Golson learned how to win with Phillies system

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Golson learned how to win with Phillies system
04/20/2009 12:12 AM ET
By Bob Hersom / okcredhawks.com

Greg Golson is a winner, and he has the rings to prove it.
The RedHawks' outfielder has rings for the past three seasons, after playing for the champions of the 2006 South Atlantic League, 2007 Florida State League and 2008 World Series.
The biggest ring, of course, is the '08 World Series ring that Philadelphia Phillies general manager Pat Gillick presented to Golson last week.
"Wow. You oughta see it," RedHawks manager Bobby Jones said. "It's unbelievable. Got 103 diamonds in it for their 103 wins the whole year, counting the World Series and all."
Golson said, "Wanna see it?," then opened his locker stall safe to retrieve the ring.
It is, indeed, World Series caliber.
"103 diamonds and one ruby," said Golson, who was in uniform for last year's World Series but did not play in the Phillies' post-season.
Until being called up to Philadelphia last September, Golson had never played above the Class AA level. Needless to say, his major league experience was eye-opening.
"It was a great experience, just seeing how those guys, when they got to the World Series, it was like they were kids again," Golson, 23, said.
"All those guys, 10 to 12 year vets, nervous about a game. That was something I had never seen. It just lets you know how big of a stage it was."
Golson's stage changed last November, when the Phillies traded him to Texas for another young prospect, John Mayberry, Jr.
"It was one of those things where it was just completely unexpected," said Golson, the Phillies' first round draft pick in 2004. "But everything happens for a reason and I'm definitely happy that I'm here."
So are the RedHawks. Golson, rated by Baseball America as the Phils' No. 7 prospect last year, is off to a good start in Oklahoma City, batting 355.
"He's been a little bit of a surprise," Jones said. "He struggled a little bit in spring training but here he's been swinging the bat well, and he plays hard. He's a gamer, man. He comes to play every day. I'm impressed with him."
Golson, an Austin native who signed with the University of Texas before going pro, was the 21st player picked in the '04 baseball draft. He is in his sixth pro season, but first at the Triple-A level. He went from Double-A to the major leagues last fall.
Baseball America last year rated Golson as the best of almost everything in the Phillies' farm system: best power hitter, best athlete, best defensive outfielder, best outfield arm and fastest base runner.
This is how fast Golson is: after being timed at 4.27 seconds over 40 yards in high school, he was offered football scholarships by some junior colleges - even though he didn't play football in high school.
In baseball, Golson said, "I try to kind of be the sparkplug. If the team's dragging or something I try to make a great play in some way. I try to do that because that energy, you can feel it as a team. If you're dragging, everything's going to go slower and you're more likely to make mistakes."
This year, Baseball America rates Golson 26th among the Texas Rangers' prospects. And the magazine ranks Texas' talent No. 1 among all major league organizations.
"You draw good things from every club you're with," Golson said, "and here it just seems very laid back but at the same time we get our work done. There's just a wealth of knowledge about hitting and everything with Texas, working on the fundamentals, and I like that."
And no one with the RedHawks or Rangers would mind having Golson on his fourth straight league championship team.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.