Tag: Irish in MLB

Former Notre Dame player makes incredible line-drive catch in ALDS

Terrific play.

Whatever team MLB fans cheer for, they all can agree that this year’s playoffs have been incredible so far. We haven’t even reached the LCS yet. And Notre Dame fans can say one of their own has contributed to that greatness.

[autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] played three seasons for the Irish. Now in his fourth major-league season, he’s after a World Series ring. He had a chance at one with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022, but they came up only two wins short. The following season, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers, one of many hot teams right now.

In Game 3 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians, the Tigers had a 3-0 lead with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and runners on first and second. David Fry, who represented the tying run, hit a hard line drive to the left side of the field that was certain to go for extra bases and probably score both runners.

Vierling, who had driven in one of the Tigers’ runs via a sacrifice fly, was right there at third base though, and he timed his jump just enough that he took the hit away and got his team out of the inning.

The 3-0 score stood, and the Tigers are one win away from advancing to their first ALCS in 11 years. Hopefully, we see more from Vierling this postseason.

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Listen to Geoffrey’s World Series history podcast: “Then There Were Two: A History of the World Series”.

Former Notre Dame star Niko Kavadas hits 3-run homer for first MLB hit

Talk about a big way to announce your arrival?

Former Notre Dame infielder [autotag]Niko Kavadas[/autotag] made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 16.

Entering the ninth inning of Thursday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, he was hitless in his first 14 big-league at-bats. It turned out he merely was lying in the weeds waiting for the right moment to say he’d arrived.

The Angels were trailing, 5-0, with two outs in the ninth innings and runners on first and second. Kavadas, who only has been a designated hitter so far in the bigs, stepped up to the plate. After working a 1-2 count and getting down to the Angels’ final strike, Kavadas swung and, well, look what happened:

This also was a big moment for St. Joseph County according to local sportscaster Chuck Freeby:

The Angels wound up losing, 5-3, but it was a night Kavadas never will forget. Let this be the first of many big moments for him at baseball’s highest level.

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Former Notre Dame outfielder Matt Vierling makes catch while mic’d up

This is what we call multitasking.

For better or worse, ESPN has made in-game on-field interviews a part of their broadcasts. At the very least, it’s made for some interesting TV. You never know when the player the broadcasters are talking to suddenly has to make a play.

Former Notre Dame outfielder [autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] found himself in this exact scenario while playing left field for the Detroit Tigers in the MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. As he was wearing his microphone, he suddenly had to chase down a fly ball hit by the New York Yankees’ Oswald Peraza:

This was a standout moment for Vierling on an evening that didn’t really feature them as he went 0 for 4 with one strikeout. Fortunately, it didn’t matter as the Tigers came from behind to beat the Yankees, 2-1, in 10 innings.

Vierling is slashing .253/.294/.432 for a .726 OPS. He already has career highs with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs with over a month left in the Tigers’ season.

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Former Notre Dame infielder Cavan Biggio traded to Los Angeles Dodgers

Hope he does well with his new team.

[autotag]Cavan Biggio[/autotag] wasn’t out of an MLB job for very long. Less than a week after the Toronto Blue Jays designated the former Notre Dame infielder and son of Baseball Hall of Famer Craig Biggio for assignment, a trade partner was found in the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Blue Jays traded Biggio to the Dodgers for minor-league pitcher Braydon Fisher. So basically, Biggio is swapping one blue uniform for another and will be in a much better position going to a World Series contender.

Biggio is in his sixth MLB season and has spent his entire professional career with the Blue Jays until now. This year has been a struggle for him as he’s slashed .200/.323/.291 for a career-worst .614 OPS over 44 games. Perhaps going into a situation where he won’t be pressured or expected to do as much on a stacked roster will be beneficial for him.

Best of luck to Biggio in his new surroundings.

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Former Notre Dame pitcher Brandon Bielak traded to Oakland Athletics

Hope this works out for him.

Former Notre Dame pitcher [autotag]Brandon Bielak[/autotag] is saying goodbye to the only MLB organization he has ever known. Five days after the Houston Astros designed the right-hander for assignment, he has been traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.

Ironically, the A’s and Astros are in the middle of a series with each other, so Bielak will be going to the other clubhouse when he next arrives at Minute Maid Park. That’s always a fun quirk whenever it happens in baseball.

Bielak was an 11th-round selection by the Astros out of Notre Dame in 2017. He made his big-league debut early in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. In five seasons, he has an 11-13 record and one save to go with a 4.65 ERA, 155 strikeouts and 85 walks over 191 2/3 innings. In the early part of this season, he has a 5.71 ERA over 17 1/3 innings and has not pitched since May 7.

Best of luck to Bielak in his new surroundings.

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Two former Notre Dame players on move at trade deadline

Neither player has done much in 2023.

The MLB trade deadline officially has passed, and that meant two former Notre Dame players were off their respective teams. One player is heading to another team, and the other’s future is in limbo. Neither player has been particularly good this season.

[autotag]AJ Pollock[/autotag] was acquired by the San Francisco Giants from the Seattle Mariners, landing him on his fifth team in 12 MLB seasons. Pollock currently is on the injured list with a strained left hamstring but could be activated soon despite a career-worst slash line of .173/.225/.323. The playoff-contending Giants need some outfield depth to offset the temporary loss of the injured Mike Yastrzemski.

Meanwhile, [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] has been designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs to make room for Jeimer Candelario, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals. Mancini has been the Cubs’ primary first baseman for much of the season, but he also has had an off year. His slash line is .234/.299/.336, and his four home runs are by far the fewest he’s hit in any full season.

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ChatGPT ranks top 10 receivers in Notre Dame history

Please note that tight ends are not included on this list.

We’ve been asking AI writing tool ChatGPT to give its opinions of the top 10 Notre Dame players by position. It’s been a great way to generate discussion and debate amongst our readers. So far, we’ve asked it to list the top quarterbacks and running backs. Now, we move onto the receivers.

Please note that this list will not include tight ends but rather pure receivers. Even though it’s becoming more difficult to differentiate between receivers and tight ends these days, they still are different enough that they need to be separated. So please don’t ask why Michael Mayer or Cole Kmet aren’t on this list, but we also will get more into that when we ask ChatGPT about Irish tight ends.

Please also note that ChatGPT’s last knowledge update was in September 2021, and this list is based on historical data that was available at that time. Also, some entries have been edited for clarity and accuracy:

Craig Counsell becomes Brewers all-time winningest manager

Pretty good week so far for Notre Dame baseball…

What a week it has been for Notre Dame’s baseball program.  We’re all aware this past Sunday saw the Irish upset No. 1 Tennessee in a series that won’t be soon forgotten by any college baseball fan, but a former Notre Dame player got on board the accomplishment train this week as well.

Craig Counsell, a 1992 graduate of Notre Dame and 1997 World Series hero for the then Florida Marlins, has managed the Milwaukee Brewers since early in the 2015 season.  Wednesday night saw the Brewers win their 564th game under Counsell’s direction, making him the winningest manager in Brewers history.

Counsell has led the Brewers to a 564-508 (.526) record since taking over and they’ve made the postseason each of the last four years.

Counsell and the Brewers currently sit at 35-29, 1.5 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.

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Top 10 Notre Dame baseball players according to ChatGPT

How many of these players do you recognize?

So Notre Dame will not make the College World Series for a second straight season. In fact, it didn’t make the NCAA Tournament at all. So what are Irish fans left to do? Look into the past, of course.

Not long ago, we took the liberty of asking ChatGPT, the AI information bot that supposedly is threatening to put all of us writers out of work, its opinion on Notre Dame athletic history. Specifically, we asked it to rank what it believed were the top 10 Notre Dame football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball players. Now, we’re bringing it back to seek its opinion about Irish baseball players.

Keep in mind that ChatGPT gives this disclaimer:

“As an AI, I don’t have access to real-time information or the ability to provide subjective opinions. However, I can tell you about some notable baseball players who have had successful careers at the University of Notre Dame. Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive and does not rank them in any particular order.”

There’s also this:

“Please note that this is not an exhaustive or ranked list, and there have been many other talented baseball players who have represented the University of Notre Dame.”

So with all of that said, let’s see who ChatGPT came up with. Please note that some of these have been edited to remove inaccurate or outdated information:

Watch: Matt Vierling completes four-hit game with winning homer

Have yourself a game, young man.

[autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] felt the heartache last fall when his Philadelphia Phillies fell to the Houston Astros in the World Series. It turns out he didn’t have to wait long for revenge against the defending champions.

Trying to make his mark with the Detroit Tigers after being traded to them in the offseason, Vierling did just that by pounding out four hits in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park. His first three hits went for singles, but his fourth, a two-run homer in the 11th inning, made the difference in the Tigers’ 7-6 victory:

If breaking out offensively after going hitless in his first seven at-bats wasn’t enough, his diving catch in the fifth with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth preserved a tie game. The Tigers needed to get in the win column for 2023, and Vierling made it happen almost singlehandedly.

It will be interesting to watch Vierling’s progress for a team not expected to do much this season. This is his second full season in the bigs, and he should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89