For
the week of :
August 12, 2002
Minor League Ramblings is produced by Bill Mitchell for Minor League Watch.
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Abruzzo
trying to relax and enjoy the game
It takes only one glance into the face of Anaheim Angels' minor league catcher Jared Abruzzo to notice the intensity in his eyes. It's a very focused and determined look. So what's the 20-year-old switch hitter from the San Diego trying most to accomplish in his third minor league season? "Basically, I'm just learning how to relax, learning how to have more fun, just playing the game and not putting so much pressure on myself," answered Abruzzo. The pressure has been there since the Angels selected Abruzzo in the second round of the 2000 draft. The Anaheim organization converted him to the catching position after he spent most of his high school career on the mound or at third base. Abruzzo is still learning the ropes behind the plate. The 6-3, 225 pound backstop knows what he needs to do to get to the major leagues. "My main focus has to be receiving, calling the game, throwing guys out," remarked Abruzzo in reference to the skills he needs to improve the most. "That's my number one priority. Hitting comes second." Abruzzo's stock as a prospect has fallen in the eyes of some followers of minor league baseball, with Cedar Rapids catcher Jeff Mathis surpassing him on the Angels' depth chart. But it's much too soon to make any rash assumptions, according to former major league infielder Bobby Meacham, Abruzzo's Rancho Cucamonga (California League) manager . "He's 20 years old," remarked Meacham, "it's one of those things where you hope they don't worry about timeframe and how many years it takes, that they just concentrate on getting better and being consistent at what they do."
As for the importance of being patient with players at the class A level of minor league baseball, Meacham commented, "Most guys aren't going to make it in a year. You've got to continue to improve and make yourself the person who's not expendable. You keep going and try to spend a long time in the big leagues. That should be their goal ... (they need to) be patient with themselves." Abruzzo is satisfied with the help he's gotten from the Anaheim organization coaches. "(Don) Wakamatsu has helped me a lot with my catching," stated Abruzzo. "(Rancho Cucamonga coach) Damon Berryhill has helped me with my catching this year. Dwayne Hosey and Ty Van Burkleo have been great with the hitting." Abruzzo's work with Hosey, his hitting coach in Cedar Rapids last season, was especially beneficial. "We had something going on every day," he commented. "The results weren't there, but I got a better understanding of my swing and where I needed to be." "Jared's has good days and bad days, like all of them," commented Meacham about Abruzzo's progress this season. "He's in the process of trying to repeat the good days. He shows some power and a really good throwing arm. He's quickening his actions behind home plate and working hard at moving around back there." Meacham continued, "We just hope to get a solid full season out of him here and that the improvement continues. If it does, we've got a player." After a slow start with Rancho Cucamonga, Abruzzo has boosted his batting average to .250, with 12 homeruns and 45 RBIs in 312 at bats, an improvement over his combined 2001 average of .233, split between low Class A Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga. Abruzzo's best stretch this year came in mid-June when he homered in four consecutive games. Don't let that intense look on Abruzzo's face fool you. He really IS having fun at Rancho Cucamonga. "Baseball's pretty much what I've done all the time," he said, in closing. "If not for baseball, I don't know what I'd do." --- Bill Mitchell
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