Archive for the ‘Vinny Rottino’ Category
Quick Vinny Rottino Update
Folks, Vinny Rottino has come to terms with the New York Mets on a minor league contract for 2012. This information was released yesterday and was covered (in blurb fashion) by the Racine Journal-Times . . . anyway, Rottino will be playing for his fourth organization (the others being the Milwaukee Brewers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Miami Marlins) and I really hope the Mets will see his worth and value.
Other than that, Rottino is playing winter baseball in Venezuela. He’s currently hitting .245 according to the Journal-Times report.
In some ways, I wish Rottino had taken the winter off. I think it’s very hard on anyone’s body to keep playing a sport year-round, even when you’re extremely fit and in-shape the way Rottino is. I also think that as his AAA season was so successful (he hit .304, he led his team, the New Orleans Zephyrs, in many statistical categories as I’ve pointed out in previous blogs, etc.), he needs to take some time out to rest as he’s obviously put everything he has into improving his game enough so he can make it — and stick — in the big leagues.
Even so, Rottino knows his body far better than I do, and I’m sure he’s doing the right thing for himself. I hope Rottino will do well in Venezuela and make some valuable contacts; he’s a good man by all accounts. He’s also incredibly hard-working, as is evidenced by refusing to take time off and being in Venezuela to play the game he loves, baseball, despite his great AAA season. He deserves to find whatever success he can, and I truly hope he’ll have that success.
Here’s hoping when the 2012 Spring Training rolls around that the Mets will be the organization that realizes what a gem they have in Rottino, and will give him the major league shot he deserves.
End of the Season Wrap-Up: Vinny Rottino
As IF/OF/C Vinny Rottino’s season has come to an end, it’s time for an end of the season wrap up. Rottino batted .167 in his September call-up with the Florida Marlins, getting two hits in twelve plate appearances. Rottino walked twice (both last Sunday against the Brewers) and struck out four times; he played adequate defense and showed an above-average arm.
But as I’ve said before in all of my blogs about Rottino, this really isn’t the whole story. And after re-watching last Sunday’s game (as my Mom taped it for me on her DVR), I have some more thoughts regarding Rottino and major league baseball.
First off, Brewers announcers Brian Anderson and Bill Schroeder were quite complimentary to Rottino. They called him a “very good guy” and mentioned his outstanding AAA season, giving many of the details I’ve related in previous blogs. (Not that it’s hard to do as stats are printed in many places.) And when Rottino overran the ball hit by P Chris Narveson in the second inning, while Anderson and Schroeder pointed out it was a misplay, they also pointed out that Rottino had been playing shallow in the outfield because Narveson had shown bunt (meaning Narveson looked like he was about to bunt before pulling the bat back and slapping the ball at the third base bag; the ball actually hit the bag before rolling to Rottino, and as that’s an odd play all the way around, it wasn’t that Rottino was out of position or doing anything wrong — it just was an odd play and Rottino tried too hard as I said in my earlier blog post to pick the ball up). Throughout the game, Anderson and Schroeder had nothing but good words to say about Rottino and how hard he’s worked in the minor leagues to get another major league opportunity; they also pointed out how classy it was of Marlins manager Jack McKeon to start Rottino in front of his family, friends, and the organization that signed Rottino in the first place, the Milwaukee Brewers.
While looking up stats and trying to compare what Rottino did to other rookies, I found this from Fangraphs, which was written in 2009. They ranked Rottino 35th on their list of trade deadline prospects, and said this:
- 35. Vinny Rottino, IF/C
Milwaukee to Los Angeles NL A 29-year-old rookie, Rottino is your basic triple-A vet and emergency MLB fill-in. The right-handed hitter has some value because he has gap power and can serve as a third-string catcher.
What this says to me is that Rottino does have major league ability to be the 24th or 25th man on a major league roster if he’d only be in the right place at the right time. For example, in 2010, Jonathan Lucroy started the year in AA at Huntsville, but was the best-available catcher the Brewers had in their minor league system. Lucroy was brought up (by this time, he’d been in AAA for a while) and mentored by manager Ken Macha and the other catchers on the roster such as George Kottaras (not to mention Brewers bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel). Lucroy blossomed, and has become a very steady defensive and offensive catcher.
While Lucroy was specifically a catcher and Rottino has always been a utility player, imagine if the Brewers had still had Rottino at that point. He would’ve been in AAA ball because the Brewers had a crying need for catching as Geoff Zaun had been lost for the season and their best catching prospects (aside from Lucroy) were either injured or unavailable. It would’ve been Rottino called up at that point, had he still been with the Brewers; Rottino caught every day in 2007 for Nashville and was an All-Star for them. He also caught every day in 2008 for Nashville, and again was an All-Star. So it’s likely that had Rottino not been traded in 2009 by the Brewers, he again would’ve been at Nashville and he, not Lucroy, would’ve been brought up as Rottino was by far closer to “major league ready” than Lucroy.
That doesn’t take anything away from Lucroy, mind you; Lucroy is a very good player and his “upside” is probably a great deal more than Rottino’s upside. But you can see how sometimes it’s just luck — being in the right place at the right time — that gets you a true major league shot, and nothing else. Rottino has not yet had that luck. And as he’ll be 32 to start next season, time is running out for him to get that lucky break.
But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t stay prepared. After all, look what he did this year; he had a fabulous season at AAA in New Orleans, where he led the Zephyrs in RBI, in hits, in stolen bases, in walks . . . Rottino had a great season, and was once again an All-Star at the AAA level.
So Rottino deserved to be called up, and I’m glad he got the call.
As for anything else, since the last time I was able to see Rottino play in the major leagues, it’s obvious that Rottino has gained weight in the upper body, possibly to add to his power potential. (Rottino isn’t a home run hitter, but he hits quite a few doubles and some triples.) Rottino looks fit, healthy, in shape, and if I had seen him in a health club somewhere, I’d have expected him to be the “resident pro” or personal trainer as he definitely exudes workmanlike competence.**
All that being said, I think it’s great that Rottino continues to work hard, stay in shape, and do whatever he can to be prepared if the right opportunity finally presents itself. I think his persistence is his best quality, something many other people in and out of sports could learn from, while his stalwart refusal to give up on himself is his second-best quality and is also something many people in all walks of life could stand to learn as well.
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** — Granted, I don’t know what he’d do with someone like me — someone with physical limitations, who’s out of shape and often in physical pain to the point that it greatly affects any exercising I might be able to do. But my best guess is that Rottino would be an excellent guide and motivator, considering how he’s been able to motivate himself all these years.
Quick Vinny Rottino Update
Yesterday, the Florida Marlins started Vinny Rottino in left field in their game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This was significant because Rottino is from Racine, WI, and had been a Brewers “farmhand,” being signed as a minor league free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003 (Rottino was the 2005 minor league player of the year for the Brewers if memory serves). This was the first time Rottino had returned as a major leaguer to Milwaukee, and the first time he’s played in front of his own family and friends as a member of the Marlins.
While Rottino did not get a hit, he did draw two walks and showed an excellent eye at the plate. (So far, he is one for eleven in his current stint with the Marlins, with a batting average of .091. But he hasn’t had that many chances to play, either.) Rottino also was very lucky not to get an error in the outfield as he overran one ball; usually a misplay like that is caused by trying too hard rather than the reverse, and is something that might be attributed to nerves as Rottino had many friends and family in the crowd.
As for me, I watched the game on television and I was hoping that Peter Jackel of the Racine Journal-Times would have something to say about Rottino. Jackel didn’t, so all I can tell you is what I saw.
But that’s not the whole story, as anyone who’s followed along with my updates about Rottino should realize by now; Rottino’s all about heart, persistence, and a refusal to give up on his very real talents as a baseball player. This is partly why his story is compelling, because at 31, many baseball players have “packed it in” and Rottino has refused to do so because he knew he had more to give. And the rest of the reason why I continue to follow along with Rottino is my own belief that people should be judged by who they are and how hard they work, not by their age or by some pre-set list of qualifications.
I believe that if Rottino gets a chance to play a bit more often, he will succeed in the big leagues. I also believe that if a major league team gives him a chance, they will be pleasantly surprised at all the things Rottino can do that will help their ballclub.
That being said, all I can do is watch Rottino as I’m able and hope for the best. Because what Rottino’s doing is what I like to call “when perspiration meets inspiration” — he’s living his dreams because he’s worked very hard, he’s prepared himself as best he’s able, and he’s done his level best to get himself to advance to the final level in baseball, the major leagues.
While I’m very glad the Marlins called Rottino up, he’s still a ballplayer in need of a break. I really hope that in 2012, he will finally get the break he needs to become a full-time major league player.
Vinny Rottino gets an at-bat; Marlins lose
Just a quick note, folks . . . in Tuesday night’s game between the Florida Marlins and the New York Mets, Vinny Rottino entered the game in the 12th inning to play right field. He then came to the plate in the bottom of the 12th to hit, and grounded out. The Marlins lost the game, 7-4.
Note that this was Rottino’s first major league at-bat since September, 2008, when he was still a member of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
Here’s hoping Rottino gets another at-bat soon, and this time gets a hit — preferably a ringing double into right-center.
Milwaukee Brewers Catcher George Kottaras Hits for Cycle
Tonight, Milwaukee Brewers catcher George Kottaras hit for the cycle. He’s only the seventh Brewer to have done so, and is the third catcher behind Charlie Moore (who did so in 1980) and Chad Moeller (who did so in 2004) to have attained this feat. Kottaras is also the first major leaguer to have done so in 2011.
Now, for you non-baseball fans out there, “hitting for the cycle” means that Kottaras hit a single, a double, a triple and a home run in the same game. It is exceptionally difficult to do, and happens only rarely. (For example, Corey Hart nearly hit for the cycle a few weeks ago, but didn’t quite get it. And my favorite minor league player, Vinny Rottino of the New Orleans Zephyrs, nearly hit for the cycle this year but didn’t quite make it, either.)
Here’s a player analysis of the six Brewers (before tonight’s game) who hit for the cycle, in case you’re interested: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/392627-player-analysis-the-six-brewers-who-have-hit-for-the-cycle
Here’s part of what the Bleacher Report article has to say about Charlie Moore, the second Brewers player overall to do so:
Moore reached the cycle on Oct. 1, 1980 . . . According to Baseball-Reference.com, Moore pounded out four hits in a 10-7 win against the California Angels. Moore went 4-for-5, knocking in three runs and scoring three times.
A bit later, the same article observes:
Moore’s career spanned 15 seasons and 1,334 games. He finished with 1,052 hits, 408 RBI, and a .261 lifetime batting average.
During his time with the Brewers, Moore played multiple positions. As a right fielder in ’82, Moore posted an impressive .992 fielding percentage, second best in the American League.
I was young in 1982, but I remember Moore’s play very well; he was an outstanding defensive outfielder, a good defensive catcher, and a very good contact hitter when he was on. He is by far my favorite Brewers player because he maximized his ability every time he went out onto the field; he was the type of guy who had no “quit” in him, and I greatly respected that.
Now, Chad Moeller is another story; while Moeller is an excellent defensive catcher, no one could ever say that Moeller’s added much with his bat except for one evening in 2004 — April 27, 2004 to be exact.
Here’s what the same Bleacher Report article has to say about Moeller:
Moeller reached the accomplishment by going 4-for-5, with four RBI and one run scored.
A bit later, the B/R article states:
Moeller spent three seasons in Milwaukee (2004-06), splitting time at catcher with Gary Bennett and Damian Miller. The year Moeller hit for the cycle, he played in 101 games, the most by far in his career.
Moeller is a career .226 average hitter, while Moore, over fifteen seasons, hit for a career .261 batting average — very solid hitter, Moore. But as the B/R article says, the “stars aligned for Moeller” and he did, indeed, hit for the cycle.
Now, as for Kottaras . . . to date, he’s a career .219 hitter with some power in his bat and has greatly improved, defensively, in the past year or two since he came to the Brewers. Kottaras, entering tonight’s game, was hitting .241; because he’s played sparingly, his excellent game tonight raised his average to .273 with 4 HRs and 14 RBI in 88 official at-bats in only 38 games. (Kottaras plays once a week or so, mostly because he is Randy Wolf’s “personal catcher.”)
In tonight’s game, Kottaras started instead of Jonathan Lucroy perhaps so Lucroy could rest a bit, as Lucroy has caught a great many games this year (116 to date). His start obviously paid off for Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, and for the Brewers as a whole.
I like Kottaras; he’s a scrappy hitter with some power and speed to him, and he fights for every at-bat he gets. I wouldn’t have said, before tonight, that it would be likely that Kottaras would hit for the cycle as he’s received very little playing time; for example, Charlie Moore played in 111 games in 1980, batting .291 with 2 HRs (one of ’em being in that “cycle” game), 30 RBI, 10 SBs and 42 runs scored, so Moore had more opportunities to get his cycle in during the 1980 season than Kottaras has had this year.
That being said, Kottaras is now in rarefied company, as among the seven people who’ve hit for the cycle are Brewers Hall of Fame players Robin Yount (SS-CF) and Paul Molitor (3B-DH) along with Moore, Moeller, Mike Hegan (who hit the very first cycle in Brewers history) and Jody Gerut (who hit for the cycle last year).
Congratulations!
Updates: Vinny Rottino on AAA All-Star Team
Tonight, after watching the major league baseball game’s All-Star team (where Brewers 1B Prince Fielder hit a 3-run home run, leading the National League to a 5-1 victory with Fielder taking MVP honors), I looked up how Vinny Rottino’s doing in AAA. To my surprise — and great pleasure — Rottino’s made his fourth AAA All-Star game and will represent the New Orleans Zephyrs in Salt Lake City, UT, on 7/13/11 (later tonight).
Here’s a link for you all:
I’m very pleased at this article because it gives more information about how Rottino’s doing as a defender. Rottino is catching part-time while mostly playing in the OF, and has thrown out 10 of 25 baserunners attempting to steal. (This is an acceptable percentage, which shows Rottino’s improved as a defensive catcher.) Rottino’s also hitting .300 right now (is in a bit of a slump, but that’s all right; he’ll come back out of it), has stolen 9 bases (tied for the team lead, as this article says), has 5 HR, 34 RBI, and 18 doubles with a good OBP of .367.
I keep saying this, but the Marlins could do a whole lot worse than to promote Rottino to the major leagues. Rottino works hard, is a good defender now at every position, has an excellent arm, hits well for contact and can steal bases for you. He also won’t run you out of an inning because he’s a smart ballplayer who uses his brain and high baseball IQ to help you win ballgames.
Enjoy your 4th AAA All-Star game, Mr. Rottino — and congratulations!
Happy 4th, Go Brewers (and Marcum), and Other Odds and Ends
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
Today’s the day to remember the beginning of the United States of America — when we declared independence from Great Britain. (We actually declared independence on July 2, but the predecessor to the United States Congress didn’t ratify the document until July 4, which is why we celebrate on today’s date.) It’s also a great day to watch baseball, eat hot dogs and apple pie, and for families to appreciate being with each other (or at least put aside their differences for the day). And, finally, it’s become another day (like Memorial Day and Veterans Day) to remember our military men and women, especially those serving overseas in war zones, partly because we have three wars going at the same time, but mostly because our military remains an important part of why we remain an independent nation to this day.
Before I go on, I’d like to mention one military man overseas — my cousin, Wayne. I know he’s seen a number of Independence Days away from the United States, but I can’t believe it ever gets that easy for him — he’s away from his family, most of his friends, and all that is familiar, which would be hard enough even without the three wars going on right now — and I want to remind him that I really do appreciate his service to our country.
Anyway, today is a day for baseball, as I said before, so it’s time to celebrate my favorite players. Corey Hart hit his 9th home run of the year against Arizona (game is still in progress as I type this; the Brewers lead, 6-4, in the 6th) to make it 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth, then Shaun Marcum — the pitcher — hit a grand slam home run to make it 6-1. (The Diamondbacks got a run back in the top of the 5th and two runs in the 6th.) This is the first grand slam of the year for the Brewers — with all their vaunted hitters, including the three 2011 All-Star starters Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Rickie Weeks, and of course the aforementioned Hart, you’d think the Brewers would’ve had multiple grand slam HRs by now. Not that the first one of the year would be hit by the rather light-hitting pitcher Marcum (who started today batting only .103).
Next, Casey McGehee looks like he’s finally getting on track, and that’s good. He has two hits today, but so far for the year he’s hitting in the .220s with only 4 HR and 33 RBI despite playing in the vast majority of the Brewers games in the #5 spot. McGehee has good power to all fields when he’s right, but most of this year he’s been mired in a slump and his defense has also suffered (when one thing goes bad, it tends to make everything go bad; this is an axiom that doesn’t just apply to baseball). Here’s hoping that his two hits in two ABs (so far) will spur him to better things in the second half.
Next, I wanted to point out how former Brewer Vinny Rottino’s doing in AAA ball for the New Orleans Zephyrs. Rottino has continued to hit well, though he’s no longer on a tear; he’s batting .307 with 4 HRs and 31 RBI, and his OBP remains a robust .378. Rottino isn’t really a power guy; instead, he’s a contact hitter, an intelligent runner, and an above-average defender at any outfield position, first base or third base. Rottino’s now thirty-one years old, yet is in excellent shape and could easily play several more years — perhaps as many as ten — and I really wish someone would give him a chance as a utility player and pinch hitter in the majors.
Next, there’s Chris Capuano, a former Brewers pitcher who now pitches for the New York Mets. Capuano recently beat the Brewers in Milwaukee and was given a huge round of applause when announced in the starting line-up for the Mets — a sign of respect that isn’t often seen for an opposing player, but Brewers’ fans do not forget “their own.” For the year, “Cappy” is 7-7 with a 4.27 ERA and has struck out 77 while walking only 24; I wish him nothing but success in the second half.
Finally, there’s former Brewer shortstop J.J. Hardy, who now plays for the Baltimore Orioles. Hardy’s defense has remained outstanding while his hitting stroke has finally returned after a succession of wrist injuries marred his last two seasons — for the year to date, Hardy is hitting .295 with 11 HR, 30 RBI and 31 runs scored in 54 games played. That last stat (runs scored) is a bit surprising as Hardy is not exactly what you’d call “fleet afoot” due to a horrific collision sustained in 2006 while trying to score a run — Hardy decided to slide late, and this may have exacerbated that season-ending injury.
At any rate, I enjoy watching my Milwaukee Brewers, past and present, and I hope they all succeed, wherever they are now and wherever they’ll be in the future. They make the 4th of July — and every day — more interesting, as especially with this year’s team I never have any idea of how they’re going to do.
I hope you all enjoy your 4th of July experience — whatever it may be, from fireworks to Summerfest to just “hanging out” — and do it safely so you’ll be around for July 5th, 6th, and beyond.
Odds and Ends — including the End of the WI State Supreme Court race
I have so many different things to discuss right now that I’ve decided to make this an “odds and ends” post — otherwise known as a “quick hits” post.
The first is that the race for the Wisconsin state Supreme Court has come to an end as JoAnne Kloppenburg conceded. The recount, which I viewed from the beginning as a mandatory one due to the closeness of the vote and the chicanery going on in Waukesha County in particular, brought her a few hundred votes closer to David Prosser but not nearly enough for her, apparently, to keep on fighting despite the hundreds of irregularities and errors found in Waukesha County alone. Ms. Kloppenburg is a very good lawyer and knows the law regarding recounts much better than I do, so she must’ve felt that it was unlikely she’d win a court case, so prolonging the race any further made no sense to her.
My reaction to all of this, however, is that while I found out by observing the recount in Racine County for a day that our election proceedings here are on the up-and-up, I really think the election was stolen and that Ms. Kloppenburg was the true winner. I cannot prove this, and it’s possible no one will ever be able to prove it — or maybe someone will after the fact, as some observers did in Florida after the Bush v. Gore incident, or in Ohio with the numerous problems there in the 2004 election — but it’s how I feel.
I also feel that the state of Wisconsin has missed out, because Ms. Kloppenburg had an outstanding record and would’ve made a great judge. Republicans, especially of the Scott Walker variety, liked to paint Ms. Kloppenburg as a “liberal,” but what she really was happened to be an independent, someone who’d worked for both Republican and Democratic Governors. We needed a centrist on our extremely polarized Supreme Court, and we didn’t get it — what a terrible day for Wisconsin, and what an awful thing to have to say . . . but it’s all true, and it’s sad.
Now onto a happier update. Vinny Rottino hit .373 in May for the New Orleans Zephyrs (the AAA affiliate of the Florida Marlins); this was after suffering a 1-for-26 slump to start the season. Rottino has stolen 7 bases, being caught stealing twice; he’s hit 20 RBI, 2 HR, has 10 doubles and one triple, and his current on-base percentage is .407. Rottino now appears to be playing every day in right field and is playing excellent defense and a fine overall game while putting together another quiet, but good season as a contact hitter.
Here’s a story from nola.com that was written on May 15, 2011, about the Zephyrs and the hot-hitting Rottino in particular:
Vinny Rottino continued his hot hitting Saturday night, and New Orleans Zephyrs relievers continued their shut-down pitching.
The result was a 5-4 Zephyrs victory against Tacoma at Zephyr Field.
Rottino, who has reached base in 21 consecutive games, drove home the go-ahead run in a three-run rally in the sixth inning and also scored two runs.
And here’s what Rottino had to say about it all, especially his 1-for-26 start:
“I never panicked,’’ he said. “That’s the key. I’ve gone through spells like that before at the beginning of the year. … Now I feel pretty good at the plate, just waiting for the pitcher’s mistake. That’s the main thing.’’
Rottino’s game is similar to someone like the Brewers’ Nyjer Morgan; he’s speedy (though not as speedy as Morgan), he plays excellent defense and has a strong arm, and he’ll rarely make mistakes on the basepaths. Rottino plays all positions except pitcher and second base (unlike Morgan) including catcher (though he’s more of an emergency catcher due to taking it up late) and would be an asset to any major league team whose General Manager is using his brain today.
Finally, there’s the Milwaukee Brewers update. They actually won their first game against Cincinnati last night and Corey Hart hit yet another home run, raising his season total to five. Hart’s still not all the way back to last year’s All-Star form, but he’s looking good in the outfield and is hitting steadily now, with some power . . . though I’m a big fan of Hart, the best thing about the ’11 Brewers is that so far, their pitching has been anywhere from OK to outstanding, with Shawn Marcum and Randy Wolf in particular pitching much better than expected. (Yovani Gallardo is still a little inconsistent, though his last two-three games have been great, and Zack Greinke is still rounding himself into form. As for Chris Narveson, while he’s a very nice man and can pitch, he’s had some really rough outings lately. And I keep thinking the Brewers would’ve been better off to keep Chris Capuano, who’s doing well for the Mets despite a 3-5 record because of how poor the Mets are playing as a team.)
So that’s it for updates . . . what I’d encourage you to do is to keep your eye on Rottino (when he finally makes it to the majors to stay, that’ll be one of the best human interest stories of the past several years as he’s now thirty-one years old and has been the apparent victim of what I like to call “age prejudice” as most teams would rather look at a really young guy than an older one with a steady batting eye and a steady presence in the field), keep an eye on the Brewers (especially their pitchers), keep an eye on Capuano, and watch for the upcoming Wisconsin recall elections in July.
Vinny Rottino Update
Time for an update about Vinny Rottino, a Racine, Wisconsin native who plays in the Florida Marlins organization. As I’ve said before, Rottino plays multiple positions well and has succeeded at the AAA level before. Note that Rottino has had a few “cups of coffee” at the major league level (originally drafted by the Brewers, Rottino played a little bit in the majors in ’06, ’07, and ’08, being a September call-up all three times); he’s now 31 years old and is playing in New Orleans at the AAA level, most of the time in the outfield.
Here’s Rottino’s stats from MILB.com:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=RF&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=457130
Now, for those of you who’d rather see stats than go to another Web site, I’ll quote some of the salient particulars.
Rottino’s average is now .319, and he’s been on a .455 clip since May 3, 2011. He has an OBP of .420, had walked 15 times and struck out 10, and has stolen six bases without being caught stealing once. He has 2 HR, 11 RBI, and now has 30 hits overall (in 94 ABs; yes, that’s what his batting average means, but I thought you all might like it spelled out a bit more).
Rottino started out cold — as in, he was in a 1 for 25 slump to start the season. Fortunately he’s found his hitting stroke and is on a major tear right now, hitting up a storm; it seems that the folks in New Orleans, like the folks in Jacksonville last year, have figured out that Rottino is a contact hitter and does better when he can actually get on base. (I never have understood why it is that the major league teams don’t work more with contact hitters and help them improve their game as much as possible to get to the majors — instead, they seem to concentrate on either the really big stars or the home run hitters who might develop into really big stars.) Rottino has ability and he can hit; he can play any position on the field save second base with excellent defense at all positions save catcher (he’s not played that as long so he’s merely adequate there; might get better with practice). Rottino can steal a base for you, intelligently, and won’t run you out of an inning. Rottino can get a clutch hit for you. And he’ll help your team because he’s smart and level-headed — really, what’s not to like about this guy?
I keep hoping that Rottino will get his shot and be able to play a few years in the major leagues. It’s happened before that an older player finally has received a shot — most notably with pitcher Jimmy Morris, who came up with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (they weren’t yet the Rays) in 1999 at the age of 35 — and usually the older player does well for a while, but has a brief career. (For example, Morris’s career was only two years in duration.)
Even so, Rottino is 31, is in excellent physical shape, hasn’t shown any signs of his body breaking down yet as he’s known for taking good care of himself and he could play, potentially, six or seven more years if all went well for him.
Major league teams all the time bet the farm on a 21 or 22 year old who has no more ability than Rottino, and half the time these folks are out of baseball in four years or less. Whereas with Rottino, he’s been trying now since 2003; he wasn’t initially drafted by anyone, instead being signed as a free-agent by the Brewers. So it’s obvious that this man loves baseball, wants to learn how to play it better, and will do whatever is necessary to get himself to the majors and play as well as he possibly can in order to stay there.
The world needs heroes, it’s often said; well, to my mind, Rottino at his advanced-for-baseball age of 31 is a hero. He has not given up on himself, and I’m betting he will not.
I really hope the Marlins realize what a gem they have in this man, and give him the chance he has richly earned.
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