You look at the players who play in the majors now, and some of them a huge physical specimens. Arron Judge, Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, James Wood. All are 6’4″ or taller. Large does not always mean better, but you are more likely to be a power hitter with some size to you. But being small does not mean you cannot excel in the major leagues.
Nutrition, exercise, are just part of the reason today’s athletes are so big. A lot of it has to do with the fact that men and women have grown taller over the years naturally. Evolution one might call it. My mom was 5’5″, my dad was 5’7″. I am 6′ even. My son, whose mom was 5’1″, is 5’8″. My daughters, whose mom was 5’6″. are both 5’10”. Can’t explain it, just biology at work and maybe a messed-up gene pool.
Before the modern era, there were many players who were short in stature. One of Brooklyn’s first real stars stood just 5’4″. Keeler played for Brooklyn for 5 seasons. His BA? .388. He even hit 14 homers in that span, pretty good for the dead ball era. What I find amazing is that in 5 seasons, Keeler struck out just 36 times. In his 19-year career, Willie struck out just 136 times in 8,591 at bats. I would love to see a modern-day hitter even come close to that mark.
Let’s look at some small in stature players who have had nice careers as major leaguers. We will look at some of the active guys first, then go into those who played in the past. The first one is Jose Altuve of the Astros. Dodger fans despise the guy for good reason, but his skills on the field are unmistakable. In his 16-year MLB career, he has a .302 lifetime BA. And for a guy who is only 5’6″ he has surprising power. 259 career homers attest to that. The first four years of his career he never hit more than 7. In the last ten, he has hit 31 twice, and 20 or more five times. He also has 3 batting titles and an MVP award to his credit. He has only 1 gold glove. He also has 27 homers in the post season.
Ozzie Albies, the Braves second baseman, has had a very nice 10-year career. He is 5’7″. He does not have the same type of power that Altuve has, but he too has hit 30 or more homers twice. He has two other seasons when he hit 24. He is a .266 career hitter with 165 career homers and 609 driven in. He was a huge part of the Braves 2021 run to the championship. Albies is a solid defender and has enough speed on the bases to be a pest.
Javier Sanoja is the Marlins utility player. This is his 3rd season with Miami, and he is hitting .281. He is not a power hitter, just 7 career homers, but his contact numbers have improved. His OPS+ is 108. He won the gold glove last year as the best utility player in the NL. He is 5’7″.
A kid to watch is OF, Carlos Cortes of the A’s. In 40 games in his rookie campaign last year, he hit .309/4/14 with an OPS of .866. He is even better so far this year, in 44 games he is hitting .336/5/17. He has walked more than he has struck out, 18-15. His OPS is .954 and he has a ,423 OBP. So far playing RF for the A’s he has not made an error. He is 5’7″ 195 lbs.
Caleb Durbin of the Red Sox is just 5’6″. He had a good rookie year finishing 3rd in the ROY voting. So far this year, he has been unable to recapture that magic. He is hitting .163 with a single homer. He hit 11 last year. Not exactly a defensive whiz in the outfield. He hit .308 in the LCS against the Dodgers last year when he was with the Brewers.
Some of the players still playing who are short in stature and yet have performed well, Cedric Mullins 5’8″, Donovan Solano, 5’8″, Daulton Varsho 5’8″, Alejandro Kirk 5’8″, former Dodger, Justin Dean is also 5’8″. Mookie is just 5’9″. Jose Ramirez is also just 5’9″. Marcus Stroman is 5’7″. Tony Kemp, who is currently out of the game, was just 5’6″.
Looking back, there are several shorter players I can recall seeing play or having their baseball cards. The first one I would like to write about is one I actually saw play at old Wrigley Field in LA when he was with the Angels, Albie Pearson. Pearson was 5’5″ and mostly played CF. He was originally signed by the Red Sox in 1953 as an amateur free agent. He was traded to the Senators along with Norm Zauchin for Pete Runnels in January of 1958. He was traded to the Senators in May of 59. Up to that point in his career, he was about a .220 hitter with no power. His life changed after he was taken by the Angels in the draft in 1960. In the 1961 season, he found himself. He hit .288. He had an OBP of .420. He slugged 7 homers. Through 1965, he was the Angels primary CF. He hit .304 in 63 and made his only All-Star team. He led the league in runs scored in62 with 115. His career BA was .270. Albie passed in February of 2023. He was 88.
Hall of Fame SS, Rabbit Maranville was just 5’5″. He played in the majors for 23 years and 5 different teams, including a short stint in Brooklyn in 1926. He was just a .258 hitter but was considered one of the better SS in his era. Played on the Braves WS champion team in 1914 and was on the losing Cardinal team in 1928. He was elected to the Hall in 1954, the same year he died.
Freddie Patek started out with the Pirates in 1968. At just 5’5″ he played mostly shortstop for the Bucco’s. He was part of a six-player trade in 1971 that sent Bruce DalCanton, Jerry May and himself to the Royals for Jim Campanis, Jackie Hernandez and Bob Johnson. His fortunes turned for the better with the Royals where he was a member of the 76-78 Royals who won 3-straight division titles only to lose each time to the Yankees in the LCS. Played for 14 years, ending his career with the Angels in 1981. He was a career .241 hitter. He led the AL in triples in 1971 with 11.
Bobby Shantz was 5’6″. He won the MVP award in 1952 when he was 24-7 for the Philadelphia A’s. His WHIP that year was a league leading 1.048. He never came close to having that kind of season again, as a matter of fact, he won more than 10 games just once in the next 12 seasons. He finished with a career record of 119-99 and a respectable 3.38 ERA. He pitched for 7 different teams including the Yankees over his 16-year career.
Hall of Famer, Joe Morgan began his career with the Houston Colt-45s in 1963. He would play for Houston for 10 years. Then in 1971, he was traded to the Reds with Cesar Geronimo, Ed Armbrister, Jack Billingham, and Denis Menke, for Tommy Helms, Lee May and Jimmy Stewart. That trade brought the Reds some players who would become key members of the Big Red Machine. None more so than Morgan. Morgan would win two MVP awards on that star studded team, 75-76, World Champion years. His career BA was .271 but he had surprising power for a small guy hitting 268 homers. He would finish his 22-year career in Oakland, and he was on the Phillies 83 NL pennant winning team.
Jimmy Rollins, like Morgan was 5’7″. He was the star SS for the Phillies for 15 years. He won the MVP award in 2007 when the Phillies inexplicably lost the LDS to the Rockies in 3 games. He was a member of the Phils 2008 championship team. He was a soldi defensive SS and won 3 gold gloves. He hit .264 for his career and had 231 homers. He hit .221 for the 2015 Dodgers in 144 games with 13 homers.
The Dodgers have had several players who were under 5’11”. Maury Wills, Dave Roberts, Pee Wee Reese, Jim Wynn, the Toy Cannon was 5’10” Charlie Neal, Billy Cox, Nick Punto was 5’9″. Steve Garvey and Ron Cey were both 5’10”. So, it is not always the size of the person, it is the size of his heart and his desire to succeed.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Comets 9 – Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston) 2
RHSP River Ryan looks as if he is ready to join LAD in some capacity. He completed 6.0 innings, allowing 1 unearned run, 4 hits, 0 BB, and 8K. He threw 87 pitches (67 strikes).
RHRP Jerming Rosario allowed a solo HR in the 7th inning, for the Space Cowboys’ final run.
LHRP Jake Eder pitched 1.2 scoreless innings allowing 1 BB, and getting 3 K. After striking out the first two batters in the 9th, RHRP Wyatt Mills entered to get the final out. Mills did strike out the one batter he faced to close out the game.
Offensively, OKC scored 9 runs on 10 hits and 6 BB. The Comets struck fast in the 1st. RF Zach Ehrhard drew a BB, 2B Tommy Edman singled, and DH James Tibbs III hit a 3-run HR (13).
In the 2nd, C Eliézer Alfonzo drew a BB, was forced at 2B by 1B Seby Zavala. Ehrhard doubled (13) home Alfonzo. Edman followed with a single, but Ehrhard was out at home.
In the 3rd, CF Jack Suwinski singled and came home on 3B Tyler Fitzgerald’s double (6). It was 5-1 after 3.
In the 5th, Suwinski tripled (1) and scored on LF Ryan Fitzgerald’s RBI single.
Tibbs III hit another 3-run HR (14) in the 6th after Zavala and Edman both walked.
- Zach Ehrhard – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (13)
- Tommy Edman – 2-3, 1 BB, 2 runs
- James Tibbs III – 2-5, 2 runs, 6 RBI, 2 HRs (14)
- Jack Suwinski – 2-5, 2 runs, triple (1)
Zach Ehrhard has had a fantastic month of May. In 84 PA, Zach hit .323/.476/.477/.953, 7 doubles, 1 HR, 18 BB vs 10 K. Zach is also the primary CF.
Tulsa Drillers 6 – NW Arkansas Naturals (KC) 1 – 7 innings
This was Game 1 of what was supposed to be a DH, but the 2nd game was postponed.
LHSP Adam Serwinowski pitched his second consecutive solid start. For the 1st 5.1 innings, Serwinowski was brilliant. No runs, 1 hit, 2 BB, and 8 K. After his 8th K, Adam gave up a single and BB before being lifted for RHRP Antonio Knowles. Knowles got out of the inning, but not before allowing an RBI single, charged to Serwinowski.
RHRP Cam Day closed it out in the 7th.
In the 3rd, LF Josue De Paula drew a BB. Three consecutive singles by DH Mike Sirota, SS Elijah Hainline, and RF Zyhir Hope scored 2 runs.
In the 4th, the Drillers doubled their run total. 2B Jake Gelof singled and stole 2nd. Gelof scored on CF Chris Newell’ RBI single. Newell stole 2nd, and scored on JDP’s double (14).
In the 6th, Gelof singled and scored on Newell’s HR (5).
- Chris Newell – 2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR (5)
- Zyhir Hope – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 RBI
- Jake Gelof – 2-3, 2 runs
- Josue De Paula – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (14)
Dayton Dragons (Reds) 12 – Great Lakes Loons 3
LHSP Jakeob Wright had a rough 3.2 innings. He allowed a run in the 1st from a single, SB, and 2 WP. He semi-unraveled in the 2nd. He hit a batter, gave up a double, 2 strikeouts but for the 2nd batter, Wright threw his 3rd WP, the batter reached and a run scored. After a 3rd K, Wright walked the next batter, and another batter reached on E6 with a run scoring and the bases remain loaded. A 2-run double ended the scoring in the 2nd.
In the 4th, Wright allowed a single and BB. He recorded two outs and was relieved by RHRP Davis Chastain. Chastain surrendered a 2 -run double.
LHRP Justin Chambers and RHRP Reynaldo Yean allowed 5 additional runs.
DH Jose Meza homered (6) in the 2nd for the Loons 1st run.
1B Jose D. Hernandez singled but was thrown out at 3B after C Bryan Gonzalez Garcia singled. Garcia scored on LF Chuck Davalan’s double (12). Davalan scored on CF Eduardo Quintero’s single.
- Chuck Davalan – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2 doubles (12)
- Jose Meza – 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (6)
Visalia Rawhide (Dbacks) 8 – Ontario Tower Buzzers 6
DH Jaron Elkins led off the bottom of the 1st with a HR (6).
RHSP Tyler Gough recently promoted from ACL pitched the 1st 3.1 innings. He did not allow a run, gave up 1 hit, and struck out 2. In the 4th, Gough struck out the 1st batter and was relieved by RHRP Accimias Morales.
Morales struck out the 1st batter he faced but he reached on a passed ball. Morales walked the next batter, and the 2 runners moved to 2nd and 3rd on 2nd PB. After a strikeout, Morales gave up a 2-run single (both unearned).
Ontario tied the score in the bottom of the 4th. CF Brendan Tunink drew a walk, and moved to 3rd on 1B Easton Shelton’s single. Shelton moved to 2nd on the play. Tunink scored on a WP.
RHP Jesus Tillero entered and pitched a scoreless 5th. But in the 6th, Tillero gave up 5 singles, a walk, a WP and a double to score 5 runs.
Ontario picked up 2 in the 7th after a single by Tunink, and a HR (11) by Shelton. They picked up 2 more in the 8th after 3B Chase Harlan homered (7), SS Joendry Vargas singled and scored on Tunink’s double (9).
Tillero surrendered a HR in the 9th giving the Rawhide the 8-6 win.
- Brendan Tunink – 2-3, 1 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 doubles (9)
- Easton Shelton – 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (11)
- Chase Harlan – 1-3, 1 HBP, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (7)
- Jaron Elkins – 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (6)
ACL Brewers 4 – ACL Dodgers 3
CF Alek Thomas made his Dodger organization debut and went 1-3 with a BB and run scored.
SS Daniel Mielcarek had 2 singles, and DH Aidan West had the other hit.
The Padres will be playing the Nationals while the Dodgers are entertaining the Phillies. Arizona, who are now tied with the Padres for 2nd, will be playing the Mariners. Wrobleski, Sasaki and Yamamoto are lined up to face the Phillies. Zack Wheeler is the only announced starter and will go Friday against Wrobo. Wheeler is 4-0. LA then heads to Az to face the D-Backs.
05/28/26 Los Angeles Dodgers sent 3B Santiago Espinal outright to Oklahoma City Comets.
River Ryan sure seems to be ready.
Will the Dodgers wait for an injury to promote him? Would they simply release Lauer?
If I had my druthers, we’d see both River and Tibbs soon.
And I wonder whether Edman will replace Kim or Freeland.
Kim will go down when Edman comes off the IL in around 20-25 days. Freedland is slightly better offensively.
You may be right about Kim, but I disagree Freeland is better offensively. They are about equal in MiLB stats, and Kim has been better in the bigs. Freeland may end up being better, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Size does matter to those who have it. I could have used it in football. I was recruited by Nebraska until a scout met me and saw I was only 5’9” 175. My JC program had me listed at 6’ 185. He walked away and told me to “walk on”. Pissed me off. Size mattered to them. It sure didn’t matter in the Marines.
Owners vs players. I’ve stated my position. Billionaires vs millionaires. Fans, made up of mostly the middle class, pay for all of it. Work it out. I’d like to believe fans won’t put up with another lockout or strike, but I know better. Fans are addicts. Even if there is a shutdown, fans will rush back and throw money at them the minute the doors open.
Prospects. What do they really mean? The Dodgers need an outfielder and who is that is promoted? Well it wasn’t one of their top 9 outfield prospects. It was #10. 28 year old Ryan Ward. Those other guys? Trade bait. Not all of them of course. 1 or 2 might stay with the club. But they sure don’t need 10 of them.
It literally strains the brain to think about.
Tibbs is getting close and by virtue of his LF/RF/1B profile probably doesn’t have a clear path here.
De Paula is a sure fire offensive producer who’s timeline matches up better with Teo’s departure.
Hope has to be trade bait, assuming Tucker is not opting out.
Sirota might be the best of the bunch but he’s a pure CF and Pages is locked in there. Some injury concerns with Sirota too.
Quintero is the total package but we have time.
Davalan’s moving fast and firs tge CF/Lead-off profile to a tee.
I mean, what’s point in going on . . . Ehrhard has 4th OF potential, Ko could be a HR masher. Tunink, George, Elkins, the list goes on.
Prospects are suspects. I cannot tell you the number of kids who were labeled “Can’t Miss” and missed badly.
are we not so spoiled as Dodger fans that we are upset we have too many prospects?
In football, no doubt. I was a 205-pound right tackle in high school. But most of the kids I played against were bigger. Banning had a 300-pound fullback. He hit like a tank. Samoan kid.
High school was easy compared to college, though getting tackled by Gerry Mullins was memorable.
I played at a Nebraska Junior College in ‘69. Four of the teams in our Conference were ranked in the top 20 in the nation. Those guys were all big corn fed Midwestern boys and they were grunders. I was a 175 pound outside linebacker in a 4-4 defense. I was taking on pulling guards and those fullbacks you’re talking about. Got my brains beat out (probably explains a lot) but made All Conference. Only played one year of college ball. I’ve got reminders of it all over my body.
The size of player today is quite remarkable. In the early 70’s Washington State’s biggest lineman was a guy named “Buzz” Brazeau who was a standout All-Coast offensive lineman from 1969 to 1971. He later played some pro football. He was 255, as I recall. A high school teammate of mine played college tight end at 205.
Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb was a monster in Pro football at 6’8″ and 300 ills in the late 50’s and early 60’s. This year’s high school “Open Division” state football champion in Arizona, Basha High School, had 8 lineman over 300 lbs.
MLB teams love tall pitchers. In Fall Ball, I see one 6’4″ and above pitcher after another, parade out there, all 230 to 250. Just big flame throwers. Skenes is 6’6″ and 265 going on 280.
If I still coached now, I would be in the middle school’s basketball practices asking the tall kids if they ever pitched before.
Once you get signed, if you’re good you can advance but getting signed initially, is the problem for small players.
Jaime Moyer may have never have been signed in today’s environment.
One of Tibbs homers last night was off of Josh Hader. That is impressive. Phillies best starter, Wheeler is pitching tonight against Wrobo. Ward is coming up, not Tibbs. He was not in the lineup last night for OKC. They had a catcher playing first. Glasnow is throwing now, so I doubt River gets called up unless there is an absolute emergency.
What if the emergency is he belongs in tbe majors now?
Fans might see it that way, but the final work rests with the team. We do not know all of the inside information. Let’s get serious. Tibbs has played 51 games at the AAA level. He is hitting .310 in a very hitter friendly league. One who has watched the game long enough should know that AAA stats do not always translate to good stats in the majors. The kid has played 134 games in the minors in the outfield. Most of that in right. He has played just 7 games in left. They opted for the more experienced player in Ward. They could have brought up Suwinski, who is putting up close to the same power numbers as Tibbs, and has more MLB experience than Ward or Tibbs.
I am with you on Tibbs. He has skills, but the PCL both inflates and conflates his value. I expect Ward to be DFA’ed…
Excited about:
Ferris/Serwinowski/Root
Copen/Martin/Zazueta
Morales/Harlan/Lindsey
Leiter/Ko/Shelton
Those are some top prospects.
Morales, Harlan, Wagner, Sirota, Root, Quintero, and DePaula have the highest ceiling. They all have “exceptional” written all over them. Of course, not all will fulfill that potential…
I have a piece for Saturday on the debacle in Dayton last night. It was wonderful.
It will be next week before I can have anything ready. Concentrating on getting a new vehicle this weekend if the check from Allstate gets deposited.
Bear,they just had a food segment on MLB Central featuring a pizza donut at Coors Field. It looked disgusting and wondered if you have ever had one there.
Friday’s Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
2:30 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Payton Martin) vs. NW Arkansas (Hunter Owen)
Game 2: Tulsa (Peter Heubeck) vs. NW Arkansas (TBD)
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) at Dayton (Kyle McCoy)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Logan Allen) at Sugar Land (Josh Hendrickson)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Visalia (TBD)
Good to see kudos for us shorties!
you left off Mel Ott. was listed at 5’9″ and hit 511 HR