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As Tennessee senior shortstop Zach Osborne wraps up his collegiate career this weekend, CSS takes a look back at his younger days when he helped a Louisville team coached by his dad to the Little League World Series championship, earning MVP honors in the process.
Recently in Baseball Category
Players on the Tennessee baseball team have a special message for their moms on Mother's Day.
Happy Birthday on May 9 to former Vols baseball star and current San Diego Padre third baseman Chase Headley. With the Vols, he set the school record for walks in a season with 62 in 2005. He was named All-SEC and was named an Academic All-American with a 3.63 GPA in Sports Management. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 2005 draft. He made his major league debut in 2007 and has spent the last six years with the Padres playing more than 500 games.
Former Vol and current New York Mets starting pitcher R.A. Dickey was recently featured on ESPN's E:60. He was interviewed by Jeremy Schaap about his troubled childhood and rollercoaster professional baseball career.
E:60’s R.A. Dickey feature.
Dickey's new memoir, "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball" (Penguin/Blue Rider Press), hit the New York Times' bestsellers list for the week of April 29.
That is the latest in a remarkable run of good news for the 37-year-old Dickey, who is off to a 3-1 start for the New York Mets and whose book has drawn rave reviews for its profound candor and graceful writing, Sports Illustrated calling it maybe "the finest nonfiction writing about baseball since Ball Four."
"It's gratifying that the book has been so well-received," Dickey said. "I believed all along that I had a story to share and that God wanted me to share it."
Former Tennessee Baseball star Phil Garner celebrates his birthday today, April 30. Garner is one of two Vols to have their baseball number retired (18). The Jefferson City, Tenn., native went on to play in the majors from 1973-88 with the A's, Pirate, Astros, Dodgers and Giants. He also managed the Astros to the 2005 World Series.
Here's a look at Garner through the years in baseball cards:
A total of 18 former Vols are currently active in professional baseball, including five at the Major League level. Find out how they are doing in this week's Vols in the Pros Update.
TODD HELTON (Colorado Rockies)
Last 10: .290 (9-for-31), 6 R, 3 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 SB
Season: .270 (17-for-63), 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 16 RBIs, 1 SB
Video: Pinch-hit grand slam
R.A. DICKEY (New York Mets)
Season: 3-1, 4.44 ERA, 4 GS, 24.1 IP, 25 H, 12 ER, 8 BB, 22 K, .269 Opp. BA, 1.36 WHIP
Video: Solid start
J.P. ARENCIBIA (Toronto Blue Jays)
Last 10: .345 (10-for-29), 2 R, 5 RBIs, 1 SB
Season: .197 (12-for-61), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 SB
Video: RBI single off Hochevar
CHASE HEADLEY (San Diego Padres)
Last 10: .212 (7-for-33), 5 R, 2 RBIs, 8 BB, 1 SB
Season: .253 (20-for-79), 16 R, 6 2B, 4 HR, 14 RBIs, 19 BB, 2 SB
Video: Clutch two-run homer
LUKE HOCHEVAR (Kansas City Royals)
Season: 2-1, 4.98 ERA, 4 GS, 21.2 IP, 20 H, 12 ER, 8 BB, 16 K, .250 Opp. BA, 1.29 WHIP
Video: Solid start
TRIPLE-A
Julio Borbon - Round Rock Express (Rangers)
Last 10: .158 (6-for-38), 5 R, 3 RBIs
Season: .200 (18-for-90), 13 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 12 BB, 1 SB
Yan Gomes - Las Vegas 51s (Blue Jays)
Last 10: .375 (15-for-40), 4 R, 7 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
Season: .342 (26-for-76), 8 R, 9 2B, 1 HR, 12 RBIs
Deunte Heath - Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
Season: 1-0, 1.54 ERA, 1 SV, 7 G, 11.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 14 K, .190 Opp. BA
DOUBLE-A
Kentrail Davis - Huntsville Stars (Brewers)
Last 10: .283 (13-for-46), 5 R, 2 2B, 6 RBIs, 2 SB
Season: .265 (13-for-49), 5 R, 2 2B, 6 RBIs, 2 SB
Andy Simunic - Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros)
Last 10: .448 (13-for-29), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 3 SB
Season: .366 (15-for-41), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 6 BB, 3 SB
SINGLE-A (Advanced)
Blake Forsythe - St. Lucie Mets (Mets)
Last 10: .147 (5-for-34), 2 R, 2 2B, 5 RBIs
Season: .158 (6-for-38), 2 R, 2 2B, 6 RBIs
Stephen McCray - Winstom-Salem Dash (White Sox)
Season (including w/ Kannapolis): 0-2, 1.83 ERA, 7 G, 2 GS, 19.2 IP, 14 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 16 K, .197 Opp. BA
Cody Hawn - Brevard County Manatees (Brewers)
Last 10: .135 (5-for-37), 3 R, 2 2B, 2 RBIs, 1 SB
Season: .195 (17-for-87), 9 R, 5 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, 2 SB
Ty'Relle Harris - Daytona Cubs (Cubs)
Season: 2-1, 3.46 ERA, 8 G, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 9 BB, 14 K, .174 Opp. BA
SINGLE-A
Matt Duffy - Lexington Legends (Astros)
Last 10: .326 (14-for-43), 8 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBIs
Season: .296 (29-for-98), 11 R, 4 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBIs, 1 SB
Charley Thurber - Savannah Sand Gnats (Mets)
Last 10: .200 (8-for-30), 3 R, 3 RBIs
Season: .197 (12-for-61), 4 R, 6 RBIs, 1 SB
Steven Gruver - Beloit Snappers (Twins)
Season: 1-3, 4.57 ERA, 5 G, 5 GS, 21.2 IP, 32 H, 11 ER, 5 BB, 14 K, .340 Opp. BA
Bryan Morgado - Lakewood BlueClaws (Phillies)
Season: 2-0, 3.65 ERA, 6 G, 12.1 IP, 14 H, 5 ER, 7 BB, 11 K, .304 Opp. BA
Peyton Manning and Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton were quarterbacks at the University of Tennessee in the mid '90s and the two have maintained their friendship over the years. So during last summer's NFL lockout, Helton helped arrange to have Manning work out at Coors Field.
A lot has happened since then. For one thing, Manning is now the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, not the Indianapolis Colts. For another thing, Michael Cuddyer has taken his locker.
"I was here for a week. I was truly a Rockie for a week," Manning said after watching batting practice before Sunday's Mets-Rockies game. "I had my own locker. Cuddyer is using my locker now. He didn't ask for my permission but I guess it's OK. It was a great week. I'm indebted to the Rockies because I needed a place to work out during the lockout.
"The whole Rockies organization, I can't thank them enough for opening their arms up to me last year when I was truly an outsider." Because of his friendship with Helton, Manning has visited with the Rockies several times, occasionally taking batting practice and ground balls.
He even hit a ball over the fence during one visit, though he just watched batting practice Sunday.
Manning also visited briefly with New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey, who was at Tennessee at the same time. "RA is 35, I'm 36 and Todd is 38, so that's pretty good for three guys all in school at the same time in the mid-90s to still be doing it. I'm real proud of RA. All that he has accomplished and conquered. Tennessee Volunteers all keep up with each other."
Here are some other stories on Manning's visit:
- Denver Post: Broncos' Peyton Manning enjoys Coors Field as a Rockies fan
- NFL.com: Denver Broncos Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning takes in Rockies game
- MLB.com: David Wright and Manning Connect
- MLB.com: Broncos' Manning roots for adopted home team
- Newsday: Wright's disguise fools Peyton Manning
- Yahoo! Sports: Peyton Manning grateful for Rockies' hospitality
On April 22, we wish Happy Birthday to baseball freshman outfielder Richard Carter and sophomore runner Brittney Jackson.
Happy Birthday to baseball pitching ace Zack Godley on April 21.
Knuckleball!, a documentary featuring former Vol R.A. Dickey and fellow knuckleball pitchers, is set to premiere tonight at 8 p.m. at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
Here is a preview of the film from Tribeca Film Festival Programmer Cara Casumano:
Acclaimed documentarians Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg (The Devil Came on Horseback, TFF 2007; Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, TFF 2010) deconstruct the unpredictable and erratic pitching style known as the knuckleball in this highly entertaining and enlightening sports doc. Anchoring the history of the controversial pitch itself are the trials and triumphs of two of its best known practitioners in the major league: veteran Tim Wakefield of the Red Sox as he struggles to clinch his 200th career win, and up-and-comer R.A. Dickey looking to make a name for himself with the New York Mets.A classic sports story from its glorious highs to its crushing lows, Stern and Sundberg's energetic documentary explores the knuckleball phenomenon through copious archival footage and illuminating interviews with legends like Charlie Hough, all with a level of reverence and detail that would make a true baseball aficionado proud. Through Wakefield and Dickey's tumultuous stories, Knuckleball! demonstrates why the titular pitch is renowned as one of the most difficult to hit in baseball, and also one of the most difficult to master.
