Happy 40th Birthday Hideki Matsui!

Happy 40th birthday to the 2009 #WorldSeries MVP and the man they call “Godzilla”, Hideki Matsui. pic.twitter.com/dNBgj7q1RR
— MLB Milestones (@MLBMilestones) June 12, 2014

Godzilla turns 40 today and its now been five years since he was the world series MVP in 2009. He will be in this years old timers game, along with Johnny Damon. I had a post about Matsui when he announced his retirement and from his actual retirement ceremony as a Yankee last season, it was a great career for Hideki and I do not know if I will ever love a player like I did Matsui.

Connecticut in the 2014 draft

There were 23 players picked in the MLB draft from Connecticut this year and I am particularly pleased because two were picked by the Yankees  and two were picked from my alma matter Central Connecticut State University. For Central its the first  MLB draft picks since Evan Scribner was picked in 2007, so congratulations to J.P Sportman who was picked in the 27th by the Athletics and Nick Neumann who was picked in the 28th by the Pirates, best of luck to both of them. The Yankees two Nutmeg draft picks are RHP Austin DeCarr and 3rd baseman Will Toffey, The Yankees already signed Austin DeCarr for double his slot money so he takes home $1,170,200, which is good for him, but apretly Toffey will be a tougher sign as he is committed to Vanderbilt and it might be hard to pry him away with 23rd round money; fun note though both of these guys go to the same High school, Salisbury School.

DeCarr. (@Xaverian_Hawks)

 Austin DeCarr was the Yankees third round draft pick and because they took Jacob Lindgren in the second round, who is more of a relief arm that could have a quick impact and had no first round pick DeCarr is the Yankees highest drafted true prospect which is a bit of a letdown after last year in which they had three first round picks, its nothing  against DeCarr he is a good pitching prospect but when the first prospect you are drafting is in the third round then its probbaly not the best draft for the Yankees. I really do not know anything about draft prospects but mlb.com describes DeCarr with "He'll pitch at 92-93 mph, but can reach back for 95 mph when he needs it. His curveball shows flashes of being a plus offering, and his changeup gives him the chance to have a very effective three-pitch mix." Its also apparently only his second year as a full time baseball player but is apparently more polished than some other High schoolers, which may have something to do with the fact that he isn't actually a high schooler because he only went to Salisbury academy as a post graduate because he did not get drafted last year and is now 19, still a good prospect just kind of a weird not high school or college guy, so still technically a high school guy. Honestly though I am excited to see what this guy can do.
DeCarr was actually the second Nutmeger drafted, although he is really from Massachusetts but we will take him nonetheless,  Sean Newcomb was taken 15th overall by the Angels and is a junior at the University of Hartford and I wish him the best of luck on behalf of all Nutmegers. Best of luck to all of the Nutmegers who got drafted, you can see the full list here.