Steve Veit, Day Before - 3

-
Originally published Jan. 15, 2016
Steve Veit's entry into the pros was delayed but he still got some cash.

After being drafted by the Astros late in the 1989 draft, Veit waited until the day before the next year's draft to sign, according to The Arizona Republic.

Veit's father told The Republic the Astros gave him a $40,000 bonus to sign. He signed and started his pro career, but his career ended up being brief, just two seasons.

Veit's career began that year in 1990, having been taken by the Astros in the 33rd round of the 1989 draft out of Mesa Community College in Arizona.

At Mesa, Veit played a lot. He still holds the record for at bats over his two years there with 435. He won all-conference honors both years.

He started with the Astros at short-season Auburn. In 67 games, the first-baseman hit .225 with two home runs.

Veit moved to single-A Asheville for 1991. In 71 games there, he hit .193, ending his career.

Browse By:

-Player Name
-Player Team
-Date Featured

Players A to Z

Popular posts from this blog

Razor Shines didn't give up on self, made 4 ML seasons

-
Image
In his six pro season, having yet to make the majors, Montreal Expos farmhand Razor Shines not only continued playing, but he continued playing all out, The Memphis Commercial Appeal wrote . And Expos brass took notice, according to The Commercial Appeal . "Razor hasn't lost one bit of enthusiasm from the day we signed him," Expos farm director Bob Gebhard told The Commercial Appeal  that July. The Expos soon took notice enough to make him a September call-up. Eventually, Shines would see the majors over four seasons, all with Montreal . Shines' career began in 1978, taken by the Expos in the 18th round of the draft out of Louisburg College in North Carolina. Shines' given name was Anthony Shines. He got his nickname Razor at Louisburg, as a line drive of his cut the shin of a fielder, The Commercial Appeal wrote . Shines started at short-season Jamestown . He made single-A West Palm Beach in 1979, AA Memphis in 1981 and then AAA Wichita and major league Montre...
Read more

Roberto Petagine made bigs for Dad, saw 6 seasons, Japan

-
Image
When Venezuelan-native Roberto Petagine first signed as a pro, he and his father celebrated with a unique gold Astros chain, The Jackson Clarion-Ledger wrote  in 1993.  Ten months later, Petagine's father died .  "I said, 'Baseball, go away,'" Petagine told The Clarion-Ledger of his first reaction to his father's death, "but then I said, 'No, no, I'm going to make it to the big leagues for him." Petagine did make the big leagues. He saw the majors over seven seasons spanning more than a decade. On his way up, he wore the chain he got with his dad, a chain visible on several of his cards . Petagine's career began in 1990, signed by the Astros out of his native Venezuela .  Petagine started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He saw 55 games and hit .289. He made single-A Burlington for 1991, then high-A Osceola and AA Jackson in 1992. He made AAA Tucson and then Houston in 1994. Petagine saw eight games with the Astros ....
Read more

Luis Navarro helped high school no-hitter, saw 3 seasons

-
Image
The game may not have been pretty, but it still could be called a high school gem, helped along by Southwest High School's Luis Navarro , according to The Miami News . Navarro and a fellow pitcher combined on a no-hitter, in a five-inning game where Southwest won 14-4, The News wrote . The four runs were helped along by six walks and five errors. Overall at Southwest, Navarro pitched well enough to make the pros. He saw three seasons . He played all three in rookie ball. Navarro's career began in 1988, taken by the Astros in the 44th round of the draft out of Southwest Miami. At Southwest, Navarro participated in a three-hitter in a February 1988 win.  With the Astros, Navarro started in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He saw 15 relief appearances there in 1988. He went 0-2, with a 5.03 ERA.  He remained in the GCL for 1989, seeing seven outings , four starts. He again went 0-2, with a 3.16 ERA Navarro then saw one final season with the Astros in the GCL in 1990. He went 3-6...
Read more

Raphael Lanfranco caught in 4 minors seasons with Astros

-
Image
Asheville Tourists pinch-hitter Raphael Lanfranco came on in the bottom of the eighth in this April 1991 game with a chance to tie the game, The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote . Lanfranco then came through, knocking a single to center to score a run, The Citizen-Times wrote . Lanfranco got that game-tying RBI in his third season as a pro. He went on to see time in one more. He topped out at single-A . Lanfranco's career began in 1989, signed by the Astros as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic . Lanfranco's name was also spelled Rafael Lanfranco. Lanfranco started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He saw 21 games at catcher and hit .190. He then returned for 26 games in the GCL for 1990 and hit .217, though he got hurt that August . Lanfranco played 1991 between single-A Burlington and single-A Asheville. He saw 49 games in all and hit .194.  He knocked a single in an April 1991 game for Asheville that helped Asheville to a lead. By late May, h...
Read more

Ken Bolek taught baseball skills as manager, instructor

-
Image
Ken Bolek worked in 2012 to help kids learn the fundamentals of the game . Bolek, the longtime director of IMG Baseball Academy focused this day on kids age 10 to 12 with a summer IMG wood bat league, according to Baseball The Magazine . "Here," Bolek told Baseball The Magazine , "we focus on the technical skill, not just having players show up to the ball park and go home. A very small percentage of players are getting individual technical instruction at the youth level." Bolek has served as baseball director with IMG Academy in Florida since 1995, helping teenagers learn the game. Before that, he helped pros learn the game as a coach in the minors and in the majors. Bolek's time in baseball started before that, as a player himself, taken by the Tigers in the 24th round of the draft out of the University of Arizona . At Arizona, Bolek helped his team to the College World Series championship .  He helped get them into the championship game with a tw...
Read more

Mike Lomeli tried to keep the ball down; Saw four pro seasons

-
Image
Saddleback College's Mike Lomeli threw a complete game for the win in this March 1984 game, The Los Angeles Times wrote . He gave up nine hits in the effort, but eight of those were singles, The Times wrote . "I don't strike out very many people," Lomeli told The Times afterward. "I try to keep the ball down and throw a lot of ground balls." Lomeli eventually made it from college to the pros. His pro career lasted four seasons . He topped out at short-season. Lomeli's pro career began in 1987, signed by the Braves as an undrafted free agent out of Chapman University. He also attended Saddleback. With Saddleback in May 1984, Lomeli the designated hitter hit two home runs in a playoff win. Lomeli started with the Braves at rookie Idaho Falls . He saw 23 relief outings and went 3-0, with a 3.02 ERA.  For 1988, he stayed in Idaho, but moved to co-op Boise . He got into 31 games there and started two. He went 3-6, with a 4.19 ERA. Early that July, Lomeli ...
Read more

A to Z: 1990 Minor League Players, Baseball Profiles

-
Image
What happened to your favorite minor league team in 1990? Find out here. Since late 2009, the players of 1990 have been featured at Greatest21Days.com, one at a time. Here, they've been ordered here alphabetically.  Every player has a story. With the help of contemporaneous newspaper articles, find that story here. Most recent players added Dec. 1, 2024 List of 1990 minor league players featured, in alphabetical order: Total: 4,457 A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z A  -  Bill Abare  got big hit at Dunedin, saw three pro seasons , 10/31/13  -  Glenn Abbott  saw bigs over decade, later turned coach , 7/27/14  -  Kurt Abbott 's first ML hit went for homer, saw 9 seasons , 3/22/15  -  Kyle Abbott  saw time in four major league seasons, Japan , 10/4/17  -  Paul Abbott  returned from injuries, made 11 ML seasons , 5/23/11...
Read more