Several former Georgia high school baseball players were integral in the National League’s victory in the major league All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann, a graduate of Duluth High (Duluth, Ga.), hit a three-run double in the seventh inning of the National League’s 3-1 victory in Anaheim, Calif.
Chicago Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd, formerly of Sprayberry High (Marietta, Ga.), made the game’s critical defensive play in right field when he fielded what appeared to be a bloop hit by John Buck. Byrd turned it into a forceout at second base, retiring David Ortiz for the second out in the ninth inning.
Los Angeles Dodges closer Jonathan Broxton, a graduate of Burke County (Waynesboro, Ga.), closed the victory, retiring three of four batters.
Seven former Georgia high school players were represented, all playing for the NL.
The others were Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips from Redan (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Braves outfielder Jason Heyward from Henry County (McDonough, Ga.), St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright from Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Ga.) and Washington Nationals reliever Matt Caps from Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.).
Wainwright and Capps pitched scoreless relief for the NL, and Capps got the victory.
"That's pretty impressive last night when you look up the boxscore and Capps got the win, Broxton got the save and McCann was MVP," said Wayne Vickery, the former Gainesville High (Gainesville, Ga.) coach who now heads Team Georgia, the high school all-stars of Georgia that recently won the Sunbelt Baseball Classic in Oklahoma.
Vickery’s former Team Georgia members include Capps and McCann. Capps was remembered for a freak injury in the Oklahoma tournament in 2001. He suffered a broken leg after hitting a home run and stepping awkwardly on third base.
Vickery, who was Cincinnati Reds pitcher Micah Owings' coach in high school, thought was Capps was more impressive as a hitter in those days.
"If you’d have told me Matt Capps would be a closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals in 2010, I’d probably have said, 'Naw, I don’t know, maybe a starting pitcher,'" Vickery said. "I never imagined him as a closer."
McCann also was more noted as a hitter then. He didn't play catcher for Team Georgia because the team had two who were better.
"McCann played right field for me," Vickery said. "But we knew McCann could hit because his swing was short and compact. He reminded me of a right-handed Bob Horner."
Vickery also noted several young former Georgia players who weren't in this year’s All-Star games, but soon could be. They include San Francisco Giants rookie Buster Posey from Lee County (Leesburg, Ga.), Baltimore Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis from Woodstock (Ga.) and White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham from Westminster (Atlanta, Ga.).
"I just think Georgia baseball over the past 10 years is catching up with Florida, Texas and California," Vickery said. "There have been a lot of major leaguers to come through here."
