Todd Linden 3B

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Meet Todd Linden

My name is Todd Linden, a 3B prospect in the 2003 draft, and I am taking part in a special SI exclusive report. SI wants to follow me from the end of a promising high school career, through the draft, and through my professional career.

Baseball has always come easy for me, and I have been blessed with a good amount of talent though I have had to work hard enough to think of some of my fellow All-Americans as amazingly gifted to the point of being pathetic.

I am a solid fielding third-baseman well rounded in most areas and I think this is why SI wanted to follow me. Some project me as a top hitter at the major league level and scouts have given me the following projected ratings

7-contact 7-power 7-eye 6-gap 8-fielding 4-running 1-stealing

It is weird to see my baseball self as a string of numbers. Even stranger is the psychological profile

Todd Linden:
Personality Type: Pragmatist
Strength 3
Intelligence 3
Dexterity 2
Constitution 2
Charisma 3
Luck 2

Again, I came out pretty well rounded. I was happy to see a higher rating in strength, intelligence, and charisma because those seem to be useful and honorable traits.

Next month, I hit the sporting good stores and get used to a wooden bat!

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Going Shopping

This month I take you along to local sporting good stores as I pick out some equipment for the minor leagues and possibly get myself a few endorsements!

Making the transition to the pros from high school I needed to get myself a wood bat. I headed down to the local GART sports to see what I could find knowing they didn’t have the absolute best equipment. Even though I was confident I would go early in the draft, I haven’t signed my big contract yet, so this was all I could afford.

I was tempted to go for power, but the salesman assured me that contact and gap hitting helped many players get out of single A.

The Silver Slugger A-1 felt good in my hands. It felt really balanced and was heavy enough to at least not hurt my homeruns.

Silver Slugger doesn’t make any batting gloves so I looked at the three main brands in the sporting good store. I settled in on the SweetSpotTX1’s knowing they were for contact and gap hitters. I guess I was going all out with this advice.

At least the glove was an easy decision. I got myself a WebGems infielder glove, slipped it on my hand, and started breaking it in right there in the store.

Lastly, I figured that if I were going to run with the pros, I’d better do something to increase my speed. I pride myself on my defense at the hot corner so I didn’t want to do anything to hurt my “D”. I opted for the classy black Pegasus pair.

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Draft Day

I am projected as a mid first round pick and before the draft gets going I pour over the newspaper.

Arizona has the first pick overall and Colorado the second. I figure I might go somewhere at Toronto’s 10th pick to a team like Houston, St. Louis (though they have Drew), NYN, Seattle, or Oakland. Tampa and Montreal have the 11th and 12th picks and that scares me.

I am listed as a 4.5 star prospect and that’s a great compliment. Though there are two other 3B prospects in my talent range—Will Traverso, Jon Smith, and Eric Duncan. Smith is 24 and coming out of college. Traverso is rated slightly higher while Duncan is a similar player.

Arizona takes CF Arthur Bloom first overall. I am too nervous to sit so I get a cup of coffee. Colorado slips by and still no call (CF Alberto Rodrigues). Tampa and Montreal slip by (thank God).

The Mets have the 15th pick overall and word is they are looking for a 3B with Traverso going to Milwaukee 3rd overall and automatically being named the 5th best prospect in all of baseball this could be it! Momentarily I get excited…the big apple!…but the phone doesn’t ring. The scroll on the T.V. says they have picked Matt Moses a left-handed 3B from Virginia this is a shocking pick considering that John Smith and I are still on the board.

My disappointment is short lived as Seattle steps up to the plate and selects me 16th overall giving me a 980,000 dollar signing bonus this makes me the 39th best prospect overall. Smith is scooped up by Detroit 19th overall and promoted to AAA.

I am really happy to be selected by Seattle, as they are really a solid organization. They have a decent sized payroll, but they are a west coast team so the spotlight won’t be doubled with the SI feature and a NY team.

Even though I have never met these guys I feel linked to these guys because of the draft. So here are some names to keep in mind for the future:

3B:Will Traverso(3rd), Matt Moses (15th), Jon Smith (19th), and Eric Duncan (26th)

High picks: CF Arthur Bloom (1st) CF Alberto Rodrigues (2nd)

I especially want to outplay Traverso and Moses proving the Brewers and Mets wrong.

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Pumping Iron

After the draft, I feel pretty good. I have money in my pocket and am nearly a millionaire already. However, I find myself in single A rookie ball and I’m no longer a big fish in the small pond of high school baseball. After spring training, I meet with our scout and he gives me the following report: Contact 7 Power 16 Eye 16 Gap 15

Somehow I must have willed my contact rating up to an “8” overnight and the scout is impressed with my drive so he gives me a workout he found online and gets me on the following program. We make some adjustments adding some big strength moves and then a few stretches to even it out. It puts me at 57 exhaustion and an analysis of 1.55 with a target of 1.6.

Sunday
1. Bench Plus
2. Upper Flex Plus
3. Relax
4. Relax

Monday
1. Batting Practice
2. Bench
3. Fielding Plus
4. Relax

Tuesday
1. Leg Press
2. Lower Flex Plus
3. Relax
4. Relax

Wednesday
1. Batting Practice
2. Pullups
3. Fast Run
4. Relax

Thursday
1. Wheel Drill
2. Leg Flex Plus
3. Relax
4. Relax

Friday
1. Batting Practice
2. Leg Press
3. Fielding Practice Plus
4. Relax

Saturday
1. Wrist Twist
2. Arm Flex
3. Relax
4. Relax

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Small Fish in the Profession Pond

I find myself living the life of a minor leaguer—not the major league star I’ve dreamed of being. My million dollars doesn’t get me all that far in the sporting goods/book store so I decide to save it up until my skills increase and I know that I will be sticking around the game. There is a dive bar in town, but there I haven’t met anyone in there yet.

As starting 3B for the Inland Empire 66ers, my first professional game is against Oakland’s single A team out of Modesto. I get chills as I put on my uniform and get my equipment out of the storage locker. I am hitting 7th in the order and facing RHP Joe Blanton.

This is the closest I’ve been to a baseball celebrity sharing the field with Beane’s Golden Boy Nick Swisher who is hitting cleanup and playing 1B for the Modesto A’s. After we go down in order through the first two innings, Swisher gets a walk in his first at bat.

In my first at bat, I come up in the top of the third with no one on. I dig in and concentrate on driving the ball I take the 1-0 pitch and drive it into the gap in right-centerfield past Rockwell and turn the corner. I slide head-first into second and get myself my first professional hit—a double! I get to third on a one out sac fly, but I am stranded there by the bottom of the order.

My second at bat comes in the middle of a rally. We have already scored one and there are runners on first and second with two outs. I line out to their 3B. I am a little miffed when I am pinch hit for with only a four run lead and Rueben Olguin comes into the game.






My Teammates

We are excited to have a perfect record of 1-0. I am still irked about Olguin getting into the game though so I ask around and then go to do some research. Olguin is basically a scrub corner infielder and not really a competition for my spot.

I find out Jon Nelson is really my main single A competition. He is really a long shot prospect, but he is a mountain of a man at 6 foot 5 and 250 lbs. Greg Dobbs in AA is the second best 3B prospect in the organization. Of course 33 and 32 year old Jeff Cirillo and John Mabry are the major leaguers.

In single A, the other bright stars are SS Aaron Hill and OF Shin-Soo Choo. Hill is a really nice guy and I could get used to playing next to him on the field. He was the 2nd round pick in the 2003 draft so we are both newbies ready to make a splash.

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Month 1: The First Homerun

With a 4-1 lead in the top of the ninth, I step into the box against Domingo Valdez I turn on an inside 2-1 fastball and crank it out over the leftfield fence. This came at a good time because I am struggling a bit hitting only .214 and I was starting to get a little frustrated with myself and some of the managing situation wanting to get myself as much playing time as possible.

The Rest of the Month

I end up hitting seven homeruns during my first month in single A showing quite a bit of power already. However, I am struggling to hit consistently hitting right around .200. My OPS is .233 and my OPS is .665.

I stop into the scouts office and we watch some film. He gives me the following ratings: Contact 11 Power 17 Eye 18 Gap 20
My baseline was: Contact 7 Power 16 Eye 16 Gap 15

I had three errors and only a .929 field %

We think I might be over training and so I take my Friday night fielding practice off the board. It seems my hard work on the field, in the gym, and the bars is paying off and I am making gains though my batting average could improve.

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End of May

My batting stats keep slipping…I am now only hitting .173 and I only hit three dingers in May. My fielding improved to .937, but it is still not too great. The good news is that the scouting department is sure that I am making improvements even if my stats don’t show it.

I stop into the scouts office and we watch some film. He gives me the following ratings: Contact 15 Power 18 Eye 18 Gap 24

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June

My stats really took a jump in the warm weather of June. My batting average jumped about 50 points up to .227 I also hit another three homers and am up to 13 dingers on the season. My OBP is at .286 and my OPS is almost .700. My fielding percentage climbed up to .957 as well.

I stop into the scouts office and we watch some film. He gives me the following ratings: Contact 17 Power 18 Eye 18 Gap 27

He notes my gains in contact hitting and gap hitting which he agrees are the way to climb the ranks of the minor leagues.

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July

The Modesto A’s and Nick Swisher are back in town. I end up being the hero of the game by first drawing a walk, then coming up with a two run double in the sixth inning giving us a 2-0 lead. Kevin Schneck comes in for my next at bat in the 8th and drills me in retaliation for the double.

Swisher goes 1-3 on the day. We end up sweeping the A’s. I am moved up to the 2nd spot in the order and I go 3-5 and 2-4 in the following games. I am swinging for the fences and its been helping.

Our team is 58-50 by the end of July and its been good to finally push past the .500 mark. The big league team trails Oakland by three games in the west and the Yankees by 4 in the wild card race. The deadline came and went and I am still a 66er.

My batting average jumped another 20 points to a semi-respectable .247. I have a .308 OBP and a 742 OPS making for a statistically strange #2 hitter. I also hit another two homers during the month.

I stop into the scouts office and we watch some film. He gives me the following ratings: Contact 19 Power 19 Eye 22 Gap 28

I made improvements in all major areas and that’s all I can really ask for. I think my workout is really helping and I really am never so exhausted that my performance suffers.

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August and End of the Year

The big club goes on a 15 game win streak and pulls 5 games ahead of Oakland in the west. We finished 72-65.

I was moved back to the 6th hitter in the lineup a spot that makes more sense. I finish the season hitting .259 with 17 homers a .323 OBP and a .770 OPS.

I stop into the scouts office and we watch some film. He gives me the following ratings: Contact 26 Power 19 Eye 26 Gap 32
My baseline was: Contact 7 Power 16 Eye 16 Gap 15

The big league club sweeps Boston in the first round, but then loses to the Yankees in the ALCS.

Seattle finishes with 102 wins. The big deadline trade was for Mark Buehrle who went 15-9 on the year.

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I finished as the 36th highest rated prospect in the league.

As a comparison I, Todd Linden, hit .259 with 17 homers

My teammate Aaron Hill hit .267 with 3 homers and 26 stolen bases. Rumor is that he will be the AA shortstop next year.

15th pick overall and 3B Mike Moses hit .205 with 19 homers and has been moved to SS by the Mets.

3rd pick overall and 3B Will Traverso hit .297 with 12 homers in AA as a 2B for the Mets

1st round 3B John Smith made the majors for the Tigers and hit .184 in 179 at bats

1st round 3B Eric Duncan hit .212 with 12 homers in single A for the Giants

Beane's single A Golden Boy Nick Swisher hit .225 with 8 homers and a .354 OBP (21 points higher than me).

1st overall 2003 pick Arthur Bloom made the Bigs hitting .233 and 16 homers as a back-up outfielder in 137 games for the D’backs.

2nd overall 2003 pick
Alberto Rodrigues also made the majors for the Rockies hitting 23 homers and posting a .238 batting average as the leadoff hitter and LFer for the Rockies.

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Year Two:

It looks like my off-season work paid off! I stop into the scout’s office and we watch some film of my spring training. He gives me the following ratings: Contact 28 Power 21 Eye 30 Gap 40
Last year: Contact 26 Power 19 Eye 26 Gap 32

Aaron Hill did get promoted to AA. Of course I am happy for him and it gives me some motivation to get there myself. I think I have advanced enough to upgrade my bat too so that will help. I added a lot of Gap power in the offseason and made huge gains in my contact hitting throughout last year. I don’t think I will be a 66er for much longer, but I may be wrong.

My main goal is to get out of single A. I will keep working hard and maybe buy a bat or some gloves to get my average up this year.

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End of May

Well, I did it. I broke down and bought myself the Bluebolt. It lets me get around faster and drive quite a few more balls, but I did notice it doesn’t help me get them over the fence.

I ended the first month with some nice stats hitting .327 with five homers already. I just got my bat at the end of the month so I bet my average will stay high.

I sell my Silver Slugger for 16,000 on Bbay. I feel comfortable with my Bluebolt and don’t see a reason for making a change.

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The call up: AA San Antonio Missions 5-27-04

Starting to get restless batting cleanup in single A, hitting very well, and wondering if anyone is watching me. By the end of the month I am hitting over .330 again with seven homers in 180 at bats. I have a .417 OBP and .970 OPS. I get the call from the GM letting me know that I am joining the AA club in San Antonio. It seems they didn’t forget about their #1 pick and million dollar signing bonus after all.

Upon arriving in San Antonio I realize that they have me slated as the 5th hitter overall, a natural position for me, but that they have me at DH! I am no DH. Looks like I need to improve my defense to get this AA job. I am not happy about this. I had a .974 fielding percentage to start the year in single A.

The double A manager runs his own film room. He calls me into his office to talk about my playing time and concentrating on my swing he gives me the following evaluation

Current eval. Contact 34 Power 23 Eye 35 Gap 48
2004 baseline: Contact 28 Power 21 Eye 30 Gap 40

Basically, I think this guy is a power hungry moron. I hate to say it, but AA wins don’t amount to much in the end. Myron Friesen might have a slight edge on me in the field, but he is DHing a star prospect when he should be giving me playing time at the hot corner. I think his ambitions of becoming a major league manager and his winning percentage seems to be more important than the strength of the organization

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End of June

In an attempt to bump Friesen from the hot corner, I bought myself the Ozzie Infield Glovemaster. No dice. Friesen is still the third baseman and I am the DH.

I am holding my own offensively hitting .259 with three homeruns in a month of AA ball. My manager has me watch film in his office and then gives me the following evaluation

Current eval. Contact 38 Power 24 Eye 36 Gap 50
2004 baseline: Contact 28 Power 21 Eye 30 Gap 40

The combination of “offense only” and increased competition has really pushed me to improve. My defense has increased greatly as well with the addition of the Ozzie Glovemaster and an extra round of infield drills plus.

Hill has gotten promoted to AAA and by the end of the month he is hitting .348 for Tacoma.

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End of July

Still the DH. Still hitting well. My average is now up to .289 and I have six homers. My OBP is .386 and my OPS is .871. As much fun as I’m having hitting there is nothing I want more than to get back out on the field as a third baseman.

Again, the manager has me watch film in his office and then gives me the following evaluation

Current eval. Contact 37 Power 24 Eye 36 Gap 56
2004 baseline: Contact 28 Power 21 Eye 30 Gap 40

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End of August and 9-22-04 the call to AAA Tacoma!

I finished the year in AA with a .280 batting average. My OBP was .380 and my OPS was .817. Between AA and A ball I hit a grand total of 14 homers. The team finished the year with a winning percentage of .422.

I spend most of September drinking in the bars of San Antonio talking with my teammates, a members of the OOTP team, and my manager. I get him drunk, tell him he sucks as a manager, and he helps me improve my batting eye. Whatever.

On September 22, with AAA players getting their late season call ups I get a phone call from the Seattle GM telling me I have been promoted to AAA Tacoma once again joining Hall on the right side of the diamond.

The big club had a shot at the wild card, but the AL West was a very tough division with Texas and Oakland both putting up excellent records. Seattle finished with 88 wins, but didn’t make the playoffs.

Texas won the West after adding Vlad Guerrero in free agency of 2003 to an already stacked lineup. This made their lineup unbeatable even with their pitching staff. The Rangers scored 1048 runs and had seven players with over 25 homers and six with over 30. However, even Vlad and A-Rod were not enough to stop Oakland the 2004 team of destiny who started as a wild card and won the world series ring for Billy Beane.

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2003 draft update

I am currently the 14th best prospect in baseball. I hit .280 and 14 homers in AA as a 3B.

Alberto Rodrigues had an amazing year in Colorado hitting .251 with 51 homers as their 20 year old leftfielder.

Arthur Bloom also started for the big league club. He hit .329 with seven homers in 137 games.

William Traverso played in AAA hitting .272 with 24 homers on the season as a 2B. He is currently the 5th best prospect in baseball.

Matt Moses is still in single A and hit only .212 and 9 homers during the season. The Mets are really kicking themselves now.

In the Seattle organization Shin-Soo Choo has gotten some playing time in the bigs playing LF alongside Cameron and Ichiro. He hit .283 and five homers in 166 at bats.

Aaron Hill hit .286 and one homerun at AAA in his half season there. He also stole 12 bases on the year. He is competing with another bright SS prospect, Jose Lopez, in AAA for the future ML SS position. Both are 4 star shortstops.

Rueben Jorgenson looks to be another part of Seattle’s future infield with Hill and myself. As a 2B, he hit .200 in the majors and split time in AA and AAA as well. He is a 4.5 star prospect.

Looking ahead to the major league level, Jeff Cirillo, is 34 and signed through 2006. He hit .289 with six homeruns on the year.

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Year three: 2005

After the rush of making AAA at the end of last year, my off-season was ultimately one of disappointment as Seattle signed 3B Aramis Ramirez
as a free agent to a four-year deal. Ramirez has hit around .250 over the last two years with only a smattering of homers, but this is troubling.

I am starting the year in AAA, but I have a feeling that the youth movement will be making a big impact on the big leagues with Choo, myself, and Hill all in AAA and Jorgenson in already in the bigs.

I like my AAA manager much better already as he has me playing the field instead of DHing. He has a separate film guy who collected my tapes from AA San Antonio he compared them with my spring training film and gave me this readout.

End of year report: Contact 37 Power 24 Eye 36 Gap 56
Current report: Contact 46 Power 26 Eye 46 Gap 60

He tells me this progress kept Seattle from giving Ramirez a no-trade clause, but I know that he is a member of the scouting team that has enough pull to influence free agent signings in the first place.

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End of April and May

Ramirez is struggling in the majors with a .198 average for the month including a six game hot streak to pull his average up from the .140’s. In AAA I am hitting a ton--.346 and 4 homers.

2005 baseline report: Contact 46 Power 26 Eye 46 Gap 60
2005 current report: Contact 47 Power 26 Eye 47 Gap 60

May sees the call of Friesen to AAA and he is given the 3B job while I am once again moved to DH. I can not believe this. Between Ramirez and Friesen I am not sure that the organization has me in their future plans. Basically I am feeling like trade bait at this point without any control over where I might end up.

If they do go with Ramirez and/or Friesen at 3B they are making a huge mistake. In the meantime I just get my 4-5 hacks in a game and boil over with rage whenever my team takes the field without me.