Category Archives: MLB

Basbeall, MLB

RIP Jose Fernandez

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I’m not going to pretend to have the words to write about the young life of a man I only knew from what I saw on the field and read online. He was a kid who risked it all to do what he loves for a better life for his family, and seemingly enjoyed every minute of it as evidenced by his infectious smile.

Wayniac Nation is terribly saddened by Fernandez’s passing and we wish our condolences to every life he touched.

Basbeall, MLB

2016 Prospect Breakout Series: The Tampa Bay Rays Willy Adames

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It’s hard to call a team’s top offensive prospect a breakout candidate, but that is precisely what Willy Adames did this past summer. While playing his first full season above A-Ball, Adames showed that the potential many saw in him was reality, as he had a career-year across the board.

Keep reading for more on one of MLB’s best second base prospects.

Basbeall, MLB

2016 Prospect Breakout Series: Pittsburgh Pirates Kevin Newman

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Kevin Newman entered 2016 with several question marks surrounding him. Would one of the best collegiate bats in the 2015 MLB Draft translate to professional pitching after an up-and-down debut? Would he be able to stick at shortstop? Just how high on the Pirates’ prospect — and overall prospect — lists was he?

This season answered many of those questions, as Newman skyrocketed to top-five status in the Pirates’ system, while sitting on the cusp of the top-50 overall.

So, who is Kevin Newman?

Keep reading for more on the Pirates breakout prospect.

Basbeall, MLB

The Rome Braves Devan Watts has breakout 2016

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The Rome Braves’ huge second half surge led them to their first South Atlantic League title in 13 years. The achievements of their heralded young pitching staff and the tremendous second half Austin Riley had with the bat have been well documented over the past few months. While Ray-Patrick Didder and Patrick Weigel made some waves as two of the Atlanta Braves’ breakout prospects, closer Devan Watts quietly slid under the radar and played a huge role in Rome’s SAL Championship.

Keep reading and get to know Devan Watts

Basbeall, MLB

Touki Toussaint evens up the SALCS for Rome

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ROME, GA — Time and time again, the 2016 version of the Rome Braves seem to play well beyond their years. They entered Tuesday night’s Game 2 of the South Atlantic League Championship Series down one game to none after an uncharacteristically-sloppy Game 1 that saw Mike Soroka’s gem go to waste behind four unearned runs. Needing a win before heading north to New Jersey, Touki Toussaint got the call for arguably the biggest start in his life.

As the Rome Braves starters have done all series, Touki delivered.

Read more on Touki’s big night.

Basbeall, MLB

Piazza, the Yankees and the healing power of sports 15 years later

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(Note from The Wayniac: Although I try not to, there have been a few occasions that I have mixed politics and sports on this site. I try to keep it light hearted, but 9/11 is something very important to me. Understand that I am showing how sports helped heal, not implying that sports saved the day. That being said, let today be for what it is. There is no need to worry about what Colin Kaepernick is doing, the only thing you have to make sure you do is Never Forget.)

I was one of the lucky ones. I don’t have a first hand account of 9/11 because I was home, sick from work on the New Jersey side of the river. I was also lucky enough that I didn’t lose any of my friends who worked in the World Trade Centers, although some plummeted down stairs or jumped in the river to escape the fate that so many innocent Americans met that day.

Some thoughts on 9/11)

Basbeall, MLB

The Rome Braves make baseball fun again

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ROME, GA — If the Atlanta Braves rebuild project begins this season with Dansby Swanson and ends a few years down the road with the abundance of top prospects on the Rome Braves, the organization is in great shape. The Rome Braves are not only winning, they are having fun and it is contagious to watch.

Read on for more on the Rome Braves.

Basbeall, MLB

The Yankees and Braves rebuild proving to be a success

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(From Wednesday 9/7/16 at Today’s Knuckleball)

This evening from State Mutual Stadium, the Rome Braves host the Charleston RiverDogs in the first round of the South Atlantic League playoffs. While it highlights one of the biggest turnarounds in the minors — the Rome Braves went from a 27-42 sixth-place record to the hottest team in the Sally — it also features two systems that are successfully undergoing the rebuild process in seemingly polar opposite styles.

Read more on the successful rebuild projects.

Basbeall, MLB

Charleston RiverDogs skipper Luis Dorante talks Yankees prospects [Interview]

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The New York Yankees are experiencing a renaissance throughout their farm system. Highlighted by some big trades at the deadline that brought in an influx of talent from other organizations, a Yankees farm system that was once barren of elite prospects is booming. Look no further than the minor league playoffs for the proof, as five of their affiliates are representing them.

The Charleston RiverDogs are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2005. They got there by locking up the South Atlantic League Southern Division in the first half behind a 42-27 record. They slipped below .500 in the second half, by no fault of their own, as some of the bigger named prospects quickly moved up the ladder.

They also got there behind a dominant pitching staff. Their young guns led the entire SAL with 3.03 ERA and a minuscule — and franchise best — 1.17 WHIP behind 15 shutouts. They finished second in strikeouts with 1,248. All of those Ks were also a Charleston record, besting the previous high by 67 set in 2011.

Keep reading for my interview with Luis Dorante