<![CDATA[MINDSET MATTERS - Hitting with Harv]]>Mon, 09 Dec 2024 07:47:26 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Seattle Mariners Year 1, Everett Washington 1997]]>Mon, 04 Nov 2024 18:25:22 GMThttp://seeklot.net/hitting-with-harv/seattle-mariners-year-1-everett-washington-1997Short season A ball where most college players are sent for their first season.  High school and Junior College players would usually be assigned to rookie ball at the team's training facilities.  Everett was about 30 minutes away from Seattle and it looked like it was going to rain almost every day. 

Our longest bus trip was thirteen (13) hours to Boise Idaho to play the Angels affiliate.  I found out this year that one of my least favorite pitchers to face was Scot Shields.  He had a nasty 2 seam/slider combo.  He teamed up with Francisco Rodriguez a couple years later and I faced them both in A-ball during California League play. 

I remember being tired from my record setting year at Sacramento State where I set the single season (26) and career (35) record for homeruns.  I finished that season in Everett .271 4 34, and I also had 5 triples and 21 doubles.  Seattle named me as the best hitting prospect of the '97 draft class in Baseball America.  They liked the gap to gap power and my approach and wanted to see more homeruns. 

​I lead my team (Wisconsin Timber-rattlers) the next season with 15 home runs in Appleton Wisconsin when I made the change from the infield to the outfield.  By far one of my favorite seasons playing baseball was in 1998 for the T-Rats
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