I have yet to write about baseball. So I figured the best way to start it off would be to talk about the Oakland Athletics new up and coming star Daniel Mengden. The 23 year old right handed pitcher from Houston, Texas got his first major league win in the Battle of the Bay against the San Francisco Giants. He was magnificent, pitching 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. In a tough year for the Athletics so far, Mengden is something to look forward to as he is only the third starting pitcher for them this year that has reached the 8th inning. As great as he was in his first major league win, he has been just as great in his previous starts, he just finally got the run support he needed. In four starts this year, he has 26 strikeouts and has only allowed 8 runs which has led him to a 2.81 ERA. The kid from Houston was supposed to be the hometown hero. He was born and raised in Houston, played high school ball there (where he also played catcher), went to Texas A&M, and was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fourth round in 2014. On the day he signed his contract, he talked about how he grew up a fan of the Astros, and how excited he was to start his career for the team he loved. But all that changed at the 2015 trade deadline when the Astros traded him and another prospect to the Athletics for All-Star starting pitcher Scott Kazmir. Since that time, Mengden has been dominating in the minors, forcing his way into major league. In the postgame interview after his first win, he said "Starting off, I was hoping to make Triple-A by half the year, then hopefully make September callups. That was the original game plan. That would be a good year for me. . . I progressed a little quicker than I expected, and I'm here now." When you hear that quote, you understand how humble this kid has to be. Not worrying about whats going on around him, but just continuing to try to improve every single day has helped him reach his dream job faster than even he could have imagined. Luckily for him, Billy Beane took a sweet deal when trading for this kid, and now he has a chance to prove himself on the biggest stage he's ever played on. He rocks the mustache to help raise money for kids who have lost their parents to cancer. You can help support that cause at this website, and you can also help support Mengden by growing out a super sweet 'stache.
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Anthony VallesterosJust a man trying to make the most of his time on this planet. Categories
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February 2019
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