Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Albert Bustillos saw it as his time to give the pros a shot in May 1988. The Dodgers were happy to have him, according to The Hollister Free Lance . Bustillos, drafted by Los Angeles the previous June, finally signed after spending another season at Gavilan College, The Free Lance wrote . "Bustillos throws hard," Dodgers scout Gib Bodet told The Free Lance then, dismissing a 7-7 won-loss record. "He's a big, strong kid with mounds of potential. The key is he has the chance to get better under our system." Bustillos eventually realized enough potential to spend a decade in the pros. He saw AAA over five of those seasons and even saw Taiwan. But he never made the majors . Bustillos' career began that year in 1988, taken by the Dodgers in the 47th round of the previous year's draft out of Gavilan in California. At Gavilan, Bustillos earned the confidence of his coach Bob Nickerson, The Free Lance wrote in February 1988. "With Albert on the mound th...

Florida State hurler Mike Brady went up against a team he'd previously pitched poorly against and this time he did well, The Tallahassee Democrat wrote in March 1990. Brady did so by going 4.1 scoreless innings, all in relief, The Democrat wrote . "The last time I pitched against them they killed me and it was the worst game of my life," Brady told The Democrat . "But this time, with the exception of a walk, I thought I pitched well and did everything I had to do to win." Brady pitched well enough for Florida State overall to turn pro later that year. His pro career ended up lasting five seasons . He made high-A and independent ball. Brady's career began that year in 1990, taken by the Dodgers  in the 36th round of the draft out of Florida State University . Brady started with the Dodgers at high-A Vero Beach . He saw nine relief appearances and had a 2.65 ERA without a decision. That August, Brady had a rough relief appearance, giving up two earned in 1.1...

Playing for the semi-pro Santa Maria Tigers in June 1990, Larry Jacinto helped his team beat a seemingly much stronger opponent shocking even Jacinto, The Santa Maria Times wrote . "We thought they were unbeatable," Jacinto, the team's starter who gave up only one extra-base hit, told The Times afterward. "I thought it was impossible to beat them." By that point, Jacinto had already been taken in the draft and he would soon sign. His pro career ended up lasting two seasons. He spent both in rookie ball . Jacinto's career began that year in 1990, taken by the Dodgers in the 40th round of the draft out of Southern California College . At Southern California College, Jacinto went 6-3, with a 3.09 ERA as he sported a fastball, slider, off-speed pitch and curve, his hometown Lompoc Record wrote . With the Dodgers, Jacinto then played the season at rookie Great Falls . He saw 17 relief outings and had a 4.29 ERA. That September, The Record featured him and his...

Speaking in his second season of college summer ball in 2016, Jace VanDeBrake credited his father, Kevin VanDeBrake , a former minor leaguer, with helping him get to where he was, both personally and athletically, according to InfinityProSports.com . "He always told us to do what we love, whatever that may be," Jace VanDeBrake told the site . "But it turns out that for me and my younger brothers, we do want to play baseball." The younger VanDeBrake then also played for Gonzaga . The elder VanDeBrake made the pros. Kevin VanDeBrake played two seasons. He made low-A. Kevin VanDeBrake's career began in 1990, signed by the Dodgers as a free agent out of Taft College and Loyola Marymount University. VanDeBrake was also credited as Kevin Van De Brake. VanDeBrake played his high school ball in Selah, Washington. He also played basketball and football there.  Following the 1985 football season, The Tri-City Herald referred to VanDeBrake as the "league's most...

The Reynosa Broncos picked up a double-header sweep in this June 1995 series and helping them to the second win was Francisco Perez , according to a wire account . Perez came up in the fifth inning and knocked a two-run single to send Reynosa on to the win . Perez contributed to that win deep in his long career in the Mexican League. Previously, he briefly played in affiliated ball, in the rookie Gulf Coast League in 1990 with the Dodgers . Perez' career began by 1989, signed by the Mexico City Tigers out of his native Hermosillo , Mexico. Perez is recorded as playing for Mexico City in 1989 as an 18 year old . Then, in 1990, he's listed as signing with the Dodgers and playing in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He got into seven games, got to bat 15 times. He picked up one hit, marking the extent of his affiliated experience . Perez then returned to Mexico for a run that isn't recorded as ending until 2006 . He played with Mexico City for 1991, then Monterrey Industriales in ...

Baylor hitter Steve Kliafas had a .403 average in early April 1990, making his coaches happy, The Waco Tribune-Herald wrote . For Kliafas, he continued looking to improve, The Tribune-Herald wrote . "I guess I'm never really pleased with myself," Kliafas told The Tribune-Herald . "I'm probably a little harder on myself than I should be. If I mess up, it's usually because of a dumb mistake." Kliafas went on from Baylor to play in the pros. His pro career lasted five seasons . He made AA. Kliafas' career began that year in 1990, signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor University . Kliafas was also credited by his formal name Stephen Kliafas. Kliafas started with the Dodgers in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He also started well. He hit .400 over his first eight games .  He also soon got moved to short-season Yakima. He saw 20 games in the GCL and 39 at Yakima. At Yakima in August, he hit a rare home run to break out of a slump, ...