*** This Week in Minor League Baseball - July 16 *** From The My Sportsbook
By Kevin Spiegel, Contributing Editor
Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Minor League Baseball took center stage over the weekend with the playing of the Futures Game. The game was a showcase for some baseball's future superstars from the Triple-A and Double-A Leagues.
It was billed as a game between players born in the United States versus those born elsewhere around the World. Relief specialist Rich "Goose" Gossage managed Team USA, while former Dodger great Fernando Valenzuela skippered the World Team.
The outcome of the game did not really mean much to those, with the possible exception of bragging rights for the two managers. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto) shortstop Aaron Hill took home the Larry Doby Award as the game's MVP. Hill doubled in two runs for Team USA.
"You get one hit, and you're the MVP," quipped Hill. "Hopefully I'll make the MVP of the major-league All-Star Game one day and win a Lexus or something."
Hill joins other notable minor leaguers to have won the MVP; Jose Reyes (Mets), Alfonso Soriano (Rangers) and Sean Burroughs (Padres).
Other notable players included Prince Fielder, whose father Cecil belted 319 homers in 11 MLB seasons. The young slugging Fielder is current playing in Double-A Huntsville, where he's hitting xxx with 14 homers and 46 RBIs. Last season, he was the MVP of the Single-A Midwest League with 27 homers and 112 RBIs for Beloit.
On the Team World side, Tulsa's Jeff Francis struck out all three batters he faced. Francis, a native of British Columbia, is having an all-World type year and leads the Texas League in most major categories, including wins and ERA.
IL WINS ALL-STAR GAME IN DRAMATIC FASHION
The game was down the final out after the public address announcer declared to the 11,000 fans that the game would end after 10 innings with a winner or a 3-3 tie. So, Columbus' Andy Phillips took matters into his own hands and slammed a two-out, walk-off homer deep into the nighttime sky to give the International League a 4-3 win over the Pacific Coast League in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
The IL team took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth, as veteran Midre Cummings laced an opposite field, solo home run. Cummings had all but locked up MVP honors after his home run and a spectacular catch in the top of the inning. However, the PCL tied the game in the ninth on some questionable defense by the IL team. Calvin Pickering scored the tying run on a passed ball by Dane Sardinha.
Phillips was the MVP of the game, while Toledo's Joe Vitiello took home The My Sportsbook's Star of the Game award for the International League. Vitiello belted a two-run homer early on in the game. Memphis starting pitcher Dan Haren won the honors for the PCL. Haren faced seven batters, and retired the final six.
SOUTHERN A WINNER IN EL ALL-STAR GAME
The Eastern League All-Star Game as played in Bowie, Maryland, Wednesday night and the Southern Division came out a winner. Led by Altoona's Jeff Keppinger's three-hit performance, the Southern squad posted a 4-1 victory over the Northern Division at Prince George's Stadium. Keppinger earned The My Sportsbook's Star of the Game Award.
Before the game, Mitch Jones of the Trenton Thunder won the Arby's Home Run Derby defeating Val Majewski (Baysox) in the final round 6-5. Jones had to overcome steep competition also defeating Eastern League home run league leader, Ryan Howard of Reading.
Baysox Manager, Dave Trembley, who managed the Southern Division All-Stars was awarded a plaque after the second inning to celebrate his 1,200th career victory as a Minor League manager. Trembley earned the big win at Binghamton on July 9th.
EAST BEATS WEST IN SL ALL-STAR GAME
The Eastern All-Stars scored eight times in the second inning, capped by a grand slam homer by Tennessee's Papo Bolivar, en route to a 10-6 victory over the Western All-Stars in the Southern League All-Star Game. Jesse Gutierrez took home The My Sportsbook Star of the Game Award with a 3-for-5 performance and 11 total bases. Prince Fielder homered for the West squad in a losing cause.
BellSouth Park and the Chattanooga Lookouts played hosts in this year's All- Star Game.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Triple-A
International League: Pitcher - Dave Gassner, Rochester; Player - Jorge Cantu, Durham, INF. Pacific Coast League; Pitcher - Brian Sweeney, Portland; Player - Dave Doster, Fresno, INF.
Double-A
Eastern League: Pitcher - Jason Stevenson, Harrisburg; Player - Mitch Jones, Trenton, OF. Texas League: Pitcher - Jeff Francis, Tulsa; Player - Brooks Conrad, Round Rock, INF. Southern League: Pitcher - Mike Thompson, Mobile; Player - Josh Barfield, Mobile, 2B.
Single-A
California League: Pitcher - Jean Toledo, Rancho Cucamonga; Player - Angel Chavez, San Jose, INF. Carolina League: Pitcher - Ray Aguilar, Myrtle Beach; Player - Branden Florence, Frederick, OF. Midwest League: Pitcher - Brad Knox, Kane County; Player - Jon Kaplan, South Bend, OF. Florida State League: Pitcher - Ismael Ramirez, Dunedin; Player - Raul Tablado, Dunedin, OF. Northwest League: Pitchers - Craig Whitaker, Salem-Keizer & Mike McGirr, Vancouver; Player - Luis Montanez, Boise, OF. NY-Penn League: Pitcher - Aaron Wideman, Vermont; Player - Juan Llamas, Oneonta, 3B. South Atlantic League: Pitcher - Daniel Haigwood, Kannapolis; Pitcher - Mickey Hall, Augusta. OF.
Rookie
Appalachian League: Pitcher - Wimer Mendez, Bluefield; Player - Seth Pietsch, Kingsport, OF. Pioneer League: Pitcher - Zane Carlson, Idaho Falls; Player - Billy Butler, Idaho Falls, 3B.
FOOTBALL IN HICKORY?
The Hickory Crawdads erupted for 20 runs last weekend versus the Hagerstown Suns. Every starter in the line-up had at least one hit and scored one run, led by the power tandem of Brad Rea and Adam Boeve. They combined for five hits, five runs scored, 11 RBI and three homers. The Crawdads won the game, 20-9.
STELLAR OUTING FOR SWEENEY
Portland Beavers Pitcher Brian Sweeney retired the first 19 batters he faced last Sunday against the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League, but settled for an 8-1 victory. Sweeney struck out eight, but lost his perfect game with one out in the seventh with the first of his two walks. The 30-year- old right hander is having a solid season for the Sea Dogs, going 8-2 with a 3.06 ERA.
5+9=0?
It took five different Johnson City pitchers nine innings to toss a no-hitter, as the Cardinals blanked the Greeneville Astros, 4-0, in Appalachian League action. Tim Lemon started the game and went the first innings. Greg Pleeter pitched the sixth, Jessen Grant the seventh, Timothy Gross the eighth and Brian Parrish closed out the ninth to preserve the no-hitter.
The game also featured a triple play for the Cardinals. Bryan Triplett opened the second inning for Greeneville with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Neil Sellars followed with a walk, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Pedro Espinoza then lined into a triple play to end the inning.
ATTENDANCE CONTINUES TO GROW IN MILB
The month of June came and went and attendance for all of Minor League Baseball continues to climb on a record pace. Over 8.5 million fans attended games last month in the 15 leagues, which increases the total to over 21 million. Almost one million more fans visited ballparks last month than a year ago. The all- time attendance figure for MiLB is 39,782,717, set back in 1949. Six of the 15 leagues saw an increase in attendance jump 10 percent from last year (Mexican, Eastern, Southern, Carolina, Florida State & Appalachaian).
Team Leaders (Average per game)
International League - Louisville Bats (9,452); Pacific Coast League - Memphis Redbirds (9,989). Mexican League - Tijuana Bulls (12,764). Eastern League - Reading Phillies (6,900). Southern League - Jacksonville Suns (6,770). Texas League - Round Rock Express (10,018). California League - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (3,885). Carolina League - Wilmington Blue Rocks (5,001). Florida State League - Daytona Cubs (1,973). Midwest League - Dayton Dragos (8,321). South Atlantic League - Lexington Legends (5,684). NY-Penn League - Aberdeen IronBirds (6,178). Northwest League - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (3,325). Appalachian League - Kingsport Mets (1,007). Pioneer League - Great Falls White Sox (3,139).
League Leaders (Average per game)
International League - 6,114; Pacific Coast League - 5,762; Mexican League - 4,677; Eastern League - 4,637; Southern League - 3,839; Texas League - 4,737; California League - 2,127; Carolina League - 2,926; Florida State League - 1,302; Midwest League - 3,317; South Atlantic League - 2,932; NY-Penn League - 3,669; Northwest League - 2,846; Appalachian League - 1,088; Pioneer League - 2,121.
ON DEMAND
The Major League Baseball trading deadline is just weeks away and it appears some of Minor League Baseball's top prospects are in high demand. In Arizona, the Randy Johnson saga is in full swing. The NY Yankees seem to be Johnson's next destination, but do they have what the D-Backs want in return?
Columbus' Dioner Navarro is among the Yankees' top prospects, but the switch- hitting catcher is struggling this season. Currently, he's hitting under .200 in 36 at-bats for the Clippers. Navarro started the season in Trenton and hit .271 with three homers and 29 RBI before being shipped to Columbus.
Another team factoring in the Randy Johnson sweepstakes is Anaheim. The question is whether owner Artie Moreno will add another $8 million to this year's third-highest payroll and $16 million for next year. So, the D-Backs have shipped some top scouts to Anaheim's Double-A team in Arkansas and Triple- A club in Salt Lake. Unlike the Yankees, the Angels farms is loaded with talent.
In Arkansas, catcher Jeff Mathis and RHP Earvin Santana are expected to be under the watchful eye of scouts. Mathis has 13 homers and 55 RBI in 1 1/2 seasons with the Travelers. Santana is in his first full season with the Travelers and has a minor league record of 27-12 and an ERA of 3.44 in 2 1/2 seasons.
On the Triple-A side, the 1-2 explosiveness of 3B Dallas MacPherson and 1B Casey Kotchman are the cream of the crop in the Angels' farm system. McPherson has split time with Arkansas and Salt Lake this season. In 85 total games, he has 29 homers, 85 RBI and a .328 average. As for Kotchman, he spent a short time with the Angels' parent club earlier this year, subbing for the injured Darin Erstad. Kotchman spent the first 18 games with Arkansas before being promoted to Salt Lake. In 46 games this season, he's hitting a robust .370.
LOVE THOSE PITCHER'S DUELS
Ryan Church and Anthony Medrano each had a big night at the plate, combining four six hits, eight RBI, and five runs scored, as the Edmonton Trappers destroyed the Salt Lake Stingers 22-5, Thursday night in PCL action. Church drove in four and scored three times, while Medrano had four RBI and scored twice. Val Pascucci had four hits, two runs, and two RBI in the win, with Ron Calloway driving in three for Edmonton. Maicer Izturis, Randy Knorr, and Brandon Watson contributed to the onslaught with two RBI and three runs scored apiece. The top of Edmonton's lineup was unbelievable, with the one through five hitters combining for 15 hits, drove in 15 runs, and scored 11 times.
HELLO GEORGE, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
The good news for the New York Yankees is that they are in first place by huge margin over the Boston Red Sox. The bad news is their ace pitcher got rocked in a Minor League rehab start. Kevin Brown, pitching for Double-A Trenton, got tagged for five runs, three earned, in just two innings of work. He gave up seven hits in his short outing. Brown, who is on the disabled list because of a back injury and an intestinal parasite, threw 36 pitches, including 22 strikes.
AT THE PLATE
(Triple-A): Batting Average - Chad Allen, Oklahoma (.402), Brian Dallimore, Fresno (.355), Maicer Izturis, Edmonton (.351). Home Runs - Calvin Pickering, Omaha (28), Earl Snyder, Pawtucket (26), Bucky Jacobsen, Tacoma (26). RBI - Bucky Jacobsen, Tacoma (86), Jorge Cantu, Durham (76), Dan Johnson, Sacramento (76). Hits - Clint Barmes Colorado, Springs (127), Jhonny Peralta, Buffalo (119). On-Base Percentage - Chad Allen, Oklahoma (.460), Calvin Pickering, Omaha (.460). Stolen Bases - Nook Logan, Toledo (36).
(Double-A): Batting Average - David Wright, Binghamton (.363), Napoleon Calzado, Greenville (.353). Home Runs - Ryan Howard, Reading (33). RBI - Ryan Howard, Reading (91). Hits - Alberto Callaspo, Arkansas (105), Todd Self, Round Rock (105), John Baker, Midland (104), Rich Lane, Harrisburg (103), Chris Duffy, Altoona (103), Napoleon Calzado, Greenville (103), Danny Sandoval, Tulsa (103), Ruben Gotay, Wichita (103). On-Base Percentage - David Wright, Binghamton (.467). Stolen Bases - Wayne Lydon, Binghamton (51), Dwaine Bacon, West Tenn (44).
(Single-A): Batting Average - Ian Kinsler, Clinton (.402), Brandon Moss. Augusta (.359), Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (.351), Tommy Winrow, Tampa (.348). Home Runs - Brandon Sing, Daytona (27), Brian Dopirak, Lansing (24), Ian Stewart, Asheville (22), Adam Boeve, Hickory (22), Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (21), Kevin Collins, Lansing (21), Brad Eldred, Lynchburg (20), Jon Benick, Hickory (20). RBI - Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (86), Brandon Moss, Augusta (83). Hits - Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (126), Brandon Moss, Augusta (121), John Suomi, Modesto (113). On-Base Percentage - Ian Kinsler, Clinton (.465), Michael Bourn, Lakewood (.462), Ryan Roberts, Charleston-WV (.441), Jeff Baker, Visalia (.439), Michael Aubrey, Kinston (.438). Stolen Bases - Josh Anderson, Lexington (48), Nyjer Morgan, Hickory (43), Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (38), Chris Walker, Lansing (37), Michael Bourn, Lakewood (37), Mitch Maier, Burlington (34), Rajai Davis, Lynchburg (33), Terry Trofholz Beloit (33).
(Rookie): Batting Average - Deacon Burns, Elizabethton (.422), Jaen Centeno, Missoula (.422). Home Runs - Mitch Einertson, Greeneville (11). RBI - Bobby Mosby, Billings (28), Seth Pietsch, Kingsport (26), Thomas Everidge, Vancouver (24), Adam Mannon, Helena (24). Hits - Aaron Mathews, Auburn (36), Deacon Burns, Elizabethton (35), Juan Llamas, Oneonta (35), Jaen Centeno, Missoula (35). On-Base Percentage - Sean Rodriguez, Provo (.549), Jose Delgado, Johnson City (.531), Ryan Casper, Casper (.531). Stolen Bases - Eric Young, Casper (14), Yung-Chi Chen, Everett (13), Waladimir Sutil, Greeneville (11), Clay Timpner, Salem Keizer (11), Bo Flowers, Oneonta (10), Javier Herrera, Vancouver (10).
