Congrats Brian Horwitz! Made his MLBB debut
last night striking out in a pinch hitting spot. Brian was called up from Fresno as the Giants put Dan Ortmeier on the DL. Good Luck Brian. Looking at last night's Giants/Padres boxscore a ton of ex Navigators/Defenders in the game: Travis Denker, Fred Lewis, Steve Holm, Matt Cain, John Bowker, Billy Sadler, Brian Wilson, Jack Taschner, and Alex Hinshaw (ERA still at zero).
The "other" local newspaper, the New London Day, sent it's sports reporters to cover high school baseball and the WNBA's Connecticut Sun yesterday. No reporters at the game last night. To add insult to injury the Day's recap finishes by noting tonight's game is at 6:35. Of course there's a doubleheader tonight; first pitch at 5:05.
posted by greg8370 at 11:56 AM
6 Comments:
I had a similar post on SJ Giants fans, noting the number of former SJ Giants on the active roster. It's pretty much the same list. Funny how that works.
1:39 PM
so hs baseball ranks over the milb? cool....ya, doesnt look like the defenders will be in town past 09
1:58 PM
Sounds like Fresno Bee stuff too - when the Bulldogs [college football] play, that's major Sports front page news. Grizzlies or the SF Giants or even the 49ers - check page 3 or 4 or maybe even the next day's paper for news. And that's been consistent for a few years now ...
2:34 PM
Is the Horwitz promotion another nail in Nate's coffin?
4:49 PM
hondo,
no point in bringing nate up to sit on the bench...which is what brian will be doing for most of the next month...so brian gets a well earned month long vacation from the fresno heat and long busrides....his parents and wife flew out to see him k at friday nites game
4:53 AM
this was on the milb.com site:
SAN FRANCISCO -- "What's not to like about this?" Brian Horwitz asked while surveying the San Francisco clubhouse before Saturday's game. There are several differences -- plush couches, flat-screen televisions, new computers -- between clubhouses in the Minors and the Majors, as many young Giants have learned this year.
Horwitz, along with Alex Hinshaw, John Bowker, Steve Holm, Emmanuel Burriss, Billy Sadler and Travis Denker have all made their Major League debuts in 2008, each making the move from the lower levels of baseball to the much more luxurious big show.
On Thursday night at about 10 PT, Horwitz got the call that he was being summoned to join the Giants after Dan Ortmeier was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fracture in his left middle finger. Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies manager Dan Rohn called Horwitz into his office to give him the news and "tried to play it off like it wasn't a big deal," the outfielder said.
But it was a big deal, at least to Horwitz and his family. He called his wife, Krysti, and parents that night and they made their way to San Francisco to see his debut on Friday. Horwitz wasn't in the starting lineup and didn't expect to see any action, but the game lasted 13 innings and the Giants ended up using two pinch-hitters.
First up was Denker, who got a single and was then taken out in a pitching change. Horwitz knew his turn was next.
"I had a pretty good idea that I'd be used," Horwitz said. "I was enjoying the game, and I'm glad I got my first at-bat over with. I'm glad I was aggressive."
Maybe a bit too aggressive. Horwitz led off the 10th inning and struck out on three pitches. But his call up, successful or not, is what San Francisco is, and will continue to be about in 2008. The team is in the beginning stages of a youth movement and players like Horwitz and Hinshaw -- friends and former teammates for the Fresno Grizzlies -- symbolize that perfectly.
"The consensus is that the Giants are eventually going to start going young," said Hinshaw, a 25-year-old left-handed reliever. "They're giving the young guys a chance to see what they can do. We're all real close in Fresno, and in the back of all our minds there's a bit of a competition to see who can keep improving."
Horwitz, 25, knew the Giants had been leaning toward youth, but he still wasn't expected to be promoted when he was. The move was a pleasant surprise, but the timing was all wrong. Horwitz got the call the day the Giants were finishing a three-game series against the D-backs in Phoenix, his hometown.
"It would have been fun to get there in time for Phoenix," Horwitz said. "But there's not much better than making my debut in San Francisco, my home team, in front of all those fans."
David Biderman is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
10:19 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home