When the Dodgers selected Zach Lee in the first round of the 2010 First Year Player Draft (28th overall pick), there wasn’t anyone who honestly believed that the then 18-year-old high school pitcher/quarterback would sign with the Dodgers – or any other team for that matter. After all, the McKinney, Texas native had not only committed to attend LSU on a full-ride scholarship, but he was slated to become the Tigers’ next quarterback. This fact alone is what prevented the 6′ 3″ – 190 lb. right-hander from being among the very first players selected in the 2010 draft. (Trivia note: Bryce Harper was the first overall pick in 2010).

But while most MLB general managers and player development personnel scoffed at the Dodgers for wasting their first round draft pick on a player who they couldn’t possibly sign, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and player development experts DeJon Watson and Logan White rolled the dice and ended up getting the last laugh when Lee signed with the Dodgers in the eleventh hour for a franchise record $5.5 million signing bonus. Keep in mind that this occurred under Frank McCourt’s watch, which made the accomplishment even that much more remarkable.

It took less that a year for Dodgers 2010 first round draft pick Zach Lee to make it to Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and less than three months to make it to Double-A Chattanooga.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Even though the rules were recently changed limiting the amount of signing bonus money teams could spend on their draft picks (to prevent only the wealthiest teams from signing the best athletes), there is every indication that the $5.5 million the Dodgers paid to get Lee is/was money well spent.

Although Lee struggled a bit in his first two seasons of professional ball, he really took off during the 2013 season while at Double-A Chattanooga. And while his 10-10 record and 3.22 ERA in 2013 weren’t overwhelming, his 131 strikeouts (against only 35 walks) in 142.2 innings of work absolutely screams at you. This figures out to be an outstanding K/9 ratio of 8.3. To put this in perspective, Clayton Kershaw’s three-year MiLB K/9 ratio was 11.3. It was these numbers that earned Lee a non-roster invitation to the Dodgers recently concluded big league spring training camp and a ticket to Australia for the exhibition game against the Australian National team.

In his two spring training appearances Lee was 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA in 4.2 innings pitched. He allowed 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out 5 and walking 2 (plus one IBB). Lee started the exhibition game in Sydney earlier this morning allowing only 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 6 and walking none. He struck out the side in his 4th and final inning of work and looked extremely sharp, in spite of hitting one batter (which came after Dee Gordon had been struck earlier – just sayin).

For Dodger fans who have followed Lee through his brief three-season minor league career, they have noticed something about him that puts a smile on their faces – especially long-time (old) fans of the game – he wears old school “sanitaries” (calf-length white socks) with stirrups. And while some may view this as nothing more than the young man’s attempt to draw attention to himself, the truth of the matter is that this is something he has done throughout his entire baseball life – from Little League through the minors, and now into the big leagues.

Although it’s not all that uncommon to see today’s players with high colored socks, it is rare (but pleasant) to see young players wearing old school white sanitaries with stirrups.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

Say what you will about this old school look on a new school player, it shows that there are still some kids out there who have been taught (and still respect) the rich history and tradition of the game we all love so much.

By the way – although there is little doubt that Zach Lee will begin the 2014 season at Triple-A Albuquerque, there is even less doubt that he will see action with the Dodgers at some point during the 2014 season, and that’s as true as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and sanitaries with stirrups.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Stirrup Trivia:

Stirrups were commonly worn by baseball players up until the mid-1990s, when major league players began wearing their pants down to the ankles, setting a trend soon picked up by players in minor and amateur leagues. Until then, stirrup socks had been an integral part of the traditional baseball uniform, giving them a distinctive look. A high sock was needed because baseball players wore knickerbockers (“knickers”), worn by many boys in the late 19th century and into the 20th century. Stirrup socks are worn on top of long socks called “sanitaries,” usually white in color.