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« Seattle Acquires Jack Hannahan | Main | Odds & Ends: Berroa, Futures Game, Yankees, Pedro, Rolen »
Pirates Sign Lithuanian Pitcher
According to Dejan Kovacevic of The Pittsburg Post-Gazette, the Pirates have signed 16-yr old righthander Dovydas Neverauskas of Lithuania. The 6'-3", 170 pounder is the first European amateur the club has ever signed. It doesn't look any player from Lithuania has ever played in the big leagues according to Baseball-Reference.com, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
The Pirates also inked 18-yr old catcher Dylan Child to a deal out of Australia.
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That's cool. I hope the kid makes it to the big leagues. What a boost for that Country it'd be. I recently went to Lithuania and Ukraine. Those of us living in the USA and Canada really don't know how lucky we are. Anyway, I'm pulling for the kid.
Posted by: PWHjort | July 11, 2009 at 04:37 PM
Lithuanian-American Chris Jakubauskas pitches for the Mariners.
Posted by: The Management | July 11, 2009 at 04:58 PM
When are the Pirates going to sign some Somalians?
Posted by: icedrake523 | July 11, 2009 at 05:03 PM
"Lithuanian-American Chris Jakubauskas pitches for the Mariners."
But he was born in California.
Posted by: start_wearing_purple | July 11, 2009 at 05:04 PM
@ start wearing purple,
Yes, being born in California is what makes him a Lithuanian-American.
Posted by: The Management | July 11, 2009 at 06:11 PM
Good one, icedrake523.
Posted by: THEBIGFISH99 | July 11, 2009 at 07:08 PM
"Lithuanian-American Chris Jakubauskas pitches for the Mariners.
Posted by: The Management | July 11, 2009 at 04:58 PM"
Jakubauskas is an American ball player of Lithuanian descent. He is not a Lithuanian ball player. Mr. Axisa is asking whether there is another example out there of the latter.
Anyway, when are the Pirates changing names to the "United Nations Avengers"? Every Pirates blurb I read is either about a trade involving their only good players for P.O.S. replacement packages or questionable signings from countries not previously affiliated with Major League Baseball based on talent representation.
"Desperation is a stinky cologne, John." -- Chief Grady, Super Troopers
Posted by: Ruck859 | July 11, 2009 at 07:44 PM
Ruck859
Ruck859,
Thanks for explaining what Mr. Axisa wants and doesn't want. I suppose if he doesn't want to know there's an American player of Lithuanian descent in MLB -- a rarity, it goes without saying -- he probably has no interest in hearing anything you might want to add to the subject, such as your remarks about the UN Avengers. Or is that somehow different? Okay, folks, move along -- if you can't name another Lithuanian, there's nothing to see here.
Posted by: The Management | July 11, 2009 at 08:41 PM
I am not aware of any other eastern block professional player period. Seem to recall reading of one *maybe* years ago amateur wise, but not even positive on that.
Posted by: johns | July 11, 2009 at 10:18 PM
There has never been a Lithuanian born player in MLB or any level of professional baseball. The player the movie "the Natural" was based off was actually of Lithuanian decent though.
I was actually in Lithuania until May of this year. I coached Dovydas at youth club Sporto Vilkai. He will in all likelihood attend High School in California this next year and will join the Pirates there after graduation.
As far as Eastern Block players...a Czech catcher was signed a year ago, but he has yet to play professionally. There have been no Latvians or Estonians, but I can not say for certain about Poland.
Posted by: myette39 | July 11, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Nice contribution, myette39. Interesting. How are the teams sprouting up there? Organically, or by outside influence?
Posted by: The Management | July 12, 2009 at 02:02 AM
Thank you myette39 (echoing Themanagement) for the info.
There have been a few Dutch and German players that have made it to the MLB level and it would be exciting for some Eastern Bloc players to attain that level and for BB to get popular in those countries eventually as well.
Posted by: johns | July 12, 2009 at 08:28 AM
myette39 "There has never been a Lithuanian born player in MLB or any level of professional baseball."
My Lithuanian born great uncle was singed by the Dodgers in the 30's and pitched in the minors in Tennessee for a couple of years. He grew up in the US and never made the bigs.
Posted by: CaughtStealing | July 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Teams are all organically grown. There is very little outside influence. Most of the coaches from the country are actually former Soviet Olympians. The team I was with was started and is coached by a former Soviet athlete. When baseball becamse an Olympic sport, the Soviets only then started a team. Baseball is very new to the Eastern block, and is actually newer than that in some ways as only within the last 10 years or so has there been a youth league. www.vilniusbk.lt is the website of the team that Dovydas played for in Lithuania.
Posted by: myette39 | July 12, 2009 at 12:03 PM
I'm the greatest
Posted by: Braves-NL-Champs-2010 | July 14, 2009 at 04:42 PM