Mando Verdugo went through a mini slump with independent rookie Salt Lake in early August 1988. So, he went to work with his manager, Barry Moss, he told The Billings Gazette.
The work paid off as Verdugo picked up two hits in one game against Billings and then went 5 for 5 in the next game, The Gazette wrote.
"He told me I was pulling off the ball and it was killing my swing," Verdugo told The Gazette of his work with his manager. "Some pitches, I looked really bad. So every time I went up, Barry reminded me to keep my hands back, the shoulder closed and just drive the ball where it's pitched. I'm just hoping it continues."
For Verdugo, it continued enough for him to see to more pro seasons. He topped out at high-A.
Verdugo's career began in 1985, taken by the Brewers in the 11th round of the January draft out of East Los Angeles College. Verdugo was also sometimes credited by his formal name, Armando Verdugo.
Verdugo went to East Los Angeles College after graduating from Whittier High School in Whittier, Ca. In May 1982, Verdugo hit a long inside-the-park home run to spur on his team to a conference playoff win, The Whittier East Review wrote.
"That really picked us up," Verdugo's coach Jerry Nerio told The Review. "Mando got all of that one. It just have impressed Cajon, because they intentionally walked Mando the next three times he came up."
Verdugo ended up being voted MVP at Whittier in both baseball and football, then for two years at East Los Angeles College.
With the Brewers, Verdugo hit an extra-inning, two-run home run in a late-August 1985 game. He got into 32 games and hit .217. He then moved to single-A Beloit in 1986. He saw 20 games and hit .156.
Verdugo isn't credited as playing in 1987, but he returned to independent Salt Lake in 1988. He hit .335 in 66 games there, with 17 home runs. He hit a grand slam in a late-August contest.
He moved to independent Miami in 1989, where he hit .258 in 104 games. The Indians then purchased his contract and assigned him to high-A Kinston. He saw 20 games and hit .154 to end his career.
- Whittier East Review, May 20, 1982: Whittier Blasts Cajon, 10-4
- Billings Gazette, Aug. 8, 1988: SLC catcher rips Mustangs
Made the Majors:1,329-33.3%
Never Made Majors:2,667-66.7%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:544
10+ Seasons in the Minors:329
No comments:
Post a Comment