There Are Several Local Ties to This Year’s M.L.B. Post Season

We now know who is playing in this year's Major League baseball Divisional round of the playoffs. You probably know that in the National League it will be Colorado against Milwaukee and Atlanta against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  In the American League it will be the New York Yankees against Boston and the Cleveland against the Houston. What you may not know is there are some Quincy ties to three of the teams still playing. There are three players for the Cleveland Indians who have some tie to Quincy. Second Baseman/Centerfielder Jason Kipnis was coached by former Q.N.D. Soccer Coach and Quincy resident Al Knepler while playing at Glenbrook North High School. Greg Allen, an outfielder for the Indians, and Adam Rosales, an infielder for the Indians, both played for the Quincy Gems. Kipnis and Allen are on the ALDS. roster for Cleveland, but Rosales is not.

The Los Angeles Dodgers also have a former Quincy Gem on their team in pitcher Pat Venditte. Venditte is unique in that he is ambidextrous and throws both right and left handed. Venditte is not on the Dodger NLDS. roster.

One other tie to Quincy is former St. Louis Cardinal and now New York Yankee first baseman Luke Voit. Voit, since being traded to New York by St. Louis, has been one of the hottest hitters on the Yankee team and is on the New York ALDS. roster. He just happens to have an aunt who lives in Quincy!