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© 2007 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved. |
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South Atlantic League Notebook 05/13/2007 10:14 PM ETBy Jed Weisberger / Special to MLB.com
Asheville Tourists (Colorado Rockies) THE WEEK IN REVIEW: The Tourists (25-10), 5-1 for the week and winners of nine of 10,are second in the ever-tightening SAL Southern, 1 1/2 games behind Augusta. WHO'S HOT: 1B Michael Paulk went 9-for-25 and retained his hold on the SAL batting lead at .400 (50-for-125). OF Victor Ferrante's 10-for-20 spree pushed him to .315 (28-for-89. 2B Daniel Mayora remains consistent at .320 (39-for-122). He was 4-for-15. LHP Keith Weiser (6-0, 2.44) won his only start, allowing just one run in seven innings. He has struck out 32 and walked just four. WHO'S NOT: 1B Logan Wiens was 4-for-23, dropping him 50 points to .295 (23-for-78). SS Hector Gomez is scuffling at .227 (32-for-141) after going 4-for-23 and OF Jay Cox is at .231 (27-for-117) after a 3-for-15 performance. NEWS & NOTES: Now that the Tourists have the largest video screen in their region of North Carolina, the team is running a contest in which it asks fans to compose a commercial for the team on DVD. All entries will be played on the video screen at McCormick Field. All contest entries must be submitted by June 1, but commercials from fans will be accepted all season. The winner will be given four tickets to the Spearman Dream seats at the ballpark, which include upscale dining at the Asheville Citizen-Times Clubhouse and an on-field event before a game. DID YOU KNOW? Last month's tragedy at Virginia Tech touched Tourists outfielder Bret Berglund, who grew up in Littleton, Colo., where two teenagers at Columbine High School killed 12 students and a teacher before taking their own lives on April 20, 1999. According to a report in the Asheville Citizen-Times, Berglund attended a private high school but had friends who were at Columbine the day of that shooting. The shock on his face when told what happened at Virginia Tech was obvious. "Immediately when you told me that, it kind of brought back memories of what happened that day and stories that I heard from my friends that were there," Berglund told the Citizen-Times. "I think it affects all of us pretty equally. That's just horrible."
Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants) WHO'S HOT: RHP Henry Sosa (2-0, 0.59, leading the SAL in ERA, is one four Augusta pitchers listed among the league's top 10 after giving up just one run in his lone start. RHP Kevin Pucetas (4-0, 1.32) picked up a win, allowing two earned runs in seven innings in a start and relief appearance. RHP Adam Cowart (7-1, 1.79) leads the SAL in wins after winning both of his starts and stopping the GreenJackets' losing streak at three in a victory over Greenville on Saturday. SS Brian Bocock was Augusta's most consistent hitter, as an 11-for-26 effort pushed his average to .321 (45-for-140). WHO'S NOT: 2B Sharlon Schoop still can't find it at the plate. A 2-for-10 effort left him at .167 (11-for-66). C Nestor Rojas (0-for-8) dropped to .185 (10-for-54). OF James Simmons was 1-for-19 and just 2-for-22 (.091) since joining the club. NEWS & NOTES: The GreenJackets hit their first small bump in the road last week, losing three straight to surging Columbus. After a 4-0 setback administered by the Catfish Wednesday, Columbus scored a 3-2 win in 11 innings Thursday and dusted Augusta, 7-1, Friday to move within three games of first place in the SAL Southern. Before Wednesday, Augusta had not lost back-to-back games all season. Their staff ERA is still the best in Minor League Baseball at 2.13. DID YOU KNOW? OF Michael McBryde, San Francisco's fifth-round pick in 2006 out of Florida Atlantic, also garnered interest from Boston and other teams as a pitcher. He has thrown his fastball in the low 90s and also has an effective curve.
Charleston RiverDogs (New York Yankees) WHO'S HOT: RHP Grant Duff (5-2, 3.00) won his only start, giving up just one run in six innings. 3B Mitch Hilligoss was 5-for-12, pushing his average to .302 (38-for-126). OF Austin Jackson went 8-for-22 with five RBIs, a streak that has him at .274 (29-for-106) after a tough start and a stint on the disabled list. WHO'S NOT: IB Chris Malec's average dropped to .274 (31-for-113) after a 4-for-20 stretch. SS Chris Kunda saw limited action and is mired at .161 (5-for-31), LHP Edgar 2B Wilmer Pino is still scuffling at .231 (25-for-108), but a 6-for-19 stretch shows he might be getting it together. NEWS & NOTES: Hilligoss extended his hitting streak to 19 games Saturday night in Charleston's 11-8 loss to Asheville. A sixth-round pick by the Yankees in 2006 -- the first-ever Purdue player drafted by the Bronx Bombers -- Hilligoss, who was 10th in hitting (.292) in the New York-Penn League at Staten Island last season, is emerging as a key prospect at third base given the Yankees farm system's need for players to emerge at that position. DID YOU KNOW?: LHP Mike Dunn signed a letter of intent to play at Texas A&M before changing his mind and deciding to sign with the Yankees after being drafted in the 33rd round in 2004.
Columbus Catfish (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) WHO'S HOT: OF Ryan Royster is sixth in the SAL batting race at .342 (40-for-117). RHP Josh Butler (3-0, 1.66) won his only start, giving up two runs in five innings. He ranks eighth in the SAL ERA race. OF Desmond Jennings is at .304 (41-for-135) and is earning plaudits for his excellent all-around play. RHP Woods Fines (3-2, 2.06) won his only start, throwing six scoreless innings. WHO'S NOT: 2B Brett Grandstrand is still in the dumps, hitting .175 (14-for-80) after a 1-for-16 effort. OF Quinn Stewart was 3-for-13 and checks in .193 (17-for-88). SS Jairo De Las Rosa is not adding much offense. He's hitting .205 (23-for-112) after a 4-for-17 week. NEWS & NOTES: Jennings was named Tampa Bay's Minor League Player of the Month after hitting .320 with 12 stolen bases in April. Jennings, who rates 80 on scouting's 20-80 speed scale, is yet another of the fleet outfielders who have become a trademark of the Devil Rays' outstanding farm system. Jennings' speed is likened to fellow Tampa Bay prospect and Double-A Montgomery outfielder Fernando Perez, one of the players who writes a Player Journal for www.milb.com and is presently sidelined with a minor knee injury. DID YOU KNOW? The Devil Rays are happy with RHP Josh Butler, the team's second-round pick (47th) in 2006, who signed for $725,000. Butler, who can hit 95 mph with his fastball, missed part of the 2006 season with biceps tendinitis.
Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles) WHO'S HOT: IF Pedro Silveren continued to shake off a tough start. He's hitting .234 (18-for-77) after a 4-for-11 week, but his average has risen almost 100 points over the past two weeks. OF Brandon Tripp remains second in the SAL batting race at .394 (39-for-99) 1B Chris Vinyard is on a bit of a tear. A 10-for-25 week, with eight RBIs, boosted his average to .306 (41-for-134) and gave him the SAL RBI lead with 35. WHO'S NOT: SS Pedro Florimon Jr. continued to scuffle, as a 4-for-19 effort has him at .190 (19-for-100). 3B Stuart Musslewhite is also struggling, a 4-for-17 week leaving him at .193 (16-for-83). OF Robert Andrews slumped to .205 (18-for-88) after a 2-for-19 effort. NEWS & NOTES: The Shorebirds suffered a blow when Tripp went on the disabled list with a sore wrist ... Bullpen woes plagued the Shorebirds in the early going, but matters appear to be improving with the arrival of RHP Wilfredo Perez, who earned his first win Thursday and has tossed five scoreless innings in two appearances. The rotation hopes to get a boost from RHP Kyle Schmidt (0-2, 8.38), who also came from extended Spring Training and has made a trio of starts. Those two replace reliever Julio Soriano (1-2, 7.45) and starter Fernando De Nabal (0-4, 9.00) on the Shorebirds roster. DID YOU KNOW?: Despite pitching well in seven starts (2.83 ERA, 35 strikeouts, 35 innings), RHP Pedro Beato still hasn't been involved in a decision.
Greensboro Grasshoppers (Florida Marlins) WHO'S HOT: RHP Blake Jones, emerging as the top closer in the SAL, collected four saves with 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He leads the SAL with 11. OF Spike McDougall got back on track, going 10-for-26 with a pair of homers to boost his average to .252 (27-for-107). 2B Chris Coghlan got untracked, as a 13-for-29 week that included several key hits hiked his average 45 points to .295 (38-for-129). He also has 30 RBIs, fourth in the SAL. NEWS & NOTES: Greensboro's pitching staff underwent a bit of a shuffle as LHPs Andy Jackson (1-0, 9.00) and Matthew Goyen (0-0, 3.38) were transferred to the Jamestown roster and RHP Jason Iehl and Sandy Rosario were added from extended spring training. C Jacob Blackwood and LHP Avi Rasowsky also returned from the disabled list. The Grasshoppers and Lakewood BlueClaws played a day-night doubleheader at FirstEnergy Park last Thursday. The clubs, originally scheduled to play Easter Sunday, agreed to move that game from the holiday to the Grasshoppers' second visit to New Jersey. DID YOU KNOW? SAL saves leader Jones was also an offensive force at Northwestern (La,) State, often hitting for himself when pitching, even serving as the team's designated hitter.
Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox) WHO'S HOT: 1B Lars Anderson improved to .301 (37-for-123) after a 10-for-27 stretch. C Jonathan Still is getting it together, raising his average 20 points to .289 (26-for-90) with an 8-for-23 stretch. 2B Chih-Hsien Chang joined the club and went 8-for-27 (.296) in his first SAL week. WHO'S NOT: OF Jason Place's struggles continued with a 3-for-16 week. He's at .180 (20-for-111) with 44 strikeouts and can't seem to get untracked. 2B Kris Negron's troubles at the plate continued in a 2-for-21 stretch that dropped him to .165 (20-for-121). OF Michael Hall's stroke has eluded him, as a 1-for-12 effort left him with at .180 (11-for-61). NEWS & NOTES: Chiang is a native of Taitung, Taiwan, and was signed by Boston as a free-agent Oct. 20, 2005 by scout Jon Deeble and played for Taiwan in several international and junior competitions. He enters the SAL from extended Spring Training as a player who only turned 19 Feb. 21. He was added to the Drive roster May 6 when IF Argenis Diaz went on the DL. DID YOU KNOW? RHP Travis Beazley was Randolph-Macon College's first NCAA Division III baseball All-American and struck out 17 batters in a game against Newport News May 2, 2006, before signing with Boston.
Hagerstown Suns (Washington Nationals) WHO'S HOT: OF Chris Marrero had a productive week, going 7-for-19 with a pair of homers and 10 RBIs. OF Michael Daniel remained consistent, as a 9-for-20 week boosted his average to .312 (39-for-125). IF Marcos Cabral has given the club a boost. He's 14-for-36 (.389) in 11 games since joining the Suns. 2B Leonard Davis is up to .321 (26-for-81) after an 8-for-19 stretch. LHP Justin Jones (1-0, 0.00) gave the Suns six scoreless innings in winning his first start. WHO'S NOT: SS Stephen King (22-for 121) fell to .182 with a 3-for-16 effort. LHP Zachary Baldwin (0-0, 6.75) gave up five earned runs and a pair of homers in 3 2/3 innings of relief. RHP Jhonny Nunez (1-3, 4.50) lost both of his starts, giving up six earned runs in 10 innings. NEWS & NOTES: Marrero, Washington's No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, drove in a career-high six runs, belting two homers, in Hagerstown's 11-10 loss to West Virginia Friday night. He was the Nationals' top pick in the 2006 draft (15th) and signed for $1.625 million. He has shown improved plate discipline and avoided the hamstring problems that have plagued him in the past and could move quickly in the Nationals' farm system. DID YOU KNOW?: The Nationals are pleased with the breakout season Daniel appears to be having. The former North Carolina star, taken in the seventh round of the 2005 draft, started getting it together at Vermont in the New York-Penn League in 2006, hitting .304 in 53 games after struggling at .193 in 52 games at Savannah, Washington's SAL affiliate last year.
Hickory Crawdads (Pittsburgh Pirates) WHO'S HOT: RHP Serguey Linares (0-0, 0.00) threw six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, in his first start for the Crawdads. DH Bobby Kingsbury was 7-for-20 (.350) in his first action in over a year. 1B Kent Sakamoto checks in at .299 (23-for-79) after a 7-for-20 week. WHO'S NOT: 3B Eddie Prash is in a downward spiral. He's hitting .202 (17-for-84) after a 2-for-12 week. RHP Stephen McFarland (0-1, 7.27) has given up 14 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. LHP Mike Felix (0-2, 7.47) has been touched up for 13 earned runs (22 total) in 15 2/3 innings. NEWS & NOTES: Kingsbury returned to action with Hickory last week after missing all of the 2006 season after reconstructive shoulder surgery. He's on the road back in the SAL at 26 after picking up a spot on the Class-A Advanced Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star Team in 2005. A product of Fordham University, Kingsbury, who played baseball for Greece in the 2004 Olympics, is beginning his comeback as a designated hitter. DID YOU KNOW? 2B Cameron Blair was returned to Hickory by the Pirates to replace 2B Jim Negrych, a former University of Pittsburgh star who is on the shelf indefinitely with an oblique injury. Negrych's loss is tough for the Crawdads. He was hitting a solid .305. Kannapolis Intimidators (Chicago White Sox) >br> THE WEEK IN REVIEW: The Intimidators (16-19) had a strong week, as a 5-1 mark -- including a season-high five-game winning streak -- moved them into fifth place in the SAL Southern, 10 1/2 games behind Augusta. WHO'S HOT: 1B Chris Carter is getting comfortable at the plate. He hit .476 (10-for-21) for the week and pushed his average to .336 (46-for-137), eighth in the SAL. RHP Faustino De Los Santos (2-1, 1.76) won his only start, throwing six scoreless innings and striking out eight. LHP Justin Edwards (4-1, 1.99) also sparkled, winning his only start with six scoreless innings. IF Scott Madsen had his best week of the season, as a 9-for-23 effort hiked his average 73 points to a respectable .243 (17-for-70). WHO'S NOT: 3B Michael Grace is still struggling, hitting .208 (25-for-120). C Matt Sharp is mired at .159 (7-for-44). RHP Jacob Rasner (2-4, 6.14) has given up 20 earned runs and 40 hits in 29 2/3 innings. NEWS & NOTES: Carter is showing he can master the SAL this time around, with good power numbers and better plate management. He hit 15 home runs at Great Falls in the Pioneer League in 2006, but just .130 (6-for-46) in a 13-game stint with the Intimidators. As a 15th-round selection in 2005, he's beginning to show the type of potential White Sox brass were hoping for since he starred at Sierra Vista High in Las Vegas, Nev. DID YOU KNOW? C Francisco Hernandez is in his rare fourth tour of duty with the Intimidators, having appeared in a Kannapolis uniform briefly in 2004 before playing 44 games in 2005 and 92 last season. He's hitting .338 (24-for-71).
Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians) WHO'S HOT: 3B Jared Goedert continues his assault on SAL pitching. He's third among SAL hitters at .382 (34-for-110), is tied for the Minor League Baseball lead (with Altoona's Steven Pearce) in home runs with 13 and is second in RBIs. 1B Matt Whitney remained consistent at .328 (41-for-125). RHP Neil Wagner (1-2, 3.38) had a pair of saves, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings. WHO'S NOT: OF Ramon Hernandez is still struggling. A 4-for-13 effort left him at .164 (10-for-61). 2B Adam Davis (2-for-18) slumped to .184 (14-for-76). 1B Andrew Lytle's 1-for-9 effort dropped him to .179 (5-for-28). NEWS & NOTES: Goedert's power display is impressive, given that he hit just three home runs in 63 games and 238 at-bats at Mahoning Valley of the New York-Penn League in 2006. His 13 blasts in 106 official trips to the plate have him on pace to hit 40 in a full season. He's also drawn 29 walks and struck out just 18 times, which shows excellent plate management and underscores why he has been such a tough out in the SAL so far. That potential appeared in 2006 as well, when he fanned just 28 times all season. DID YOU KNOW? RHP Josh Tomlin (2-0, 2.49), who has been effective for the Captains out of the bullpen -- he's made a single start -- led the New York-Penn League in starts (15), was second in wins (8) and third in ERA (2.09) at Mahoning Valley in 2006.
Lakewood BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies) WHO'S HOT: SS Jason Donald is seventh among SAL batters at .341 (44-for-129). OF Gus Milner is back on the beam. He was 11-for-26 to boost his average 30 points to .322 (37-for-115). Kyle Drabek (3-0, 4.25) had a strong start against Greensboro, striking out seven and allowing a single run in 7 2/3 innings in recording a victory. WHO'S NOT: 3B Carl Henry Jr. (3-for-15) dropped to .209 (19-for-91). 1B Matt Reed (2-for-12) saw his average drop to .220 (11-for-50). C Joel Naughton cooled off with a 1-for-11 stretch that dropped his average 53 points to .271 (13-for-48). NEWS & NOTES: Donald had a tough night in the field during a 3-2 loss to Greensboro Tuesday. Playing alongside fellow Phillies prospect Adrian Cardenas, who is at second base, Donald's evening was something of an aberration. In all, he has 11 errors in 31 starts at shortstop and has played the position in consistent fashion ... 1B-DH Kevin Howard, who is at .325 after six games, says his top concern while he is in the SAL is, "to get myself right and play the way I am capable. Howard previously had two solid seasons in Double-A with the Cincinnati and Yankees organizations. He was one of the odd men out in a Yankees infielders glut in Minor League camp this spring. DID YOU KNOW?: BlueClaws coach Kevin Jordan, a resident of Philadelphia, played his entire big-league career with the Phillies. He was a career .258 hitter, with 23 home runs in 560 games, between 1995-2001.
Lexington Legends (Houston Astros) WHO'S HOT: OF James Van Ostrand is hitting .344 (33-for-96), fifth among SAL batters after going 7-for-12. OF Andrew Holder, who is at .293 (12-for-41) had the big hit -- a grand slam -- in the Legends' lone won of the week. C Maxwell Sapp got it together at the plate, as his 9-for-20 effort hiked his average 59 points to .272 (22-for-81). WHO'S NOT: OF Cesar A. Quintero had a tough week, as a 6-for-28 stretch dropped his average 28 points to .308 (41-for-133). LHP Victor Garate (2-0, 6.48) picked up the Legends' lone win on the mound, despite surrendering five earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. NEWS & NOTES: Holder's grand slam, his first ever, gave Lexington a wild 12-11 triumph over Lake County Thursday night after the Legends had allowed a big lead to evaporate. Holder, a 16th-round pick in 2006 out of Dallas Baptist University, hit just two home runs in 34 games while batting .221 at Tri-City (Troy, N.Y.) of the New York-Penn League in his first professional season ... CF Nick Moresi was placed on the disabled list due to an injured left leg and C Jim Goethals replaced him on the Lexington roster. DID YOU KNOW? LHP David Qualben is a product of Pace University's (Pleasantville, N.Y.) program and a native of Brooklyn. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2006 draft by the Astros.
Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves) WHO'S HOT: 1B Larry Williams was 8-for-18 to boost his average 28 points to .259 (36-for-129). LHP Beau Jones (0-0, 1.66) has allowed just four earned runs in 21 2/3 innings and has a pair of saves. RHP Thomas Henson (1-2, 2.25) picked up the team's lone win on the mound and leads the SAL in strikeouts with 49. WHO'S NOT: OF Willie Cabrera joined the R-Braves and responded with a 4-for-21 week, which left him at .190. 1B Joshua Morris continues to scuffle. An 0-for-6 week has him at .160 (17-for-106). OF Concepcion Rodriguez hit two homers last week, but has only one other hit in a 3-for-20 stretch that has him hitting .205 (23-for-112). NEWS & NOTES: OF Jordan Schafer received a well-earned promotion to Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach last week. Schafer leaves the SAL with a batting average of .372 (48-for-129) and 20 RBIs. The Braves wanted the former third-round pick (2005) to improve various aspects of his offensive approach after hitting .240 in 114 games with the R-Braves last season. His 2007 SAL performance certainly showed he is ready for the next challenge. Cabrera was sent down from the Pelicans to take his place. DID YOU KNOW: Rome will surround the 48th annual South Atlantic League All-Star Game (June 19) with the All-Star Extravaganza (June 17-19), which will feature a home run derby and skills competition, autograph sessions, All-Star Concert, luncheon and other activities stretching over three days.
Savannah Sand Gnats (New York Mets) WHO'S HOT: 1B Josh Thole is showing consistency at the plate, hitting .293 (27-for-92). RHP Greg Mullens (2-0, 1.67) threw a five-inning complete game to pick up his second win. OF Leivi Ventura had a solid offensive week, a 7-for-19 effort that pushed his average to .302 (39-for-129). C-OF Sean McCraw is at .288 (17-for-59). WHO'S NOT: 2B Greg Veloz remains mired at .116 (13-for-112) after a 3-for-17 stretch. He's also struck out 36 times. OF Daniel Stegall dropped to .206 (27-for-131) after a 2-for-16 week. RHP Emaury Frederick (0-0, 9.22) has surrendered 14 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings. NEWS & NOTES: The installation of Thole, formerly an outfielder, at first base seems to be paying dividends for the Sand Gnats as the native of Breese, Ill., is off to a solid start. He's playing a lot better than he did at Rookie League Kingsport, where he hit .235 in 2006. If Thole, an undrafted free agent signed by Eddy Toledo out of Mater Dei High, puts together a solid season, he will enhance his place in the Mets organization. DID YOU KNOW?: Mullens, who recorded the Sand Gnats' lone complete game so far this season, is a native of Lindsey, Ont., and played at Columbia University before signing as an undrafted free agent.
West Virginia Power (Milwaukee Brewers) WHO'S HOT: RHP Alexandre Periard (3-0, 0.93), making a start and pitching out of the bullpen, allowed just one earned run in nine innings and leads the SAL in ERA. OF Darren Ford is ninth in the SAL batting race at .333 (39-for-117) after an 8-for-29 week. RHP E.J. Shanks (3-0, 0.92) picked up a win and pair of saves out of the bullpen. He has allowed just two earned runs in 19 2/3 innings. OF Chuck Caufield has it together, as an 11-for-30 stretch pushed his average to .319 (44-for-138). WHO'S NOT: LHP Mike Ramlow (2-1, 7.36) has allowed 21 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings. RHP Roque Mercedes (0-2, 8.80) has been touched for 15 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings. 1B John Alonso's 1-for-14 week dropped his average 54 points to .273 (18-for-66). NEWS & NOTES: Periard, who has been outstanding whether starting or coming out of the bullpen, is a native of St. Eustache, Quebec, was a 16th-round pick in 2004. His emergence in the SAL is making the Brewers smile because he spent the last two seasons with the Arizona Brewers in the Rookie Arizona League, so his success at Class A can't be underestimated. DID YOU KNOW? Shanks, who has been solid out of the bullpen, was originally drafted by San Diego in the 29th round in 2004. He spent the last two seasons in independent baseball before signing with the Brewers last Jan. 28.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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