RAINY DAYS FOR CATS
The ValleyCats season ends with a 32-42 record, missing the playoffs to defend their 2018 NY-Penn Championship.
TROY, NY >> The ValleyCats season ended Monday with a rain out. A disappointing way to end a disappointing season for the 32-42 TriCity ValleyCats.
For the non-local ValleyCats (which is all of them), the extra day of travel does benefit them, maybe at the expense of the fans.
“I know people are going to frown upon it for leaving early, but we have guys driving to Michigan, one of my coaches is going to Missouri, we have guys driving across the country to California,” said Manager Ozney Guillen. “For me personally, I’d rather them leave early than wait for after the game and worry about all of that.”
Guillen’s message echoes the message of the season: his job is to develop guys for longevity and to become pro baseball players, not necessarily win games in Tri-City.
“We had a lot of guys get moved up that we didn’t think were going to be moved up and exceeded expectations,” said Guillen. “That is what we are here for - to get guys up and win a World Series.”
Player development was Guillen’s goal this season, he did not shy away from it. This season, the ValleyCats had approximately 77 transactions, being players that were promoted, demoted, or released.
“I am happy with this season,” said Guillen. “The way we played, that happens, it is baseball. If we would’ve won everybody would have been happy. I said yesterday, if you had switched our record we wouldn’t be talking about our playing, just that we are winning. It happens. We played a lot of good teams this year, a lot of good talent, I know our guys got better.”
Big promotions from Ozney Guillen in the pregame meetings prior to the ValleyCats game against the Connecticut Tigers on July 27, 2019. this season were Valente Bellozo, A.J Lee, and C.J Stubbs to Quad Cities along with Zach Biermann.
The most exciting promotion was probably the last one. Nate Perry was promoted mid game Sunday, September 1 during the ValleyCats final game of the season. Perry was promoted to the Fayettville Woodpeckers, the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Houston Astros.
“That kid works harder than anyone I have seen in this organization,” said Korey Lee, the Houston Astros 2019 first round draft pick. “This year was probably one of the best years of baseball he has ever had and I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s earned every single part of it.”
Perry spent a season and a half with the ValleyCats. This season, along with being the NY-Penn League All-Star game MVP, he led the ValleyCats in home runs and was in top five in the whole league.
Joe Perez, the Astros’ 2017 second round pick, has spent the last two seasons with Perry, who was the fifth round pick in the same draft class.
“I’ve watched him play, played alongside him, I’ve seen him struggle. I’ve seen him go through a lot,” said Perez. “To finally see him have a breakout year like this is just awesome to be a part of and I wish him the best.”
Perez and Lee were some of the main attractions to the ValleyCats this season. Obviously everyone wants to see what the first round draft pick is going to do, but it was also Perez’s first full season of play after battling injuries since he was drafted in 2017.
“It was my chance to get my feet wet,” said Perez. “It was the first season and a chance to learn a lot of new things, stuff I didn’t know about pro baseball. Basically, it was a year to get accommodated. A great season, it was a lot of fun, I had a great time out there.”