Former Hatter Baseball Players in the Pros
Cleveland starting pitcher Corey Kluber is hoping to lead the Indians into the playoffs.
S
ummer may be the time when the current Stetson Hatters slip away from a fan’s mind for a few months, but it is the time when Stetson’s baseball alumni are on display nationwide, spreading the school’s good name by putting all they learned on Melching Field to good use in the professional ranks. One of the better individual improvement stories in all of Major League Baseball this year comes courtesy of a Hatter. Third-team All-American pick Chris Johnson came to the Atlanta Braves this offseason as a career .276 hitter and somewhat of an afterthought in Atlanta’s deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks that also netted Justin Upton. Little did they know that Johnson would hit (as of Sept. 21) a career-high .332 in 136 contests, mostly covering the same third base bag DeLand native Chipper Jones famously guarded for the better part of two decades. The Braves have run away with the National League East this summer and a big reason is the Hatter who is leading the NL in batting, as of press time. Whether or not he wins a tight race for the NL batting title, Johnson has a comfortable lead on the New York Mets’ David Wright for the silver slugger award at third base. Only 2012 triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera has a higher batting average amongst American League third basemen. In addition to his batting crown possibilities, Johnson currently leads his front-running ball club with 33 doubles, is fifth in the NL with 36 two-out RBI and, from July 26 to August 2, became the first Brave since 1900 to record eight consecutive multiple-hit games. This somewhat unexpected addition to their offensive bottom line
Courtesy: Cleveland Indians
is one reason why the Braves presently hold the best record in the National League. Johnson was recently featured in the New York Times under the headline “Afterthought Exceeds Braves’ Hopes”. One thing is for certain, Johnson will be anything but an afterthought for opposing managers who have to face the Braves in the playoffs this year. Johnson was one of two Hatters to play in the majors this year, joining Cleveland Indians hurler Corey Kluber. The Tribe is in a fierce battle for an American League wild card berth and Kluber’s right-handed tossing has been a part of their success. The former All-American and A-Sun Pitcher of the Year has posted an 9-5 record this year with a 3.62 ERA for Cleveland. Kluber has fanned an impressive ratio of 125 batters (in 136 innings) against just 31 walks, contributing to a 1.197 WHIP that leads all of the Indians’ regular starters. That 1.20 WHIP ranks 15th in the AL amongst pitchers with at least 20 starts this fall, wedging the Hatter hurler between Boston’s John Lackey and former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon of Oakland. While those two Hatters got a glimpse of life in “the show” in 2013, 11 other Hatters played professionally in the U.S. this summer hoping to someday join Johnson and Kluber. Listed alphabetically: Brian Bocock, who does have 38 games worth of MLB experience with the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies, spent the year in AAA trying to get back there. Bocock split his time between the Syracuse Chiefs and Indianapolis Indians,
#HootyHoo 20
August-September, 2013