Appalachian League

I've talked to some owners and some general managers with teams out there who are pretty bitter about the loss of affiliated status for Pioneer League teams in particular.

I've talked with teams... you know, in other leagues who feel like it turned out pretty well for them, like the Appalachian League.

You know, they they kind of feel like, well, maybe, you know, we're OK with how things turned out.

I I don't have any idea.

Big man, 6'4".

Broke in in 64 with Bluefield in the Appalachian League.

Last year with San Diego in the Pacific Coast League, won four, lost 12, 3.51 ERA.

The batter, Tommy Agee, here in the Mets' half of the second.

So, yeah, truly... made me really enjoy my time in college and it it's what pushed me to to want to coach college baseball like the relationship building piece the the continual work with the guys and it's not just like hey i'm picking who i'm working with like it's embracing everyone so i love my time with the royals because of wanting to work and and get there in my career that was my goal and i know it's Not there for everyone, so I did appreciate it and didn't take it for granted.

I played in the Appy League a little bit, played third, second, and then got converted into a catcher.

They're like, hey, these hands work for you.

You got a really good arm.

But leading up to that point, I mean, his time in college, he spent time in three different schools pitching.

And to the point that the Reds drafted him, and he was in the Appalachian League back when that existed, pitching for Greenville.

Didn't really pitch amazing in Greenville, but he was fine.

Went to Dayton.

Um, so it's his second year playing in like a team atmosphere, essentially.

Um, you know, there, and, and that jump is, is huge from the DSL to, especially without like, you know, I, you know, going back like to pre-COVID with the short season and rookie ball levels, like, you know, the, it's comparable to Vladi going straight to the Appalachian League in Bluefield, right? Like-

Yeah

... skipping the DSL, I think obviously like a different jump.

But in terms of how crazy that is to go from the DSL to the Florida State League, I think maybe those two are comparable, like to jumping straight to the Appalachian League.

Culturally, off the field, living by yourself for the first time, um, learning routines, when you go to sleep, when you eat, like, when you lift.

There's so many different aspects of it that you have to learn.

Our rookie club, which we call Oneata, which is a Class A league because they play a few more games and more of the organization send a few more college boys into that league.

This makes it a little faster league than the Appalachian League.

And we feel that the high school boys are all starting off and all the guys come out of school and there are a few college boys in the Appalachian League.

It gives them a better opportunity to get themselves acclimated.

I see.

This is only the fourth year of professional ball for Hambright.

Broke in at Johnson City in the Rookie League in 1968.

The Appalachian League, really, but it is a rookie league.

Our rookie club, which we call Oneata, which is a Class A league because they play a few more games and more of the organization send a few more college boys into that league.

This makes it a little faster league than the Appalachian League.

And we feel that the high school boys are all starting off and all the guys have all come out of school and very few college boys in the Appalachian League.

It gives them a better opportunity to get themselves acclimated.

I see.

This is only the fourth year of professional ball for Hembright.

Broke in at Johnson City in the Rookie League in 1968.

The Appalachian League, really, but it is a Rookie League.