Irish in the Pros: Notre Dame alums fall in MLB playoffs, start NHL season
By Greg Hadley
Baseball season is coming to a close and hockey season is starting up, which means plenty of former Notre Dame athletes are in action on the next level.
A rundown of all the Notre Dame alums in action in the MLB postseason, the former Irish hockey players on NHL rosters and a quick note on an ND basketball great in the NBA. It’s the definitive collection for professional Notre Dame athletes.
MLB
Trey Mancini, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
Mancini tore things up late in September for the Orioles, as we covered extensively, which allowed him to earn a roster spot for Baltimore’s Wild Card team. Unfortunately for the O’s and Mancini, they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in extra innings, ending their season. Mancini did not appear in the game.
Jeff Samardzija, RHP, San Francisco Giants
Samardzija made it a little further into the postseason, as the Giants won their Wild Card game in dramatic fashion against the New York Mets. That ensured the Irish legend would pitch in the divisional round, in Game 2 against the mighty Chicago Cubs, one of his former teams.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go so well for Samardzija, who surrendered four runs on six hits through two innings before getting yanked. He never had a chance to redeem himself, as the Cubs captured the series, 3-1.
Jeff Manship, RHP, Cleveland Indians
Manship is the last Irish player remaining in the postseason, as his Cleveland Indians stormed by the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS to make it to the pennant. However, he wasn’t really part of that first series win, not appearing in any of the three games.
NHL
Hockey begins again tonight, and Notre Dame has seven former players on NHL rosters, including a pair of Stanley Cup winners.
Ian Cole, D, and Bryan Rust, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Cole and Rust will be looking to defend their league crown this season with the Penguins, as Cole enters his seventh pro season and Rust begins his third.
Stephen Johns, D, Dallas Stars
Johns is beginning his second year as a pro and will be fighting to increase his playing time from a season ago, when he appeared in just 14 games and logged only 250 minutes.
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Anders Lee, C, New York Islanders
After playing in nearly every game for New York last season and getting his first playoff experience, Lee is back and will be looking to top his 36-point 2015-2016 campaign.
Kyle Palmieri, RW, New Jersey Devils
Palmieri had the best season of his six-year career in 2015-2016, in what was also his first season with the Devils. He scored a career-high 30 goals and added 27 assists while playing 80 games. Similar production will be expected this year.
Riley Sheahan, C, Detroit Red Wings
Sheahan has blossomed into a full-time player for the Red Wings over the past two years, though his stats have lagged somewhat while his playing time has increased. In order for the Red Wings to make it far in the postseason this year, players like Sheahan will have to step it up.
Thomas DiPauli, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
The start of DiPauli’s rookies campaign will be delayed, as he begins the season on the injured list with a lower body injury sustained in training.
Next: Christian McCaffery's injury gives Notre Dame hope
NBA
Zach Auguste has been waived by the Los Angeles Lakers, according to multiple media reports. Auguste signed a deal with the Lakers a few weeks ago, but it did not guarantee him a roster spot, and he was on the borderline from the very beginning. Still, it’s surprising to see him get cut so early in training camp. On the bright side, that should give him plenty of time to find another NBA team in need of a big man.