We all love a comeback story.

Weeks back I wrote a story about Mark Prior, the former first-round pick forced to suck up his pride and start from scratch.

Prior was "the next big thing". 

Before Stephen Strasburg, before Aroldis Chapman and his 200 mph fastball, there was Mark Prior.

Prior had all the tools, had the arm, had the mechanics, and for what it's worth, had the "it factor".  Just like another "big thing" in the NFL, Matt Leinart, Prior was the main attraction at USC. 

His phenomenal Junior season was profiled on the cover of Baseball America. 

People say they can remember where they were when.....

For example, my dad was seven years old when Bobby Thompson hit the "Shot Heard 'Round The World". When I ask him to tell me that story, for the "umpteenth time", it never gets old.  My dad was on his way to English class when the janitor gave him the news.  To this day, nearly sixty years after the fact, it was like it was yesterday.

When Prior grace did grace the cover of Baseball America, and rumors were rampant about a $10 million contract, I was somewhere in middle America playing out my final days as a professional with the Gateway Grizzlies.  I remember calling my dad on a payphone, when people still used payphones, and told him about this phenom.

Interesting how things play out, and what you remember after all these years.

Fast-forward to 2010, the multi-millionaire who just turned 30, made enough of an impression with the Orange County Flyers that the Texas Rangers signed him to a minor league contract with their Oklahoma affiliate.

Why did the Rangers pick up an Indy pitcher?

For one reason: Dominance

Prior, in 11 innings, has not given up an unearned run, held opponents to a .143 batting average and struck out 22 of 44 batters.

Good for him.  For someone that many have called a bust, this is his chance to make amends, to prove the naysayers wrong.  Personally I hope Prior succeeds.  It will be tough though. PCL hitters are not Golden Baseball League hitters and vice-versa.

He has faced adversity and overcome it. The only thing left for Prior is to put all the pieces together and become that prodigy that everyone has been patiently waiting for.

Devon Teeple is an author for the Business of Sports Network, which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of  Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey.   Devon is also a contributor to the Canadian Baseball Network.  He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Devon is available for hire or freelance opportunities.

Devon is a former student within Sports Management Worldwide’s Baseball General Manager Class. Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective and is an intern with The Football Outsiders and contributor with the Plymouth River Eels.

Currently, Devon is a Branch Manager at a financial institution in Southern Ontario Canada.  He can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com , thegmsperspective@yahoo.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com

Thank you again to Mr. Jason Libbert and the Pensacola Pelicans for this breaking news!!

The Pensacola Pelicans are pleased to announce that Chase Porch has been awarded the 2010 American Association Rookie of the Year honors voted on by the league managers and media representatives. Porch signed with the Pelicans in late May after finishing his college career at the University of North Alabama and provided an immediate impact in the starting lineup.

“Chase had a terrific first year; he was a big addition early in the season,” commented Pelicans Manager Talmadge “T” Nunnari.  “One of his biggest components was that he is hitting over .350 with runners in scoring position, which is a huge contributing piece of the offense.”

The 6’1, 195 pound right-handed hitter finished the regular season batting .286 with four homeruns, 14 doubles, and 40 RBI. The East Union, Mississippi native stole nine bases and has been a huge asset in the outfield with a strong arm and great speed to flag down balls all season long. Porch, who was only one of 48 people in his high school’s graduating class, sported a 14-game hitting streak from May 29th to June 14th. A few days later, Porch had an eight game-hitting streak from June 18th to June 25th.  The man who wears a number two on his back had his best game in a Pelican jersey on June 16th where he went for 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI against the El Paso Diablos. The rookie sensation has had 23 multi-hit games this season.  

Chase Porch will be a big key factor in the Pelicans playoff series coming up with the Shreveport-Bossier Captains where he is batting .367 with two homeruns and 12 RBI against them this season.

Playoff tickets are available for the Pelicans two home games this week: Tuesday, August 31 at 6:45 p.m. and Wednesday, September 1 at 6:45 p.m.  Fans can call 850-934-8444 or visit www.pensacolapelicans.com for ticket and game information.

Click here to visit the Pensacola Pelican website.  You can also follow the Pelicans on facebook and Twitter.
 

With all the noise lately about Stephen Strasburg, inverted W's, and mechanics, it made me start to think about my life in baseball as a player and a coach.

Therefore, this post will be a little different, a little more on the development side, called Devon's Development Insider.

I really hope that any parents or readers email me after reading this.

The cream of the crop will no doubt rise to the top, and undoubtedly attend top NCAA DI schools. 

What about the rest of the players out there, the one's scouts miss, scouts ignore or the talent that falls through the cracks?

I do not claim I was a prized prospect when trying to land that scholarship in the midst of my senior year of high school (1996-1997).  I do however suggest that I had talent but was naive on how to market myself.  I was unaware of how big the university and college baseball world was.

What I did have was a superior support system around me that made all the long hours, and hard work worth it.

When I say hard work that is exactly what I mean.

Being raised in a hockey-obsessed nation, I was well aware that the deck was stacked against me.  I also knew that at 5'10, and at the time 150 pounds, I had to show the brass I had the ability and had the skill to be a good or great college player.

What I did know was that the dream of being a Florida Gator was slim; the chance to play big-time baseball at the "U" or Arizona was exactly that, a dream.

I had to play to my strengths, and adapt to a game that over 100 years looks the same, but is very different, even from the 90's to 00's to 10's.

Marketing myself was something I knew very little of, so when in doubt, create a promotional video.  Now that all the big schools are crossed of the list, where does a small-town Canadian go to play baseball in the States?

You create a plan, an area of where you want to play, where you can afford to play, and where you have the ability to play.

I can talk about this for days, so I will stop at that for now until next time.

For the next little bit, I will address Strasburg and a rash of arm injuries that are affecting many young pitchers.

I can understand both sides of the story, Strasburg is a phenom and for the amount of money he is getting paid ($15 million over 4 years), he cannot sit in Syracuse for a whole season striking out everyone.

On the other hand, he has not faced the rigors of a full season in the pros and peaked at 109 innings in his senior season at San Diego State.  What does strike me as odd is that he has thrown only 123 innings this season before a torn ligament shut him down for the season.

Are players being rushed? Maybe, maybe not? 

What about the mechanics issue?

Mark Prior was said to have the best mechanics that Tom House (Guru) had ever seen. 

Prior pitched 138 innings in his last year at USC (2001), followed by 166 in 02', 211 in 03' then an insurmountable amount of injuries forcing him to an early exit

On the other end of the spectrum, Chris Carpenter had Tommy John Surgery ten years after his big league debut.

Evidence already suggests that pitchers will be watched closer than ever; Brandon Morrow is being shut down for the season after his next start against the Yankees on September 3.  His 143 innings pitched more than doubles his high of 69 in 2009.

The game is more of a business than ever, does that mean shutting down your stars early and does that mean preparing for next season a little earlier than usual?

On that note, feel free, parents, coaches, and prospects to email me at devon@thegmsperspective.com with your comments or questions. 

Let me know your thoughts on the game, insight on college, or any advice on a player's development.

Devon Teeple is an author for the Business of Sports Network, which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of  Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey.   Devon is also a contributor to the Canadian Baseball Network.  He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Devon is available for hire or freelance opportunities.

Devon is a former student within Sports Management Worldwide’s Baseball General Manager Class. Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective and is an intern with The Football Outsiders and contributor with the Plymouth River Eels.

Currently, Devon is a Branch Manager at a financial institution in Southern Ontario Canada.  He can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com , thegmsperspective@yahoo.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com

The undisputed home run king Crash Davis! has some company.

For real, Crash may be a character in Bull Durham, one of the all-time great baseball movies, but Charlie Lisk of the Frontier League has set a record himself.

On Thursday night, Lisk rewrote the Frontier League record books by hitting his 87th Frontier League home run.

That homer pushed him past Morgan Burkhart for number one on the list, and let me say that is something to be very proud of.

Burkhart, who previously sat atop the home run leader board with 86, spent three years in "the show" (Crash Davis' favorite saying), compiling five home runs in 42 games.

That may not seem like much to the average reader, but those three seasons were due to a lifetime of hard work sacrifice and dedication.  In my eyes, very commendable.

In my experience, I spent over 20 years honing my craft, attempting to go where my heroes were, and if you have been following my readings, I did not get where I wanted to be, but I gave it my best shot.

On the other hand, Lisk has been playing this game for a long time; 96 home runs, in nine professional seasons, 346 RBI, and almost 600 games played.

Lisk, over the past two seasons has mashed 53 long flies and appears to be hitting his "power" peak at 27 years of age.  2010 has been more of the same with 19 homers and 78 RBI and is on pace for a career high in average.

I commend Fisk on his perseverance and drive.  Those traits might get him his shot, and in my opinion, why not?  Everyone deserves his opportunity in the show, even if it was as brief as "the" Crash Davis.

Devon Teeple is an author for the Business of Sports Network, which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of  Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey.   Devon is also a contributor to the Canadian Baseball Network.  He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Devon is available for hire or freelance opportunities.

Devon is a former student within Sports Management Worldwide’s Baseball General Manager Class. Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective and is an intern with The Football Outsiders and contributor with the Plymouth River Eels.

Currently, Devon is a Branch Manager at a financial institution in Southern Ontario Canada.  He can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com , thegmsperspective@yahoo.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com