*** This Week in Minor League Baseball - June 25 *** From The My Sportsbook

By Kevin Spiegel, Contributing Editor

Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - One of the best things about Minor League baseball is seeing the stars of tomorrow begin their careers right in your own backyard. Do you remember 3B Scott Rolen playing for the Double-A Reading Phillies? Albert Pujols in Peoria of the Midwest League, or Barry Zito's three-city excursion in 1999 which took him to Visalia, Midland and Vancouver.

Nowadays, players shuffle back and forth between leagues all the time. Major League teams have affiliates in cities close enough where players can be shuttled on a daily basis. This holds true, especially for players doing some form of rehab assignments.

The latest "big-name" player on rehab is Houston Astros' lefthander Andy Pettitte. The veteran southpaw made two rehab appearances last week for the Round Rock Express of the Texas League and fans poured out in droves to see him. The Express, who average just over 10,000 per game, increase that total to over 12,800 per game for Pettitte's two-game stint.

Pettitte has allowed just two runs in eight combined innings for the Express.

HOP ABOARD THE READING EXPRESS

The Reading Phillies of the Double-A Eastern League have won 10 straight games, but still find themselves 8 1/2 games out of first place in the Southern Division. As good as the R-Phils have been, they have managed to gain just three games on the front-running Altoona Curve, who have won four straight and 7-of-10. During the streak, the R-Phils have pounded out 18 home runs, including five in one game against the Harrisburg Senators. Offensively, they have hit .309, but it's been a pitcher that has raised eyebrows during the past 10 games.

Franklin Perez, a 26-year-old righthander from the Dominican Republic, has two wins during the streak, struck out 11 and has not allowed a run in 14 innings. For the season, Perez is 6-4 with an ERA of 4.15.

The Phillies are blessed with some quality pitchers in their minor league system, including Gavin Floyd (Reading) and Cole Hammels (Clearwater). If Perez continues to improve, it won't be long before Larry Bowa and Ed Wade make that trip up the PA Turnpike to Reading.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Triple-A

International League: Pitcher - Kenny Rayborn, Buffalo; Player - Mark Little, Buffalo, OF; Pacific Coast League: Pitcher - John Rheinecker, Sacramento; Player - Larry Jacobsen, Tacoma, DH.

Double-A

Eastern League: Pitcher - Altoona, Landon Jacobsen; Player - Altoona, Yurendell DeCaster, 3B; Texas League: Pitcher - Jimmy Serrano, Wichita; Player - Frisco, Ian Kinsler, SS; Southern League: Pitcher - Mike Thompson, Mobile; Player - Fernando Cortez, Montgomery, INF.

Single-A

Florida State League: Pitcher - Juan Cedeno, Sarasota; Player - Jose Aponte, Jupiter, OF; Midwest League: Pitcher - Jared Trout, Kane County; Player - Joey Votto, Dayton, INF; California League: Pitcher - Bobby Livingston, Inland Empire; Player - Nelson Cruz, Modesto, OF; Carolina League: Pitcher - Thomas Pauly, Potomac; Player - Darren Blakely, Winston-Salem, OF. South Atlantic League: Pitcher - Tony Puguero, Charleston; Player - Rogearvin Bernadina, Savannah, OF.

ALL-STAR REHAB TEAM

So many players have visited the minors this year, so TSN has decided to name the 2004 Minor League All-Star Rehab Team.

C: Joe Mauer, Rochester; 1B: Darin Erstad, Salt Lake; 2B: Robert Alomar, Tucson; SS: Nomar Garciaparra, Pawtucket; 3B: Chipper Jones, Rome; OF: Sammy Sosa, West Tenn; OF: Preston Wilson, Tulsa; OF: Kenny Lofton, Trenton; OF: Trot Nixon, Pawtucket; RHP: Mark Prior, Lansing; RHP: Josh Beckett, Jupiter; LHP: Andy Pettitte, Round Rock; LHP: Randy Wolf, Reading.

FIRST HALF CHAMPIONS

SOUTHERN LEAGUE

In the Eastern Division, the Tennessee Smokies won their first, first-half title since 1999, when they were known as Knoxville. In the Western Division, the Mobile BayBears gained their first title since 1998.

TEXAS LEAGUE

The Eastern Division's Tulsa Drillers made it three years in a row with a first-half championship, while the Round Rock Express won the Western Division for the fourth time in the last five years.

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE

The Modesto A's won the Northern Division first-half title for the second time in three years, while the Lancaster JetHawks won the Southern Division for the first time since 2001.

CAROLINA LEAGUE

The Kinston Indians not only won their Northern Division for the fourth year in a row, but finished with the best first-half record in Minor League Baseball at 45-24 (.652). In the Southern Division, Potomac won the title for the first time since 1995, when it was known as the Prince William Cannons.

FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE

For the first time since 2000, the Daytona Cubs won the Eastern Division's first-half title. The Western Crown was won by the Dunedin Blue Jays for the second year in a row.

MIDWEST LEAGUE

South Bend made it two years in a row as Eastern Division champs, while Kane County captured the Western Division for the third time in the last four years. Eastern Division Wild Card: Lansing; Western Division Wild Card: Cedar Rapids.

SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE

The Northern Division saw the Charleston-WV Alley Cats capture the first-half title for the first time since 1997, while the Capital City Bombers won the Southern Division for the second time in three years.

BASEBALL IN CONNECTICUT

For those who think that UCONN basketball is all there is in Connecticut, check out the New Britain Rock Cats. They recently set a three-game attendance record in a weekend series against the Norwich Navigators. The Rock Cats totaled 19,409 fans over the Father's Day weekend.

A PROMOTION TO MONTREAL?

Harrisburg Senators pitcher Shawn Hill tossed the club's first complete-game victory of the season last week vs. the Altoona Curve. Hill gave up eight hits, struck out six and yielded just two runs. For his effort, Hill got the phone call from the Expos and was summoned to Montreal.

WOOD GOES FROM PCL TO MLB

Sacramento River Cats pitcher Mike Wood distanced himself as one of top performers in the Pacific Coast League this season and now he will be getting his mail delivered to Kansas City. The 24-year-old righthander, who was 11-3 and an ERA of 2.80 this year, will join Tony Pena's pitching staff. Wood was part of a blockbuster, three-team trade that involved Carlos Beltran going to the Houston Astros. So the Royals rotation of the future is now set with two former minor league stars - Zack Greinke and Mike Wood.

BEST KEPT SECRET IN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

The Detroit Tigers might have a shining star in the minors who's been waiting for a phone call. He's outfielder Marcus Thames of the Toledo Mud Hens and he's tearing up the International League. Thames, 27, is finally having the type of year everyone thought he would when he was drafted by the Yankees in 1997. He leads the league in homers (24), RBI (59), runs scored (57), total bases (172) and slugging percentage (.735).

And finally, the phone rang. Thames was called up to the parent club in Detroit. He has appeared in three games and got his first hit of the season in Thursday's 9-3 win over the KC Royals.

PCL ALL STARS ANNOUNCED

Slugger Calvin Pickering of Omaha and Sacramento pitcher Mike Wood headline a deep and talented group of players selected by the Pacific Coast League for the upcoming All-Star Game against the International League next month. Pickering leads all of baseball with 25 home runs, while Wood leads the PCL with 11 wins and is second in ERA. Salt Lake's Mike Brumley will manage the PCL squad.

MCGILL KEEPS GOING

Wilmington's Trae McGill maintained his perfect record this week, as he improved to 8-0 on the season. McGill pitched six innings of three-hit ball while allowing just one run, as the Blue Rocks defeated Potomac, 6-1. McGill is 5-0 at home this season with an earned run average of 2.41 while his road ERA is 1.07. McGill's control has been outstanding with only 13 walks in 86 innings while striking out 47.

THE BEST OF THE BEST (Triple-A): Batting Average - Ryan Church, Edmonton (.363), Charles Thomas, Richmond (.358). Home Runs - Calvin Pickering, Omaha (25), Marcus Thames, Toledo (24). On-Base Percentage - Calvin Pickering, Omaha (.455), Ryan Church, Edmonton (.447). Slugging Percentage - Calvin Pickering, Omaha (.772), Marcus Thames, Toledo (.735). Hits - Clint Barmes, Colorado Springs (102), Jhonny Peralta, Buffalo (96). Runs Batted In - Bucky Jacobsen, Tacoma (72), Andy Tracy, Colorado Springs (64). Stolen Bases - Nook Logan, Toledo (31). (Note: Minimum 30 games).

(Double-A): Batting Average - Jeff Keppinger, Altoona (.407). Home Runs - Ryan Howard, Reading (24), Greg Sain Mobile (21), Dallas McPherson, Arkansas (20). On-Base Percentage - David Wright, Binghamton (.467). Slugging Percentage - Dallas McPherson, Arkansas (.660), Ryan Howard, Reading (.625). Hits - Tommy Whiteman, Round Rock (93), Jeff Keppinger, Altoona (92). Runs Batted In - Dallas McPherson, Arkansas (69), Ryan Howard, Reading (66). Stolen Bases - Wayne Lydon, Binghamton (43), Dwaine Bacon, West Tenn (34). (Note: Minimum 30 games).

(Single-A): Batting Average - Ian Kinsler, Clinton (.402), Brant Colamarino, Modesto (.355), Alejandro Machado, Brevard County (.355), Howard Kendrick, Cedar Rapids (.355), Ryan Harvey, Capital City (.355). Home Runs - Brian Dopirak, Lansing (20), Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (19), Brandon Sing, Daytona (19), Kevin Collins, Lansing (19). On-Base Percentage - Ian Kinsler, Clinton (.465), Jeffrey Baker, Visalia (.452). Slugging Percentage - Ian Kinsler, Clinton (.692), Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (.627), Kevin Collins, Lansing (.623). Hits - Jeff Salazar, Visalia (103), Josh Anderson, Lexington (97). Runs Batted In - Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (73), Ian Bladergroen, Capital City (72). Stolen Bases - Josh Anderson, Lexington (48), Nyjer Morgan, Hickory (34), Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (33), Javon Moran, Lakewood (31), Rajai Davis, Lynchburg (30), Michael Bourn, Lakewood (30). (Note: Minimum 30 games).

HURLERS EXTRAORDINARE (Triple-A): Earned Run Average, Starters - Jon Rauch, Charlotte (2.30). Record (Wins) - Mike Wood, Sacramento (11-3), Dan Giese, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (9-2). Saves - Matt Whiteside, Richmond (18), Franklyn German, Toledo (18). Strikeouts - Danny Haren, Memphis (104), David Bush, Syracuse (83). Innings Pitched - Jared Fernandez, New Orleans (98), Shane Loux, Toledo (96).

(Double-A): Earned Run Average, Starters - Brad Thompson, Tennessee (1.76), Jeff Francis, Tulsa (2.03), Arnie Munoz, Birmingham (2.05), Wilfredo Ledezma, Erie (2.21). Record (Wins) - Jeff Francis, Tulsa (10-1), Mike Burns, Round Rock (9-1), Jake Woods, Arkansas (9-2), Wilfredo Ledezma, Erie (8-2), Matt Henrie, El Paso (8-3). Saves - Ryan Speier, Tulsa (23), Santiago Ramirez, Round Rock (21), Brad Baker, Mobile (20), Jacobo Sequea, Bowie (15), Adam Peterson, New Hampshire (15). Strikeouts - Jeff Francis, Tulsa (114), Bill Murphy, Carolina (93), Renyel Pinto, West Tenn (90), DJ Houlton, Round Rock (90), Dan Meyer, Greenville (86), Ezequiel Astacio, Round Rock (84), Wilfredo Ledezma, Erie (78), Chris Smith, Portland (78). Innings Pitched - Jeff Francis, Tulsa (93), Matt Henrie, El Paso (90.2), Kyle Middleton, Wichita (90.1), Jake Woods, Arkansas (90), Wilfredo Ledezma, Erie (89.2).

(Single-A): Earned Run Average, Starters - Zach Duke, Lynchburg (1.26), Matthew DeSalvo, Tampa (1.43), Zach Dixon, Delmarva (1.68), Mike Prochaska, Bakersfield (1.70). Record (Wins) - Steven Bondurant Kane County (10-4), Yusmeiro Petit, Capital City (9-1), Clint Goocher, Lancaster (9-2), Zach Duke, Lynchburg (9-2), Kyle Davies, Myrtle Beach (9-2). Saves - Brad Baker, Mobile (20), Jeremy Accardo, San Jose (18), Adalberto Mendez, Lansing (17), Ehren Wasserman, Kannapolis (17). Strikeouts - Yusmeiro Petit, Capital City (112), Brandon McCarthy, Kannapolis (106), Felix Hernandez, Inland Empire (103), Brad Knox, Kane County (97). Innings Pitched - Bobby Livingston, Inland Empire (101.1).