Lawrence's development has been somewhat obscured in KC behind seemingly bigger names like Jesus Cruz, Armando Rodriguez, Antonio Gonzalez, and even speedy Lawrence Fox. Howard Lawrence didn't exactly burst onto the scene in Kansas City. Selected in the 32nd round of the inaugural 2012 draft with the 747th overall selection, Lawrence was selected with hope that he might develop into the quintessential utility infielder. "He played all of the infield positions with some skill and seemed to have all of the intangibles that we are looking for," said Tornadoes GM Tim Ervin when asked about Lawrence recently. And when the Tornadoes GM speaks about intangibles, team insiders will tell you that is code for work ethic, something that is valued very highly in the heartland. "Nobody works harder than Howard," said outfielder Bob Watkins. "He's a quiet leader that everyone in the locker room has come to respect."
But everyone knows that respect is earned on the field, and the ABL debut for Lawrence far from spectacular. Lawrence was having success in AAA for the Joplin Fireballs, batting .293 with 15 homers playing mostly at shortstop. When he was promoted late in 2012 to the parent club, the team was looking for someone to fill in for their injured second baseman, Armando Rodriguez. "Those were big shoes to fill," recounted Lawrence when asked about his debut. "He was the first-ever pick of this franchise, and I'll be the first to admit that it was pretty overwhelming to be called up to try and play his position. I was pressing too much." The Tornadoes stuck with him for a few weeks, but to say that it did not go as Lawrence had hoped... well, that might be an understatement. In 85 AB's Lawrence batted just .165 and he was promptly sent back down to the minors. "It was disappointing, but I knew it was coming," said Lawrence. "I don't regret it because that taste of The Show just made me that much more hungry to get back." And he didn't have to wait very long.
In 2013, Lawrence opened season on the Tornadoes roster, presumably as the utility infielder he was drafted to become. But when the Tornadoes traded aging 3B Emilio Guerrero to the Montreal Bandits midway into the season, Lawrence was given the opportunity to play at the hot corner every day. It didn't take too long for Lawrence to earn the respect of his teammates with his performance. Lawrence finished 2012 with 345 AB's, batting .270 with a stellar OBP of .366 and 15 home runs. After posting number like that, the man that had been groomed as the Tornadoes utility infielder had surprisingly secured himself an everyday spot in the lineup. But he was not done exceeding expectations.... not by a longshot.
This year, Lawrence has taken his performance to a new level. He has missed just one game all season and is batting .334 with an OBP of .374 and 18 home runs. He is on pace for 36 dingers and more than 100 runs and RBI's. Even his defense has improved this year and, though he won't compete for a gold glove, he has been very solid defensively with a +2.0 ZR and a 1.012 defensive efficiency. All of this has led to his being a unanimous selection in the voting so far for the 2014 ABL All-Star Game. Of course, like all perfectionists, Lawrence tends to dwell on his shortcomings. "There's always room for improvement," said the KC third baseman. "Starting with stepping up more in big moments." Some team members advised us that Lawrence is still stewing about a less than stellar performance during a big three game showdown with the rival Mile High Mustangs recently. Lawrence was just 1-for-15 in that series and struck out 6 times. "It was a difficult pill for him to swallow because he has been so consistent," said veteran shortstop Stephen Everett. "But this game has its ups and downs and he's learning that." Everett also noted that Lawrence carried the offense in the series just prior to the trip to Mile High, homering in all three games against the Eureka Hornets.
But if the career trend for Howard Lawrence is any indication, he may still be developing. Which is a scary thought for a guy that has come so far in just one season. He played in relative obscurity until now. But with an appearance in the All-Star Game this year, the league is starting to notice what the Tornadoes have already acknowledged... Debris Field is lucky to have this guy "in the funnel".
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOWARD LAWRENCE - 27 years old today!
Funnelmaster
Love it when a player defies his rating numbers. Hope he keeps it up. Nice report!
ReplyDelete