“One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something.� Nolan Ryan
2010 AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Nov. 15, 2010 – Texas Rangers closer, Neftali Feliz, was named 2010 American League Rookie of the Year today, earning 20 first place votes out of 28 total ballots and was one of only two players to be named on all 28 ballots. The award caps off a dream season for Feliz, who was an AL All-Star and helped guide his team to their fourth division title and their first AL pennant. Considered a heavy favorite entering into today’s ceremony, Feliz earned 40 saves during the regular season, breaking the Major League rookie record for single season saves, and had solid performances during the 2010 ALCS and World Series. After beginning the season as an 8th inning set-up man, Feliz quickly earned the job as the Rangers’ regular closer by impressing manager Ron Washington with a confidence and poise typically reserved for veteran pitchers. Feliz was signed by the Atlanta Braves as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2005. In 2007 he was traded from the Braves to the Texas Rangers along with a very talented group that included Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Matt Harrison, Beau Jones, and Elvis Andrus in exchange for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay. Feliz made his Major League debut on August 3 2009, striking out four batters in two scoreless innings. He finished the season with a 1–0 record and a 1.74 earned run average in 20 games, with 39 strikeouts and two saves in 31 innings pitched. Born on May 2, 1988 in Azua, Dominican Republic, a small town west of Santo Domingo, Feliz always dreamed of becoming a Major League baseball player. The dream came true and today it reached a new level, which promises to be just the beginning of a long and successful career. This achievement was made possible thanks to the unconditional support of his family, management team, sponsors and especially the talent and support of his teammates, coaches, and the entire Texas Rangers organization. Feliz is looking forward to the 2011 season with the Texas Rangers and helping them win the World Series.
“Baseball was, is and always will be to me the best game in the world.� Babe Ruth
California Sports Management, Inc. and the Landis Baseball Group is a full service baseball agency with domestic offices in Sacramento and San Diego, California and Houston, Texas as well as an international office in Tokyo, Japan. CSM/LBG have represented professional athletes for over 15 years, and are currently one of the elite firms in the industry. It is our mission to provide a variety of services to each and every one of our clients through our team of experienced agents. We specialize in the following and so much more: • • • • • • •
Contract Salary Arbitration Trades Free Agency Grievances Quality Service Legal Matters
We work hard to solicit and negotiate endorsement agreements and other income–producing opportunities for our players. In addition, CSM/LBG have a network of managed independent resources across the country through which we can provide assistance with money management, tax and financial planning, property transactions, as well as complex legal affairs. We have the resources and connections necessary to provide every one of our clients with continuing skill development as well as conditioning and physical therapy assistance. CSM/LBG has earned a reputation for serving all of its clients: from rookies to All–Stars, with professional excellence and personal integrity. Our personnel have competed as professional and collegiate athletes, hold graduate degrees in business and law, and belong to a variety of professional organizations dedicated to the business of sports. Our focus is on the quality of service we provide each client, rather than the quantity of players we represent. As a result, CSM/LBG provides outstanding attention, flexibility, and accessibility to our players as well as their families.
The CSM-LBG Team Craig Landis Craig Landis has literally been around Major League Baseball players and clubhouses since birth. Craig’s father, Jim, played 11 years in the Majors; he was an All–Star and a five–time Gold Glove winner, mostly as a centerfielder with Chicago White Sox. After an All–American High School football and baseball career, Craig was selected in the 1st round (10th pick) of the 1977 MLB Amateur Draft. Thus, Craig has a first hand understanding of the decisions a player faces at this point in his career. Craig played 6 years in the minors with the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves organizations. After his professional baseball career ended, Craig attended Stanford University on a full football scholarship. Upon finishing his undergraduate work at Stanford, he served as an Investment Banker on Wall Street for two years. Building upon his valuable experience on Wall Street, Craig then went through the MBA program at Stanford. All in all, Craig received 3 degrees from Stanford: B.A., M.A. and MBA. After Graduate School, Craig started working with industry powerhouse Reich, Katz and Landis Baseball agency in 1992. Although he spent 13 highly successful years with Reich, Katz and Landis, Craig left to fulfill a lifelong dream of starting his own firm, Landis, Seal & Ware Baseball, in 2005. Over the last 16 years, Craig has established a reputation as one of the top agents in the industry. Craig has worked directly with over 30 first and second round picks in his career. Most importantly, Craig prides himself on the personal relationship he is able to maintain with each and everyone of his clients and their families.
Greg Maroni After finishing his MBA from the University of the Pacific Eberhart School of Business and earning his JD from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California, Greg helped found CSM in January of 2007. Prior to that he played college baseball, while receiving his BA at Concordia University in Irvine, California. Greg has prior sports agency experience before starting CSM and becoming a certified MLBPA Player Agent.
Quinn Gregory Quinn brings a wealth of versatility and experience to CSM/LBG as a former professional player, scout, coach, and with prior sports agency experience. Quinn played on three teams that were ranked #1 in the nation, one while at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, CA and two at Sacramento State University where he earned his BA degree in Communications in 1989. From college he went to Spring Training with the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs then onto the Reno Silver–Sox of the High Class A California League. After a stint in the Italian Professional Baseball League he has been coaching and scouting since 1993 and he is very experienced with players needs on and off the field.
Tom Powell Tom Powell is a great asset to CSM. The combination of his playing career with his professional business quality equates to a valuable part of the CSM team. Powell’s playing career started in high school in Hunington Beach, CA, to junior college to Concordia University where he graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor’s in Business Management and a Minor in Exercise Science. Powell’s years of education and experience in baseball led him to dedicate 7 years of his career to the Scott Boras Corporation. It was here that he was able to complete research, analysis and the preparation for 0–2 year players, arbitration players and free agent players. Powell supervised and advised six representatives in recruiting, as well as supervision of seven administrative assistants on daily tasks and duties. His playing experience came into play when he was put in charge of training athletes at the Boras Sports Training Institute. Tom has also earned his Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certificate.
• CSM and LBG have over 40 combined years of industry experience • CSM and LBG has a team of agents located in California, Texas and Florida with extensive backgrounds in business, law and baseball • CSM and LBG represents more than 30 players that are currently on Major League rosters
40 Man Roster Juan Jaime:Arizona Diamondbacks Pitcher Yonata Ortega: Arizona Diamondbacks Pitcher Jeudy Valdez: San Diego Padres Infielder Jorge De Leon: Houston Astros Pitcher Edward Paredes: Seattle Mariners Pitcher Michael Pineda: Seattle Mariners Pitcher
California Sports Management, Inc. 1501 Corporate Way, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95831 Greg Maroni | 916.761.6492 Quinn Gregory | 916.200.9554