The San Francisco Giants' No. 1 draft pick Gary Brown is a dynamic baseball player with a potent bat and excellent defensive potential, but his blazing speed sets him apart from other players.
Brown demonstrated his talent early while playing college baseball for Cal State Fullerton University. He was a First Team All-American as a junior in 2010, and he once stole 32 bases in a 50-game period during his college career.
Gary Brown is currently using his legs to fuel the San Jose Giants', the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, winning ways. Although he is still a bit raw and has a lot to learn, the Giants are confident he will be the next spark plug at the top of the order in San Francisco.
Here are five reasons as to how Brown's speed might benefit the big club in the next year or two.
Stealing Bases
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Giants currently rank 20th in Major League Baseball in stolen bases, a dimension of their game they would like to improve upon.
Fortunately for the Giants, help is on the way.
As of May 28, 2011, Brown leads the California League in stolen bases with 28. Although he steals bases at a rate slightly above average, 70 percent, he will likely improve upon that percentage.
Brown said he is confident that him being a steal threat will help his team win ball games, especially by putting pressure on the defense.
"I'm just trying to get there, be in people's minds, and mess with the defense," Brown said. "Anyway to get into the pitcher's head."
In a post-steroid era, the Giants could use stolen bases from Brown to manufacture runs. It would be a welcome change for the Giants to steal more bases than they allow.
Scoring Runs
Tommy LaPorte/San Jose Giants
The Giants currently stand 15th in the National League in runs scored as of May 29, 2011. If the Giants are going to rely on pitching and defense to win ball games, Brown's speed producing runs will be vital.
The Giants, with Darren Ford, saw first hand in 2010 how speed can help a team score big runs. Brown may do the same for them.
Brown is third in the California League in runs scored. He averages just about one run scored per game, leading the A Giants with 47 runs scored in 48 games.
It could be exciting to see Brown's speed in action when he hits balls out to the 421 marker, Triples Alley, at AT&T park. Legging out triples is familiar territory for him—and so is going around the horn the hard way.
"My first career home run in pro ball was an inside the parker in Visalia," Brown said. "It was fun. Your legs want to give out by the time you touch home, but it was good."
Although Brown can be a run-making machine with his legs, he said he understands that he cannot do all the work solo.
"The thing about running is you can't produce a run by yourself," Brown said.
"Someone's got to do something to help you, whether it be the pitcher throwing it away or a guy putting it in play, but you just put yourslef in the best situation to rattle the pitcher up and maybe make him make a mistake to the guy hitting."
Getting on Base
Brown might be the perfect remedy for a baseball team struggling to get on base.
The Giants are at the bottom of the National League in runs scored, largely because of their .306 on-base percentage. Brown's ability to get on base and leg out infield hits could give the Giants a huge jolt to their offense.
"You want to get a hit every game and do your best to put yourself in a position do that," Brown said. "I want to win ball games."
Brown said he looks forward to drag bunting for hits, but he will not do so without thinking. He may look for certain signs and signals that tell him it is a good time for a bunt, or he may just trust his gut feeling.
"The game dictates it [when to drag bunt]," Brown said. "For the most part, I like to see the third baseman back. I see a lot of third baseman in. It's got to be a good bunt and I gotta be feeling it."
Brown's speed and ability to get on base could aid him in coming close to Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, but he said that is the furthest thing from his mind.
"That's something I have never thought about," Brown said. "I'll take a 56-game win streak. I wanna win ball games."
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants' No. 1 draft pick Gary Brown is a dynamic baseball player with a potent bat and excellent defensive potential, but his blazing speed sets him apart from other players.
Brown demonstrated his talent early while playing college baseball for Cal State Fullerton University. He was a First Team All-American as a junior in 2010, and he once stole 32 bases in a 50-game period during his college career.
Gary Brown is currently using his legs to fuel the San Jose Giants', the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, winning ways. Although he is still a bit raw and has a lot to learn, the Giants are confident he will be the next spark plug at the top of the order in San Francisco.
Here are five reasons as to how Brown's speed might benefit the big club in the next year or two.
Stealing Bases
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Giants currently rank 20th in Major League Baseball in stolen bases, a dimension of their game they would like to improve upon.
Fortunately for the Giants, help is on the way.
As of May 28, 2011, Brown leads the California League in stolen bases with 28. Although he steals bases at a rate slightly above average, 70 percent, he will likely improve upon that percentage.
Brown said he is confident that him being a steal threat will help his team win ball games, especially by putting pressure on the defense.
"I'm just trying to get there, be in people's minds, and mess with the defense," Brown said. "Anyway to get into the pitcher's head."
In a post-steroid era, the Giants could use stolen bases from Brown to manufacture runs. It would be a welcome change for the Giants to steal more bases than they allow.
Scoring Runs
The Giants currently stand 15th in the National League in runs scored as of May 29, 2011. If the Giants are going to rely on pitching and defense to win ball games, Brown's speed producing runs will be vital.
The Giants, with Darren Ford, saw first hand in 2010 how speed can help a team score big runs. Brown may do the same for them.
Brown is third in the California League in runs scored. He averages just about one run scored per game, leading the A Giants with 47 runs scored in 48 games.
It could be exciting to see Brown's speed in action when he hits balls out to the 421 marker, Triples Alley, at AT&T park. Legging out triples is familiar territory for him—and so is going around the horn the hard way.
"My first career home run in pro ball was an inside the parker in Visalia," Brown said. "It was fun. Your legs want to give out by the time you touch home, but it was good."
Although Brown can be a run-making machine with his legs, he said he understands that he cannot do all the work solo.
"The thing about running is you can't produce a run by yourself," Brown said.
"Someone's got to do something to help you, whether it be the pitcher throwing it away or a guy putting it in play, but you just put yourslef in the best situation to rattle the pitcher up and maybe make him make a mistake to the guy hitting."
Photo by Tommy LaPorte/San Jose Giants
Getting on Base
Brown might be the perfect remedy for a baseball team struggling to get on base.
The Giants are at the bottom of the National League in runs scored, largely because of their .306 on-base percentage. Brown's ability to get on base and leg out infield hits could give the Giants a huge jolt to their offense.
"You want to get a hit every game and do your best to put yourself in a position do that," Brown said. "I want to win ball games."
Brown said he looks forward to drag bunting for hits, but he will not do so without thinking. He may look for certain signs and signals that tell him it is a good time for a bunt, or he may just trust his gut feeling.
"The game dictates it [when to drag bunt]," Brown said. "For the most part, I like to see the third baseman back. I see a lot of third baseman in. It's got to be a good bunt and I gotta be feeling it."
Brown's speed and ability to get on base could aid him in coming close to Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, but he said that is the furthest thing from his mind.
"That's something I have never thought about," Brown said. "I'll take a 56-game win streak. I wanna win ball games."
Taking the Extra Base
The Giants are a station-to-station baserunning team, but their young, center-field prospect is anything but that.
Faster than a speeding bullet, Brown can get himself an extra 90 feet by stretching singles into doubles or legging out triples out in the wide open spaces of AT&T Park.
In one game in April against the Lancaster JetHawks, Brown took a routine single up the middle and pulled a rabbit out of his hat by legging out a double.
As Municipal stadium was in awe from Brown's spectacular performance, he was not surprised that he pulled off that trick.
"I've been watching the outfield and trying to be a student of the game," Brown said. "They've been lobbing the ball into their cut-off man, so I took a big turn and waited for them to throw it, and once he let go of the ball, I went ahead and took off for second."
Although Brown said he wants to play his game by being aggressive on the basepaths, he understands that he must be mindful of the game situation.
"The game dictates the situation," Brown said. "If there's two outs and you have the opportunity to be in scoring position, sometimes there's no point in taking third unless you're standing up. It all depends on where the ball is hit, where it's taking the outfielder, and what I see. That's all in the game."
Brown currently leads the A Giants with 22 extra-base hits in 48 games, and many more might be coming once he takes on Triple's Alley at AT&T Park.
Being a Good Center Fielder
The Giants have not exactly put on a defensive clinic in 2011, but their range in the outfield could be worlds better once Brown patrols center field at AT&T Park.
Brown's defensive numbers are good for his first year playing professional baseball. In 44 games at center field for the A Giants, he has a .978 fielding percentage with two errors and four assists.
Brown said he is confident that his speed can help him become a solid center fielder for the Giants.
Still, he said he knows that he has to use his speed wisely before being ready to play center field every day at the major league level. Speed alone is not what will make him a good outfielder—but it will help.
"I'm still working on my defense every day, trying to get better," Brown said. "Most importantly, it's your first step and the routes you take. The shortest distance between two places is a straight line...and speed just helps when you make a mistake...and obviously, those balls way in the gap."
Vinnie Cestone is a Baseball/San Francisco Giants blogger for The Talking Giants Baseball Blog. Unless otherwise noted, all information was obtained first-hand or from official materials from the San Jose Giants, www.sfgiants.com, or www.sjgiants.com.
It is a clear, cool night at Municipal stadium, as the San Jose Giants' speedy center fielder Gary Brown patiently awaits for a pitch in a 1-1 third-inning tie against the Lancaster JetHawks' right-hander Robby Donovan.
Then, like a 10-year major league veteran, the leadoff hitter Brown takes an outside fastball and laces it up the middle for what appears to be a routine single to center field.. As fans appear content with a leadoff runner at first, Brown suddenly dashes towards second base, as the JetHawks' center fielder fields the ball and fires to second.
Brown slides in safely, and it was not even close.
Brown started with the San Jose Giants, the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, in April 2011. He was selected in the first round (24th overall) of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.
The fleet-footed center fielder is rated third among all prospects in the Giants' organization according to Baseball America. The publication also designated Brown as the "fastest baserunner" and "best defensive outfielder" in the Giants' system.
Brown tasted the major leagues briefly in 2011 when he was a non-roster invitee in spring training for the Giants. One of his big accomplishments there was an extra-inning, walk-off single against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Although Brown has much to prove before he is penciled in as the every day center fielder at AT&T Park, here are five reasons as to why he will be the next great Giants' superstar.
His Speed (Offensively)
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Brown was drafted by the Giants for his speed, and he looks forward to using it successfully during his professional baseball career.
"The most obvious key to my success is my legs, running," Brown said. "I just got to learn how to use that to the best of my ability."
Brown has been impressive on the basepaths in 2011 for the A Giants. In 36 games, he leads the California League with 22 stolen bases.
The speedy center fielder has been thrown out 10 times in 2011 but has lots of time to tune up his baserunning ability. He is confident that he could live up to his potential and develop into a great base stealer.
"I believe I have an opportunity to disrupt guys on the bases," Brown said. "I'm just trying to get better every day...staying calm and not getting ahead of myself."
Brown would add another dimension to the major league Giants' offense. The Giants currently have another excellent runner in the organization, Darren Ford, who already has demonstrated how speed could help a big league team win.
Baseball America considered Brown the fastest man in the Giants' organization, but he said Ford may have the slight edge if they were to race.
"We joked about that in spring training," Brown said. "It would be close, but I think he's got me."
His Potent Bat
Brown compliments his speed with a solid bat. He is tearing up the California League and will continue to get better with experience.
In his 150 at bats, Brown has been an on-base machine. Since starting with the A Giants in 2011, he is hitting .367 with three home runs, 30 RBIs, and an impressive .445 on-base percentage.
Brown is also slugging .513 with a .958 OPS. Giants fans will be impressed with the 22-year-old's professional, disciplined plate approach at such a young age.
Brown's philosophy is to be patiently aggressive at the plate. Although he is not one to take a bunch of walks, he already has shown enough plate discipline to wait for his pitch or hit a knee-high outside fastball hard up the middle.
"When you go up to the plate, you can ask any hitter," Brown said. "They're not going to say they're trying to walk. Just see pitches, and if they don't give them to you, you try to lay off them."
Brown has the right mentality to be a great hitter in the major leagues. As he gets wiser and stronger, he just may evolve into one of the greatest hitters in baseball.
His Defense
Baseball America rated Brown as "the best defensive outfielder" in the Giants' organization, and so far, with the A Giants, he has shown why.
With his cannon arm, excellent range, and blazing speed, Brown has the potential to be a perennial gold glover in the major leagues.
Brown has not had impressive defensive numbers yet, but he has shown he has the tools. In 33 games played in center field, Brown has a .970 fielding percentage and has made two errors along with three assists.
Brown is not worried about his defense, and he is confident he will improve.
"I'm just trying to do my best in...taking good routes and just staying calm and not getting ahead of myself," Brown said.
Still, Brown has shown great range, an excellent arm, and the ability to track down balls that would normally get down for hits.
"I believe I have an opportunity...in the outfield to steal some hits and make good throws...just all around finding a way to use my legs," Brown said.
His Focus
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Although Brown is a young, rising superstar prospect, he knows that he cannot get ahead of himself. His focus must remain on the field in which he can control -- where he is playing right now.
Even though Brown hopes to someday patrol the wide-open spaces of AT&T Park's outfield, he will take his game one step at a time.
"Right now, my home is here at Municipal Stadium, so when I get the opportunity to play there,
I'll worry about it," Brown said. "For right now, it's the 390 in center."
His Confidence
Tommy LaPorte/San Jose Giants
At just 22, Brown displays the swagger and confidence of a 10-year veteran.
The young, well-spoken center fielder does not hold anything back. He is an all-out baseball player who is sure of himself and will use everything he has in the gas tank.
"I hope for an opportunity to show what I can do," Brown said. "I'll do my best to play hard every day."
When the major league Giants' manager, Bruce Bochy, and the general manager, Brian Sabean, mull over whether or not Brown should patrol AT&T Park's big center field, he is ready to demonstrate his game to them. Still, he understands the decision will ultimately be the Giants'.
"If they say I'm ready, I'm ready," Brown said. "I don't need to pitch it to them."
With Brown's confident attitude, he could very well be the next big league Giants' captain.
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Here is my first ever interview with a professional sports player. I had the privilege to interview the San Francisco Giants' No. 1 draft pick -- the speedy center-fielder Gary Brown.
Brown is currently playing for the Class A San Jose Giants, and he is doing very well. He is hitting .341 with one home run and a .429 on-base percentage.
Brown is a very confident baseball player who is ready to play. I think you will all like what he has to say. He's young, fast, and ready to contribute.
He is another character that will be good inside the Giants' clubhouse. Enjoy the interview.
What do you guys think about this future sports star?
