Mason Alumnus Heads to the Big Leagues

By Broadside Sports Editor Brian Chan 

Photo by Stephanie Knapp

While the George Mason University baseball team had a record-breaking season last year, Shawn Griffith was the odd man out. 

Five of the six Mason players were selected on the second day of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Griffith, the last one, fell to the 37th round after being chosen on the third day by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Griffith, who spent the last two seasons with Mason after transferring from St. Petersburg College, became a critical piece in the bullpen last year. Griffith set the school record with 29 appearances. 

In addition to posting a 4-0 record with a 3.05 ERA, he recorded 41 strikeouts and three saves in 44-1/3 innings. Seven players represented Mason on the All-CAA team. Griffith was not one of them.

In his first three months with the Blue Jays’ rookie league team, Griffith has transformed into a dominant reliever, allowing just nine hits and striking out 41 batters in 26-1/3 innings. 

After posting a 0.77 ERA in the month of July, he was even better this past month, not allowing an earned run in 12-2/3 innings. 

Deemed untouchable, Griffith, who was not even the primary closer at Mason, already has eight saves in the Gulf Coast League.

Jordan Flasher broke the single-season school record with 14 saves as a sophomore, but suffered a season-ending elbow injury in his junior year. 

The Boston Red Sox gambled on Flasher in the 22nd round even though he struggled late in the season last year as his ERA skyrocketed to 6.05. Flasher was recently called up to the Single-A Short-Season Lowell Spinners after spending less than a month in rookie ball. Flasher became the second Mason player from the draft to receive a call-up. 

So far in his minor league career, Flasher has yet to allow a run in 13-1/3 innings.

Mike Modica, the Houston Astros’ 24th round pick, was inserted into Single-A Short Season with the Tri-City ValleyCats. 

A year earlier, the Astros selected Modica in the 46th round, but Modica chose not to sign. Modica, a starter throughout his collegiate career, began his minor league career in the bullpen. In 22 relief appearances, Modica is 0-3 with a 2.96 ERA, but in the past month, opponents were hitting .458 off him.

Scott Krieger, Mason’s all-time home run leader, was an immediate power source with the Helena Brewers, the rookie league affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Krieger, selected in the 19th round, was the first Mason player chosen in the draft.

In his first five games, Krieger already had four home runs, including a three-home run day in a 15-10 shootout against the Missoula Osprey on June 28. He is currently tied for fifth in the Pioneer League with 12 home runs. However, he has also been a strikeout victim 86 times in 234 at-bats.

Chris Henderson was last season’s CAA Co-Player of the Year, sharing the honor with Krieger. He fell short of the batting title, but the Virginia Player of the Year showcased his outstanding play behind the plate. Since being selected in the 21st round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Henderson had a rough start in the Arizona League. 

The Dodgers drafted Henderson for his bat, but the question that remains is whether the team plans to keep him at his new position at third base. 

While at the hot corner, Henderson has an abysmal .827 fielding percentage with 13 errors. Currently, he is finding some time at first base as well.

For the last three seasons, Justin Bour teamed up with Krieger to form one of the CAA’s fiercest power-hitting tandems. Bour left Mason tied for second with 46 career home runs, 17 of which came from last season. 

The Chicago Cubs drafted Bour in the 25th round. In 208 at-bats, Bour is hitting .264 with four home runs and 38 RBIs after splitting time between rookie ball and Single-A Short Season. 

While Bour is hitting .300 against right-handers, he has not found similar success against southpaws, batting just .121 with only one extra-base hit. Yet, he still finds ways to get on base through walks.

With Krieger, Henderson, Flasher, Modica, Bour, and Griffith gone in addition to the other seniors from last season’s team, Head Coach Bill Brown will attempt to find reinforcements while fielding a competitive team for the 2010 season.