I was a head high school baseball coach in Pinellas County with three different schools for ten seasons. At my first two stops I had the pleasure of coaching future major leaguers. I got a first-hand view of what some of these guys look like when they are younger. Although both are big and strong men and had longer big-league careers, they had their own Little Engine That Could journeys to reach the pinnacle of their profession.
My first head coaching position was at Pinellas Park High School from ‘96 – 98. Towards the end of the ‘96 season I went to scout an incoming 8th grader, Nick Masset. Nick was already a tall, lanky kid, about 6’ 2” but didn’t show the type of velocity you’d expect from that size. In fact, in a four-team league he’d have ranked no better than the 3rd best pitcher. The star pitching, hitting and power wise was another future major-leaguer, Boof Bonser. The next guy, a year younger but very polished, was the ace of the Seminole High staff that was crowned National Champions his senior year. Ryan Dixon ran into arm issues and only had a short stint in the minors.
Nick was a hard worker at his craft and although he got little usage his freshman season, it all began to come together for him in the summer. His sophomore year, my last coaching him, he really began to blossom and became the ace of the staff by the end of the season. His bat was also good enough to become an everyday player. The summer prior to his senior year he attended the right showcases and was rated as a 1st round draft prospect. At the preseason tournament in which our two schools were competing (I was now coaching Palm Harbor University High School) Nick’s game was following ours. I remember having a conversation with him in the dugout of the adjacent field prior to his start. There were around 27 scouts at the game (including Dave Stewart beginning his management career). I know Nick was hyped. A couple of errors led to a long first inning and on the 35th pitch, something obviously went wrong. UCL (Tommy John) Surgery was the prescribed fix. Even though I was no longer his coach, that was one of the toughest days of my coaching career.
Nick went from a likely mid-first round pick to the Rangers finally spending an 8th rounder in the draft-and-follow days. He went to St. Pete College while continuing to rehab and made a couple of late season appearances. That was enough for the Rangers to sign. He then began his ascensions to the minors. He didn’t seem to create much buzz until he went to Mexico for winter ball and it was reported he was lighting up the radar guns at 98 mph. Nick made his debut with the Rangers on June 27, 2006, in relief.
The 1999/2000 school year saw me teaching and coaching at Palm Harbor University High School. In the fall, I was the new golf coach. We had a returning senior who was a nice size young man and his freshman little brother who as it turns out didn’t stay little. Tyler Clippard was that freshman “little” brother. At the time he was shorter than myself, like 5’8”, 5’9”. When he set-up on the first tee with his driver he was sort of low to the ground and the angle of his club was somewhat flat and extended looking. When he took the club back and then through it looked more like he was hitting off of a batting tee than a golf tee. Man, did he hit a bomb! The second day of tryouts I stuck him in the first group with our top three returning players. Of course, the three seniors teed off first, all three hitting their shots in the 265 to 285-yard range and all safely in the fairway. Tyler stepped up, took his baseball swing, and drove it past all three of them. His brother Colin was one of our regular golfers who won all but one match and came 2nd in the district. Tyler had a fatal flaw that kept him behind those top players. I accused him often of taking a 3 iron with him to put. I made him work on his touch on the green and it paid off the following year.
That spring I got to coach him again on the baseball team. Tyler, coming up like Nick through the youth leagues, wasn’t necessarily considered the top dog although he was very good. Todd Redmond was a fellow competitor coming up in some of the same youth leagues as were a couple of other high draft picks that did not make it out of the minors. But as a freshman, Tyler flashed good control and a good curveball with some command. His velocity, however, did not betray his size. Although I had the ability to carry 20 players, I had 18 I felt were ahead of him. I placed him on the “B” squad where he was a top pitcher and got plenty of work. I would bring two of those guys “up” each week to practice and get the feel of being around the group. At tournament time, I put Tyler on the roster and brought up one other in a pinch running role.
The next fall in golf, Tyler showed his mettle. He was with the top group now, but sort of at the bottom end of it. In a tournament we played five and counted the top four scores. He was the 5th golfer. We went undefeated in the regular season and won the district championship. This was the first year that Florida formed a regional competition that determined what teams and individuals would qualify for the state championship. There were six teams with the top two advancing to the state. Our #2 guy had a rough day. After the first four golfers turned in their scorecards, we were solidly in 5th place, not particularly close to the top two. It was a long course, which played to Tyler’s strength. He had been tracking well every time I went over to him. Tyler posted a 1-over 73 and replacing our highest score vaulted us into the regional championship and on to the state finals. He showed poise under pressure.
That spring, I had quit coaching at the high school to watch my kids grow up; Tyler’s family moved to Pasco County and changed schools where he was a regular varsity pitcher. I ran into him at a golf match his junior year and he had hit his growth spurt, he was now significantly taller than me. He also found his golden arm and by his senior year was flashing 93 on the radar guns. The Yankees selected him in the 9th round, and he began his journey. According to an article I read, his dad (Bob) was quoted that he had to help talk Tyler through some down times and rough patches on his way up.
May 20, 2007, was a magical day for an old coach like me. I heard that Tyler was called up and would make the start against the Mets in Shea stadium on Sunday Night Baseball. That got me excited. Sunday morning when I got home from church I flipped on ESPN and Peter Gammons announced that Nick would be making an emergency start for the White Sox that afternoon at Wrigley against the Cubs! Nick threw in relief for the Rangers in ‘06 and was traded to the Sox in the offseason and continued to throw in relief. Now they both were making their first major league start on the same day. How many high school coaches can claim they had two former players make their first MLB starts on the same day and both of them were credited with the win?
At Wrigley in the afternoon, Nick went 5 and 2/3 innings giving up 2 runs total both earned on 3 hits, 3 walks and with 3 k’s in what turned out to be a wild 10 – 6 win over the Cubs. He also accumulated 2 of his 6 career plate appearances with a strikeout and a sac (yes, I made him work on bunting).
At Shea, Tyler’s debut also went well with the Yankees winning 6 – 2. He threw 6 complete innings of 1 run ball also on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. At the plate he also had two appearances, striking out and then getting his first career hit (3 total) and only extra base hit (double).
Both men became closers at points during their careers. Nick closed for the Reds and Tyler for the Nationals.
In this month of gratitude, I deeply appreciate having had to witness these men as youngster towards the beginning of their magical journeys.