If you're missing a muffler, it's in the middle of Jackson Avenue..right across from Subway.. Hahaha
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) February 7, 2015
A LOOK AT THE ASTROS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
Showing posts with label Tanner Mathis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tanner Mathis. Show all posts
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Tweet of the Day
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Tweets of the Day
FINALLY!!!! Huge congrats to one of my childhood idols Craig Biggio!! #HOF2015
— Brady Rodgers (@Rodger_That90) January 6, 2015
Amazing amazing amazing. Congrats Biggio!!! #HOF
— Jiovanni Mier (@JioMier) January 6, 2015
Congrats to Craig Biggio on the HOF election! One of my favorite Astros to watch growing up. Well deserved!
— Mark Appel (@MAppel26) January 6, 2015
#Astros nation couldn't be happier for Craig Biggio & his family! At the field, in the clubhouse, in the community...class act. #HOF2015
— Collin McHugh (@Collin_McHugh) January 6, 2015
BIGGIO! BIGGIO! BIGGIO!
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) January 6, 2015
Congrats to Craig Biggio on being elected into the Hall of Fame. Grew up watching him play and was lucky enough to meet him last year.
— Tyler White (@twhite409) January 6, 2015
Congratulations to Craig Biggio!! Well deserved. #HOF
— Preston Tucker (@PrestonTucker25) January 6, 2015
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Tweet of the Day
When I noticed the Astros "Process" T-Shirt under Tanner's Ole Miss Jacket, I had to go with him for TOTD!
Just your normal selfie with the #EggBowl trophy! pic.twitter.com/amC7QtgVa4
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) December 2, 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Tweet of the Day
Live for today.. Dream of tomorrow.. Learn from yesterday..
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) November 22, 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Tweet of the Day
Low of 16° tonight in Oxford? Okay Mother Nature, I see you!!
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) November 17, 2014
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Tweet of the Day
By the way, SENQUEZ FOR RULER OF THE WORLD. Bring your 1st born sons, your best cattle, whatever you got. It's his now hahaha
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) October 4, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Tweet of the Day
RIO RUIZ WITH THE WALK OFF BOMBBBBBAAAHHHHH!!! @ruiz_rio @JetHawks @astros #OneMoreWin #UnaMas #InDaShippp #WalkOffs pic.twitter.com/GIdz5vMhlF
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) September 14, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
Tweet of the Day
Rain clouds in the desert? No way! pic.twitter.com/AuoMfeak3E
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) September 7, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
Tweet of the Day
I can officially check bullpen catcher off of my bucket list!! #fortheteam
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) July 27, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Happy Birthday - 6/27
Happy Birthday to ~
OF Tanner Mathis (23)
Signed with Houston as a non-drafted free agent out of Ole Miss in 2013, the lefty-hitting Lake Charles, Louisiana native started his second season in the organization with Quad Cities, but was recently promoted to Lancaster. In 44 games so far this season, he is hitting .268/.374/.349.
Two former Astros celebrate today as well ~
LF/1B Daryle Ward (39)
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 15th round in 1994, Ward came to Houston in a December 1996 trade. In 418 games for the Astros from 1998 to 2002, he hit .269/.316/.465. Ward was the first player to hit a home run on the fly into the Allegheny River at PNC Park in Pittsburgh when he accomplished that feat for Houston in July 2002. He and his father Gary Ward are the only father-son major league combo to have both hit for the cycle. Although Ward hasn't played in the major leagues since 2008, he is still toiling away and is currently playing in the Mexican League.
IF Eddie Kasko (82)
Kasko came to the Colt .45's in a January 1964 trade with the Reds, where he had been an All-Star in 1961. His best season, however, was the 1960 season when he hit .292/.359/.378 for the Reds. In 201 games for the Astros and the Colt .45's in 1964 and 1965, Kasko hit .244/.300/.290. After his playing days were over, he went on to manage the Red Sox from 1970 to 1973.
OF Tanner Mathis (23)
Signed with Houston as a non-drafted free agent out of Ole Miss in 2013, the lefty-hitting Lake Charles, Louisiana native started his second season in the organization with Quad Cities, but was recently promoted to Lancaster. In 44 games so far this season, he is hitting .268/.374/.349.
Two former Astros celebrate today as well ~
LF/1B Daryle Ward (39)
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 15th round in 1994, Ward came to Houston in a December 1996 trade. In 418 games for the Astros from 1998 to 2002, he hit .269/.316/.465. Ward was the first player to hit a home run on the fly into the Allegheny River at PNC Park in Pittsburgh when he accomplished that feat for Houston in July 2002. He and his father Gary Ward are the only father-son major league combo to have both hit for the cycle. Although Ward hasn't played in the major leagues since 2008, he is still toiling away and is currently playing in the Mexican League.
IF Eddie Kasko (82)
Kasko came to the Colt .45's in a January 1964 trade with the Reds, where he had been an All-Star in 1961. His best season, however, was the 1960 season when he hit .292/.359/.378 for the Reds. In 201 games for the Astros and the Colt .45's in 1964 and 1965, Kasko hit .244/.300/.290. After his playing days were over, he went on to manage the Red Sox from 1970 to 1973.
Tweet of the Day
I've been here 3 weeks and I've finally seen a cloud!! Definitely not Iowa anymore
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) June 26, 2014
Monday, May 26, 2014
Tweet of the Day
“@QCBanditPhotog: @Brett_Phillips8 @tgmathis12 pic.twitter.com/o9y0IWuiZX” giddy up Philly! Such a great picture Richard! Thank you for sharing!
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) May 25, 2014
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
An Interview with OF Tanner Mathis
The first thing you'll notice about Tanner Mathis if you meet him off the field is his Louisiana accent and his easygoing manner. But don't let that fool you. Despite his love for hunting and Ole Miss, he isn't just another good old boy. If you look beyond his outgoing personality and loquaciousness, you'll find someone who has obviously thought long and hard about what it will take to succeed and has worked diligently to make that a reality.
Mathis is currently working up the road in Cypress during the off-season. The job, working for a construction and remodeling company owned by his cousin, affords him the opportunity to hunt on the weekends and is helping to fund a couple of special off-season hunting trips. But he still finds the time to get his work in and also found the time to talk with me last week about his first professional season. Here is what we discussed, edited for brevity (believe it or not) and clarity ~
JH: You were originally drafted by the Astros in 2012, but didn't sign, instead choosing to go back to Ole Miss for your senior year. This past summer, you signed with Houston as a non-drafted free agent. Can you tell me a little about that process? Any regrets?
TM: The process was pretty hectic. I was drafted late in the draft, the 27th round. I only had 30 hours left at school, two semesters. I was weighing the option of playing pro ball and going back and getting that degree later, or graduating and then playing pro ball the next year. A lot of people told me that it's hard [to go back later]. I had people for each side pulling. Some people wanted me to sign. Some people wanted me to go back to school. I just kind of shut everybody off and [I decided] I wanted to go back to school because it was best for me in the long run. Getting that degree, having that piece of paper whenever my career is over, whether I'm 25 or 40, I won't have to go back to school and finish a year. I don't regret it at all. I had a great year. Obviously, your senior year of college is always a special time of your life and I cherish every moment of it.
JH: What is your degree?
TM: I've got a criminal justice degree with Homeland Security emphasis and a minor in Parks and Recreation. Starting off, I was going into a Game Warden kind of deal, but around my junior year, I'd taken a couple of law classes and fell in love with the law aspect so I'm planning on going back to law school when baseball is finished. That's my goal. I don't know if it will happen or not. With a law degree, I could be a sports agent down the road.
JH: You were one of a handful of players invited by the Astros to spend time in the Dominican Republic after the season ended. Can you tell me a little about that?
TM: That was awesome. We went down there for 10 days. It was part of the Dominican League instructs. You know they have the [instructional] league in Florida for three weeks in October? This was kind of like the Florida instructs. "We want to get you some extra work. Do you want to go to the Dominican?" Of course! We went down there for two weeks. We played ball. We practiced stuff every day. In the morning we worked out, lifted weights. Then five or six times, we'd leave our complex to tour the country. We put on a camp one day. We rode around. We went out to the beach. We went to a couple different towns and cities and visited the Astros complex while I was there. We just had a lot of fun interacting with the Latin guys. Google Translate is amazing, what you can do on Google Translate talking to the guys. We used that a lot.
JH: So, you had a chance to bond with some of the Latin players?
TM: Being in Greeneville, there were 16 or 17 Latin guys on that roster, and half of our Greeneville team was at the complex [in the Dominican] or I saw them throughout the trip. So it was cool to see the guy and how he lived. It was kind of like, along with the instructs and baseball part, [it] was a cultural [experience]. They come to our country and they're lost. The don't speak English. They might not like the food, whatever. So it was kind of like the opposite ... send the American guys over there to see what the Latin guys deal with when they come to our country. It was cool. You go down there. You don't speak Spanish. You might not like some of the food. It's just a culture shock. And I think we did a great job in adapting to it, getting along with the guys.
JH: In looking at your splits at Greeneville this season, I noticed that you actually hit better against lefties (.304 BA) than you did against right-handed pitchers (.268 BA). Do you usually hit that well against lefties? [Note: Mathis is a left-handed hitter.]
TM: My freshman year of college I was platooned with another outfielder and I would only play against right-handed pitchers. So [I didn't] see a lefty all that year just about. Then I went to summer ball my first summer and I [wanted] to face as many lefties as possible. [I sat down with the summer ball coach] and said I might not do well against them at first, but I need to see as many as possible. Then, as the season went on, I was able to face lefties. Not that I couldn't hit them, but my college coach, he really liked having the match-ups. I don't blame him. Most of the stats, it all pays off. But I really set my goal to play every day as a sophomore in college and I needed to face lefties. I actually hit better in my sophomore and junior years in college ball against left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers so I guess it's kind of normal. I don't know. It's just one of those things I don't even think about it anymore.
JH: The other thing I noticed is that you drew a lot of walks (44 in 60 games) and didn't strike out much (14 times). Were you that disciplined a hitter in college?
TM: My sophomore year of college, I struck out 10 times and I was one of the top 10 hardest guys to strike out in the country. I had 15 walks and 10 strikeouts as a leadoff hitter that year and they [wanted me] to walk more. Then my junior year, I had around 40 walks [and he continued to draw more walks in his senior year.] It's just, being a lead off hitter, you have to get on base. You can't hit .400. It's just not going to work. No one does that so you have to add another element. Pitch recognition was something I worked on a lot with my college coaches, walking, taking a strike, taking two strikes sometimes, working the count and getting on first base so we could make the offense go. And I just brought that over to pro ball. Actually in Greeneville, they told me to lead off the game, every game, the first at-bat of the game, they told me to take until I had two strikes because I could still hit with two strikes and I wasn't going to chase very many pitches. And it worked. I think I ended up setting a franchise record there and it just goes back to [Cesar] Cedeno and [Josh] Bonifay working with me in the cages about it. Also, my college coaches helping me along the way.
JH: What was the biggest surprise for you in your first season of pro ball?
TM: All those big time arms. All the velocity. You'd see between 88 and 102 any given day. We had [Jandel] Gustave down there on our team throwing 100 to 102. And the Mets had a couple of guys throwing around 100. [Even at the best schools], you might get 95 to 97, but that's only one day. Where in pro ball, you might get it three or four days in a row and you just have to deal with it.
JH: What memory will you take with you from the season?
TM: Clinching a playoff spot was pretty special, especially because [it was] Bonifay's first year as a manager. And we had the winning streak, then a losing streak, then another winning streak. Then finally we clinched like the day before the season was over. He gave me an MVP trophy. I thought that was really neat. And just your first year in general ... you never forget your first anything. Being part of such a special group of guys in a special organization in Greeneville is something I'll never forget, the whole thing.
JH: You got a late season call up to Lancaster after the Greeneville season ended, but you never got into a game. What were you able to take away from the experience?
TM: One thing I saw and noticed is that they know exactly what it takes to get ready for a game, whether it's a playoff game, season-on-the-line Game 5 or just another game. They don't do anything different. They were really loose, really relaxed in the clubhouse. And they came out and they brought it. They were intense. They played hard. That's just something that, as you get older and you play more and more games, you realize what you have to do to get ready for each game. I think seeing that helped me a lot.
JH: What do you feel like you accomplished in your first season and what are you still working on?
TM: I'm working on a lot of things. I'm working on getting faster, stronger, bigger. I need to be able to steal more bases, still need to walk more, hit for more power, play better defense, every aspect of the game. It's just non-stop. It's always evolving.
What have I accomplished? I had a good year. I thought I had an average year for myself, [but] I hold myself to a high standard. Personally, it was my on-base percentage ... I was surprised that it was so high. That's why I kept playing. Because I brought it every day and I was rewarded by Bonifay and them to let me keep playing [in Lancaster after the Greeneville season was done].
JH: How would you characterize yourself defensively?
TM: I would say I'm an above average outfielder, just a tick above average with an average arm. I can run down some balls and I would say I play pretty smart out there. I made a couple good throws this year, throwing guys out at second on balls down the left field line. Just a smart player, I guess.
JH: What Astros pitcher that you've seen would you least like to face in the batter's box?
TM: Oh man. I have no idea. A lot of them. Gustave throws real hard. The lefty that throws real hard, [Reymin] Guduan, I probably wouldn't like facing him very much. And Brady Rodgers ... I saw him pitch in Lancaster. He and Travis Ballew -- their offspeed's real good. Probably those four guys and there's a couple other ones that I probably wouldn't enjoy facing either.
JH: Who on the team made you laugh?
TM: A lot of the Latin guys in Greeneville made me laugh, just how they acted. Wallace Gonzalez and I hung out a lot. He made me laugh. But I'd have to go with Brett Phillips. Brett Phillips' laugh made me laugh more than I've ever laughed before. That laugh is awesome. I have it recorded on my phone and I watch it all the time. [Note from Jayne: Having heard the infamous Brett Phillips laugh, I couldn't agree more!]
JH: Was there a player that you liked to just sit back and watch play?
TM: A lot of the guys in High A. I think [Andrew] Aplin was a really good person to fit my game after. He played really hard. And [M.P.] Cokinos was a really good hitter. [Chris] Epps was a good left-handed power guy. A bunch of those guys on that team really played hard. Aplin would run through a wall to catch a ball. He's not afraid of anything and he's going to swing the bat. And, of course, watching Delino [DeShields] run is always good too.
JH: You've more or less already answered this, but what would you do if you couldn't play baseball?
TM: If I don't make it to the big leagues, I'd probably go back to school and get my law degree and either become a lawyer or an agent. Or if that doesn't work out, just probably become a coach and work my way up from there.
JH: Can you tell me something about yourself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear?
TM: I moved six weeks before high school started my freshman year to go to Barbe High School [in Lake Charles], a big baseball powerhouse. It was my best shot at getting a scholarship and eventually playing pro ball down the road. So we move over there 20 or 30 minutes south of where we used to live. Then Hurricane Rita comes through. Nobody ever remembers Hurricane Rita. It comes through just a little west of Lake Charles. We were on the bad side of the storm. And it blew off almost all the shingles on our house. With all that rain and wind, about half our house [had the ceilings cave in]. So, my whole freshman year I didn't live in Lake Charles. I lived back in my old house [with my grandfather]. It was really hard on everybody in my family because we were just in our new house and just moved and, boom, we were back out of it. Just having the stress of basically having to rebuild the house from the inside out, it was just a pain to have to go through that. And I'm thankful for my grandfather [for] bringing me to school every day.
I've already mentioned the easygoing Louisiana cadence that is the first thing one notices about Tanner off the field. The first thing one notices about Tanner on the field, though, is his very distinctive ritual when he comes up to bat.
He's definitely a fun player to watch and a fun player to talk with. I look forward to seeing him in action again next season.
Thank you for your time, Tanner, and the best of luck in the 2014 season.
Mathis is currently working up the road in Cypress during the off-season. The job, working for a construction and remodeling company owned by his cousin, affords him the opportunity to hunt on the weekends and is helping to fund a couple of special off-season hunting trips. But he still finds the time to get his work in and also found the time to talk with me last week about his first professional season. Here is what we discussed, edited for brevity (believe it or not) and clarity ~
Tanner Mathis - September 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen
JH: You were originally drafted by the Astros in 2012, but didn't sign, instead choosing to go back to Ole Miss for your senior year. This past summer, you signed with Houston as a non-drafted free agent. Can you tell me a little about that process? Any regrets?
TM: The process was pretty hectic. I was drafted late in the draft, the 27th round. I only had 30 hours left at school, two semesters. I was weighing the option of playing pro ball and going back and getting that degree later, or graduating and then playing pro ball the next year. A lot of people told me that it's hard [to go back later]. I had people for each side pulling. Some people wanted me to sign. Some people wanted me to go back to school. I just kind of shut everybody off and [I decided] I wanted to go back to school because it was best for me in the long run. Getting that degree, having that piece of paper whenever my career is over, whether I'm 25 or 40, I won't have to go back to school and finish a year. I don't regret it at all. I had a great year. Obviously, your senior year of college is always a special time of your life and I cherish every moment of it.
JH: What is your degree?
TM: I've got a criminal justice degree with Homeland Security emphasis and a minor in Parks and Recreation. Starting off, I was going into a Game Warden kind of deal, but around my junior year, I'd taken a couple of law classes and fell in love with the law aspect so I'm planning on going back to law school when baseball is finished. That's my goal. I don't know if it will happen or not. With a law degree, I could be a sports agent down the road.
JH: You were one of a handful of players invited by the Astros to spend time in the Dominican Republic after the season ended. Can you tell me a little about that?
TM: That was awesome. We went down there for 10 days. It was part of the Dominican League instructs. You know they have the [instructional] league in Florida for three weeks in October? This was kind of like the Florida instructs. "We want to get you some extra work. Do you want to go to the Dominican?" Of course! We went down there for two weeks. We played ball. We practiced stuff every day. In the morning we worked out, lifted weights. Then five or six times, we'd leave our complex to tour the country. We put on a camp one day. We rode around. We went out to the beach. We went to a couple different towns and cities and visited the Astros complex while I was there. We just had a lot of fun interacting with the Latin guys. Google Translate is amazing, what you can do on Google Translate talking to the guys. We used that a lot.
JH: So, you had a chance to bond with some of the Latin players?
TM: Being in Greeneville, there were 16 or 17 Latin guys on that roster, and half of our Greeneville team was at the complex [in the Dominican] or I saw them throughout the trip. So it was cool to see the guy and how he lived. It was kind of like, along with the instructs and baseball part, [it] was a cultural [experience]. They come to our country and they're lost. The don't speak English. They might not like the food, whatever. So it was kind of like the opposite ... send the American guys over there to see what the Latin guys deal with when they come to our country. It was cool. You go down there. You don't speak Spanish. You might not like some of the food. It's just a culture shock. And I think we did a great job in adapting to it, getting along with the guys.
JH: In looking at your splits at Greeneville this season, I noticed that you actually hit better against lefties (.304 BA) than you did against right-handed pitchers (.268 BA). Do you usually hit that well against lefties? [Note: Mathis is a left-handed hitter.]
TM: My freshman year of college I was platooned with another outfielder and I would only play against right-handed pitchers. So [I didn't] see a lefty all that year just about. Then I went to summer ball my first summer and I [wanted] to face as many lefties as possible. [I sat down with the summer ball coach] and said I might not do well against them at first, but I need to see as many as possible. Then, as the season went on, I was able to face lefties. Not that I couldn't hit them, but my college coach, he really liked having the match-ups. I don't blame him. Most of the stats, it all pays off. But I really set my goal to play every day as a sophomore in college and I needed to face lefties. I actually hit better in my sophomore and junior years in college ball against left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers so I guess it's kind of normal. I don't know. It's just one of those things I don't even think about it anymore.
JH: The other thing I noticed is that you drew a lot of walks (44 in 60 games) and didn't strike out much (14 times). Were you that disciplined a hitter in college?
TM: My sophomore year of college, I struck out 10 times and I was one of the top 10 hardest guys to strike out in the country. I had 15 walks and 10 strikeouts as a leadoff hitter that year and they [wanted me] to walk more. Then my junior year, I had around 40 walks [and he continued to draw more walks in his senior year.] It's just, being a lead off hitter, you have to get on base. You can't hit .400. It's just not going to work. No one does that so you have to add another element. Pitch recognition was something I worked on a lot with my college coaches, walking, taking a strike, taking two strikes sometimes, working the count and getting on first base so we could make the offense go. And I just brought that over to pro ball. Actually in Greeneville, they told me to lead off the game, every game, the first at-bat of the game, they told me to take until I had two strikes because I could still hit with two strikes and I wasn't going to chase very many pitches. And it worked. I think I ended up setting a franchise record there and it just goes back to [Cesar] Cedeno and [Josh] Bonifay working with me in the cages about it. Also, my college coaches helping me along the way.
JH: What was the biggest surprise for you in your first season of pro ball?
TM: All those big time arms. All the velocity. You'd see between 88 and 102 any given day. We had [Jandel] Gustave down there on our team throwing 100 to 102. And the Mets had a couple of guys throwing around 100. [Even at the best schools], you might get 95 to 97, but that's only one day. Where in pro ball, you might get it three or four days in a row and you just have to deal with it.
JH: What memory will you take with you from the season?
TM: Clinching a playoff spot was pretty special, especially because [it was] Bonifay's first year as a manager. And we had the winning streak, then a losing streak, then another winning streak. Then finally we clinched like the day before the season was over. He gave me an MVP trophy. I thought that was really neat. And just your first year in general ... you never forget your first anything. Being part of such a special group of guys in a special organization in Greeneville is something I'll never forget, the whole thing.
JH: You got a late season call up to Lancaster after the Greeneville season ended, but you never got into a game. What were you able to take away from the experience?
TM: One thing I saw and noticed is that they know exactly what it takes to get ready for a game, whether it's a playoff game, season-on-the-line Game 5 or just another game. They don't do anything different. They were really loose, really relaxed in the clubhouse. And they came out and they brought it. They were intense. They played hard. That's just something that, as you get older and you play more and more games, you realize what you have to do to get ready for each game. I think seeing that helped me a lot.
JH: What do you feel like you accomplished in your first season and what are you still working on?
TM: I'm working on a lot of things. I'm working on getting faster, stronger, bigger. I need to be able to steal more bases, still need to walk more, hit for more power, play better defense, every aspect of the game. It's just non-stop. It's always evolving.
What have I accomplished? I had a good year. I thought I had an average year for myself, [but] I hold myself to a high standard. Personally, it was my on-base percentage ... I was surprised that it was so high. That's why I kept playing. Because I brought it every day and I was rewarded by Bonifay and them to let me keep playing [in Lancaster after the Greeneville season was done].
JH: How would you characterize yourself defensively?
TM: I would say I'm an above average outfielder, just a tick above average with an average arm. I can run down some balls and I would say I play pretty smart out there. I made a couple good throws this year, throwing guys out at second on balls down the left field line. Just a smart player, I guess.
JH: What Astros pitcher that you've seen would you least like to face in the batter's box?
TM: Oh man. I have no idea. A lot of them. Gustave throws real hard. The lefty that throws real hard, [Reymin] Guduan, I probably wouldn't like facing him very much. And Brady Rodgers ... I saw him pitch in Lancaster. He and Travis Ballew -- their offspeed's real good. Probably those four guys and there's a couple other ones that I probably wouldn't enjoy facing either.
JH: Who on the team made you laugh?
TM: A lot of the Latin guys in Greeneville made me laugh, just how they acted. Wallace Gonzalez and I hung out a lot. He made me laugh. But I'd have to go with Brett Phillips. Brett Phillips' laugh made me laugh more than I've ever laughed before. That laugh is awesome. I have it recorded on my phone and I watch it all the time. [Note from Jayne: Having heard the infamous Brett Phillips laugh, I couldn't agree more!]
JH: Was there a player that you liked to just sit back and watch play?
TM: A lot of the guys in High A. I think [Andrew] Aplin was a really good person to fit my game after. He played really hard. And [M.P.] Cokinos was a really good hitter. [Chris] Epps was a good left-handed power guy. A bunch of those guys on that team really played hard. Aplin would run through a wall to catch a ball. He's not afraid of anything and he's going to swing the bat. And, of course, watching Delino [DeShields] run is always good too.
JH: You've more or less already answered this, but what would you do if you couldn't play baseball?
TM: If I don't make it to the big leagues, I'd probably go back to school and get my law degree and either become a lawyer or an agent. Or if that doesn't work out, just probably become a coach and work my way up from there.
JH: Can you tell me something about yourself that most people don't know and might be surprised to hear?
TM: I moved six weeks before high school started my freshman year to go to Barbe High School [in Lake Charles], a big baseball powerhouse. It was my best shot at getting a scholarship and eventually playing pro ball down the road. So we move over there 20 or 30 minutes south of where we used to live. Then Hurricane Rita comes through. Nobody ever remembers Hurricane Rita. It comes through just a little west of Lake Charles. We were on the bad side of the storm. And it blew off almost all the shingles on our house. With all that rain and wind, about half our house [had the ceilings cave in]. So, my whole freshman year I didn't live in Lake Charles. I lived back in my old house [with my grandfather]. It was really hard on everybody in my family because we were just in our new house and just moved and, boom, we were back out of it. Just having the stress of basically having to rebuild the house from the inside out, it was just a pain to have to go through that. And I'm thankful for my grandfather [for] bringing me to school every day.
>>>>>>><<<<<<<
I've already mentioned the easygoing Louisiana cadence that is the first thing one notices about Tanner off the field. The first thing one notices about Tanner on the field, though, is his very distinctive ritual when he comes up to bat.
He's definitely a fun player to watch and a fun player to talk with. I look forward to seeing him in action again next season.
Thank you for your time, Tanner, and the best of luck in the 2014 season.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Tweet of the Day
College officials need to be manlier with their ejection calls. Come on guys, get excited about throwin em out like the guys do in baseball!
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) November 15, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Tweet of the Day
Lower back tightness? Victorino, this ain't an interleague game on July 7th, or a day game after a night game, this is the WORLD SERIES!!!!!
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) October 28, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Tweet of the Day
Neftalí Feliz and I at the beach in the Dominican yesterday #throwsfuego #yoked pic.twitter.com/WmzMejKAC5
— Tanner Mathis (@tgmathis12) October 21, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Astros Minor League Roster Moves
I've gotten behind again on reporting the latest roster moves. Here's what I have for the last few days.
Oklahoma City
OF Eric Thames claimed off waivers from the Orioles and assigned to Oklahoma City
RHP Hector Ambriz designated for assignment
Corpus Christi
C Carlos Corporan to Corpus Christi for rehab assignment
C Ryan McCurdy activated from the DL
C Brett Clements placed on the 7-day DL
Lnacaster
RHP Vincent Velasquez placed on the 7-day DL
OF Chris Epps assigned from Oklahoma City to Lancaster
Also of note, OF Tanner Mathis was sent from Greeneville to Lancaster but has not officially been activated according to MiLB.
Tri-City
RHP Edgar Gonzalez sent to Tri-City for rehab assignment
RHP Tanner Bushue retired (see this Astros County post for more info)
Oklahoma City
OF Eric Thames claimed off waivers from the Orioles and assigned to Oklahoma City
RHP Hector Ambriz designated for assignment
Corpus Christi
C Carlos Corporan to Corpus Christi for rehab assignment
C Ryan McCurdy activated from the DL
C Brett Clements placed on the 7-day DL
Lnacaster
RHP Vincent Velasquez placed on the 7-day DL
OF Chris Epps assigned from Oklahoma City to Lancaster
Also of note, OF Tanner Mathis was sent from Greeneville to Lancaster but has not officially been activated according to MiLB.
Tri-City
RHP Edgar Gonzalez sent to Tri-City for rehab assignment
RHP Tanner Bushue retired (see this Astros County post for more info)
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Astros Minor League Recaps
Monday's Games
Oklahoma City over Memphis 2-1
Ross Seaton pitched the first eight, allowing one run on eight hits, but didn't come away with the win. The RedHawks scored one in the first as Jimmy Paredes doubled and scored on a Jose Martinez single, and didn't score again until the ninth when Jon Singleton (2x4) hit a walk-off double scoring pinch runner Ruben Sosa. Jason Stoffel pitched the ninth for the win. George Springer was given the day off and his quest for 40/40 stalled out at 37/45.
Corpus Christi over San Antonio 7-6
It wasn't a pretty win with four Hooks errors in the game, but it was a win nonetheless. R.J. Alaniz evened his season record at 9-9 as he allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out three in five and a third innings. Alex Sogard and Jonas Dufek took it the rest of the way with two more unearned runs coming across on their watch. The Hooks trailed 3-0 entering the third, but put up two runs in that inning and another in the fourth on a Domingo Santana (3x4) solo home run to tie things up. Then they really got busy in the fifth as Preston Tucker drove in one run with a single and Domingo Santana provided the fans with an encore performance, this time with a three-run home run, his 25th of the season. Ronnie Torreyes celebrated his birthday by going two-for-three with a walk and scoring a run.
Lancaster over Rancho Cucamonga 8-1
Aaron West went to 10-8 for the season with five shutout innings in which he allowed only two hits and a walk while striking out eight. Tyson Perez followed with two and a third innings. Perez didn't allow a hit, but walked two batters to start the eighth. Jordan Jankowski came in to strand those runners and get the final two outs of the frame before allowing the only Quakes run in the bottom of the ninth. The 'Hawks reached the run column in the third on RBI singles from Andrew Aplin (3x5) and M.P. Cokinos (2x5) and an RBI sac fly from Tyler Heineman. They added on two more in the fourth on home runs from Chris Epps (2x3 2BB) and Delino DeShields (2x3 4R) and two in the sixth on Epps second home run of the day and Aplin's second RBI single of the day. The final run came in the eighth on an Andrew Aplin RBI double.
Quad Cities over Beloit 3-2
Daniel Minor (6IP 6H 2R/1ER 0BB 5SO) got the start and the win with Jamaine Cotton and Zach Morton providing scoreless relief. Quad Cities got one run in the third on Teoscar Hernandez' 13th home run of the season. They followed up with two in the fourth on a Jordan Scott RBI triple in the fourth; Scott then scored on a Carlos Correa single. Roberto Pena went two-for-three with a walk. Scott was two-for-four with TWO triples, his sixth and seventh of the season.
Tri-City over Brooklyn 3-1
Kyle Westwood and Company had a phenomenal day for Tri-City. Westwood allowed one unearned run on two hits and one walk. He struck out four in his seven innings. Charles Basford got the win and Tyler Brunnemann got the save as each tossed a perfect frame. Tyler White (3x3 BB) scored on a Ronnie Mitchell sac fly in the fourth to tie things up at 1-1 and that is where things stood until the bottom of the eighth when White doubled in a run and scored on another Mitchell sac fly to get the go-ahead runs.
Greeneville over Kingsport 7-2 (best-of-three playoff series at 1-1)
Chris Lee got the start and the win for Greeneville as he pitched five strong innings, allowing one run (via a solo home run) on five hits and two walks while striking out four. He was followed by three innings from Austin Chrismon whose only run allowed was also on a solo homer. He gave up three hits and struck out five. Gerardo Ramirez pitched a perfect ninth for the GStros. Greeneville got all the runs they needed, and then some, in the third inning on an Ariel Ovando homer, a Tanner Mathis RBI double and RBI sac flies from Juan Santana and Edwin Gomez. Mathis added one in the fifth on a solo home run and Ovando added one in the eighth on a sac fly RBI. The final run came in the ninth as Tanner Mathis scored from first on a ground out and throwing error. Brian Holberton went two-for-four and Thomas Lindauer was three-for-four with a double and a run scored.
Player of the Day: I've got to go with Domingo Santana for his two home run, four RBI day, but a case could certainly be made for Andrew Aplin, Chris Epps and Tanner Mathis so I'm handing out a few extra honorable mentions today.
Pitchers of the Day: I'm splitting the honors between Kyle Westwood for getting Tri-City just that much closer to the playoffs and Aaron West for his excellent outing heading into their playoff season.
Note: I haven't forgotten about handing out Player and Pitcher of the Month honors for August, but decided to wait until the regular season is over to add the few September honorees into the mix.
Oklahoma City over Memphis 2-1
Ross Seaton pitched the first eight, allowing one run on eight hits, but didn't come away with the win. The RedHawks scored one in the first as Jimmy Paredes doubled and scored on a Jose Martinez single, and didn't score again until the ninth when Jon Singleton (2x4) hit a walk-off double scoring pinch runner Ruben Sosa. Jason Stoffel pitched the ninth for the win. George Springer was given the day off and his quest for 40/40 stalled out at 37/45.
Corpus Christi over San Antonio 7-6
It wasn't a pretty win with four Hooks errors in the game, but it was a win nonetheless. R.J. Alaniz evened his season record at 9-9 as he allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out three in five and a third innings. Alex Sogard and Jonas Dufek took it the rest of the way with two more unearned runs coming across on their watch. The Hooks trailed 3-0 entering the third, but put up two runs in that inning and another in the fourth on a Domingo Santana (3x4) solo home run to tie things up. Then they really got busy in the fifth as Preston Tucker drove in one run with a single and Domingo Santana provided the fans with an encore performance, this time with a three-run home run, his 25th of the season. Ronnie Torreyes celebrated his birthday by going two-for-three with a walk and scoring a run.
Lancaster over Rancho Cucamonga 8-1
Aaron West went to 10-8 for the season with five shutout innings in which he allowed only two hits and a walk while striking out eight. Tyson Perez followed with two and a third innings. Perez didn't allow a hit, but walked two batters to start the eighth. Jordan Jankowski came in to strand those runners and get the final two outs of the frame before allowing the only Quakes run in the bottom of the ninth. The 'Hawks reached the run column in the third on RBI singles from Andrew Aplin (3x5) and M.P. Cokinos (2x5) and an RBI sac fly from Tyler Heineman. They added on two more in the fourth on home runs from Chris Epps (2x3 2BB) and Delino DeShields (2x3 4R) and two in the sixth on Epps second home run of the day and Aplin's second RBI single of the day. The final run came in the eighth on an Andrew Aplin RBI double.
Quad Cities over Beloit 3-2
Daniel Minor (6IP 6H 2R/1ER 0BB 5SO) got the start and the win with Jamaine Cotton and Zach Morton providing scoreless relief. Quad Cities got one run in the third on Teoscar Hernandez' 13th home run of the season. They followed up with two in the fourth on a Jordan Scott RBI triple in the fourth; Scott then scored on a Carlos Correa single. Roberto Pena went two-for-three with a walk. Scott was two-for-four with TWO triples, his sixth and seventh of the season.
Tri-City over Brooklyn 3-1
Kyle Westwood and Company had a phenomenal day for Tri-City. Westwood allowed one unearned run on two hits and one walk. He struck out four in his seven innings. Charles Basford got the win and Tyler Brunnemann got the save as each tossed a perfect frame. Tyler White (3x3 BB) scored on a Ronnie Mitchell sac fly in the fourth to tie things up at 1-1 and that is where things stood until the bottom of the eighth when White doubled in a run and scored on another Mitchell sac fly to get the go-ahead runs.
Greeneville over Kingsport 7-2 (best-of-three playoff series at 1-1)
Chris Lee got the start and the win for Greeneville as he pitched five strong innings, allowing one run (via a solo home run) on five hits and two walks while striking out four. He was followed by three innings from Austin Chrismon whose only run allowed was also on a solo homer. He gave up three hits and struck out five. Gerardo Ramirez pitched a perfect ninth for the GStros. Greeneville got all the runs they needed, and then some, in the third inning on an Ariel Ovando homer, a Tanner Mathis RBI double and RBI sac flies from Juan Santana and Edwin Gomez. Mathis added one in the fifth on a solo home run and Ovando added one in the eighth on a sac fly RBI. The final run came in the ninth as Tanner Mathis scored from first on a ground out and throwing error. Brian Holberton went two-for-four and Thomas Lindauer was three-for-four with a double and a run scored.
Player of the Day: I've got to go with Domingo Santana for his two home run, four RBI day, but a case could certainly be made for Andrew Aplin, Chris Epps and Tanner Mathis so I'm handing out a few extra honorable mentions today.
Pitchers of the Day: I'm splitting the honors between Kyle Westwood for getting Tri-City just that much closer to the playoffs and Aaron West for his excellent outing heading into their playoff season.
Note: I haven't forgotten about handing out Player and Pitcher of the Month honors for August, but decided to wait until the regular season is over to add the few September honorees into the mix.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Random Observations on my Greeneville Trip
It will take me a while to transcribe the interviews from my Greeneville trip so let me leave you with a few random observations to tide you over.
As I noted last year, Pioneer Park is simply beautiful. Located on the campus of Tusculum College, the park is first class all the way. One of my favorite things about the park are the concourse banners commemorating the MLB debut of players who have gone through Greeneville. Here you see the banners for Sammy Gervacio, Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes and, if you look closely, the last one is for Izzy Hinojosa, the groundskeeper who made his Houston debut last September.
And finally, I loved watching Tanner Mathis' great range playing centerfield and I enjoyed talking with him about our mutual college experiences in Mississippi, but the best thing about Mathis is his walk-up ritual. The toe dig, bootie wiggle, side kick and bat toe tap is repeated throughout every game. I particularly enjoyed one ardent female fan who "Wooooo'd" for every bootie wiggle. Highly entertaining.
I would like to thank Josh Bonifay for his time and generosity. I really enjoyed talking with him about his team. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious. And having met his lovely wife Tiffany as well, I can only say this. He done good!
Let me leave you with one of my favorite images from the weekend -- Angel Ibanez engaging in a deep discussion with one of his fans.
As I noted last year, Pioneer Park is simply beautiful. Located on the campus of Tusculum College, the park is first class all the way. One of my favorite things about the park are the concourse banners commemorating the MLB debut of players who have gone through Greeneville. Here you see the banners for Sammy Gervacio, Jose Altuve, Brandon Barnes and, if you look closely, the last one is for Izzy Hinojosa, the groundskeeper who made his Houston debut last September.
Josh Bonifay runs a tight ship in his first year as Manager. Everything is organized and everyone seems to know what is expected of them. There is virtually no wasted time or effort. Most of these players are only starting their careers and need that structure. With that said, the players also seemed relaxed and loose during practices. I liked the field dynamic that I was seeing.
One player who impressed me both on and off the field was Gonzalo Sanudo, the right-handed pitcher from Tabasco, Mexico, who came to the Astros in the Mike Kvasnicka trade. His command was impeccable the night I saw him and he easily worked around two hits over his two innings as he struck out six. And the sound his fastball made when he hit the catcher's glove was music to my ears. Off the field, he is a character with personality plus. His reaction as Kevin Ferguson came into the dugout before the game wearing a bright orange cap (on a day when the uniform called for dark caps) was priceless.
I was also very impressed by Jandel Gustave's and Chris Lee's work on the mound, and I loved watching Juan Santana, a Dominican infielder who won't turn 19 until later this week, who plays with joyful abandon. Santana's easy smile has earned him the nickname Smiley, according to Bonifay. I think it's appropriate that he currently wears Jose Altuve's number 27 because he is destined to be a fan favorite much like Altuve.
Now for a few VERY random observations. Chase McDonald is HUGE. Could there be a better cheer for someone named Parker Hipp than Hip Hip Hooray? Brett Phillips is another larger than life personality, very funny and charismatic. Here he does a deadpan imitation of Hitting Coach Cesar Cedeno.
And finally, I loved watching Tanner Mathis' great range playing centerfield and I enjoyed talking with him about our mutual college experiences in Mississippi, but the best thing about Mathis is his walk-up ritual. The toe dig, bootie wiggle, side kick and bat toe tap is repeated throughout every game. I particularly enjoyed one ardent female fan who "Wooooo'd" for every bootie wiggle. Highly entertaining.
I would like to thank Josh Bonifay for his time and generosity. I really enjoyed talking with him about his team. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious. And having met his lovely wife Tiffany as well, I can only say this. He done good!
Let me leave you with one of my favorite images from the weekend -- Angel Ibanez engaging in a deep discussion with one of his fans.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Bonus Tweet of the Day
Tanner Mathis @tgmathis12My boy @jackmayfield8 with the walk off BOMB in the 13th to push the winning streak to 12!! #Gstros #shavingcream
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