With a league-leading 2.98 ERA and 584 strikeouts in only 531 innings pitched, it’s fair to say that every member of the Brooklyn Cyclones pitching staff had an opportunity to make the New York Penn-League All-Star team this season.

By the time the eventual selections were made however, only Brad Holt, Chris Schwinden and Yury Santana managed to garner All-Star honors.

That doesn’t mean anyone in Brooklyn is upset though.

“They all deserve it,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo in reference to his entire pitching staff. “But those guys in particular have worked really hard this season. As far as I’m concerned, we have the best pitching staff in the league and they’re a very big reason why.”

The Mets first pitcher selected in the 2008 draft, Holt had some mighty expectations put upon him before the season began and hasn’t let anyone down yet, going 4-3 with a microscopic 1.98 ERA and a league-leading 69 K’s.

Humble and modest throughout the season, the likable Holt tried to not make too much of his appearance in the game, but couldn’t seem to wipe the smile of his face.

“I figured maybe, but it was wait and see,” said Holt. “I’m having a decent season, but I wasn’t expecting to be anywhere.”

While many believed that Holt was a lock to make the team, many of the media were a bit surprised with Schwinden’s selection to the team, not because of his stats, but because lack of a clear-defined role on the team for most of the season. Second in the league with a minuscule ERA of 1.31, Schwinden has been in the starting rotation for barely a month, after working as the team’s long reliever for most of the season. Nevertheless, Schwinden’s ability to make the most of opportunities has gotten him a deserved All-Star nod.

A 22nd round pick by the Mets this season, Schwinden has battled adversity all season and it’s paying off.

“It was a big surprise,” said Schwinden. “I just barely started in the rotation. I’m excited to be there and it’s a great opportunity to show people what I have.”

However, of all the three Brooklyn players selected to the All-Star game, Clones reliever Yury Santana is easily the most intriguing. A converted shortstop, the 26-year-old is making the first All-Star game appearance of his professional career. Originally losing his closer’s spot to Stephen Clyne halfway through th season, Santana has battled back to regain that role and is currently sitting fourth in the NYPL with 10 saves.

A fun-loving and energetic player, Santana was thrilled when he found out the news.

“I feel great,” said Santana. “This is something I never would have thought about before. I was surprised because there are a lot of guys playing well right now.”

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Ron Hatcher and Jim Dolan

Carl Erskine was just a wide-eyed 21-year-old from Indiana when he made his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on Jul. 25, 1948.

As a matter of fact, he was younger than many of the players that currently play in the borough today with the Mets Single-A affiliate, the Cyclones.

Despite his rural upbringing, Erskine quickly found a home in Brooklyn and carved out a successful 12-year, 122-win tenure with the Dodgers, helping them win the World Series in 1955, where he went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA in 194 innings of work. A few years later in 1957, he and his teammates were shipped off to Los Angeles, where he played the final two years of his All-Star career, but it was never the same for hard-throwing righty, as he won only four games in his final two seasons.

During his time in Brooklyn, the borough became his second home and his second family, the players he shared a clubhouse with in Ebbets Field for ten years, slowly left the team once they got to Los Angeles via trade or retirement.

“The Brooklyn team that I came up with in 1948, basically stayed together until 1958,” said Erskine. “It wasn’t until we moved to Los Angeles that they started making changes. On our off days, the whole team would go on picnics together and our children were raised together. In the Ebbets Field clubhouse, before every game, Roy Campanella would stand up and say ‘The same team that won yesterday is the same team that’s going to win today,’ He put that in our minds and we knew that’s what we had to do.”

Coming back to Brooklyn on Aug.17 to have his number 17 honored by the Cyclones, Erskine, now 81, was thrilled to be back where his major league career began over 60 years ago.

The Brooklyn fans turned out for the occasion as well, as a standing-room only crowd of nearly 8,000 filled with many of whom grew up watching Erskine hand-cuff hitters as children, stood and watched their childhood idol talk about his playing days in Brooklyn.

“Even with all the World Series experience and playing on all those great teams, I think this is probably the cream on the top of everything,” Erskine, who had a street named after him in Brooklyn in 2002, said. “To be back on Brooklyn soil after all these years and in a ballpark in Brooklyn is very meaningful to me. It’s almost like a fantasy.”

Spending time with some of the Cyclones before the game started, the two-time author shared some of his knowledge of the game with them as well. Considering them “his grandchildren,” Erskine was happy to give advice to the youngsters and “continue the bloodline of Brooklyn baseball.”

“There are two things we don’t know about life,” he said. “One is when we are going to die, which is a good thing. The other thing is we never know what we can really accomplish in life if everything went right and we push ourselves as hard as we can. Look at me, I got more out of this skinny little body because I played on a great team and no one tried to change who I was. You have to believe who you are is better than something you read about or something you’ve seen somewhere else.”

Looking back on his career, Erskine couldn’t help but smile when remembering how he felt when he first found out he was coming to Brooklyn.

Originally worried that he’d have a hard time adjusting to life in the borough after growing up in Anderson, Indiana, Erskine was surprised at how accommodating the place really was.

“I was a skinny kid from Indiana, who could throw hard. But to be picked out of the Midwestern culture and placed in a big city like Brooklyn was unbelievable,” Erskine, who also threw two no-hitters during his career, said. “Only to find out that Bay Ridge, Brooklyn was exactly like my hometown. I knew the barber and the butcher and everyone knew me. If I pitched a good game, I’d come home from Ebbets Field and be in the middle of a street party, with balloons in the trees and the whole nine yards. It was amazing.”

Like all good things in life though, Erskine’s playing days had to come to an end, as arm troubles plagued an otherwise solid major league career.

Ironically however, his playing days also played a big part in his life after baseball as well, as his natural abilities as a leader played a big part in his future success as a college coach at Anderson College, where he won four championships in 12 years and several successful business ventures in his home state of Indiana.

Because of that, Erskine has no regrets and is grateful for the opportunities playing in Brooklyn has afforded him.

“It would be unreal for me to say there was something I didn’t get to do,” he said with a smile. “I stayed in the big leagues for 12 years and even though I didn’t get into Cooperstown, how many guys have a street named after them in Brooklyn? I guess a lot of people in the safety department are still Dodgers fans. How could you wish for anything other than that?”

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Ron Hatcher and Jim Dolan

Because of last night’s rain out, I figured I’d bring an oldie, but a goody out of the archives. The article below is an interview I did with Brooklyn play-by-play announcer Warner Fusselle in September of 2006. Check it out!

Anyone that knows anything about the Brooklyn Cyclones or baseball history knows that Warner Fusselle is the former voice of “This Week in Baseball” and the only play-by-play announcer the Mets-Single-A Affiliate has ever known.

But many haven’t the slightest idea that one of the biggest passions of the Louisville, Kentucky-native’s life is music.

“I’ve always been interested in music and I have all of the records I ever got since I was a little baby child,” said Fusselle. “I think I have the best music record collection that I have ever seen. I mean some people have more records than I do; some disc jockeys have more, but I have about 15,000 albums and records. I’ve got sports and rock mostly, but I have a little bit of every type of music and because of that I was contacted by a record company and I put out a couple of records, ‘Baseball’s Greatest Hits’ and ‘Baseballs Greatest Hits: Lets Play Two’ and then a video and a book came out of that.”

As a youngster, Fusselle spent much of his adolescent days listening to Harry Caray and Jack Buck calling St. Louis Cardinal games on KMOX radio in the 60’s, but also developed a love for rock n roll and the blues. However, despite his love for music, Fusselle unfortunately could never master an instrument and recollected how painful his childhood experiences were with the piano.

“I couldn’t do that [play any instruments],” said Fusselle. “I took piano for a few years, I tried to play piano, but I didn’t like it. I probably shouldn’t say this, but one of the ten happiest days of my life was when my piano teacher recommended I quit playing.”

Spending a majority of the Cyclones season on the road, Fusselle sometimes has the time to kick back and enjoy some music and loves every second of it.

“It’s funny, I don’t like to put the headphones on when I’m on the bus” said Fusselle. “I carry around all my CDs with me and it seems every year I would have all of these CDs, but every time I pull out Pink Floyd and I listen to it over and over and never get tired of it. On the bus late at night, I get tired and put some Pink Floyd on and get comfortably numb.”

Fusselle is even playing to go to a Pink Floyd concert later this month, but that’s only if the Cyclones season is over. If not, he’ll be right back up in the cat bird seat calling all of the action for everyone to enjoy.

“I want to go,” said Fusselle. “But see, it’s either that or if the Cyclones are in the playoffs, there could be a championship game and certainly I would pick that. That’s just a back up for September 13. It’s Roger Waters, who was in Pink Floyd and he’s going to do his concert and the second act he’s going to perform the entire album, ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon,’ which is one of the greatest albums ever and sounds like something I’ve got to see.”

With the Cyclones currently in the playoffs, Fusselle may not be able to see Waters perform, but he will be able to grace thousands more with a play-by-play performance that can’t be heard anywhere else.

Notes-

By the way, just because the game was postponed, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t fun to be had at Keyspan Park.

Check out these pics:

Storm Troopers at Keyspan Park last night!

Ike Davis fishing from the dugout? Yes!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher

Two months ago, Bobby Malek’s career in professional baseball seemed over.

After seven years in the sport, six of those with the Mets organization, Malek was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers and seemed out of options.

That’s until the Mets called and gave the 27-year-old’s career a second life.

A lifetime .262 hitter through 2,286 at bats at the minor league level, Malek was far from a superstar, but was a hard-working and gritty player that never gave up on the field. Because of that desire and perseverance on the field, the Mets gave him an opportunity to help coach their affiliate in the Gulf Coast League.

“I think because of the way I handled myself on the field when I was playing, they asked me if I wanted to come back as a coach,” said Malek, who had only 57 at bats in 28 games this season with the Dodgers Double-A affiliate before rejoining the Mets organization. “I did the right thing off the field and I played the game the way it should be played. I think that’s why they called me. Before that, I didn’t even consider getting into coaching.”

With Cyclones hitting coach Guadalupe Jabalera tending to personal matters last week, an opening at Brooklyn sent Malek back to the team he started his professional career with in 2002, making him the first former player in the team’s short history to ever coach in Brooklyn. While he only played 28 games with the Baby Bums that season, the lore behind his arm in right field is one of legend. Despite only spending a week with the team before heading back to the Gulf Coast, Malek has been a positive influence on them.

Seen spending time with Cyclones outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who was on top of his defensive game while Malek was with the team, making several solid catches, it’s obvious he’s gotten through to the players.

“I knew how to play the game right and I was smart,” Malek, who had his best season in the minor leagues in 2004 when he hit 13 home runs and 58 RBI with St. Lucie, said. “I feel like I got the most out of my ability and I had some great coaches. I feel like I could have played in the big leagues defensively with my arm and because of that, I have a lot of knowledge to share with these guys.”

Quickly making the transition from player to hot-shot coaching prospect, Malek is focused on becoming the best coach he can be.

If the reputation he had on the field during his career is any indication, he’ll be just fine.

“I had a really good player career; it was an enjoyable seven years,” he said. “I put my blood, sweat and tears into getting to the big leagues, but it just didn’t happen. I feel like if I looked myself in the mirror now, I know that I gave it everything I had. Considering that, I thought it was time to move on. Now, I’m looking forward to making it to the big leagues one day as a coach. I know this is a learning experience, but I feel like I’ve gotten off to a good start.”

Link:

Box Score to last night’s 9-1 Cyclones win.

Update- 5:36 p.m.

Juan Lagares will be starting tonight’s game in place of injured the Matt Smith, who was ironically taking the place of an injured Reese Havens.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Jim Dolan and Ron Hatcher.

Playing 76 games in only 81 days this season, you’d never expect any member of the Brooklyn Cyclones to have a problem falling asleep at night. Busing their way through cities all over New York and the North East this summer, sleep would seem to be a precious and immensely valued commodity to all of them, right?

Brooklyn pitcher Chris Schwinden however, actually prefers to burn the midnight oil on a consistent basis.

As a matter of fact, he even believes it makes him a better pitcher.

“I don’t know why, but I do pitch much better when I don’t get a lot of sleep,” said Schwinden. “If I get too much sleep, I feel lazy on the mound and usually get hit pretty hard. When I don’t, I’m more energized out here and I win.”

So what does he do during all those late nights, you ask?

“Our catcher Ralph Henriquez has a Playstation 3 and I stay up playing MLB:08 The Show or Tiger Woods a lot of the time,” he said. “Most of the guys usually head to bed around 1 am, but I stay up a few hours longer than them.”

You’d expect a ballplayer who stays up all night exercising his thumbs and index fingers on Sony’s newest video game console to be a bit lethargic come game time, but with a 3-1 record and a 1.09 ERA in 10 appearances this season,Schwinden is one of three Cyclones appearing in the New York Penn-League All-Star game next week.

Armed with four pitches, a 92 mile-per-hour fastball, changeup, curve ball and slider, Schwinden has baffled hitters consistently this season, striking out 45 hitters in 41 innings with only six walks, indeed making it look like he’s playing a video game, rather than facing professional hitters. Allowing only 28 hits in that time as well, Schwinden hasn’t given his teammates on the field much work to do, making up for the fact that he keeps some of them awake with his late-night gaming escapades.

“He’s easy to play behind,” said Cyclones third baseman Eric Campbell. “He comes ready to play every time his name is called upon. The main thing with him is that he throws strikes. I think he has the best control of any pitcher on our staff.”

While his teammates have to deal with his late-night habits, the coaching staff only sees the 21-year-old’s successes on the mound. Starting the season as the team’s spot starter and long reliever out of the bullpen, Schwinden got an opportunity to start and hasn’t faltered yet. Pitching into the sixth inning in each of his last three starts, Schwinden has proved he belongs in a rotation consisting of hot shot prospects such as Brad Holt and Jenrry Mejia and has quickly become a cornerstone of the pitching staff.

Schwinden has been so good as of late that the coaching staff sees him in the rotation for the rest of the year, something that appeared quite unlikely for the 2008 22nd round pick when the season first began.

“He’s worked really hard to get to where he is right now and he deserves it,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He’s one of my starters now and I’m happy for him.”

The Visalia, California-native is pretty proud of his accomplishments on the field this season as well and as a result, has vowed to continue playing video games this season.

As a matter of fact, Schwinden has already been talking about picking up a new game in the near future: Madden 09.

“A bunch of us have been talking about getting it,” said Schwinden on August 11, a day before the game was released to the public. “I’m looking forward to playing it soon.”

Notes-

Got word of a few Cyclones currently nursing injuries such as John Servidio, Ike Davis and Reese Havens. However, there is no clear word on the what the actual injuries are. When th team comes back home on Friday, expect an update after the day’s article.

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 3-1 Cyclone loss.

Update-

New Podcast up!

Interview with Ralph Henriquez on 8-10.

You can download it from I-Tunes here, or stream it from the web, here. Enjoy!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Jim Dolan