This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2002, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
DOWN ON THE FARM
"They were kind of dumbfounded," said Art Talbot, the pitcher's father.
Never had math classes been such a good bargaining tool. Within three days of learning that Talbot, their second-round draft pick, planned to attend Dixie State College in St. George and re-enter the draft next season, the Astros were on his doorstep in Cedar City with their owner's blessing and a lucrative contract proposal.
"It was kind of funny," Art Talbot said, "because their last comment before they hung up was, 'We're going to have to do something quick if we're going to get something done.' "
The Astros thought they had more time to worry about Talbot, his father said, but learned in a phone call that the pitcher was scheduled to start classes the next week -- not next month. Talbot planned to enroll after having been kept waiting all season because Astros owner Drayton McLane did not want to sign his team's top picks and risk losing money if the major-league players go on strike.
Talbot essentially lost the whole season. He pitched a few games for an American Legion team, but otherwise simply sat and waited, unable to even get a job because of the uncertainty.
Because of that, Talbot and his father decided that if the Astros didn't come around, Talbot would enroll at Dixie and "see what happened next year." Technically, the Astros would have retained the rights to Talbot until five days before the next draft, but Art Talbot said "we'd already told them they weren't going to get a chance to get him again next year if they didn't sign him now."
The Astros took the hint.
Unwilling to lose perhaps all of his team's best draft choices, McLane finally authorized the Astros to sign them. The Talbots did not sign right away, instead waiting about a week before agreeing to the proposal, which paid Mitch Talbot a $550,000 signing bonus.
"He made more money right there than I made in the first 20 years of my working life," Art Talbot marveled.
Provided there is no strike, the Astros plan to send Talbot to the fall instructional league next month. If there is a strike, he won't report until spring training next year. "At that point, he's going to get a job," Art Talbot said.
Either way, Talbot will begin his professional career either at Class A short-season Tri-City in the New York-Penn League or rookie league Martinsville in the Appalachian League.
"He's excited and nervous," Art Talbot said. "All of those things rolled into one."
No Title? No Problem
Pitcher Mickey Callaway has lost his outside chance to win the Pacific Coast League earned-run average crown this season, but he probably doesn't mind.
After a back injury cost him much of a brilliant season, the Salt Lake right-hander finally was promoted to the Anaheim Angels last week. But making a spot start today will keep Callaway from throwing the 24 2/3 minor-league innings he needed in the final 10 days of the regular season to qualify for the ERA title.
Callaway won his first nine decisions for the Stingers, though that back injury forced him to miss most of June and July. While he was out, fellow pitchers John Lackey, Scot Shields and Brendan Donnelly all were promoted to Anaheim and remain there.
Callaway was 10-2 for Salt Lake this season, with a 1.68 earned-run average -- nearly a full run better than official league leader Jeriome Robertson of New Orleans at 2.58. After pitching for the Angels today, Callaway will have played in eight major-league games, including seven for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999 and 2001.
Down the Stretch
The Stingers are not the only ones in a pennant chase in the PCL.
All four teams in the East Division -- whose champion will play Salt Lake if the Stingers hold on to make the playoffs -- are within two games of one another going into the final week of the season. And New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis and Oklahoma each have at least one series against a divisional opponent.
So who has the edge?
Probably Nashville.
The Sounds -- and former Viewmont High star Reed Secrist -- have winning records against New Orleans and Memphis and own the best record within the division and within the conference. All of that will be crucial if the race ends in a tie.
Box-Office Smash
The Ogden Raptors are on pace to win the Pioneer League's Southern Division second-half title and meet the rival Provo Angels in the playoffs.
But the attendance battle is no contest.
The Raptors passed the 100,000 mark last week, and lead the league by far by averaging 3,330 fans per home game. The Angels rank fourth, with a 1,605 average.
"The fans here have been awesome," Ogden manager Tim Blackwell told the Standard-Examiner. "They have been incredible, outstanding, terrific, all those good words. They have supported us even through the bad times in the first half when we had a couple of streaks that weren't very fun."