Andy Beal Fantasy Prospect Profile

New York Yankees left-handed pitching prospect, Andy Beal, is learning that minor league baseball is like a deck of cards: you never know what you are going to get. It could be good, it could be bad. Beal has endured gut-wrenching highs and lows through his minor league
career since being drafted in the fifth round in the 2000 draft.

Beal, who went 2-11 during his junior year at Vanderbilt, turned things around in his first professional season in the New York Penn League last season. Going 9-3, with a respectable 2.34 ERA, was just one perk that Beal had in his first professional career. Last season, Beal dominated with his unflappible confidence that helped him get 87 strikeouts in 92 innings, and allowed only 72 hits.

In addition to his good start in his first professional season, Beal also got a taste of what it is like to win a professional championship as the Staten Island Yankees won the New York Penn League Championship. The Staten Island Yankees championship win made them the toast of the
town on Sept. 20,2001, when the mayor of New York declared it as "Staten Island Yankees Day."

Going into this season, Beal must have been feeling pretty confident having put together a great first season. A season that wasn't bad for someone who, just a few years ago, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 33rd round, but decided to go to college instead. The season didn't start off bad either, except that the run support has
not been there as much as Beal would probably prefer it to be, which explains his 2-4 record. His win-loss record may be a little deceiving when you take a look at his respectable 3.43 ERA, and 46 strikeouts in 63 innings, as well as being proclaimed by many publications as one of
the best prospects in the Florida State League.

As it has happened so many times, the humbling world of professional baseball strikes again. Beal was hit by a baseball, which broke his throwing. The injury caused him to be put on the shelf for a while. In addition to the injury, the business of baseball dealt him another cruel blow when the Yankees sent him packing back down to the single A South Atlantic League in Greensboro, where he currently is now.

Beal wrote in his AtTheYard.com player journal, "I was initially disappointed about being sent down, but I realize that I have no way of understanding what goes on in this business(of baseball). I have to deal with what is given to me and make the best of every situation." Beal is definitely making the best of the situation, and although he has been dealt some set-backs, it looks as though he is not deterred by what is in the deck of cards. With his pitching skills, and his ability to deal with set-backs, there could be a card that says major league debut in 2004, depending on the seriousness of his injury, which has yet to be determined.

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By Jason Blasco