LIEN, MEAN, FIGHTING MACHINE
Connor Lien continues baseball career after getting fresh start with Valleycats
TROY, NY >> Valleycats manager Pete Incaviglia wanted a defensive upgrade in centerfield and that’s exactly what he got in Connor Lien, who was released by the Seattle Mariners organization in late July.
While Lien points to his hitting as the reason for his release, you wouldn’t be able to tell just from watching his first four games with Tri-City.
“There’s room for improvement everywhere, mostly for me, that’s been offensively and it’s no secret,” Lien said. “At the end of the day, I’m going to show up and I’m going to play hard and I’m going to have fun, whether I’m here, whether I’m in the big leagues or whether I’m working a nine-to-five. I’m going to give it my best every day.”
After making his Valleycats debut in a double-header on August 14 against the Sussex County Miners, Lien has a hit in each of his first four games, including two home runs, a double and six RBI.
“It’s nice to get the first couple out of the way and get rolling a little bit,” Lien added. “We got 30 or so games left and the team’s in first place, so it’s really about doing what I can to help the team win and staying ready day in and day out.”
“When you look at a guy like Connor, who’s spent years at double-A and triple-A, you know that there’s tools there,” Incaviglia said. “Being in organizations, they make players do some things, not everybody can swing the bat the same way. Everybody’s timing and rhythm is different, so sometimes the best thing is just to get away from an organization and he can get back to being himself.”
Lien was drafted out of Olympia High School (Orlando, FL) in 2012, by the Atlanta Braves and made his way to the Braves AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, before being acquired by the Mariners. His time in the Braves system included playing with Ian Anderson, of Clifton Park, NY.
He was with the Arkansas Travelers, Seattle’s AA affiliate, at the time of his release. He was hitting just .150, in 178 plate appearances this season.
“Obviously he’s a pretty good player, getting drafted and playing double-A and triple-A,” Incaviglia added, who was intent on bringing in a defensive upgrade in the outfield as the Valleycats head down the final stretch of the season. “I think he’s doing great, he’s really solidified a hole for us, he can really go get it in the outfield, he’s a good teammate, he fits right in with the kind of chemistry we have. He’s a grinder, he competes and we’re lucky to have him, honestly.”
“I’ve always taken a lot of pride in my defense,” Lien said. “It’s just as important as the offensive side. I’ve kind of been known for my defense throughout the minor leagues and I’m going to continue to bust it out there and track some balls down and help out our pitchers.”
The decision to continue to play baseball this year in Troy was an easy one for Lien, who just wants to keep playing.
“There was over a
month left in this season, there’s still games to be played this summer and I wanted to keep playing. I didn’t want to just sit at home, I’m a ballplayer and I’m always going to be a ballplayer, so anybody that’s going to give me a jersey, I’m happy to be there,” he said. “You’re
lucky in this game if you get to decide when your career is over. I’m still trying to play as long as someone will give me a jersey and that’s just always been my mentality. Yeah, I got let go, but that’s a part of baseball, it’s a part of the game, it’s a part of the business and
I’m just happy to be here and have another opportunity to play baseball.”
“I love it here, the guys are great and they play hard. The guys are grinding out at-bats, first inning to last inning. I’ve been here just a few games and everybody really wants to win.”