Pete Harnisch
Top Major League Players To Come From Long Island
While Long Island may not be the most fertile ground for developing big league talent, I think this list is pretty clear that we do have some high quality players. Two Hall of Famers is nothing to scoff at, but we will delve a little deeper to take a look at some of the other ones that don’t have the same national recognition. This is a subjective list but I will base it off their career MLB numbers via Baseball Reference – not high school or college accolades – so at least there’s at least a standard criteria. Here it goes. 15. Tony Graffanino (East Islip) Tony was really the perfect utility player at the Major League level and it allowed him to stick around for 15 years in a big league uniform with the Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Chicago White Sox, Kansa...
The Story of Pete Harnisch: From Commack HS to MLB All Star
When the 1988 Baltimore Orioles set a record for futility by starting the season with a record of 0-21, they were searching for ways to sell tickets by the end of the season. They called on one of their three first round picks–the only one that actually signed with the team–from the previous season. It was a right-handed pitcher out of Fordham University that just finished a decorated collegiate career with a record of 21-3 and a 2.29 ERA. His name was Pete Harnisch, a graduate of Commack HS. “It was a different era,” said Harnisch who made his debut just over a year after signing a pro contract. “They kept moving me up because I was pitching well. It’s not like today where they move guys along slowly so they don’t lose their confidence. The big le...
