Monday
July 25, 2005
sports.michigandaily.com
sports@michigandaily.com
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SPORTS
11-
Getz promoted I
wit q ui St
By James V. Dowd
Daily Sports Editor
The low salaries and sweltering
summer weather of Tobacco Road can
taint the rosy vision of professional
baseball for many prospects. Luckily
for recently departed Michigan second
baseman Chris Getz, the excitement
generated by early success helps him
deal with the heat.
After being promoted from the Great
Falls (Mont.) White Sox - the Chicago
White Sox rookie league affiliate - to
the 'A' level Kannapolis (N.C.) Intimida-
tors after just six games, Getz is optimistic
about his chances to work his way to the
South Side of the Windy City.
"I wasn't expecting to be promoted so
early," Getz said. "Usually pitchers move
up a lot quicker than position players."
Getz earned his promotion by hitting
.333 with two stolen bases and four RBI
in those six appearances. While these
are impressive numbers, contact
hitters like Getz can get lost in a gener-
ation that worships power hitters. Nev-
ertheless, Getz is confident that there is
a place for him in the majors.
"For things like the (Major League
Baseball All-Star) Futures Game,
everyone is looking for the next star,"
Getz said. "But teams in the major
leagues have lots of guys that don't hit
25 or 30 home runs. There are plenty
of second basemen and shortstops who
aren't power hitters."
Since joining the Intimidators - who
are named for the late NASCAR legend,
avid baseball fan and Kannapolis native
Dale Earnhardt - Getz has hit .311, sto-
len four bases and knocked home five
runs in 19 games. His three doubles and
two triples have helped him to a .827 on
base plus slugging percentage (OPS),
widely considered the best measure of
a ballplayer's offensive contributions.
This OPS is comparable to the major
league numbers of New York Yankees
shortstop Derek Jeter and Minnesota
Twins catcher Joe Mauer.
If Getz continues to hit consistently
as he is gradually promoted through
the minor league system, a major
league shot is inevitable. According to
Getz, the key to hitting well is prepara-
tion. He thanks Michigan coach Rich
Maloney for helping him realize what
his role as a hitter would be.
"(Maloney) prepared me well," Getz
said. "He would tell me 'This is what you
need to do to hit .300 in the minors' He
told me to stick to bunts and working to
hit the ball up the middle and not to worry
about power."
Getz also had a leg up on the field when
he arrived in Great Falls, because he was
joined by left handed pitcher Clayton Rich-
ard, his former teammate at Michigan.
"(Playing with Richard) made the transi-
tion a lot easier," Getz said. "You're much
more relaxed when you have someone that
you know on the same team."
Although he has remained in Great
Falls, Richard has also had success in his
first month of professional baseball, earn-
ing Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week
honors for the week of June 27. Richard
has notched 20 strikeouts in 17 innings,
and there are rumors of a promotion
floating around on White Sox message
boards. While optimistic about Richard's
prospects within the organization, Getz
believes the White Sox will take their
time because Richard played just one
year of college baseball.
"I know (the White Sox) like lefties,"
Getz said. "With Clayton they will proba-
bly take their time to be safe since he hasn't
pitched very many games."
Getz, on the other hand, has had a wealth
of experience, completing three seasons in
Maize and Blue, as well as two summers
playing for the Chatham Athletics of the
wooden bat Cape Cod League.
"Playing (in the Cape Cod League) was
a great experience," Getz said. "It really
prepared me for pro baseball because I was
playing with all the top college players."
The one adjustment Getz has struggled
with is the grind of playing so many games
in North Carolina grueling heat. Heat
Former Michigan second baseman Chris Getz believes his small-ball mentality will fit perfectly within the Chicag
indices regularly reach 105 degrees in the
Kannapolis area and heat advisories are
seemingly as common as the sun coming
up. To fight the heat, Getz has been forced
to change his diet.
"It's been an adjustment to play every
single day, especially with the heat that I
am playing in," Getz said. "I really have to
watch what I put into my body and stay in
good shape. The grind gets to me at times,.
and I get tired out."
Luckily for Getz, he no longer has to
dedicate time to study table and academic
commitments, so he uses the time effec-
tively to improve his game.
"It's still the summer so I don't fully feel
(the lack of schoolwork)," Getz said. "But
any extra time spent working on your game
will help you improve greatly."
Though the schedule is grueling
and the heat is unbearable, Getz is
living the dream of most college stu-
dents - even the ones who haven't the
slightest interest in baseball.
"I can do what I want off the field - I
sleep a ton," Getz said. "At Michigan, we'd
always be up at (8:30 a.m.) eating breakfast
together, but here I can sleep until two in
the afternoon."
With the extra rest, the improved diet
and plenty of practice Getz is confident
about reaching the majors, although he says
two or three more years of minor league
baseball is an optimistic estimate.
"Chicago is a small ball type of
team," Getz said. "They've been beat-
ing up guys with small ball and speed,
while overlooking size. I knew going in
to the organization that the White Sox
would be a great team for me."
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