We are back with todays perspective covering a player from the 21st century for the first time.
Felix Pie began his professional career in the Chicago Cubs organization, signing as an international free agent in 2001 at the age of 16. He quickly rose through the minor league ranks due to his impressive speed, strong arm, and batting potential. Pie made his MLB debut with the Cubs on April 17, 2007, but struggled to find consistent success at the major league level. Over two seasons with the Cubs, he had a .223 batting average, showing flashes of his potential but ultimately not securing a permanent spot in the lineup.
On January 18, 2009, the Cubs traded Felix Pie to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitchers Garrett Olson and Hank Williamson. The Orioles front office was hopeful that a change of scenery and regular playing time could help Pie realize his potential.
During his time with the Orioles, he still struggled to find regular playing time. In 3 season in Baltimore he only played 100+ games once. In his three seasons with Baltimore, he played in a total of 268 games, compiling a .252 batting average, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.
After the 2011 season, Pie left the Orioles organization and continued his career with brief stints in the Cleveland Indians' and Pittsburgh Pirates' organizations, where he was briefly a part of the 2013 Wildcard winning squad. He also spent time playing internationally in Asia and the Dominican Republic
Pie is remembered by most Orioles fans for what happened on August 14, 2009, when Pie hit for the cycle in a game against the Los Angeles Angels, becoming the fourth player in Orioles history to achieve this feat. The article that covers it is kind of interesting because it notes that the Angels had some issues with how Pie reacted and the Orioles coaching staff had to squash some beef in the post game pressers.
“Call it a PieCycle.
Felix Pie etched a line in the Orioles' record book Friday, when he became just the fourth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle. Pie doubled in the first inning, hit a solo home run in the third and then singled and tripled in Baltimore's seven-run seventh inning in a 16-6 win over the Angels.
"Unbelievable," said Pie. "I'll never forget this game. When I got to the dugout, they hugged me. Good feeling."
It may have been literally unbelievable for Pie, who didn't even know what he had done until he was told by third-base coach Juan Samuel. Pie reacted jubilantly to the achievement — the seventh cycle this season and the 290th in the history of the game — and was rewarded with a staredown from Angels manager Mike Scioscia.
Pie made sure to apologize to Scioscia and the Angels during his interaction with the media, but both Samuel and hitting coach Terry Crowley said the youngster could be forgiven for his bout of excitement.
"He doesn't get to play a whole lot, and achieving what he did tonight is very exciting," said Samuel."He didn't know the situation of the game and that there are certain things you don't do. He doesn't know any better. I have plans to talk to Mike Scioscia, because I'd hate to see them do something to retaliate. I know Mike. We played together, and I'm sure he'll understand. I'll try to calm him down a little, but Mike was staring at him."
"You can't begrudge a young kid his emotion when he hits for the cycle," added Crowley. "I don't think Scioscia realized that it was the fourth hit of a cycle. Had it not been, you don't want to carry on and act like that and rub it in the other team's face. But that was an emotional moment, a once in a lifetime deal. That's exactly what it was."
Pie, who rarely starts for the Orioles, got in the lineup because of an illness for Luke Scott. Pie made an error in the first inning, but then the youngster set about his historic night. Pie doubled in a run as part of Baltimore's six-run first inning, and he made it a 7-2 game with a home run to right field in the third.
Pie struck out in the fourth inning and ignited Baltimore's seven-run rally with an infield single in the seventh. He later tripled into the right-center gap, capping the team's decisive inning. Pie's cycle was the first since Aubrey Huff did it in 2007, and the pair joined Cal Ripken and Brooks Robinson in the Orioles' record book.
And when Pie got to third base after his triple, Samuel took the time to explain to him what he'd done. Pie didn't realize why the crowd was cheering as loud as it did, a fact Samuel found hard to believe.
"He was like, 'I don't know,'" said Samuel. "So I said, 'Well, you've got a double, you've got a triple now, you've had a home run and a single. You hit for the cycle.' And he said, 'Really?' "
"He doesn't know," added Crowley, who has worked with Pie all season. "When I gave him the ball after the game, he said, 'Thanks. Sign it.' And I said, 'No, you don't want me to sign this ball. This is for you.' I said, 'There's been more no-hitters in baseball than cycles.' And he looked at me. Then I said, 'I'm going to get somebody to write something nice on here for you.' Maybe in the next few days he'll understand exactly what it was he did."
"That kid has worked every day," Crowley said. "Every day, without missing any time, he just comes in and works. And he went a long span without getting to play because other guys were playing good. But he just kept working and working. It's to his credit. We know he's got some ability, and tonight was a game he'll never forget.”
1 comment
Remember racist Luke Scott would tell Felix to stop acting like an animal.