SteepleCats Ekstrom Make MLB Debut
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On September 10th against the Dodgers, Ekstrom walked to the mound in the 6th inning at Petco Field, home of the Padres, to face the Dodgers Matt Kemp who grounded out. Ekstrom went on to pitch two scoreless innings while not allowing a hit, walking two and striking out Manny Ramirez on a low and outside fastball. Ekstrom was the Padres 12th round draft pick in the 2003 MLB draft and was named the Padres 2006 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. In 2008, he spent the season pitching for the San Antonia Missions of the Double-A Texas League. He compiled a 11-8 record and 4.58 ERA while striking out 101 in 108 innings pitched.
Ekstrom was signed by former SteepleCats General Manager Johnny Watterson and came to North Adams from Oregon State during the SteepleCats inaugural season in 2002. Statistically he ranked second on the team in ERA (1.08) and recorded a 3-1 record in 13 appearances. In 33.1 innings pitched he only allowed 18 hits, walked 18 and struck out 35 while holding opponents batting average to .158.
Bobby Wilson also played for the inaugural SteepleCats team in 2002, and was signed by former General Manager Johnny Watterson, made his major league debut on April 28, 2008 against the Oakland Athletics. He entered the game in the top of the 9th inning and caught a scoreless inning and batted in the bottom of the ninth against Dallas Braden of the Athletics. For those who remember Wilson, he had a typical at-bat by being very patient and finally singling to centerfield on the eight pitch of the at-bat. His time in the big leagues was brief as he returned to Triple-A Salt Lake for the 2008 season until he was recalled back to the big league club on September 8, 2008. That same day, he was used as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning against the Yankees.
Wilson was drafted by the Angels in the 48th round in the 2002 MLB draft out of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Community College and was previously selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 26th round in the 2001 MLB draft, but returned to school. In 2006, Wilson was selected for the elite Arizona Fall League and was named to the AFL All-Prospect Team, which is a clear indication of his MLB quality talent. While in North Adams, Wilson was the only member of the roster to start in all 42 games. While batting in the middle of the line-up the entire season, he batted .230 with 10 doubles and threw out 30% of attempted base stealers.
Joe Smith arrived in North Adams at the play-off deadline in 2005 and was reunited with his battery mate from Wright State U., catcher Bryan Vickers. Smith returned to Wright State and changed his throwing motion to submarine and was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year as a junior. In 2003, the New York Mets selected him in the third round, which was the beginning of his fast track to the major leagues where made his MLB debut in 2007.
On April 1, Smith made his MLB debut recording one out in St. Louis against the Cardinals. He recorded his first strike out against Preston Wilson. He was also named the John J. Murphy Award winner for the most impressive spring by a first-year invitee by the NY Mets organization. Smith went on to make a name for himself in the big leagues and ranked fifth among National League rookie pitchers with 54 appearances while recording 45 strikeouts in 44.1 innings of work and didn’t allow an earned run in 45 of his 54 outings.
In 2008 for the National League East Division leaders, Smith has appeared in 73 games and has a 5-3 record and 3.59 ERA. In 57 innings pitched, he has held right-handed batters to a .190 batting average against.
The SteepleCats organization is a collegiate summer baseball team that brings talented college student-athletes from across the country to play summer baseball at Joe Wolfe Field. The team is part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a premier summer league that is known for its superb competition.
