When you’re only 22 and already have been released on both sides of Chicago, you start to worry. When the only team that wants you is Ohio Valley of the Frontier League, your mind is opened to the possibility that major-league baseball might not be your destiny.
So when the Cincinnati Reds say they’ll sign you to a minor-league contract, you’re willing to play in some exhibition games not sanctioned by the players union. What are your options, really? And what can it possibly cost you?
Brendan Donnelly has found out the hard way that life can take some unexpected twists and turns. The Anaheim Angels reliever is having more success than he ever imagined, but not without a significant personal price.
As a 31-year-old rookie, Donnelly worked in 11 postseason games last October. He threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the World Series, allowing only one hit. But try to find him on the T-shirts listing the Angels’ world champions. His name is nowhere to be found.
That’s because such merchandise is licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association, which refuses membership to Donnelly because he is considered a replacement player–never mind that no replacement games were played during that turbulent strike of 1994-95.
Donnelly, like catcher Damian Miller after Arizona won in 2001, has essentially been rendered invisible by his fellow players, including the teammates with whom he won a championship. He’ll soon learn whether the price he pays for lacking either leverage or principles, depending on your perspective, includes recognition as an All-Star.
As fate would have it, Donnelly deserves All-Star status in the first year players have an official say in the process since voting was returned to the fans in 1970. They’ll elect eight of the 12 pitchers in each league, along with eight position players from the National League and nine from the American League.
The treatment Donnelly receives is one of several intriguing story lines that will be revealed Sunday night, when teams for the July 15 game at U.S. Cellular Field are announced on ESPN.
Donnelly stars in a support role, moving ahead of October sensation Francisco Rodriguez to become not only the top setup man for Anaheim closer Troy Percival but also the most reliable reliever in the majors, closers included.
“He was great last year and he’s been phenomenal this year,” Angels pitching coach Bud Black said.
Donnelly entered the weekend with a 0.43 ERA in 42 innings over 35 outings. He had held opponents to a .160 batting average, including 5-for-57 with men in scoring position, stranded 18-of-21 inherited runners and retired the first batter he has faced 29-of-35 times.
It’s only natural for him to dream about an All-Star appearance.
“It would be something special if it happened after, basically, just getting here,” Donnelly, a 27th-round pick of the White Sox in 1992 who spent half a season in the Cubs’ low minors in ’93, told the Los Angeles Times. “It would be the ultimate respect to be voted in by peers. I get goose bumps just thinking about it.”
Though All-Star rosters have been expanded from 30 to 32 after last year’s 11-inning tie in Milwaukee, it could be more complicated than ever for players lacking big reputations to make the team.
Fans will elect eight NL starters and nine AL starters (the designated-hitter rule causing the difference) and players will elect the next 16 or 17 players. That leaves only eight choices for NL manager Dusty Baker and six for AL manager Mike Scioscia.
They will hardly have the freedom to stack the roster with their own players, Joe Torre-style, because they may need their picks to get one player from each franchise and to include obvious choices omitted by the players and the fans.
“If I could take care of my players, which ones would I take care of? The ones I’ve got here or the ones who got me to the World Series?” asked Baker, who left San Francisco to take over the Cubs. “But I don’t think that’s really going to matter because [Scioscia] and I will have to use our picks to make the roster work out. It’s going to be very, very tough.”
Among the scenarios to watch:
Who are the best players to sweat out spots?
As usual, the biggest glut appears to be in the outfield. It’s possible Colorado’s Preston Wilson could be left off even though he had 76 RBIs through Friday. Atlanta’s Andruw Jones, a Gold Glover having a strong offensive season (.294 average, 22 homers, 60 RBIs), could be another casualty.
Barring a major ceremonial surprise, this will be the first All-Star Game since 1990 that hasn’t featured Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine or Randy Johnson.
Things aren’t quite so dire in the AL. But unless the player vote bails him out, this will be the first All-Star Game since 1997 without Derek Jeter.
How many current and former Chicago players make the teams?
The best guess is that Frank Thomas and Esteban Loaiza will represent the White Sox and Sammy Sosa (second among outfielders in the latest fan balloting), Kerry Wood and Mark Prior will represent the Cubs. But given the respect Bartolo Colon enjoys among his peers, it is not out of the question that he’ll finish ahead of Loaiza in player voting, complicating the picture for Scioscia.
In a down year for the AL’s top closers, Oakland’s Keith Foulke (5-1, 22 saves, 2.53 ERA) is likely to make a trip to the ballpark he called home from 1998 through 2002. Former Cubs Jamie Moyer and Luis Gonzalez should be automatic selections. David Wells (10-3, 3.85) has the credentials but could be left off because of his diminished stature.
Rocky Biddle (3-2, 22 saves, 3.67 ERA) has been a key for Montreal but faces long odds in the NL, where established closers John Smoltz, Eric Gagne and Billy Wagner are having outstanding seasons. Lefty Dontrelle Willis, acquired by Florida in the 2002 deal with the Cubs for Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement, is turning in a rookie season worthy of Dwight Gooden or Hideo Nomo, but it will be tough to shoehorn him onto the NL team.
Rondell White (.285, 16 homers, 47 RBIs for San Diego) and Bill Mueller (.327, 7, 36 for Boston) have outside chances.
Which teams need courtesy picks?
Both managers figure to be giving four spots to lesser players, satisfying the requirement that each team have a player on the roster.
Scioscia, who has only six discretionary picks, will likely have to force players onto the team from first-place Kansas City, Cleveland, Detroit and Tampa Bay. He could name disabled Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney to the team and then replace him because he’s injured. But if Major League Baseball wants a Royal to participate, then center fielder Carlos Beltran or rookie closer Mike MacDougal will be the choice.
Look for outfielder-third baseman Dmitri Young to be the lone Tiger, left-hander C.C. Sabathia or outfielder Milton Bradley to be the lone Indian and either center fielder Rocco Baldelli or outfielder-first baseman Aubrey Huff to be the lone Devil Ray.
Baker will need creativity to work picks from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, San Diego and the Mets onto his team. Pitcher Jake Peavy (Padres) and outfielder Brian Giles (Pirates) seem to be pretty easy choices. The New York pick will come down to outfielder Cliff Floyd or closer Armando Benitez, while the Reds’ pick could go many ways.
Outfielder Austin Kearns (.270, 15, 57) has the greatest accumulation of statistics, but infielder Aaron Boone and catcher Jason LaRue also are possibilities. So is fourth outfielder Jose Guillen, who is hitting .358 with 17 homers in the extended playing time he has had with Ken Griffey Jr. and Kearns sidelined at different points in the season.
Could Thornwood High have one graduate face another in the game?
Mark Mulder (11-6, 3.10) is a strong candidate for the AL roster, but could get squeezed out because he’s only one of three from Oakland’s starting rotation. Tim Hudson is 6-3 with a 2.97 ERA in 127 1/3 innings, the second most in the AL; Barry Zito is 8-5 with a 3.12 ERA.
Mulder, Thornwood class of 1995, could wind up pitching to the Mets’ Floyd, Thornwood class of ’91.
Choices revealed
What: All-Star Selection Show
When: 6 p.m. Sunday.
Where: ESPN.
The final vote: Immediately after the show, fans will be able to choose the 32nd man on each league’s squad at MLB.com from a list of five players in each league whose names will be revealed on the show. Votes on the 32nd men will be taken until Wednesday.
