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Pass the Kraut

RealityChuck

By RealityChuck
in New York Mets Talk

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RealityChuck

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]The Mets have signed 21�year-old German C Kai Gronauer to a two-year minor league contract.


He tore up the German leagues and had a ridiculously good record of throwing out runners. Whether he can perform at a major league level in the US is unknown, but it seems a good gamble.


Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket

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Mach schnell!


Guest AG/DC

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I always associate Germanic names with quarterbacks and pitchers (Assenmacher, Hershiser), as if there's something in their makeup that tends to makes them throw well.



New York Mets sign Catcher Kai Gronauer

Europeans in the USA



The NEW YORK METS have signed catcher Kai Gronauer (Picture: Right) of the SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS. He agreed on a two-year-contract and will join the Major League organization in two weeks. He is going into the extended spring training program in Port St. Lucie, Florida and after this preparation period they will determine, for which team and on which level he will play. Due to the lack of depth on his position, Gronauer has the opportunity to move through the system quickly. It is also expected that he will start at least in Single A.


The 21-year-old is without a question the best German player at the moment. He impressed scouts over the past ten months at the European Championships in Barcelona and the two IBAF events in Taiwan in November 2007 and March 2008. Gronauer spent his whole career with the ALLIGATORS. The MINNESOTA TWINS and the PITSBURGH PIRATES showed interest in him during the winter. He also considered to play at the college this spring, but decided to stay in SOLINGEN for 2008. But the plans changed quickly and the METS made a strong push towards him.


Gronauer is currently batting .455 (OBP .600/SLG .545) in three games this season. At the Final Olympic Qualifying Tournament he hit .250 with four doubles in seven games. He also threw out five of eleven base stealers at the event. His national team head coach Greg Frady said one time that he is one of the best five players on his position in International Baseball. The move to the Minor Leagues is the only logical step in his development, as he can�t improve anymore in the German Bundesliga.


Obviously the ALLIGATORS will miss their starting catcher and it is nearly impossible to replace him. Nevertheless they are very happy for him and wish him the best. He also could help them during the playoffs after the end of the minor league season. They will honor him before their next home game on Sunday against the NEUNKIRCHEN NIGHTMARES and will say him goodbye.



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Pass the Kraut















What does the pit crew for a Formula One team say to their driver when he's about to lap Michael Schumacher?


metirish First Round Pick

metirish

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]

The 21-year-old is without a question the best German player at the moment



WOW , That's high praise.


Guest AG/DC

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There are currently three more or less active players born in West Germany.

Interesting is that, since Mickey Scott last played in 1977, there have been no players born in a unified Germany, a pattern that should hold until around the middle of the next decade.

Players born in Germany.

Players born in West Germany.

No players have come from East Germany, so see if you can find out his birthplace. He has some small chance of being the first, last, and only.


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="Benjamin Grimm"]I think, if I lived in Germany, I'd be inclined to root for the NEUNKIRCHEN NIGHTMARES.


That's because you're not existential enough to hitch your wagon to the WANDERERS.

Standings North
Guest AG/DC

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="soupcan"]
]Heidenheim Heidek�pfe


Now that's a name for a German baseball team.


Google translates that as "Heidek�pfe" as "Heath Heads." I'm trying to imagine a head made of heath as something intimidating.

="Benjamin Grimm"]Yikes! My favorite German team is 0 and 6!

Time to jump off the bandwagon!


Living up to their name, though, aren't they?


Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket

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What in the name of Horst Fascher!?!


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seawolf17 wrote:
The Hanover Regents' logo looks oddly familiar...
http://www.tus-vahrenwald.de/baseball/templates/Carbon_07/images/header.gif


yes.


Guest Triple Dee

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Here is Kai Gronauer in the flesh:



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HahnSolo

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I can't root for the Buchbinder Legionare. Sound a little too elitist for my taste.


Guest AG/DC

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They could play against the Bonn Mots, the Hannover The-Keys, and the Haar De-Haar-Haars.


Benjamin Grimm FCL Mets

Benjamin Grimm

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Anyway, it will be interesting to see where Kai Gronauer lands.

The article quoted above implies that he'll land in Single A, so that would make Brooklyn the most likely destination, I'd think.

But if he were to end up in St. Lucie it would indicate that he's on a bit of a fast track. Gulf Coast or Kingsport, not so much.


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My son has a friend who is taking 6th grade German. Once we know where Kai lands, the kid wants to write him a welcome note :)


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