Latest news with #Blubaugh
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Those who believed in Astros prospect AJ Blubaugh relish his big league debut
HOUSTON — Belief brought AJ Blubaugh to the pinnacle of his profession, a place few presumed he'd ever reach. Those who did gathered on the backstop before the biggest day of Blubaugh's life, swapping stories of how a 'sidearm knuckleballer who played shortstop' found himself as a spot starter for the Houston Astros. Advertisement 'We probably talk too much,' Drew Pearson said on Wednesday morning. 'I probably bug him too much. We text all the time. Phone calls. We had that bond from the beginning, so I feel comfortable with it.' Blubaugh phoned Pearson around 11:30 on Monday night to tell him of his promotion. Astros amateur scouting director Cam Pendino followed, congratulating Pearson on the first major leaguer of his scouting career. Few members of a baseball organization relish a major-league debut more than the player's signing scout. It is an affirmation of advocacy that sometimes spans years, proof that pounding the table in a draft room can pay dividends. 'I just knew deep down the kid was special,' Pearson said. 'I don't think I could stomach seeing him in a different uniform on a big league field, so I'm glad we got him.' Pearson played baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before becoming the school's volunteer assistant coach in 2018. During Pearson's first season, pitching coach Cory Bigler brought him and the coaching staff video of Blubaugh, a scrawny pitcher from a podunk town in Ohio. Watching the video left the coaching staff 'scratching our heads,' Pearson said. Blubaugh weighed 90 pounds as a high school freshman and, at age 16, topped out at 60 mph. 'A drop-down knuckleball guy with no arm strength,' Pearson said. 'We just kind of took a flyer on him,' said Scott Doffek, Wisconsin-Milwaukee's longtime head coach. When they did, Pearson and Blubaugh's careers became forever intertwined, even if their coach-player relationship spanned just one pandemic-shortened season. In March 2020, Pearson left the school to become a video coordinator in the Astros' amateur scouting department. Nine months later, Houston promoted Pearson to Midwest area scout, the position he still holds. His coverage zone includes Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska and, to Blubaugh's advantage, Wisconsin. Blubaugh blossomed into Wisconsin-Milwaukee's closer during his sophomore season, striking out 37 batters across 27 1/3 innings. Advertisement 'He had the pitch makeup where you could see the end result here was going to be a starting pitcher,' Doffek said. Few in professional baseball knew this. Pearson did. He pushed the Astros to select Blubaugh in the 2021 draft — his draft as an area scout. Blubaugh's birthday is on the Fourth of July, close enough to the cutoff date for college sophomores that Pearson still believes some teams weren't even aware of Blubaugh's draft eligibility. The absence of a true breaking ball in Blubaugh's arsenal worried some in Houston's draft room. So did his lack of an agent, which prompted concerns Blubaugh might not sign if the Astros drafted him. Bear in mind, Houston did not have a first- or second-round pick as punishment for electronically stealing signs, heightening the scrutiny on each selection. 'It was just a riskier pick. We didn't know how it would work out,' Pearson said. 'I understood it. It's part of it. I just knew deep down the kid was special.' A subsequent, standout summer in the Cape Cod League paired with Pearson's persistence and the Astros chose Blubaugh in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. He is the only pitcher from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to ever make the major leagues. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho is the school's only other big leaguer. 'There's just really good baseball players that come from everywhere,' Doffek said. 'You don't have to be at a Power 5 on a huge NIL deal or anything like that. You can be a late bloomer, find the right person to help develop you, then it's about that guy going to work and recognizing the opportunities in front of them on a day-to-day basis and that's exactly what he does.' Doffek joined Pearson, his former pupil, in Houston on Wednesday afternoon. Shaun Wegner, who succeeded Doffek following his retirement in 2023, flanked both men on the field where Blubaugh authored a bumpy debut. Advertisement Blubaugh struck out six and scattered five hits across four innings of seven-run ball. Detroit spoiled 20 of his pitches foul and averaged a 97.9 mph exit velocity on the 12 it put in play. Just two of the Tigers' runs were earned, a consequence of Jeremy Peña botching a double play ball at the beginning of a five-run third inning. Blubaugh generated a whiff with the first major-league pitch he threw: a 93.8 mph sinker that halved home plate. His four-seam fastball reached 97.1 mph and settled around 94. Four of his six strikeouts came against the sweeper that some in Houston's draft room once worried would never develop. It wasn't the greatest debut for A.J. Blubaugh, but he did some good things. 16 whiffs on 48 swings, including this curveball that had 58 inches of drop. — Astros Stats 📈 (@astro_numbers) April 30, 2025 'That was the biggest question mark and why he slipped in the draft,' Pearson said. 'But he had a unique ability to manipulate the baseball — long fingers and wiry. We figured with our (player development) staff and how good those guys are, we could get him to a workable slider. He's surpassed the workable phase of the slider.' The 21 sweepers Blubaugh spun generated a 33 percent called strike/whiff rate — higher than any of the six pitches he threw. Javier Báez snuck one of the sweepers into the Crawford Boxes for a back-breaking grand slam in the third inning, staking Blubaugh and the Astros to a six-run deficit they couldn't overcome. 'I learned I'm better than I think I am, but I definitely have more room to grow,' Blubaugh said. 'I'm proud of the way I handled myself. Proud of the team for picking me up when I was down. I'm just so happy. This is a day I've been dreaming of. It's not the end goal, but it's a good step in the right direction.' Following the game, Houston optioned Blubaugh back to Triple-A Sugar Land, unsurprising given the looming return of Lance McCullers Jr. and Hayden Wesneski's continued presence on the active roster. That Blubaugh is now on the 40-man roster puts him in a prime position for more major-league exposure this season. Advertisement 'I really like the makeup of this kid,' manager Joe Espada said. 'He shows the qualities that some of our young starters that have come up here in the past have shown. He's got that temperament that we are looking for, the toughness.' Something others have known from the start. 'After about a year of being with him, I told him that I believed he was going to be here,' Doffek said. 'The kid is just different and it really smacks you in the face when you're around him. His character is off the charts and I think the character really exudes when you watch him pitch.' (Photo of Blubaugh: Tim Warner / Getty Images)
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Second-ever UW-Milwaukee alum makes Major League debut. And check out the wild catch from the first guy
Blubaugh pitches in the first inning of his MLB debut against the Detroit Tigers at Daikin Park on April 30, 2025 in Houston, Texas. Houston Astros prospect A.J. Blubaugh, an Ohio native who played college baseball at UW-Milwaukee, made his Major League debut Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, becoming the second player from UWM to reach the big leagues and first pitcher. He joins outfielder Daulton Varsho as the only former Panthers to reach the big leagues. Advertisement Blubaugh scuffled after a clean first inning, allowing five hits and a walk in the next three innings, though only two of the seven runs that scored against him were earned. He closed with a strong fourth and finished with six strikeouts. Presumably, there will be many more chances for the 24-year-old right-hander, ranked 10th among the organization's prospects by MLB Pipeline. Hailing from Belleville, Ohio, Blubaugh selected in the seventh round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft by Houston He has a career 4.02 ERA in 65 minor-league appearances (44 starts) with a 1.32 WHIP. He played three years at UWM, earning Horizon League Relief Pitcher of the Year in both seasons after the pandemic and earning first-team All-Conference nods each time. As a sophomore, he had just a 1.06 WHIP and finished with a 3.25 ERA in 16 appearances. Daulton Varsho makes an unbelievable catch for Toronto Speaking of Varsho, he produced an early candidate for catch of the year in the Major League, albeit somewhat unwittingly. Back healthy for his first game of the season, Varsho stumbled trying to flag down a fly ball from Jaren Duren of Boston on Tuesday, then made a casual circus catch behind his back as he rose to his feet. Advertisement Even that description doesn't really do the snag justice. "When I fell, I was like, 'Oh boy, it's going to be somewhat near me,'" Varsho said afterward. "I saw it kind of really quick and kind of stuck my glove out." Varsho, a Marshfield native, won his first career Gold Glove as a center fielder last year. Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho attempts to make a diving catch in an Aug. 28, 2024, game against the Red Sox in Boston. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Second-ever UW-Milwaukee alum, A.J. Blubaugh, makes Major League debut
New York Times
30-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Astros to promote top pitching prospect AJ Blubaugh
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros will promote pitching prospect AJ Blubaugh to make his major-league debut on Wednesday afternoon in a spot start against the Detroit Tigers. Blubaugh boasts a 4.29 ERA across his first 21 Triple-A innings. He represented the Astros in the Futures Game last season. The 24-year-old right-hander finished with a 4.19 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Advertisement The Athletic's Keith Law slotted Blubaugh sixth in his preseason ranking of Houston's prospects, higher than any pitcher in the Astros' system. Blubaugh participated in major-league spring training, but is not on the team's 40-man roster, so Houston will have to create a spot prior to Wednesday's game. The Astros selected Blubaugh in the seventh round of the 2022 Draft from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. When Blubaugh throws his first pitch on Wednesday, he will become the school's first pitcher to ever reach the major leagues. Blubaugh closed for almost all of his college career before converting into a starter upon his entrance into pro ball. Blubaugh can reach 97 mph with his four-seam fastball, but usually hovers around the low to mid-90s. Before the season, Law wrote that Blubaugh's 'probability of sticking in the rotation has gone up substantially since last offseason.' How long he sticks in Houston's major-league rotation is a mystery. Blubaugh will start on Wednesday in place of Hayden Wesneski, whom Espada said 'needs a couple more days to recover from his last start.' The velocity on all of Wesneski's pitches declined throughout that outing against the Kansas City Royals, though he still managed to throw five innings of two-run ball. Asked twice this week whether Wesneski is healthy, Espada said he is. Espada did not answer definitively whether Wesneski could return to the Astros' rotation during this weekend's series against the Chicago White Sox, only saying 'I'm going to wait to make that call.' 'I just want to make sure he plays catch, recovers well and I'll make a decision on that,' Espada said. If Wesneski is not ready to return in Chicago, the Astros could compensate by welcoming back a long-lost face. Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday morning at Daikin Park and, if all goes well, Espada hinted he could make his next start at the major-league level. McCullers has not started a major-league game since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series. He underwent flexor tendon surgery in 2023 and missed all of last season after encountering a slew of setbacks.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More Oklahoma forestry services jobs on the chopping block
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Governor Kevin Stitt is doubling down on his criticism of the state's forest service and launching an investigation into the agency. News 4 has confirmed from sources that more employees' jobs are on the chopping block. We learned on Tuesday that the public information officer for Oklahoma Forestry Services, Keith Merckx, was fired. The state forester was fired weeks ago, as well. Source: Numerous high-level state forestry officials placed on leave amid Stitt crackdown on agency 'You don't throw out the whole kit and caboodle just because you're mad at somebody,' said Scott Blubaugh, president of American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative. Governor Stitt has said he wasn't happy with the agency's response during the March 14 wildfire outbreak. 'Why do I even have a Department of Forestry? Let's get rid of the whole thing,' said Governor Stitt. The Governor's Office says an initial investigation reveals that Forestry didn't deploy all of its resources: 51 out of 96 firefighters 12 out of 34 engines 16 out of 37 dozers They also released a new map that clarifies where resources were stationed. WildfirePreposition_0314_arch_d_land_20250408_1134_OK-OKS_Fire_Support_OKOKS250001Download The Southern Group of State Foresters has worked with Goeller for several years and says his team requested additional help ahead of the fires. Lincoln County fire chiefs demand clarity about former forestry director's firing 'We saw the activation of the South Central Forest Fire Compact, which is administered through our organization, and this allowed Oklahoma to bring in support from neighboring states,' said Chelsea Ealum, communications with the Southern Group of State Foresters. Governor Stitt also claims getting rid of the department would save taxpayers $75 million. 'Just moving some money around to the local, you're still going to have some big gaps out there in the state, and you're not going to be able to fight these fires as efficiently as we can have in the forestry service,' said Blubaugh. The American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative says that beyond wildfires, the forestry department is essential. 'In southeast Oklahoma, the timber industry is huge, forestry industry is huge, and it contributes about 19,000 jobs here in Oklahoma,' said Blubaugh. Blubaugh says insurance rates could also go up without the department. The Governor's Office also announced the formation of a Wildland Fire Response Working Group. The group will develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to enhance Oklahoma's wildfire mitigation, suppression, and recovery capabilities through unified response efforts, interagency coordination, and strategic partnerships. It will be co-led by the Secretary of Public Safety, Tricia Everest, and the Secretary of Agriculture, Blayne Arthur. Additional members will include: Oklahoma Fire Service Agencies and Associations All Hazards First Responders and Incident Management Personnel Local and County Emergency Managers Agricultural Policy and Research Professionals from OSU Private Sector and Insurance Industry Representatives Nonprofits and Community-Based Stakeholders The Working Group is directed to convene within 30 days and will submit a set of formal recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within six months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Jeff Blubaugh went to March Madness and wound up $2,900 richer
So, I go to March Madness and end up writing about Jeff Blubaugh. While the NCAA delivered some of college basketball at its worst on Thursday, Blubaugh, a Sedgwick County commissioner, walked away with more than $2,900 from a pop-up unclaimed property tent that the state treasurer set up in nearby Naftzger Park. And he's going to be on ABC News Good Morning America for it. Thursday's first two NCAA Tournament games at Wichita's Intrust Bank Arena were both boring blowouts, with Houston shredding Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to the tune of 78-40, closely followed by Gonzaga mauling Georgia 89-68. Probably the most interesting thing about those games was that they both featured teams with the same mascots, Cougars in the case of Houston-SIUE and Bulldogs in the Gonzaga-Georgia matchup. So, I decided to go over to Naftzger and check out the social scene, and ran into Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson. He'd set up a tent where people could have his staff check to see if they were owed any money for unclaimed property. A lot of that winds up in the treasurer's office, like uncashed and undeliverable checks, insurance proceeds that never got to the beneficiaries, and forgotten bank accounts and safe-deposit box contents. Johnson brought his team and their tent to the park so they could appear on a segment of Good Morning America's recurring feature called 'Show Me the Money.' 'It was a chance to work with Good Morning America,' Johnson said. 'Just to get the word out nationally (about unclaimed property recovery) and to get Kansas on the map for a moment was a good opportunity for today.' Then I introduced myself to the GMA reporter, Will Reeve. 'Every state in the country has unclaimed property, unclaimed money,' Reeve said. 'Sometimes it's a few dollars — I myself found I was owed $7 in Virginia. I've never lived in Virginia, but for some reason I was owed that money. 'But what's even more exciting is some people, it turns out they have like thousands of dollars owed them. We've had people on camera find $1,800, $2,000, real substantial money.' Enter Jeff Blubaugh. They ran his name and then did a big reveal for the TV camera, with a giant check in the amount of $2,906 (and 26 cents). And that wasn't even his personal best. Blubaugh owns a lot of properties and has collected big money before on misdirected insurance payments and whatnot. He said the last time they checked it a couple years ago, he got more than $10,000. Before I left, I asked the treasurer's staff to run my name. As they went through the Leflers, the only name I knew that cropped up was my son Braden, who lives in Overland Park and is a business litigation attorney with a big-name law firm in Kansas City, Mo. Turns out he's owed money for an unclaimed refund on a college fee, apparently from his undergrad days at Wichita State University, that my wife and I probably wrote the check for in the first place. I got nothing. This is not a just world.
