Mikey Bryant Clubs HR #100

"With the 21st pick in the 2010 Rule IV Amateur Draft the Jersey Shore D-Bags select Mike Bryant, second base, out of Stanford University" ~ Commissioner Ulery, September 1, 2010

Combination of  glove, power, speed and contact made Bryant a prototypical 1st round pick.  Jersey was shocked he fell to them at 21.  "We had him Top 10, especially playing in the middle infield.  Guy was a no-brainier in our mindset." said GM Josh Swain.  Bryant has put in long hours in the cage and worked in the off season to make him one of most feared hitters in the BSA today.  We sit a few months short of 6 years since the Bags took Bryant to celebrate his 100th career HR.  He was drafted at the age of 22, spent nearly 3 years in the minors refining his skills before breaking out in 2013.  435 games and 1767 At bats later he reaches his 1st milestone.  

Tuesday, May 10th, 2016.  After hitting his 99th career HR a week earlier, the Bags sat in the middle of a home stand.  Beating the LA Bruins 2 out of 3 was nice, but for Bryant he sat on 99.  The counter by the "Bryant Bunch" in the Right Field bleachers told the entire crowd where he sat.  They were hoping to see fireworks at home.  Alfonso Medina was on the mound for the Madison Bombers that afternoon, whom Bryant was 3 for 7 against without a HR.  Bryant would get his chance early.  Hitting cleanup, the first two hitters in the inning, Peter Larson and Alberto Perez would reach base via walks.  After the catcher Duran would fly out, Bryant would get his cuts.  It only took Medina 4 pitches to sit Bryant down swinging on a slider out of the zone.

His 2nd try would come leading off the bottom of the 3rd inning with his team trailing 5-2.  He had a favorable count of 2-1 before a big swing and a miss left the count evened at 2-2.  The 5th pitch Bryant just missed which resulted in a fly out to CF.  Bryant would barely have his helmet off before his good buddy Matt Doyle would take the 3rd pitch of his AB 375 feet, 17 rows up in the right field bleachers.   It wouldn't take long for Bryant to get another chance.  It was just the next inning.  With runners on the corners down 5-3, Bryant strolled to the plate to face Medina for the 3rd time today. The first pitch was a fastball which caught the inside corner for a strike, a good slider and a swing and a miss would put Bryant down in the hole 0-2.  Medina set and pitched.....Medina made a mistake.  A hanging curveball. Bryant rarely misses mistakes.  He didn't this time.  Bryant with a dead pull punished that curveball.  What seemed like minutes later, the ball landed 457 feet deep into the upper deck for a go ahead 3 run HR, and the 100 HR of the young slugger's career.  The crowd gave a standing ovation and Bryant would return out of the dugout with a tip of the hat.  

How far can Bryant go?  100 HR is a nice milestone and it puts him in the company of 100+ players who also have hit that many HR.  He is 28, which for a 3rd year player is older than most.  The big milestones may be out of reach, but with the way he has played in his short career, I don't think we have seen him to his full potential yet.  The kid is special.  The real question is which milestone will come 2nd now?  1000 career hits or 200 HR?  He currently sits at 582 career hits and 100 HR.  My bet is on hits, but with the way the HR are leaving the yard, it might be close!

Hopefully Bryant can continue the D-Bags in this tough division battle and lead the Bags back to the playoffs this season!

GO D-BAGS!