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Overcoming Minor Setbacks

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By BART O'CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 3, 2008

Injuries have made 2008 a difficult year for twin brothers Brian and Jeff Baisley, the former Land O' Lakes High standouts who are determined to extend their professional baseball careers into the major leagues.

Jeff, a third baseman for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats in the Oakland Athletics organization, suffered a stress fracture in his foot in mid-June that is expected to keep him out another six weeks. He was hitting .289 with eight homers at the time, and appeared to have a good chance at making the major-league club this season.

Brian, a catcher for the Single-A short season Staten Island Yankees in the New York Yankees organization, is slowly coming back from a quadriceps tear that caused him to miss the majority of the 2007 season. After opening the year at Charleston, Brian was sent to Staten Island to get more at-bats, and is hitting .253 with five homers.

Their father, Land O' Lakes baseball coach Calvin Baisley, is optimistic both will be able to reach their pre-injury form by the end of their respective seasons.

"I don't think people realize what a grinding sport this is," Calvin Baisley said.

Jeff Baisley has been a star in the Oakland farm system since being drafted in 2005 in the 12{+t}{+h} round. He was the organization's Player of the Year in 2006, hitting .298 with 22 homers and 110 RBIs for Single-A Kane County.

His 2007 season also was hampered by injury. He suffered torn cartilage in one of his knees that caused lingering pain, but nevertheless hit .257 with 11 homers and 46 RBIs for Double-A Midland.

Those numbers were enough to get him to Sacramento, one step away from the majors. But making the big-league club will present more challenges when he gets back.

He is currently not a member of the A's 40-man roster, which is a prerequisite for being called up. The A's also have a solid major-league third baseman in place - Eric Chavez, a perennial 25-homer and 100-RBI man throughout his career.

Chavez, however, has been hampered by injury as well, and his replacement, Jack Hannahan, is hitting .219 on the year. So the possibility exists that Jeff Baisley could fill a key role."With Jeff I felt like he could get the major-league call anytime the way he was hitting before the injury," Calvin Baisley said.

Brian Baisley's quadriceps injury, which took time to diagnose and rehab properly, caused him to miss 10 months of action, and he returned in time for spring training this year. But he was not sharp upon his return in Single-A Charleston and was relegated to a part-time role before the Yankees sent him back to Staten Island, where he began his professional career.

"Brian, he was a little rusty when he got back, which is to be expected," Calvin Baisley said. "Obviously he was disappointed to be going back to Staten Island, but at least he's getting more at-bats. That's the only thing that makes it easier."

Brian was hitting .341 in 88 at-bats at Charleston before his 2007 injury. The 24{+t}{+h}{+-}round pick of the Yankees in 2006 has a reputation for working well with young pitchers.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at

boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.

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