The Official Andrew Bailey Talk Sports Thread

[Green & Gold Heart]

OK, it's official. Andrew Bailey is an A (or at least an A's farmhand).

The A's signed three more of their selections in the amateur draft -- third-round pick Matt Sulentic, an outfielder from Dallas Hillcrest High School; sixth-round pick Andrew Bailey, a right-handed pick from Wagner College; and 26th-round pick Derrick Gordon, a left-hander from Lamar University.

Link!

Follow this thread for all things Andrew Bailey!

[abailey3313]

This is my favorite thread in the history of message boards.

[atarizx3]

A. Bailey is obviously an HGH user

[abailey3313]

I'd say it's about time for an update.

[Jules]

Andrew is a bitch.

[jeheinz72]

So Bailey, playing any sort of pickup basketball that you could regale us with stories about?

[abailey3313]

Originally Posted by jeheinz72

So Bailey, playing any sort of pickup basketball that you could regale us with stories about?

It's funny you mention that, because I was telling a buddy of mine last night over some drinks (FYI: vodka, pineapple juice, and lemonade) that I've really been wanting to get a game of basketball going. However, there's a couple problems.

First of all, I don't have anyone to play with. I mean -- I do -- but it's hard to make everyone's hours work to get a decent game going.

Secondly, most people I know will play for about 30 minutes, get hot, and quit. Or, in the case of the friend I was talking to last night, just don't care to play actual competitive games and would rather just shoot around. Me, I need to play an actual game or I get bored. I can't just shoot baskets.

[jeheinz72]

Yeah I hear you on that. My buddies used to counteract that by playing 21 instead of full/half-court. Then it's like you can choose to not try and you aren't letting anyone down but yourself. I used to throw down some serious poVVnag3 at 21.

[abailey3313]

The bad thing about playing 21 with people that don't really want to be competitive is that there's always the one guy who will -- completely out of nowhere -- tap you out of the game. It's usually the same guy that doesn't try for a single rebound or put up a single shot outside of the one that forces you out of the game.

[JWay]

I'm 10x better than bailey

[magnet]

Originally Posted by abailey3313

The bad thing about playing 21 with people that don't really want to be competitive is that there's always the one guy who will -- completely out of nowhere -- tap you out of the game. It's usually the same guy that doesn't try for a single rebound or put up a single shot outside of the one that forces you out of the game.

tap you out? I've never used that rule in 21; what do you mean?

[atarizx3]

This just in: Isiah Thomas just traded for Andrew Bailey, G Maryland

[abailey3313]

Originally Posted by magnet

tap you out? I've never used that rule in 21; what do you mean?

On a shot that goes off the rim, a tap is when a player jumps, catches the rebound in the air, and puts it in the basket -- all of which is done in mid-air before the player's feet touch the ground.

We've always played with one-handed and two-handed taps. A one-handed tap puts the person out of the game completely and a two-handed tap erases all of your points.

[Green & Gold Heart]

More on Andrew Bailey's signing:

HADDON HEIGHTS, NJ - Wagner pitcher Andrew Bailey signed a professional contract with the Oakland A's earlier this morning at his home in Haddon Heights, NJ.

He will report to Vancouver, British Columbia where he will begin his professional career with the short-season Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League. Bailey was drafted by Oakland in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft earlier this month.

"The last couple of weeks have been nerve-racking with a lot of ups and downs," said Bailey. "But now that I've signed and the business part of it is over, I can just go out and pitch the way that I know how to and hopefully good things will happen."

Bailey was the 21st pick of the sixth round and the 188th overall. He also was the fifth player taken by Oakland and their third pitcher.

The right-handed flamethrower had a highly successful season going 3-1 with two complete games, three saves and a 2.03 ERA in 44.1 innings of work while striking out 53 and limiting hitters to a .146 average. For his career he amassed 14 wins and a school-record 237 strikeouts to go along with a 3.94 ERA in 219.1 innings while leading the Green & White to three-straight NEC Tournament appearances.

The Vancouver Canadians play a 76-game schedule in the Northwest League based on the west coast.

[Bobbuttons]

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

The right-handed flamethrower

i.e. 76mph fastball

[abailey3313]

Originally Posted by Bobbuttons

i.e. 76mph fastball

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

More on Andrew Bailey's signing:

HADDON HEIGHTS, NJ - Wagner pitcher Andrew Bailey signed a professional contract with the Oakland A's earlier this morning at his home in Haddon Heights, NJ.

Did he get a signing bonus? If so, he should give it to his folks, 'cause they really need to redecorate.

[magnet]

Originally Posted by abailey3313

On a shot that goes off the rim, a tap is when a player jumps, catches the rebound in the air, and puts it in the basket -- all of which is done in mid-air before the player's feet touch the ground.

We've always played with one-handed and two-handed taps. A one-handed tap puts the person out of the game completely and a two-handed tap erases all of your points.

thats a pretty sweet rule!

[mikev]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Did he get a signing bonus? If so, he should give it to his folks, 'cause they really need to redecorate.

Let me explain how a signing bonus for a guy drafted in the 6th round works:

Setting: The local restaurant. Bailey, his parents, his agent, and the advance scout for the Athletics are seated in a corner booth. The discussion revolves around where Bailey will play.

Andrew Bailey: "Well, I'd really like to play professionall ball for the A's. Where would I start?[/b]

A's Scout: "Vancouver. It's the short season low-a team, you'd be there since you just finished your college schedule recently and we don't want to overwork you."

AB: "Sweet! I'm ready to pitch."

Idle chit chat ensues as dinner is brought to the table. Everybody has an enjoyable meal and soon the server brings the check. The Scout opens his briefcase, and proceeds to take out a sizeable contract for Bailey to play minor league ball for the Athletics organization.

Bailey's Agent: "Whoa, hold on a second. Now, I know that we're going to be signing a minor league contract here, but we need to talk about what kind of bonus Andrew will be getting for signing."

Scout: "Bonus?"

AB: "Bonus?"

AB's Parents: "Bonus??"

Bailey's Agent: "Of course. Nobody signs a contract after they're drafted without a signing bonus."

Scout: "Hmm... I'm not sure that I'm qualified to offer a signing bonus. What did you have in mind?"

At this point, the contract is already in front of Bailey, ready to sign. There is no mention of a signing bonus at all.

Bailey's agent looks at the Scout, then looks down at the table. Then looks back at the Scout, and raises his eyebrows.

With a heavy sigh, the Scout slowly pulls his wallet out of his back pocket and reaches for the bill that the server had left on the table.

Scout: Atta kid. Sign away, Andrew!

[Green & Gold Heart]

From Scout.com:

When the A’s selected Andrew Bailey in the 6th round on Tuesday, they made a little history. By being chosen with the 188th overall pick, Bailey became the highest-ever draft pick to come out of the NEC. Bailey’s road to pro baseball has been a tough one, as he has had to overcome Tommy John surgery. We caught up with Bailey and with his head coach at Wagner to get some insight on the pitcher.

Andrew Bailey's first junior season at Wagner University didn’t quite have the ending he had hoped it would. The big right-hander came into the 2005 season with hopes of going high in the draft after a breakout sophomore season with the Green & White. However, those plans were put on the shelf when Bailey was sidelined by an elbow injury after just seven starts. He would eventually need Tommy John surgery, which he had on May 5, and that surgery dropped his draft status. Bailey was selected in the 16th round by the Milwaukee Brewers, but he chose to continue his rehabilitation and his career at Wagner.

Less than ten months after the surgery, Bailey surprised nearly everyone by returning to the mound as a red-shirt junior. Although he was limited to only 12 appearances and six starts, he made his presence felt, going 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 2006. He struck out 53 in only 44.1 innings and managed to record a save and two complete games in the same season. Bailey was the third-ranked New York prospect going into the draft, according to Baseball America.

Although Bailey is just a year removed from Tommy John surgery, his fastball velocity has returned to the low to mid-90s. He used that fastball to become Wagner’s all-time leader in strikeouts with 237 in 219.1 career innings. He led his team to three consecutive Northeast Conference tournament appearances while at the head of the Wagner staff.

We caught up with Wagner head coach Joe Litterio and Bailey himself to get more insight on this hard-throwing prospect.

Interview with Coach Litterio

OaklandClubhouse: What pitches does Andrew throw?

Coach Litterio: His best pitch is his fastball, which has been clocked as high as 96. It generally sits at 92-94. He also has a slider, change-up and a curveball. He throws both a two-seamer and a four-seamer. The two-seamer has the most movement and he can throw that up and in to right-handers.

OC: Is Andrew 100 percent recovered from the surgery in your mind?

CL: He isn't 100 percent right now. Health-wise, I think he is 100 percent, but his command hasn’t quite come back yet all the way. After that type of surgery, your command can suffer a little bit for awhile. He pitched really well for us this year, but it will probably take him a few more months to get his command back to where it was before the surgery.

OC: What do you think the biggest challenge will be for Andrew as he tackles the next level?

CL: Andrew is the type of kid who accepts all challenges, so I think he'll handle the transition well. He will need to improve his secondary pitches because the higher you go, the more you need them to off-set your fastball.

Interview with Andrew Bailey

OaklandClubhouse: What went through your mind when your name was called at the draft?

Andrew Bailey: I was really excited when my name was called, especially since I was just coming off of having surgery and I wasn’t sure how that would effect [my draft status]. It was a lot of hard work to come back from the surgery and it really paid off for me and everything just worked out great.

OC: Did you know that the A’s were interested in you?

AB: I spoke to [the Oakland A’s] area scout out here a few weeks ago, so I knew that they had some interest, but I really didn’t consider them to be the team that would be likely [to draft me]. I was actually thinking that it would probably be more the Yankees or the Phillies, but I couldn’t be more excited to be part of the A’s organization. They are a great organization with a great reputation for developing pitchers, so it is a good opportunity for me.

OC: Have you thought much about the next step?

AB: The area scout called yesterday and said that they would be back in-touch over the next few days. Until then, I’ll continue to get my work in and finish up my rehab. Once I sign, I hope to get to the big leagues as quickly as possible and help the team win.

OC: What was the recovery like from the Tommy John surgery?

AB: I had the surgery last May 5. Recovery was really long and tedious. You can’t skip a workout or you risk setting yourself back. My coaches and trainers at Wagner really pushed me to keep at it even on the days when it was sore and I was frustrated.

I didn’t have any set-backs, even during my throwing program, and my arm has felt great since then. Some people questioned how quickly I came back, but I felt great and it all worked out really well.

OC: You pitched a little out of the bullpen when you first came back from the surgery. Was that part of your recovery or were you looking to add that as part of your pitching resume?

AB: Basically, my coach told me that it was all up to me in terms of when I came back. He said that if I wanted to throw an inning or two here and there, that that would be fine. I was a closer for the team for a little while. I worked my way up from one inning to two innings to three innings and so on.

It is a lot different to go from a throwing session when you throw 80 pitches and rest after 40 then it is to be in a game situation and throw 15 pitches, sit for 20 minutes, and then throw again. It took a little while to get back into the swing of things.

OC: Which secondary pitches are you most comfortable with?

AB: Right now, I am most comfortable with my curveball. Command is still a bit of an issue, but they say that your command doesn’t come back completely from the surgery until two years after. Still, my curveball was working really well this year. I was working on a slider [before the surgery], but it’s hard to work on a new pitch when you are rehabbing, so I have sort of shelved that for now.