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Jon Skaggs: Update
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Location: Blogs . |
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| Posted by: Content Administrator |
3/26/2007 |
He pitched for four WAC champion Rice teams. He was an All-America selection and a first round draft pick. He grew the sloppiest mop of curly hair ever just for the driver's license picture. He's hanging out in Tampa Bay Devil Rays minor league camp and he's taken the time to check in with RUBPA. He's Jon Skaggs.
Hello from St. Petersburg, Florida.
After spending 3 years in Tampa (2 years of rehab and a season in the Florida State League in the New York Yankees’ organization) I was voted by my friends the unofficial mayor of Tampa. I am well qualified to give comprehensive tours on local restaurants, museums, golf courses, beaches, etc. I was even becoming a Tampa Bay Bucs fan at one point – that is until Houston stepped up and got the Texans.
This off-season I signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. I did this, not only to continue my baseball career, but also to further spread my political influences on the greater Tampa Bay region. Last year I spent spring training with the Astros in Kissimmee; I think I have the place surrounded.
On the first day of Spring Training this year I was surprised to see Neal Allen, who was my first professional pitching coach in 2001 in Staten Island (the Yankees’ New York Penn league affiliate) in a Devil Ray uniform. I was pretty fired up because he was one of my favorite people in the Yankee organization. He has the best Big League stories that I have ever heard and I can’t wait to hear them again for a second or third time. A few days into camp he was telling our pitcher group a funny story about how one of his managers used to take so long walking to the mound that they needed two commercial breaks to cover it. He declared his mound-visit pace would always be fast - but slow enough for a good breather. He then looked at me with a big, affirmation-needing grin and asked, “Isn’t that right, Skaggsy?” I responded, “I don’t remember, Neal. The only time you made a visit for me was when my elbow suddenly swelled to the size of a volleyball.”
I also saw Dr. John Elliot in a Devil Ray uniform on the first day of camp. At Rice he was my professor, but here he is known as the ‘Hit Doctor.’ The Devil Rays are very excited to have him on board.
This put the official Rice representation at 4 (Elliot, Jeff Niemann, Wade Townsend and me).
On my way to the bullpen before my most recent start I saw former Rice infielders Eric Arnold and Brian Bormaster (who was a freshman on the 2001 team that just missed Omaha). It was good to see both of them. I had heard Arnold was on fire – getting at least 3 hits per game – so I was looking forward to the friendly challenge.
Jeff Niemann and I warmed up on neighboring bullpen mounds. Jeff was scheduled to pitch 4 innings for AAA and I was scheduled to pitch 3 for AA – both against respective Blue Jay teams.
After striking out 2 in the first, Arnold stepped in the batter’s box. I smiled and remembered many fall and spring contests back at Rice, then started him off with a slider on the outer half for a strike. Then I came inside with a fastball and got a big swing and a miss. This is where I pulled out all the tricks…a backed up slider at the belt to strike him out. I’m lucky that one didn’t land 500 feet away.
I had a quick second inning and in the third, Brian Bormaster led off. I knew he’d be gunning for me but I started him off with a fastball anyway, which he fouled off with a monster swing. Then I tried to match his intensity and throw a curveball about 200 mph – which isn’t a good approach – so the count went to one and one. I came inside with a hard fastball and got him to fly out to left field – on another monstrous swing. I think Bormaster might put up some power numbers this year. Keep an eye on him.
In other related news…
Two percent of the Devil Rays is for sale to qualifying parties. I was thinking Rice University should buy this ownership share - seeing that the Devil Rays currently employs 4 Rice stakeholders – and shorten the trail to the Big Leagues.
Although I’m not sure where I’ll end up, I’m hoping to break camp and head to AA Montgomery, Alabama, home of the Biscuits. Thanks for taking the time to get updated on my spring training and thanks for all of the support over the years.
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