As some of you know that in addition to The APBA Blog, I am an Illini baseball fan and have a fan website devoted to the team. I’ve grown to love college baseball but it’s not often when my APBA world and my Illinois baseball world collide.
When it does, I’m thrilled.
It’s happened a couple of times before this year. In 2021, In the Illowa APBA League, I drafted Seattle Mariner and former Illini pitcher Joey Gerber who was a CR* based on his 2020 stats. He wasn’t on the active roster for the M’s that year, so he was a “one-and-done”. Incidentally, I did hear the Yankees signed him to a minor league contract so maybe I gave up on him too quickly.
I had greater success with Tanner Roark who pitched for the University of Illinois from 2006-2007, just as I was beginning to follow the Illini. I drafted Roark partially out of sentimentality but mostly, I thought he would have a future. And he did, for the most part. He was 55-62 with a 4.19 ERA in eight seasons for my Twin City Thunderchickens.
But things might be different now. Enter Michael Massey.
Massey is a former Illini infielder with opposite field gap power who has ripped through the minors and has now gotten his chance to show we can do for the Kansas City Royals. He came up for a cup of coffee after the All-Star break when the Royals were scheduled to play in Toronto, and several (including Whit Merrifield) were not vaccinated. Massey responded by getting 3 hits in 8 at bats in three games.
A few weeks later when I saw that the Royals traded Merrifield, I texted my league, “I bet Massey gets called up tomorrow”. Sure enough, he wasn’t in AAA Omaha’s lineup. The next day, he got the call. And it looks like he’s up for the task. So far, he’s hitting .341 (15 for 44) in fourteen games.
Not only that, he’s making plays like this at second base.
So, it’s no surprise to my league that I’m anxious to draft Mr. Massey in next year’s IAL draft if all goes well for the rest of the year. With KC’s commitment to their “youth movement” which is having some success, he’ll get playing time and will get an APBA card. Not only do I have an attachment to a player who I’ve seen (and photographed) for three seasons but he’s someone I feel has a lot of potential.
But there is a hitch in my plan. His name is Don Smith, friend and fellow IAL manager.
See, both Don and Massey are fellow Brother Rice high school alums, a generation (or two!) apart. Anyone familiar with Brother Rice knows that the Crusader community is very tight. Don has been following Massey as close as I have been.
That’s Don holding a Massey-signed ball I procured for him. I explained to Michael Massey that he was signing it for a fellow Crusader. I think he believed me.
I sure am a nice friend, aren’t I, Don?
In following Massey’s exploits from college to the minors and now the show, we both have relishing in the success of Massey but we only one thing… he will get drafted.
By whom, we’re not sure.
We have a lot of fun over our league group text. I know Don is also itching to get his hands on a 2022 Massey APBA card.
The funny thing is since Don and I are both transparent about our interest in Massey, other IAL managers are taking a gander too. “Hmm, Michael Massey, huh?”
To be honest, I just wish Michael the best. As someone who has watched him play for three years and talked to him across the fence, I knew there was something special about him and nothing would make me happier than for him to succeed.
