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| born March
17, 1978 resides Brookline, MA college Hartwick College, 2000 acquired 2002 Referral from R. Gnoinski |
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| born March
17, 1978 resides Brookline, MA college Hartwick College, 2000 acquired 2002 Referral from R. Gnoinski |
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Jim was a tremendous White Sox acquisition from Hartwick College. Jim's senior year, the lefty and a Collegiate Baseball Weekly Player pitched and played centerfield. Baldyga led the team in hitting (.376), slugging percentage (.570), on-base percentage (.459), hits (35), RBI (21) and doubles (12). He also started seven games, striking out as many as 13 batters in one game. In 2002 for the White Sox, Jim was equally as splendid in centerfield, having recorded 41 putouts -- 50% more putouts than any other Sox outfielder. At the plate, Jim finished the season with a 6-game hit-streak, batting .357 the month of August. He concluded the season batting .293, while .364 during night games. Jim also finished tied for 10th in the MABL with 13 stolen bases. In 2003, Jim started off the season slow, and missed most of the second half of the season due to getting married to his fiancé Gina, returning to grad school, and sustaining a back injury. However, one of his most memorable moments came in the playoffs. In Game 3 of the Best of 3 Atlantic Conference Semifinals during the Marlins, Jim led off the bottom of the 8th inning of a 0-0 game with a single. He later scored the winning run in walk-off fashion when Nate Pane singled him in. This run allowed the Sox to clinch the series and advance to the Atlantic Finals versus the Royals. Interestingly, Jim led the entire MABL with the highest ratio
of getting hit-by-pitches, getting plunked in 13% of all plate appearance -- he was
hit just 4 times in 2003, up from 3 in 2002. Moreover, he was bopped in consecutive
years at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
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