Tracking the Preaux Career of Chase Morrow Lambin

<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Lambin has his day in the sun.</b>

It's supposed to be a long road between being drafted in the 34th round of the amateur draft and playing in a big league game. You're not supposed to go from fans saying "Who the heck is THIS guy" in short season A-Ball, to standing next to Mike Piazza during the National Anthem in the space of 18 months. But that's exactly how things played out for Mets' minor leaguer Chase Lambin yesterday.

Less than two years ago, Lambin was selected in no-bonus territory on the second day of the amateur draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette with the low expectations that come with being a late pick. Someone forgot to tell Chase he wasn't supposed to move so quickly through the system. After a short season in Brooklyn where he hit .280 and popped 15 XBH in 179 ABs, Lambin was tabbed as having the "Best first spring training" in Mets minor league camp last season and was given a rare promotion from short-season low A to the Mets' high A affiliate in St. Lucie for the 2003 season.

He quickly proved that his spring success was no fluke, and not only stuck in St. Lucie, but thrived there.

"My goal before Spring Training (last year) was to make the Cap City team." Lambin said during the offseason, "When I made the St. Lucie team I was very excited because I had heard how great the Florida State League was. I knew going in that hitters had a history of struggling in that league, so I just set a goal - not to lose my starting job and to continue learning and getting better."

Chase finished the 2003 season in the top 10 in hitting in the pitching dominant Florida State League and was a key component on the league's championship team. He was named a Baseball America All-Star. And he capped his season with a bases clearing double in the championship finale that sealed the victory.

In addition to his top 10 batting performance, Chase was a team leader both on and off the field. His easy manner, determined competitiveness, and natural leadership qualities had both teammates and coaches alike singling him out for praise throughout the season.

Then yesterday a series of spring events conspired to put Lambin in the bright orange jersey of the big league club for the first time. First of all, he is having another terrific spring in minor league camp. Secondly, with several Mets suffering minor injuries and the team facing a spring split-squad day and needing to fill out two game rosters, the Mets needed an extra middle infielder, so they decided to reward him with a day in the big league dugout.

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NYMFansOnly.com
By Ed Tsunoda <!--

In the seventh inning, with the number 88 and no name stitched on the back of his uniform, Lambin stepped out into the on deck circle to pinch hit. As luck would have it, without Chase even knowing he was going to play until the morning of the game, his Dad Bruce Lambin, who is an accomplished amateur baseball coach (see his web site at tipsfromthecoach.com), had driven several hours from Jacksonville, where he had been on a business trip, to spend a couple of days watching his son.

Chase's first at bat was no gimme. In a 3-1 game with two runners on, he stepped in to face Dodgers' veteran Darren Dreifort. With the count 1-1, he took a pitch that looked to be off the plate for strike two, before popping the next pitch into no man's land behind the pitcher's mound, only to have the athletic Dreifort spin and make a nice over the shoulder catch.

"(One of the coaches) told me the zone gets a little bigger when you're wearing number 88." Chase said after the game about the strike two call. Then with a grin he added, "I wasn't going to go down looking. He coulda thrown the next pitch to the backstop, I woulda swung at it."

Hopefully, for Lambin, the opportunity to test his mettle against the best players in the world will only be the first of many. Today he will return to the minor league camp and go about winning a job at AA Binghamton for this season, and continue chasing his dream. Back to the relatively anonymous life of a late round draft pick fighting his way through the system to the big leagues. Hoping the next time he gets inside a big league clubhouse, he'll be there to stay.

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<blockquote><p align=justify>Mar 26, 2004
Chase Lambin is hitting .368 with 3 XBH in 19 ABs.<hr>

Apr 1, 2004
That's paired newbie Dave Detienne at shortstop for the AA squad with Chase Lambin at second <hr>

Apr 9, 2004
We've got too much talent not to hit in the middle of the lineup," said second baseman Chase Lambin, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs<hr>

Apr 10, 2004
... Mets 9, Navigators 3: Chase Lambin had two of his team's six doubles and drove in three runs as Binghamton beat visiting Norwich.<hr>

Apr 10, 2004
... afternoon with two outs in the seventh. After Prentice Redman walked, Chase Lambin singled home Wright to cut the deficit to 4-3.<hr>

Apr 11, 2004
Binghamton's Ron Acuna scored the game winner on a double by Chase Lambin with no outs in the last frame.<center><p><a href="http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1776671&nav=0RdWMCyt">The rest of the story</a></center><hr>

Apr 11, 2004
Lambin's double lifts B-Mets in last at-bat. The B-Mets' Chase Lambin -- originally given the sacrifice bunt sign -- smacked a double down the right-field line in the ninth inning to score Ron Acuna.<hr>

Apr 14, 2004
Prentice Redman led off with a single, stole second and scored on Chase Lambin's double over the head of right fielder David Espinosa.<hr>

Apr 19, 2004
Chase Lambin had three RBI's.<center><p><a href="http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1797670&nav=0RdWMQQ3">The rest of the story</a></center><hr>

Bruce Lambin has coached over 50 baseball players who went on to the pro's it's called <a href="http://www.tipsfromthecoach.com/index.php?home">tipsfromthecoach.com</a>

<blockquote><p align=justify>Growing up playing shortstop and third base, Chase Lambin has quickly risen through the Mets' minor league ranks and has proven his worth as a valuable utility player. InsidePitchMagazine.com sat down with Chase during the minicamp for a Q&A session.

You had a solid season last year. Have you been given any indication where you might start 2005?

I could not tell you. You've got to come in and compete for a spot and if you show that you're ready to play, they'll put you up a level where you'll flourish. Maybe it's Double-A, maybe it's Triple-A. You never really know. I'm just going to come to spring training and compete as hard as I can, and see what happens.

Do you feel you'd be ready to make the leap to Norfolk?

You never know. If I play well and I'm ready to catch up, then yes. If not, then I'll go back to Double-A. Either one, I'll be happy with, so I'm ready to start playing and work hard to get better.

One thing that helps your value in this system is your versatility. How were you able to pick up a number of positions relatively quickly?

I guess just over the years. I played short and third in college, then I played second in the pros. Now they're playing me out in left field a little bit, and I guess I'm just picking them up along the way. I guess I'm athletic enough to move around and get the job done, and I think it helps me to do all that. It's not like you'll get stuck in one position, you can fill in at spots, and I love the idea of being able to play all those positions.

Which positions are you most comfortable at?

Anywhere in the infield – second and short mainly, the middle infield positions. I've gotten to be real comfortable at second over the last few years, but I grew up playing short and third. The outfield is a little foreign to me right now still.

Which has been the most difficult?

I guess the hardest has been shortstop, because it's so demanding. You never do really master it; I mean, I'm comfortable there, but there's so many things that you have to do right that it's probably the hardest. The outfield is also hard just because I haven't had that much experience out there and I'm sure there's balls I haven't seen yet that are real hard to judge. I think I'll be able to pick it up over time.

Who has been a great influence on your career and development so far?

I've had HoJo [Howard Johnson] with me all the way, and he's been my coach at every level for three years. I think he's seen every one of my at-bats in pro ball and he probably knows me better than I know myself. Guys like him and Ken Oberkfell have been there a lot; I'd say every coach in the whole system has really been awesome with me. They're all down to earth and every one of them will help me.

It seems like HoJo is a guy who really gets into his work – last year in New York, he was calling David Wright all the time. Does he do that with you guys too?

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By Bryan Hoch
Date: Jan 14, 2005 <!--

If you give him the respect and he sees you work hard, he'll work hard with you. He's not going to hunt you down and make you work, but if you need anything he'll do it for you. He's just a guy who'll pick you up if you're feeling down or put you down if you're getting too high. He's a good person – he's a good coach, a good family man and a good friend.

Of the players you've played with in the Mets system, which guys have the most potential?

Well, there's guys like D-Wright [David Wright] that speak for themselves. I played with [Scott] Kazmir, and he was amazing. Those two really stand out.

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He can flat out play some ball. Best arm i have ever seen.

I don't have other links right now but Chase is batting .350 on the season and in the last 4 games has had a home run in each game except last night when he went 2 for 3 and broke a 5-5 tie with a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning. <a href="http://www.pressconnects.com/today/sports/stories/sp042105s161751.shtml">Link</a>

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Turbine

I don't have other links right now but Chase is batting .350 on the season and in the last 4 games has had a home run in each game except last night when he went 2 for 3 and broke a 5-5 tie with a two-out RBI single in the seventh inning. <a href="http://www.pressconnects.com/today/sports/stories/sp042105s161751.shtml">Link</a>

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it just hit me .. bil .. remember to ask .. (is it today or yesterday? .. grins)

ps. i am the web ..

"history for the youth ".. circa .. may 1969 - dogman

Here is a link to his stats via www.minorleaguebaseball.com

<a href="http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=C%20Lambin&pos=&t=p_pbp&did=milb&pid=461250">Lambin Stats</a>

<blockquote><p align=justify>In the seventh, Binghamton's Chase Lambin belted his second homer off Marcum this season, this time ripping a two-run shot that nearly hit a moving train beyond right field. <center><p><a href="http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=53710">The rest of the story</a>

<blockquote><p align=justify><a href="http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=228&amp;p=8&amp;c=1&amp;nid=1251374">Chase Lambin</A>, like several other Mets' prospects this season, has had to hit his way into the lineup and that is exactly what he has done. Lambin went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI, giving him four home runs in his last five games played and extending his hit streak to six games. He did not hit his 4th home run last season until June 8th.
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