuable experience playing
in this major league setting. Most of the league consists of Double-A
and Triple-A players, although some have already seen major league
action. Described by baseball insiders as a "graduate school" for top
minor league prospects, the
Arizona Fall League
has helped groom a substantial portion of today's "A" list players. To
put it into perspective, the 2008 MLB All-Star Game featured 36 AFL
alumni and five out of the last seven MLB MVPs formerly played in this
prestigious league. All-Stars like Albert Pujols, Justin Morneau, Jason
Giambi, David Wright, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Derrek Lee, Ryan
Braun and Ryan Howard have all played in the desert in the fall.
In many cases, the talent is so
major-league-ready that some of the participating players go on to have
breakout years in the big leagues the following regular season. Last
year's prime example was Tampa Bay Rays
third baseman Evan Longoria, who was an All-Star and the 2008 Rookie of
the Year while leading the Rays to their first World Series in
franchise history.
I've had the privilege of watching
the Fall League for the past month and as a huge baseball fan, the
experience has been a pleasure, to say the least. The talent of these
young athletes is remarkable. So many of them are just on the cusp of
making it onto a big league roster and they're working their tails off
to prove that they deserve to get that shot, come spring.
There have been three players, in
particular, that have stood out the most in this regard. Each of them
possesses an unbelievable amount of sheer talent, setting themselves
apart with their work ethic, focus and determination to be the best. I
had the opportunity to sit down with each of them to discuss their
priorities and what their expectations are for the coming season.
Brett Wallace: The Pure Hitter
Brett Wallace was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the first round of the 2008 players draft held last June. Coming out
of college baseball powerhouse Arizona State University, Wallace holds
a college career batting average of .398 and was the back-to-back
Pac-10 Player of the Year, and back-to-back Pac-10 Triple Crown winner
his sophomore and junior years. Since being drafted, Wallace has
continued to play at an extremely high level. Originally assigned to
Low-A Quad Cities, Wallace reached Double-A Springfield after putting
on a 40-day hitters clinic in QC. According to the recent Baseball
America's 2008 Draft Report Card, Wallace was voted as having the best
pro debut of his draft class after hitting .337, 8 home runs and
driving in 36 runs in just 54 games played between Low-A Quad Cities
and Double-A Springfield.
Arguably the fastest rising
prospect the Cardinals' organization has seen since J.D. Drew in the
late 1990s, Wallace was sent to the Arizona Fall League this October to
work on his fielding and to gain experience facing top pitching talent.
Competing against some of the best competition he has ever seen,
Wallace has shown commendable determination and dedication as he works
to improve.
B.W. Priority #1: Fitness/Workout '" Keeping his lower body strong
Brett doesn't posses the prototypical body of a baseball player. He has
large thighs and a thick core. Because of this, many teams passed on
him in the players draft last June. Some scouts believed and still
believe that because of his unorthodox body type, he will struggle to
find a natural fielding position. Brett sees the situation in a
different light. "I was born with a big lower half and I've worked hard
to continue to keep it lean, and keep my legs strong and quick. I feel
like when I sink in my legs at the plate, I have a little extra juice
compared to other guys that may have to try real hard for extra power.
I feel it helps me drive the ball around the whole yard and it's just a
huge asset for me at the plate." Working to keep his lower half strong,
Brett integrates a lot of quick movement exercises into his workout
routine. "It's a lot of walk lunges with weights, and explosive jumps,
in between sets of squats. It's a combination. You build the explosive
strength in the leg muscles that you're working on."
In regard to scouts' concerns over
Brett's fielding capabilities, particularly at third base, since being
drafted, Brett has committed six errors in 126 combined chances during
the regular season and only one error in 28 chances here at the fall
League. "I like proving people wrong. People want to say whether I can
or can't play third. It's actually more fun when people say I can't do
something and then I do and do it well and prove them wrong. It just
drives me to play even better.
Supreme Protein® bars
are the best tasting bars on the market that I've found. It's hard to
find a protein bar that has such a high protein content that tastes
great, while also keeping the carb and sugar count so low. - Brett
Wallace
"You know, it's an emphasis that I'll always work on. People will
always try and find something to knock about my game, and that will
continue to motivate me to get better everyday and prove them wrong."
B.W. Priority #2: Nutrition
The life of a professional baseball player is extremely fast paced.
Traveling from city to city every couple of days, trying to get
adequate nutrition can sometimes be a tough task. "Nutrition plays a
huge role in my performance as an athlete. On game days on the road,
you may only have an hour to eat before the game and it's easier to
just grab something quick rather than eating well. You've really got to
have the right frame of mind to be disciplined enough to not eat the
garbage. I actually find that eating
protein bars and drinking
protein shakes make it a lot easier to get the adequate amounts of nutrition quickly after a workout or before a game.
Supreme Protein® bars
are the best tasting bars on the market that I've found. It's hard to
find a protein bar that has such a high protein content that tastes
great, while also keeping the carb and sugar count so low.
Supreme Protein® bars
offer me everything that I need in order to be energized during
vigorous workouts, build muscle, and live a healthy lifestyle." Brett
says that staying committed to eating right and working out, takes a
lot of discipline. "You work so hard in the gym to get your body to a
certain level ... You don't want to eat any crap that may hinder your
performance."
B.W. Priority #3: Mental Preparation
With so many unbelievably talented players in the
Arizona Fall League,
really standing out takes more than just having phenomenal physical
athleticism. It takes mental strength as well. "Just getting to play
against these guys and experience success is great for me because it
builds my confidence. It shows me that I'm just about there'¦There's
just that much difference between these guys, and most of it's up top
(in your head) not physical. I had the opportunity to face Clay
Buchholz the other day and I did alright against him. Achieving success
against guys here who have played some in the big leagues can be a real
confidence booster."
B.W Priority #4: Light up opposing MLB-ready pitchers
After getting off to a mediocre start in the fall league, Wallace went
on an absolute tear the last several weeks, leading his team to within
one win of the championship game. He ended his first AFL campaign
batting .309, with 6 home runs and 24 RBI in just 24 games. One of his
home runs came off of Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz, who threw a no
hitter in the big leagues in 2007. Going 4 for 5 and driving in 6 runs
for the day, most of the damage was done off the Red Sox top pitching
prospect. "It feels pretty unbelievable. He (Buchholz) obviously has
great stuff, and he's a guy who's proven himself in the big leagues. It
makes you realize we're all getting pretty close to where we want to
be. There's no margin for error in this league."
Matt Wieters: The Natural
Quite possibly the most heralded prospect playing in this year's fall
league, Matt Wieters is a 6'5 switch hitting catcher in the Baltimore
Orioles farm system. Winning
MLB.com's 2008 MiLBY
for the best hitter in the minor leagues, Wieters, according to most
scouts, is a can't miss prospect on all levels and the future face of
the Orioles. Taken fifth overall by the Orioles in the 2007 players
draft, Wieters wasted little time making his presence known in
professional baseball. Winning his own system's triple crown, Wieters
hit a combined .355, with a .600 slugging percentage, a .454 on base
average, and 91 RBIs and 27 homeruns between Advanced-A Frederick and
Double-A Bowie. With a good eye at the plate and great power to all
fields, Wieters also receives rave reviews for his defensive skills and
natural ability for game calling behind the plate.
A gifted athlete with a workhorse
mentality, Wieters hit .359 with 35 homers and 198 RBI in three seasons
at Georgia Tech. Before Wieters was taken in the daft, North Carolina
State baseball coach Elliott Avent said he was the type of player that
comes around once every 25 years. "I mean how many catchers do you see
with his size and ability that can switch hit? Maybe Jason Varitek.
There just aren't many like him out there."
M.W. Priority #1: Fitness/Workout/Fundamentals
Being a catcher very well may be the toughest job in all of sports. At 6'5, 230lbs,
Matt Wieters
is remarkably big for his position. Squatting for nine innings over 120
games a year can take a toll on a player's body. Matt says it's crucial
to keep your body in top form. "You've got to find a way to get the
workouts in but at the same time, you've got to keep your body feeling
fresh and feeling that you can play once the game comes along. The
offseason is when I focus the most on lifting weights and adding
strength. The workout routine during the season is different
particularly in pro baseball because you just don't get the off days.
Once the season comes around, I just try and maintain. Anything I can
find time to do just to get a little bit of a workout in is
beneficial."
M.W. Priority #2: Nutrition
"I really watch what I put in my body so I'm able to stay strong each
and every game throughout the longest season in professional sports. In
regard to
supplements I don't take many, other than
protein shakes.
Being a catcher, my weight's going to drop as the season goes on, so
any time I need to get those extra calories in after a game or
whatever, a
protein bar or shake is a good way to do that.
M.W. Priority #3: Mental preparation '" Remember what dad taught you
"My dad's been the biggest influence in my baseball career, hands down.
He pitched in the minor leagues and hit in college so he understands
both sides of the game. We would watch Atlanta Braves games together
when I was growing up and we would always discuss and break down what
the pitcher was trying to do in a given situation and what the hitter
was trying to do."
M.W Priority #4: Handle the hype with class
With not even a single major league at bat, Wieters is already
considered the cornerstone and future face of the Baltimore Orioles
franchise. At just 22, he has handled himself on and off the field like
a poised veteran. Orioles manager Dave Trembley recently said of
Wieters in an interview; "he's a big league guy in the minor leagues.
We're looking for big league players, but we're also looking for big
league people. Wieters is at the top of the charts in all of those
categories."
Wieters finished the fall league
with a .301 average, 1 home run and 12 RBI in 73 at-bats. Having the
opportunity to watch Wieters at a few of the fall league games, I could
clearly see that he stands out among his peers not only with his play
on the field but also in the way he handles himself off it as well.
After I conducted the interview with him, he immediately went around
signing each and every autograph a fan requested. "The fans are the
reasons we're able to play this game. When they show up every night and
support you, you've got to give your best effort to give them
autographs and just give them a little bit of your time," Wieters said
in a prior interview. "You're not going to be able to sign every
autograph or get to say hello to every person, but any chance you can
get, it doesn't hurt to take some time out of your day to sign some
autographs and make some kids happy."
Tommy Hanson: The Ace
Tommy Hanson
is a 6'6", 210-pound right-handed future major league ace. With a
mid-90's fastball, a nasty curve ball and a solid change up, Hanson is
one of the most highly regarded pitching prospects the Atlanta Braves
organization has seen in quite some time. Originally drafted in the
22nd round out of Riverside Community College in 2005, Hanson spent his
first year of pro ball in Danville in 2006 where he compiled a 4-1
record with a 2.09 ERA. In his 51 2/3 innings at Danville, he had an
astounding 56 K, nine BB, and a 0.99 WHIP. The following season in 2007
Hanson split time between low-A Rome and high-A Myrtle Beach. While at
Rome, he appeared in 15 games and started 14 of them. Hanson was 2-6
with a 2.56 ERA, while striking out 90 in 73 innings. When he was moved
up to Myrtle Beach, he struggled a bit. In 11 starts at Myrtle Beach,
Hanson was 3-3 with a 4.20 ERA, but he still struck out more than one
batter per inning (64 K's in 60 IP).
In his first 7 starts with Double-A
Myrtle Beach in 2008 Hanson was absolutely dominant, recording 49
strikeouts in 40 innings. Hanson was then promoted to Double-A
Mississippi where he started 18 games and continued his domination of
opposing hitters. In his ninth start in Mississippi, he tossed a
14-strikeout no-hitter against the Birmingham Barons. It was the first
no-hitter in the history of the Mississippi Braves organization.
Finishing the 2008 season with an 11-5 record and a 2.41 ERA, Hanson's
10.63 strikeouts per nine innings ranked second in the minors and his
.175 opponents' average led all Minor League starting pitchers.
T. H. Priority #1: Fitness/Workout/Fundamentals
One product I actually really enjoy is the
Supreme Protein® bar.
Supreme Protein bars® are by far the
best-tasting protein bars I've ever had and they help me out substantially with my overall endurance and strength. - Tommy Hanson
In his short professional career, Tommy has gained a reputation for
pitching deep into games, pitching 323 innings in just his first 3
seasons. "The day after I pitch is usually the day I lift and get a
long run in. The second day after I pitch I throw on the side and do
some more long distance running. Everyday I'm running actually. The
third day I have another light full body workout and then I rest until
I pitch next."
T. H. Priority #2: Nutrition
Major league baseball club houses are known for their lavish buffets
with huge varieties of meal options to choose from. As Tommy attests,
the minors are a far different story. "Nutrition is 100% a big deal in
regard to my performance. It's hard in the minor leagues because
there's just not a lot of good food around. One product I actually
really enjoy is the
Supreme Protein® bar.
Supreme Protein bars® are by far the
best-tasting protein bars
I've ever had and they help me out substantially with my overall
endurance and strength. Being on the road as much as I am, it's tough
to get quality nutritious food.
Supreme Protein® bars are a quick and easy way to get
quality supplements in my body."
T. H. Priority #3: Mental Preparation
Coming into the fall league there was a lot of speculation about the
Braves looking to trade Tommy to the Padres for former Cy Young winner
Jake Peavey. Tommy has made it clear that he hopes to stay and pitch
with the team that drafted him, however he's refused to concern himself
with things he can't control off the field. "I try not the think or
worry too much about talk off the field. I came to the fall league to
work on my change-up and become more consistent with all my off-speed
pitches. "The game of baseball is like a chess match between the hitter
and the pitcher. Focus is critical and you can't let the off-the-field
stuff consume your thoughts. Also, you've got to have the physical part
down, because if you feel tired or weak it will get into your head and
affect you mentally."
T. H. Priority #4: Rise above the rest in the best-of-the-best showdown
In a league of highly touted top pitching prospects tirelessly trying
to prove their skill to scouts, coaches and players alike, Hanson
undoubtedly has risen above the rest at this years AFL. Displaying his
dominance against the league's elite this fall, Hanson pitched three
hitless innings and struck out seven in the Rising Stars game at the
fall league mid point. Hanson led his team to the championship game
against the five-time defending AFL champs the Phoenix Desert Dogs.
Though losing, Hanson started the game and pitched five strong innings,
only allowing a run on three hits with eight strikeouts. Hanson
finished the fall league by pitching 36 2/3 innings, allowing only 13
hits and 10 walks while striking out 64. He finished the fall campaign
with a combined 0.74 ERA, and was the first pitcher in the sixteen-year
history of the league to win AFL MVP.
All three of these unbelievably
talented and dedicated young men will undoubtedly have an invitation to
their respective teams' spring training in March of next year. We at
ProSource wish them all the best of luck and we look forward to following their careers as they ascend toward major league glory.
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