Alumni and Friends of VMI:
Cyber Corps Numbers: 582
Update on VMI's Ryan Glynn '96 With the Texas Rangers:
Ryan's hope / Texas' Glynn became first Keydet to
reach majors
Tuesday, July 13, 1999
BY JOHN O'CONNOR
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
During three seasons on the mound for VMI, Ryan Glynn went 8-11
with a 5.96 ERA. In none of those years did the right-hander from
Portsmouth post a winning record. Glynn was 4-5 with a 5.61 ERA
as a junior.
Understandably then, more than a few casual observers scratched
their noggins when the Texas Rangers made Glynn their
fourth-round pick (94th overall) in the 1995 draft after his
not-so-swift junior season.
"People would definitely remember me more as a hitter than a
pitcher at VMI," said Glynn, who also played outfield and
belted 25 homers and 101 RBI in his last two college seasons.
Glynn, 24, made this observation last Thursday afternoon from San
Diego, where the Rangers prepared for a weekend interleague
series against the Padres. At the time, he was a member of the
Texas rotation, proof that scout Mike Toomey recognized a
potential big-league pitcher despite unimpressive college
statistics. The day after, Glynn was shipped back to Triple-A
Oklahoma City, though he's expected to rejoin the Rangers
following the all-star break.
The only Keydet to make the major leagues was 2-3 with a 6.95 ERA
in 11 appearances (eight starts) with the Rangers, but an
asterisk should be attached to the record. Glynn, promoted from
Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 16, faced Boston's Pedro Martinez
in Fenway Park (a loss) and New York's David Cone in Yankee
Stadium (another loss).
"I'm going through that rookie thing right now, where I'm
thinking my stuff has to be better [than it was at lower levels]
instead of just trusting my- self," Glynn said. "I know
I haven't pitched to my ability yet."
What Toomey and other major-league scouts saw when they evaluated
the 6-3, 195-pound Glynn in Lexington was an unpolished thrower
whose fastball topped out at 95 mph. At VMI, he walked plenty and
struck out plenty.
"I threw hard, but I had no idea how to pitch," said
Glynn , who made only 26 starts in three years at VMI.
"Pitching, for me, isn't very easy at all. It was always
much harder than hitting. Hitting was just a reaction. Pitching
is a whole thought process."
He was supposed to spend this season at Oklahoma City, acquiring
the mental edge. But in mid-May, pitcher Esteban Loiaza broke his
hand when a car door slammed on it. Another door opened for
Glynn, Loiaza's replacement on the roster.
"I'm nothing special," Glynn said. "I was given a
talent, and I'm using it, that's all."
There's a little more to it than that. As a senior at Churchland
High, Glynn had a few college options because of baseball and
chose the one most 18-year-olds would not: a military school
without a winning baseball program. Chris Finwood, the former
Keydets coach who now works as an assistant at Virginia
Commonwealth, needed to do only minimal convincing to get Glynn's
signature on a letter-of-intent.
Glynn in no way qualified as a disciplinary problem, but he
believed VMI's structure was precisely what he required.
"I thought if I went to a regular college, I would flunk
out," Glynn said. "VMI is big on schedules, and I
needed that in my life at that time."
The plan worked. Not only was Glynn drafted out of VMI and
elevated to the big leagues in four years, he earned his
economics degree along the way. The day Texas selected him in the
fourth round, Glynn said, "I came to VMI for a future in
business, not baseball." So when does he intend to put his
college education to work?
"I use it every day," Glynn said. "My salary has
definitely gone up, and I'm making all my own investments."
Glynn file
Ryan David Glynn
Hometown: Portsmouth
Size: 6-3, 195 pounds
Age: 24
Status: Made eight starts for the Texas Rangers this season, sent
back to Triple-A Oklahoma City last Friday.
College: Struck out 177 batters and walked 118 in 181.1 innings
at VMI, where he was also an all-Southern Conference outfielder .
. . Finished career with 126 RBI, second on school's all-time
list . . . Went 8-11 with a 5.96 ERA as a pitcher, 4-5 with a
5.61 ERA in his junior and final college season
Professional: Selected in the fourth round (94th overall) of the
1995 draft by Texas . . . Went 9-6 with a 3.44 ERA at Double-A
Tulsa last season . . . Promoted to Texas from Triple-A Oklahoma
City this season on May 16, when he was 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA as a
Class AAA rookie . . . Was 2-3 with a 6.95 ERA as a Texas starter
before being sent back to Oklahoma City
Notable: Glynn is the first former Keydet to make the major
leagues . . . Returned to VMI for two semesters to finish his
economics degree after pitching the 1995 season at Hudson Valley
of the New York-Penn League because he wanted to graduate with
his class.
Quotable: "I wouldn't be where I am today without VMI."
Update On Another VMI Grad and Athlete:
CFL's Alouettes feature local flavor
Tuesday, July 13, 1999
When a Canadian Football League team kicks to the Montreal
Alouettes, a quick Virginian will do the returning.
Montreal's kickoff-return tandem includes former VMI star Thomas
Haskins, a 5-8 alumnus of Highland Springs High, and 5-8 Winston
October, a Dale City resident who played at the University of
Richmond during the past four seasons. October brings back punts
for the Alouettes, who won 15-12 at Toronto to open their season
last Saturday.
Haskins, 25 and a backup tailback for Alouettes, was named a
Division I-AA All-America twice at VMI, where he gained 5,349
yards from 1993-96. October, 23, was a four-year starter at
cornerback for the Spiders. He plays on all of Montreal's special
teams.
The Alouettes are directed by Charlie Taaffe, formerly the coach
at The Citadel.
-- John O'Connor
You Find VMI Admirers In The Strangest Places:
Brown Sees Military Academy for Teens in Oakland
Future
Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross matierandross@sfgate.com
Friday, July 2, 1999
©1999 San Francisco Chronicle
My, my, how times have changed. First Jerry Brown goes from Mr.
Eco to Mr.Crime and Grime. Then he invites the Marines to invade
Oakland. Now he's pushing for an Oakland military academy. As
Brown sees it, the new charter military academy would be
patterned after the highly disciplined Virginia Military
Institute.
The idea would be to serve youngsters from the sixth grade
through high school. And get this -- Brown thinks the academy
could be up and running within a year with a bit of help from the
state and National Guard. As a matter of fact, he already has a
possible site in mind -- at the old Oakland Army base.
``It would instill discipline and leadership,'' Brown told us,
adding that another goal would be to create ``high expectations''
and high SAT scores. And that's just the pitch Brown made when he
and Governor Gray Davis made a joint PR ferry ride across the bay
yesterday. ``We can make it happen,'' an exuberant Brown told us
after chatting up the military idea with Davis.
Brown said he doesn't see any ideological oddity in backing a
military school. ``When I was governor, I started the California
Conservation Corps, and I also started the Oakland Guard program,
. . . which we used in the '70s to train Oakland residents in
skills so they can get jobs,'' Brown said. ``The military is a
very powerful rite of passage for many people in Oakland, and
that's why I'm responding to it,'' he said.
A Job Opportunity:
US Airways, Inc.
Position: Treasury Analyst
Department: Treasury
Location: Arlington, VA
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
One to two years of treasury, cash management, or an additional
two years of equivalent accounting work experience and a degree
in accounting or finance. Strong analytical/communication skills
and proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint
and Access).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Two years of Treasury or Cash Management experience. Prior
experience with cash forecasting techniques.
DUTIES:
Daily responsibilities include cash positioning, initiating
wire/ACH transfers, reconciling daily cash activity and
processing foreign wire payments. Updating short-term cash
forecast, maintaining state ACH payment databases and wires
payment database. Serving as bank balance and reporting
administrator, confirming and analyzing bank fees. Serving as
backup to investment function and debt/lease management. Other
projects as assigned by Director, Treasury Operations or Cash
Manager.
"These are exciting times at US Airways. Not only have we
changed our look and our attitude, we are aggressively redefining
our commitment to domestic and international growth."
For immediate consideration, please submit mail or ax resumes to:
US Airways, Inc. - Reference KDB/990478
2345 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22227
Fax: 703-872-7410
Also, someone recently sent me an e-mail with info re: a senior
analyst job opening. Unfortunately I can't find that e-mail.
Would whoever sent it to me, please resend. My apologies.
That's it for this week.
Yours in the Spirit,
RB Lane '75
Last Updated: October 11, 2009
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