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Cinncinati Reds’ pitching prospect Juancarlos Sulbaran was 16-years-old when his family moved to the
United States from Willemstad, Netherland Antilles in 2006. Since then, the now
19-year-old has improved his knowledge on and off the field.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder first hit scouts’ radars when he was
voted the best pitcher at the 2004 Latin American Youth Baseball Tournament.
Sulbaran’s family wanted him to continue his success on the field while receiving
a solid education in the classroom. In his hometown of Curacao, it is not
uncommon for students to finish schooling at age 15.

A move to Miami, FL and enrolling at the baseball-prestigious
American Heritage High School as a junior, where he played with 2008 third
overall pick Eric Hosmer, seemed
like the right fit.

The language barrier was a struggle for Sulbaran upon
arrival to the United States.

“My primary language is Papiamentu which is a Dutch dialect
so when I came to this country it was hard to communicate,” Sulbaran said. “I
had taken English classes since I was in fourth grade, but nothing crazy. On
the field though in high school, communicating was okay because we had signs.”

The right-hander had the option of continuing his education
while playing baseball for the University of Florida, but signed for $500,000
with the Reds after being chosen in the 30^th round of the 2008 MLB
First-Year Player Draft.

Sulbaran stayed busy by playing in the 2008 Olympics then in
the World Baseball Classic for the Netherlands in 2009 as the youngest on the
roster. His WBC experience was highlighted by striking out Ivan Rodriguez in the sixth inning of a 1-0 game on three pitches
with two on and two out.

“I never thought I
would play against major leaguers at such a young age and it’s something I will
never forget,” Sulbaran said. “It was before I played professional so it’s
helping me a lot I think for my baseball career.”

Sulbaran made his professional debut on May 1, 2009 as a
member of Class A Dayton Dragons in the Midwest League. Over seven starts, he
finished 2-0, 3.46 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 37 innings.

This upcoming season shows promise looking at his track record. His repertoire consists of a fastball in the low 90s, a hard sinker, solid curveball and changeup

“I was home in Curacao
for Christmas, but spent the off-season in the U.S. to work out so I can stay
in shape and get ready for this year,” Sulbaran said.

As his baseball skills improve, he’s also become more
acclimated to living in the United States.

“I think I’ve learned
a lot more with everything,” Sulbaran said. “I have gotten valuable experience
as a player. I am more comfortable here than I originally was because I can communicate
better with people and don’t have to repeat myself for people to understand me.
My teammates teach me English and I help the Latin players understand new things.
It works both ways.”

Philadelphia Phillies prospect Anthony Gose led the minor
leagues in stolen bases this season with 75 and is trying to help the Lakewood
BlueClaws run away with their second ever South Atlantic League Championship
title since being formed in 2001.

The BlueClaws have a 2-0 lead over the Greenville Drive in a
best-of-5 Championship series. Gose went 4-for-9 in the first round of the
playoffs against the Kannapolis Intimidators. Last night, Gose led off the
first game with a solo home run to right centerfield and finished 1-for-4 en
route to the BlueClaws 6-3 victory over the Drive. The second game, he went
1-for-4.

“The whole experience has been great,” Gose says. “It was my
first full-season so to be in the playoffs the same year is an amazing feeling.
Hopefully we can come out with the victory and will probably be the greatest
feeling ever.”

The Bellflower, CA native finished the season hitting .259
with 24 doubles, 9 triples, 2 home runs and 52 RBI in 131 games. During the
second half of the season, Gose fell into a couple of slumps which lowered his
batting average. In his last ten games of the year, he was 5-for-41.

“We’ve had a few days off here and there this month so it’s
given my body a chance to reenergize a bit so now it feels great,” Gose said.
“I’ve gotten a second wind and now I am ready for anything.”

The 2008 second round draft pick of the 2008 MLB First-Year
Player Draft passed up a scholarship to play for the University of Arizona and decided
to pursuit his baseball career as a position player rather than a pitcher.
During his high school career, he was a lefthanded pitcher who touched 97mph at
times.

“I really enjoyed myself this season,” Gose said. “It’s been
a blessing to me to have done good as I had done especially after not being
what they called a “hitting prospect” out of high school. I feel I’ve done a
lot for myself and proved to a lot of people what I’m capable of.”

The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has been leading off or in the
number two spot all season, switching with infielder Harold Garcia. Garcia also
went deep in game one, going 2-for-4. Combined, Gose’s 75 stolen bases and
Garcia’s 42 swipes, helped put Lakewood atop with their minor league leading
210 stolen bases.

 “Now, it’s the time
to really step up,” Gose said. “We are playing for a championship right now and
it’s the main focus right now. You got to just put everything out the door, and
it’s another season starting.”

Winning the stolen base title was a goal Gose had set for
himself earlier in the season. He beat out Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Dee
Gordon of the Midwest League by three stolen bases.

“Anytime you set a goal and you reach it, you always have to
feel good about yourself,” Gose said. “I said I wanted to lead the league and now
that it’s accomplished, it’s time to think about and set another.”

The 19-year-old was ranked by Baseball America as the Most Exciting Player, Fastest Baserunner,
Best Baserunner and Best Defensive Outfielder in the South Atlantic League.
Despite being picked off the first time he reached base in the series against
Kannapolis, Gose is always ready to run for the title.

“I’m always aggressive,” Gose said. “I don’t think I’ll have
put the reins on me or anything. I made a couple mistakes on the bases last
series. As far as that, I still have free will to do anything on the base
paths.”

San Diego Padres pitcher Aaron Poreda will be wearing a
Padres jersey for the first time in his career since being traded before the
deadline from the Chicago White Sox along with LHP Clayton Richard, RHP Dexter
Carter and RHP Adam Russell for the Jake Peavy.

The left hand pitcher began the season with Double-A
Birmingham Barons. He dominated the Southern League in his 11 starts going 5-4,
2.38 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched. He made two starts with the
Triple-A Charlotte Kings of the International League.

The California native had a brief month long stint with the
White Sox. He pitched out of the bullpen holding opposing hitters to a .231
average striking out 12 batters in 11 innings pitched over 10 appearances.

Once traded, he pitched for the Triple-A Portland Beavers of
the Pacific Coast League. Over seven appearances, he struggled going 0-3, 7.12
ERA walking 37 batters with only 30 walks over 32.2 innings.

Poreda was Chicago’s 25^th overall pick in the
2007 MLB Draft out of the University of San Francisco and ranked the White Sox
No. 2 best prospect in 2009 according to Baseball
America.

Catcher Tony Sanchez was selected fourth overall in the 2009
MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Sanchez, 21, signed for $2.5 million and reported right away
to the Short-Season New York-Penn League to play with the State College Spikes.
After four games with the team going 4-for-13, the Miami native was promoted to
the Low Class A West Virginia Power.

With only a few games left, Sanchez has had one of the best
professional debuts of any draftee this year. In 40 games with the Power, he
has cranked 15 doubles, 7 home runs, 45 RBI while hitting .316.

The former Boston College standout led the team in batting
with a .346 average, slugging percentage at .614, on base percentage at .443
and home runs with 14 while also leading runs scored with 63. He helped lead BC
to their first NCAA tournament berth in 42 years and played in the longest ever
college baseball game that lasted 25 innings during the season against Texas
University.

The 6-foot-1, 220 pounder plays good defense and is quick behind
the plate. He provides solid power and has potential to climb up the ladder
through the minor leagues quickly.

Catching Around with Tony Sanchez

Favorite Movie: The
Green Mile
Favorite TV Show: Planet Earth
Favorite Movie Artist: George Strait
Favorite Music: Anything country
Favorite Video Game: Call of Duty
Favorite Food: Tuna
Favorite Player: Yadier Molina
Pet Peeve: When other guys stick
their hand in my catchers mitt.
Most Memorable Baseball Moment: 25-inning
game against Texas at the regional.
Most Exciting Player Played With: Kevin
Moran- he yells at the hitters
Pitcher You Enjoy Catching Most: Mike
Belfiore- because if he’s in the game, we have a lead and he’s going to slam
the door.

Gutierrez: “Just got traded to the Texas Rangers!!!. Woooohoooo”

Gutierrez, 22, was traded for C Manny Pina and OF Tim Smith.

The right hand pitcher has only started four games this year and made four other appearances in High Class A Carolina League with Wilmington.

The California native was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2005 MLB Draft. He was ranked as the Royals number 7 prospect in Kansas City’s minor league system.

An hour past midnight, the Minnesota Twins called up
righthanded pitcher Jeff Manship two weeks ago to make his first trip to the
big league level. Tonight, he will be making his major league debut as a starter with the
Twins against the Chicago White Sox.

The 24-year-old went 4-3 with a 3.22 ERA, with 30 strikeouts
while walking 17 in eight starts with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. This
comes after his promotion from Double-A New Britain where he went 6-4 with a
4.28 ERA. Since being called to the majors, Manship has served as a relief
pitcher adding depth to the bullpen.

On August 15, Manship made his major league debut. He threw
one shutout inning with a strikeout against the Cleveland Indians. In five
appearances with Minnesota, he has a 5.14 ERA with three strikeouts and three
walks over seven innings.  

In 2004, the Notre Dame injured his arm right before his
freshman year and underwent Tommy John Surgery. Manship came back strong and
has been regarded as a top pitching prospect ever since. The Texas native tells
us about his pitching, his time in college and talks about his favorite player,
Ken Griffey Jr.

What would you say is
your biggest strength?

I’d have to say the curveball. Since high school it has
probably been my best pitch. Ever since high school, I have had to learn to use
my other pitches to throw for strikes. In high school, it was just fastball or
curveball, but you can’t get away with that at this level. It has taught me to
throw more changeups.

How did you develop
your delivery? Have you always thrown the way you do now?

I kind of have an unorthodox delivery. I’ve been pretty
successful with it, so they haven’t really changed much there. As far as I can
remember, my delivery has always been a little bit different. I blew out my arm
before freshman year of college then had surgery, I came back playing catch and
how I threw at the time stuck and fit in so that’s how I throw (laughs).

Does your arm ever
give you any problems since having the surgery?

I am happy I had surgery on my arm when I did. I blew it out
after my senior year in high school. It was a pain trying to come back. Once I
had the surgery I was pretty much relieved. It has been great since and I’ve
had no problems in five years. It taught me work ethic. I had to stick with the
rehab and came back stronger than before. The trainer at Notre Dame did a great
job with me so I owe a lot of credit to him.

Notre Dame is big on
their sports. Do you miss lacing up for your baseball games and being part of a
big time college football and basketball school?

I miss my teammates. We were all such close friends and the
camaraderie we had was awesome. Surprisingly, I only went to football games my
freshman year. I have never been to one basketball game. I had tickets my
sophomore year, but never went. I never found myself going because you have to
stand the whole time and I didn’t like that. I sound pretty lazy, but I had
more fun watching it on television and having fun with all my friends watching
it. I wasn’t a fan of the weather either and don’t miss it (laughs)

What is something
about you people find surprising?

Surprising? Probably the fact I listen to a lot of heavy
metal. Most people are taken back by that because they think I’ll like country
being from Texas. I like Slip Knot and Korn. Kind of shocking, right? No one
ever believes that. It’s funny, I can fall asleep to it sometimes (laughs).

Who was your favorite
player growing up?

Ken Griffey Jr.. I think he is pretty much everybody’s
favorite player growing up. Anybody on that Mariners team; it was a fun team to
watch.

Have you gotten the
chance to pitch to him yet?

I actually have pitched to him before. He was the first guy
I faced at Spring Training for the big league level. It was my first spring
training and he was with the Reds at the time. I ended up getting him to fly
out to left. It was probably one of my best baseball moments I’ve ever had. I
was a little nervous.

Did you feel like a
kid again having grown up admiring him?

Absolutely. I mean, just knowing that I played his video
game when I was younger made it cool. It was fun. He didn’t have a weakness in
that game so I was nervous.

What was that like
pitching against him for you? Were you wondering if he was punching in his code
for an automatic home run or what?

(Laughs) I just remember watching him warm up. I knew he was
still in the game. Then I came into pitch and began my warm up pitches. I saw
him watching me while he was doing his practice swings and I’m standing there
like, “Oh my God, this is unbelievable.”

So what you’re saying
is you basically have the upper hand on him once you get a chance to face him
again?

I don’t know about that (laughs). He is a pretty impressive
player so I can’t take him lightly.  

Ranking prospects, to me, is very interesting. It is all
about a player’s skill, body type and mechanics. Personally, I think it’s about
prediction, athleticism and age. Here are some examples.

There are the players who put up great numbers, but it is not always about the
home runs or strikeouts — of course it does to an extent — even though, in
the end it is all about prediction.

Take Chris Coste. Coste attended and played for Division III Concordia College
and was a three-time All-American there, but did not make it to the big league
until he was thirty-three years old with the Philadelphia Phillies. Now, the
North Dakota native is playing for the Houston Astros after being traded
earlier in the year and is hitting .230 with 2 home runs and 16 runs batted in
through 68 games. You’d think a player with his accolades would have gotten to
the majors quicker, but, as he admits in his book, possibility because of his
mechanics he may have been overlooked.

Then there are the players who are multisport athletes who are groomed to be
professionals on the diamond and are great athletes in general. Their natural
ability takes them a long way, but they still have to work on their talents
like any other player.

Take Jai Miller. The fourth round pick of the Florida Marlins in 2003 MLB
First-Year Player Draft is still finding his way to the major leagues. Miller,
24, passed up a football scholarship at Stanford University as a wide receiver (ranked
no. 23 receiver prospect in the US in ’03) to sign with the Marlins. He was
rated a top prospect for the first few seasons, then after hitting .205, .207
and .209 respectively in his first three full seasons of baseball(while
repeating Low Class A) he fell off the map. Now, the Alabama native is on an
absolute tear with Triple-A New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League. He is
hitting .289 with 22 doubles, 14 home runs and 46 RBI — on pace to set career
highs in all stats only 88 games deep. He has only 88 strikeouts and drawn 30
walks…I say only because he in his first full season back in ’04 he 163 times
with only 32 walks in 390 at-bats. He’s come a long way and I wish him the
best.

Then there are the young…the very young prospects who have been under scouts
radars for years and years.

Take Austin Jackson. The 22-year-old is the New York Yankees top prospect
according to Baseball America. The center fielder was ranked the top
prospect once before by the same company…ten years ago as the top 12-year-old
prospect in the country. 12? The Texas native has lived up to all expectations
and is having a great year at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre hitting .298 with
4 home runs, 57 RBI and 22 stolen bases(only caught stealing 4 times). He is
just a phone call away and can be the next home grown Yankee. Over five seasons
in the minors, he is a .287 career hitter.

Well, all that being said — I would like to make a prediction of my own.

I’d like to rank my own top prospect, Gavin Coleman. He is a lefthanded hitter,
throws right with great velocity, fast and full of energy. He is passionate and
loves the sport of baseball. He has baseball in his family. He is the only one
at his age I know who watches baseball as his number one choice of
“show”. He stands at about 4 feet tall, slim. He is 5 years old. Yea,
I said it. 5 years old. Gavin Coleman, son of former National League President
’94-’99 Len Coleman, is the number one 5 year old prospect in the country for
baseball. Everyone is making predictions for every age possible, so why not
make one of my own? (but seriously, this kid is the real deal — I’ve never
seen anything like it.

Baseball games are nine innings and can last anywhere
between 2 and 3 hours. During that time, you want to see exciting plays;
strikeouts, diving catches, stolen bases, home run. My favorite types of
players are the Carl Crawfords and Jose Reyes of the MLB. Recently, I bumped
into a trio of players who fit that entertaining and power-felt presence on the
diamond — Kenny Lofton, Darryl Strawberry and Paul Molitor.

I bumped into Kenny Lofton at the
Mets vs. Braves game last Tuesday at Citi Field. He was at the game watching
one of his former teams — the Braves ’97 (of the 12 he’s played on over his 17
year career). He is still in great shape, looks like he can still play. The
last time he played was in ’07 with the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians
then retired at 40-years-old.

I asked Lofton what he’s been up to or doing in New York and he said how he’s
been golfing a nice amount (Funny thing, if you go onto his Wikipedia page
there is a picture of him on a golf course and not a baseball field). He spent
a few days in New York golfing and one of the outings was at Donald Trump’s
course. After his time in New York, he was going to Chicago and off to play
more golf.

Me: “So you’re on a golf tour, huh?”
Kenny: “I wouldn’t say that, but…” (laughs)

Next was Darryl Strawberry.
Recently, Straw has been on a tour promoting his book, Straw:Finding My Way,
and helping the foundation he and his wife began, The Darryl Strawberry
Foundation (http://www.darrylstrawberry.com/ds/) which raises money and
awareness for Autism. His book by the way is a great read. If you are a Mets
fan, or any baseball fan for that matter, definitely pick it up.

Darryl was in Lakewood, NJ making an appearance at the Philadelphia Phillies’
Low Class A affiliate for Autism Awareness Night. He was also signing
autographs….and a ton of them. There was a line stretching from centerfield
BEHIND the batter’s eye all the way to behind the plate on the concourse. He
signed autographs from 7pm-9pm. His hand must’ve been killing him afterwards, but
it just shows the kind of guy he is and he made a lot of people happy that
night while promoting his foundation.

One of his sons was there and he was just sitting, looking around, dozing off
– you know; the common young teenage response when you are sitting down for
long periods of time while your mom or dad is talking to someone. I went to the
game as a fan and had Straw’s book on me because I just finished reading it. I
said to myself, “man, he looks bored”. I turned to the family portrait
picture page in the book and said, “hey my man, you wanna sign
this?”, he laughed, took the book and seemed nervous searching for a
Sharpie pen to use then signed the book laughing. Hopefully when he went home
he had a good story to tell.

Earlier in the season, I met and interviewed Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. He was also a real nice guy. He is now the infield
and baserunning roving instructor in the Minnesota Twins farm system. He was
checking out the Twins’ Double-A New Britain squad. The St. Paul, MI native was
a coach for a year at the big league level with the Seattle Mariners in 2004 as
the batting coach. He is a great person to have on staff considering his
accomplishments in the game.

This is a guy who had a  career .306 batting
average, 3,319 hits, 234 home runs, 1,307 RBI and 504 stolen bases. Molitor is one of four players (Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb and Eddie
Collins) in the history of baseball to finish his career with over 3,000 hits,
500 stolen bases, and a batting average over .300. He is also the only of the
four to hit 200-plus home runs.

Asking him if he misses the game…
“Every once in a while you get out there and see
that certain pitcher around you feel like you may still be able to take a good
swing at it,” Molitor laughed.