Jim Goulart

Another Canadian Orr steady in No. 4 By Steve Buffery, Toronto Sun http://storage.torontosun.com/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297723703581_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=420x Canada’s Pete Orr slides safely into second base as Ronald Luna of Columbia bobbles the ball yesterday at President’s Choice Ajax Park. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun) AJAX — - Just like Don Cherry when he coached the great Bobby Orr, Canadian men’s baseball team manager Ernie Whitt takes a lot of comfort knowing that he has an Orr out on the playing field game in and game out. For the seventh time in his career, Pete Orr is donning the red and white of Team Canada. At age 36, the Newmarket native is the oldest player on the Canadian team at these Pan American Games, but he’s still also one of the best fielders in the game and a reliable hitter. On Sunday afternoon at President’s Choice Ajax Park, Orr played his usual stellar defence at third base, and also recorded a hit, scored a run and collected an RBI as Canada ran its preliminary record to 2-0 with a impressive 10-3 victory over Colombia. Orr, who was drafted by Texas Rangers in the 39th round of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft, is having a solid season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, the triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .281 with 15 extra-base hits, 31 RBIs and 10 stolen bases through 62 games. But he didn’t hesitate when asked if he would done the red and white of Team Canada yet again for this summer’s Pan Ams. So there he was, in all his glory, guarding the hot corner against Colombia wearing his usual No.4, a number he picked when he was a kid because of his famous namesake of the Boston Bruins. “I just always wore No. 4 growing up,” said the personable infielder. “I was playing hockey wearing No. 4 and baseball as well. My family are hockey fans, and I knew his hockey history growing up. It’s awesome. “I’m a huge hockey fan and it kind of goes together and it’s a good baseball number too,” he added. “It’s not like it’s 66 or 87 or 99 or something like that. And it was nice seeing him the other night.” Bobby Orr helped carry the Olympic flag in the opening ceremonies on Friday night and Pete Orr was excited to see him, even though he has never had the opportunity (yet) to have a conversation with the former NHL great. Pete Orr was his usual steady self in the laugher over Colombia on a hot and humid Sunday afternoon, but it was a pair younger teammates, centre fielder Tyson Gillies, 26, and starting pitcher Jared Mortensen, 27, who did the heavy lifting against Colombia. Rest of article (non-Orr) at link above...

Sky Sox pitching coach credits unusual physique to MMA training By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette http://cdn.csgazette.biz/cache/w300-8dd3507bad54b35b38cc9058fac6c79b.jpg Fred Dabney has grown used to the steroid question. *** Also posted in full for archiving purposes in our season-long feature archive 2015 Coaching thread...

Sky Sox pitching coach credits unusual physique to MMA training By Brent Briggeman, Colorado Springs Gazette http://cdn.csgazette.biz/cache/w300-8dd3507bad54b35b38cc9058fac6c79b.jpg Fred Dabney has grown used to the steroid question. Even when they don't ask, he just figures from the stares that they assume it when they see the bulging biceps with veins that are popping out so far that they look like refugees literally being muscled out of their homeland. Dabney gets it. He played baseball in an era in which PEDs ran rampant. But the Sky Sox pitching coach says his physique had nothing to do with pharmaceuticals and everything to with this post-playing career hobby of mixed martial arts. "You hear all the comments," Dabney said. "It's just genetics and, for me, it was a late-bloom effect. Plus, you don't train as hard with weights and everything else as a pitcher as you do for this." Dabney's MMA career - if you want to call it that - began when a friend in law enforcement helped him do some work on his pool deck at his Venice, Fla., home. Dabney's friend and many of his colleagues in the sheriff's department used training across various forms of martial arts for self-defense purposes and swore by its impact. Intrigued, Dabney gave it a try and found he had a knack for it. He entered a jiu jitsu tournament and won. Before long, he was persuaded to enter an official MMA event in Arizona during spring training. "My friends were like, 'You're not going to get any better if you're just training,'" said Dabney, who pitched for nine seasons in the minor leagues. "It's like with anything. Practice is great, but you've got to get out there and compete." A broken leg suffered while sparring during practice not only derailed plans for that bout, but it also pushed his training down a notch when his then-boss asked him to evaluate his priorities. If MMA injuries were going to detract from his ability to coach baseball, perhaps he needed to switch careers. His passion for baseball prevented that question from even being entertained. In his third season as the Triple-A pitching coach for the Brewers, Dabney has already coached two Pacific Coast League Pitchers of the Year (Jimmy Nelson in 2014, Johnny Hellweg in 2013). This week he'll serve as the league's pitching coach in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Omaha. It is an exhibition game, but his job will be to provide structure and keep an eye out for the safety of a collection of pitchers who represent immense value to their organizations. He said he'll also give the pitchers a scaled-down scouting report on the all-stars from the International League. The all-star appearance will mean a missed chance for Dabney to return home to his wife, Inger, and 17-year-old son Tanner, but they will join him in Omaha. The couple also has a son, Dane, who will be a red-shirt freshman defensive end this year at Liberty, the defending Football Championship Subdivision champion. Dane's size - 6 foot, 260 pounds - is a testament to the genetics at play in the family. Dabney continues to train with mixed martial arts and will spar on occasion with others who are preparing for bouts. As he ages, the injuries are creeping up with greater frequency, so he doesn't attack it with the same ferocity he did five or six years ago. But the effect on his body remains obvious, and it keeps those steroid questions coming. And Dabney, now 47, doesn't mind them one bit.

Final: AZL Mariners 8, AZL Brewers 2 Maryvale Box Score RF Demi Orimoloye was the only Brewer to reach base twice (2-for-4), though seven others did once, just not much materalized. As noted above, RHP Eric Hanhold debuted (2 IP, 1 R). 9th round Oregon HS RHP Karsen Lindell tossed two scoreles in his 4th pro appearance. Undrafted Baylor LHP Brad Kuntz, 22, has fanned 17 in 13 IP (1.38 ERA). Wishing him well in turning things around, but it's hard to start out with a 27.00 ERA after your pro debut and then watch your ERA actually climb after each of three subsequent outings, but 33rd round UC-Santa Barbara RHP Connor Baits has seen that happen, now at 40.50. Maryvale Game Log Maybe arguing a fair/foul call? AZL Mariners Top of the 5th Pitching Change: Connor Baits replaces Karsen Lindell. Taylor Perez walks. Ricky Eusebio walks. Taylor Perez to 2nd. With Julius Gaines batting, wild pitch by Connor Baits, Taylor Perez to 3rd. Ricky Eusebio to 2nd. Julius Gaines out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Joantgel Segovia. Taylor Perez scores. Jose Leal doubles (8) on a ground ball to left fielder Joantgel Segovia. Ricky Eusebio scores. AZL Brewers Manager Nestor Corredor ejected by HP umpire Matt Cowan. Johmbeyker Morales walks. Pitching Change: Colton Cross replaces Connor Baits. Gareth Morgan doubles (4) on a fly ball to right fielder Demi Orimoloye. Jose Leal scores. Johmbeyker Morales to 3rd. Rob Fonseca out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Joantgel Segovia. Johmbeyker Morales scores. Gareth Morgan to 3rd on the throw. Hersin Martinez strikes out swinging.

Final: Colorado Springs 6, Oklahoma City 5 Whaddaya know, a walkoff win! COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — The Sky Sox sent 4,041 Colorado Springs fans home happy after a dramatic 6-5 walk-off win in their series-finale with the Oklahoma City Dodgers on Sunday afternoon at Security Service Field. Starters Hiram Burgos (1-2, 4.28) and Rudy Owens (1-2, 2.78) were locked in a true pitcher’s duel through six innings as the two combined to allow just one run on 10 total base runners. The run came in the very first frame as Corey Seager’s RBI groundout plated Carl Crawford, who lined a one-out triple down the right filed line, from third to give OKC a 1-0 lead they would maintain until the seventh. The Sox offense would threaten in the third, fifth and sixth as they had runners in scoring position in each of the frames. Unfortunately the lineup could not come up with the big hit early on against the Dodger lefty, keeping the home team scoreless through seven. Burgos would stumble slightly in his last inning of work as the right-hander served up a solo shot to Andy Wilkins that travelled an estimated 454 feet to lead off the seventh. The long ball gave OKC a 2-0 lead at the time. Burgos would finish the frame, ending his day having allowed two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking none in an excellent bounce-back performance. Ian Thomas tossed a scoreless seventh for the Dodgers after Owens’ six innings of shutout ball. Owens allowed four hits and issued three free passes while striking out four. Still trailing 2-0, lefty Michael Kirkman took over on the bump in the top of the eighth in hopes of keeping the game close. The left-hander issued a one-out walk before Corey Seager lined a two-out single to left to score Darnell Sweeney from second. The run gave the Dodgers a little insurance heading into the game’s final frames. Colorado Springs would not settle for a loss on this Grateful Dead Day at the ballpark as the Sox lineup rallied against Dodger reliever Yimi Garcia in the home eighth. The righty loaded the bases without recording an out before walking Matt Dominguez to force in the Sox first run of the afternoon, cutting the OKC lead to 3-1. Nevin Ashley immediately followed with a bases-clearing double to push the Sky Sox ahead with a 4-3 advantage. Right-hander and former Brewers' 40-man roster member Josh Ravin took over after the bullpen implosion to end the inning with Colorado Springs taking their first lead of the day. Oklahoma City was not finished however as O’Koyea Dickson and Ralph Henriquez each took reliever Rob Wooten deep with solo blasts in the top of the ninth to retake the lead, 5-4. Jaye Chapman (1-1, 4.41) would be called upon by manager Rick Sweet with two outs in the inning to keep the game where it was. Chapman did just that, striking out the only batter he saw to send the Sox into the home ninth with a chance to complete a comeback win. Rudy Fontanez (1-2, 2.66) would come on in the last of the ninth, promptly loading the bases on three consecutive walks. A brief mound visit preceded Ashley’s second trip to the plate in as many innings. The clutch catcher played hero once more as he laced a line drive base knock to right-centerfield, scoring Logan Schafer and Jason Rogers from second and third respectively to send the Sky Sox into the all-star break with a 6-5 walk-off win. Ashley finished his day having driven in five of Colorado Springs’ six runs. The Sky Sox improve to 34-54 heading into the three-day break as OKC falls to 56-32. The Sox will be back at it on Thursday, July 17th when they visit the New Orleans Zephyrs for the first of a four-game set. Colorado Springs Box Score Kudos, Nevin Ashley, slightly down June, but the dude's been fun to follow all season; gee, how brutally disastrous was that 9th inning performance by Rob Wooten prior to getting bailed out? Colorado Springs Game Log Fantastic effort, Hiram Burgos.

2015 6th round University of Florida RHP Eric Hanhold is making his pro debut for Maryvale this evening.

Final: Helena 14, Orem 10 Denson leads Brewers to 14-10 win Helena Brewers The Helena Brewers (9-12) topped the Orem Owlz (16-9) 14-10 on Sunday afternoon to even their series at Brent Brown Ballpark at a game apiece. Helena's Milton Gomez (2-0) was roughed up in the start, but had enough support behind him to earn the win. He issued 9 runs on 12 hits in 5.1 innings on the hill. The Brewers jumped out to the first lead of the game, scoring three runs in the second. Jose Cuas cranked his first professional home run, a three-run blast to left. He would score Carlos Belonis and George Iskenderian on the round-tripper off Grayson Long. Long, the third-round selection of the Angels this year, would only make it through four outs before he was yanked from the game. He surrendered three runs on three hits. The Owlz countered with four runs in the third inning to take a brief 4-3 lead. Hutton Moyer hit his second home run in as many days, this time a three-run shot. Helena then took the lead for good with eight runs in the fourth. The inning was highlighted by a double and a three-run homerun for David Denson. Denson went 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBI. Leading 11-4, the Brewers almost squandered their big advantage. Gomez struggled in the sixth and was pulled with one out. Moyer came up with a two-RBI double and Alex Abbott, a late addition to the lineup, went yard for two Owlz runs. After six the lead would dwindle to 11-10. That is where the scoring would end for the Owlz, however, as Nate Griep and Junior Rincon combined for three shutout innings to finish the game. It was Griep's first appearance in over two weeks after suffering a shoulder strain. The Brewers and Owlz will face off in the rubber match of their three-game series Monday at Brent Brown Ballpark. First pitch is set for 7:15 PM (8:15 Central). Helena Box Score RHP Milton Gomez better remember this "win" on his docket the next time his lineup doesn't back him up in a great effort - 65.1 IP for Gomez in 2015 between Wisconsin and Helena, 18 wild pitches!; as per Dustin Daniel, RHP Junior Rincon has bumped his velocity into the 95 MPH range based on his offseason work; you saw the note on 8th round Kansas State RHP Nate Griep in the game summary. Helena Game Log Is David Denson hearing Tyrone Perry's footsteps in Maryvale? Denson's 1.051 OPS in 15 Helena games is a line we needed to see - another night as the DH for David, though... Steven Karkenny bailed out Jake Gatewood for these insurance runs -- Helena Top of the 8th Milan Post hit by pitch. Omar Cotto lines out to shortstop David Fletcher. Troy Stokes reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by second baseman Hutton Moyer. Milan Post to 2nd. With Jake Gatewood batting, Milan Post advances to 3rd on a balk. Troy Stokes advances to 2nd on a balk. Jake Gatewood strikes out swinging. Steven Karkenny singles on a line drive to center fielder Kyle Survance Jr. Milan Post scores. Troy Stokes scores. George Iskenderian grounds into a force out, shortstop David Fletcher to second baseman Hutton Moyer. Steven Karkenny out at 2nd.

Manatees lucky to have such a distinguished trainer on staff -- Craig aims for return to majors By Chris McGaughey, Wilmington (NC) StarNews Staff http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=WM&Date=20150712&Category=ARTICLES&ArtNo=150719937&Ref=AR&imageVersion=Main&MaxW=445&border=0 Tommy Craig stands in the dugout of the Brevard County, Fla., Manatees, a minor league affliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Photo courtesy of Hawkeye Sports Photography Behind every championship team stands a team of support personnel making sure the players in the spotlight stay healthy. Just ask Wilmington native Tommy Craig. *** Also posted in full in our season-long feature archive 2015 Coaching thread...

Craig aims for return to majors By Chris McGaughey, Wilmington (NC) StarNews Staff http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=WM&Date=20150712&Category=ARTICLES&ArtNo=150719937&Ref=AR&imageVersion=Main&MaxW=445&border=0 Tommy Craig stands in the dugout of the Brevard County, Fla., Manatees, a minor league affliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Photo courtesy of Hawkeye Sports Photography Behind every championship team stands a team of support personnel making sure the players in the spotlight stay healthy. Just ask Wilmington native Tommy Craig. The 1974 graduate of New Hanover High School has two World Series championship rings to call his own, and he didn't earn them by swinging a bat. He earned them as head athletic trainer during Toronto's back-to-back World Series championship seasons in 1992 and 1993. Craig grew up falling asleep listening to the Reds' radio broadcasts. He had dreams of playing in the major leagues, but he knew it was a long shot. “I was like 6-foot-1 and 145 pounds, and I was going to get injured a lot,” Craig said. “I didn't hit 200 (pounds) until I was a junior in college.” Craig credits Heyward Younger, the husband of his English teacher, for showing him a way to have a career in sports. “Heyward came to me one day and said, 'Tommy, there's a new field out here called sports medicine, and I want you to think about doing it and come help me on Friday nights,'” Craig said. His interest piqued, Craig put aside his dreams of glory as a player and focused on his new career path. “I envisioned myself either working in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys or working for somebody in Major League Baseball,” he said, “but I had no idea it would be in Toronto.” After graduating from East Carolina and spending two years with the Reds' minor league team in Shelby, Craig got word in 1979 there would be an opening with the Blue Jays' minor league team in Kinston. He wanted the job and got it, beginning a 25-year career with the organization. “I thought also that would be a good move because they were an expansion team and I'd be able to move through the system quick,” Craig said. “I was right to a certain extent, but the downside was that I was an American trying to cross the border and had to go up against all the other certified trainers.” He advanced quickly through the minor leagues, spending only four years in the farm system. In 1983, he got the call to join the Blue Jays in Toronto as an assistant trainer. “The next thing you know, I was in Toronto for good,” he said. Craig became the Blue Jays' head trainer in 1987 and set about creating a system for injured players to recover -- from strength training to rehabilitation therapists. It's a long way from “standing guys in trash cans with ice to recover.” “I think I was on the cutting edge of baseball, and baseball has come a long way through the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society,” he said. “It's crazy how far I've seen sports medicine come in 36 years, especially in the game of baseball,” Craig said. “Little did I know that I would have a lot to do with it. I just didn't realize it at the time.” In his time with the Blue Jays, Craig worked with some of the best players and biggest names in baseball, including five enshrined in Cooperstown. He's got enough stories to fill a book, which he has written and hopes to get published at some point. He eventually left the majors to join the private sector, opening a sports medicine clinic with one of his sons, but he missed the baseball life. “I didn't like working 8 to 5 on people who didn't like to get better,” he said. “I missed the game. I missed taking care of a team on a daily basis.” So Craig returned to his roots. Today, the 59-year-old works with the Brevard County, Fla., Manatees, an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. He hopes to return to the majors in a role “where you're using your head, brain and your hands.” He returns to his hometown at least once a year to visit family and friends, usually timing it with the ECU Hall of Fame weekend. One day, the father of three grown children -- all of whom graduated from Florida State or the University of Florida -- hopes to see his name in the ECU Hall of Fame or the Greater Wilmington Hall of Fame. “I would be quite an honor,” said Craig, who has a granddaughter due in September,. Ronnie Barnes, the trainer for the New York Giants, has been the only trainer enshrined in the ECU Hall of Fame. “Hopefully, some day I can follow in his footpath,” he said.

ARTICLE: Pete Orr of the Sky Sox played a pivotal role in Canada's 2015 Pan Am debut, a 4-1 win over Claudio Vargas an the Dominican Republic. A former 2015 Colorado Springs player, starting pitcher Chris Leroux, got the win.

From Saturday's Link Report -- Luna (MiLB player page) is from Panama, and hopefully the Brewers have as much success with their most recent Panamanian signing. This is 17-year-old 6'1", 170 lb. RHP Deymar Alvarado, who will make his pro debut soon as he has been added to the DSL roster. He's on Twitter here but it's an idle account (2013). Alvarado signed his contract in May, thus he was not part of the July 2nd signing period. No word on bonus details at this time.

More info (again Chris Harris) we'd rarely get easily in the pre-Twitter days: Arcia uses a 9.5'' glove. To put it in perpective, most 8 year-olds have a bigger infield glove than Arcia.

Wow, amazing lightning strike in Pensacola (Southern League, Reds); Shuckers not there today.

Tweet via Voice of the H-Crew Dustin Daniel: (Monte) Harrison sitting out with back spasms. Nothing serious, but he'll take some rest.

AUDIO: You'll find Saturday's pregame interview with OF Victor Roache at the link.

The answer was just a few posts above your question.

Reminder about the Sky Sox' Grateful Dead Themed Jersey Auction

Catching up on the ol' Twitter feed and found this nugget from the Shuckers' Chris Harris -- .@_TylerWagner_ gets his 15th AA start today (Saturday) and he leads all of @MiLB with a 3.56 groundout-to-airout ratio.

From this Rick Sweet interview we linked to in Saturday's Report, you'll learn about Matt Clark's injury (forearm) and current status at the 5:00 minute mark.

Sunday's farmhand birthday -- Shuckers RH reliever Martin Viramontes, the 4th-year pro out of USC, turns 26 today.

By Herb Jacobs - Associated Press LAWTON, Okla. (AP) - When Fred Dabney signed on as a pitching coach with the Texas Rangers' organization in 1999, his long-range goal was to work his way to the major league level. One talk with Farm Director Reid Nichols changed his mind. Dabney pitched in the minor leagues for nine seasons and in Taiwan for one more. When Dabney moved into the coaching field, Nichols had one question. "He asked me: 'what's your goal'?" Dabney told The Lawton Constitution. *** Also posted (in full) in our season-long coaching staff thread for archiving purposes...

By Herb Jacobs - Associated Press LAWTON, Okla. (AP) - When Fred Dabney signed on as a pitching coach with the Texas Rangers' organization in 1999, his long-range goal was to work his way to the major league level. One talk with Farm Director Reid Nichols changed his mind. Dabney pitched in the minor leagues for nine seasons and in Taiwan for one more. When Dabney moved into the coaching field, Nichols had one question. "He asked me: 'what's your goal'?" Dabney told The Lawton Constitution. "And I said the typical: well, I'd like to be a big league pitching coach. "And he said: 'that shouldn't be your goal. Your goal should be to be the best pitching coach out there because you can't control whether you go to the big leagues as a coach or not, but you can control how you work every day, go about your business every day and having the goal of being the best pitching coach out there, where players look at you and go: 'you know what? He's the best pitching coach that I've had'. "Ever since then, I've made that my goal. I'm not worried about being in the big leagues. If the situation arises, it arises. If it doesn't, every day I do my job to the best of my ability and that's my main thing." Dabney has reached the Triple-A level with the Milwaukee Brewers and currently works with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League. The Sox were in Oklahoma City recently for a series with the host Dodgers. Dabney took a break from his pregame routine to fill in some blanks. His coaching career started with the Gulf Coast League Rangers in 1999. He stayed with the Rangers through 2003, with stops in Savannah, Charlotte and Stockton. Dabney joined the Brewers in 2004, working in Huntsville and Brevard County through 2011. In 2010, he spent one month with the parent club while Stan Lyles underwent surgery. Dabney reached Triple-A in 2012 when he was assigned to the Nashville Sounds. Following a major shakeup last winter, the Brewers signed a contract with Colorado Springs. The down side is that the move takes him further from his home in Venice, Fla, where wife Inger has a thriving dental practice. Son Dane (20) just completed his redshirt freshman football season at Liberty University and 17-year-old Tanner has a summer job in Venice. "They're just a blessing," Fred said. "Inger does a tremendous job, with me being gone during the summer. She's the glue behind our family." Dabney has done OK with his 'second family'. In three plus seasons in the PCL, he has twice coached the league Pitcher of the Year (Jimmy Nelson in 2014, Johnny Hellweg in 2013) and helped lead Nashville to the league's lowest ERA in 2014. The league takes notice. Dabney has been notified that he will be the PCL pitching coach for the First National Bank Triple-A All-Star Game on July 15 at Omaha's Werner Park. "Branch Rickey, who is the league president, called me and said: 'hey, we wanted to talk to you about possibly being the All-Star pitching coach'," Dabney said. "My wife and I had plans during the All-Star break to spend some time together. "I thought about it and I told them the next day that I'd do it - with her permission. "It's an opportunity. Any time you get asked to do something like that, it's a good thing. I decided to accept gladly." The Sky Sox have had a rough start and currently sit in the basement in the PCL American Northern Division behind Oklahoma City, Omaha and Iowa. The team ERA also is higher than he would like. That doesn't mean the potential isn't there. "These players wouldn't be here if we felt like they didn't have potential to pitch in the big leagues," Dabney said. "Everybody here at this level, they're just a phone call away." Preparation begins well before the first pitch. "My biggest thing at this level is to get them on the same page," Dabney said. "The pitchers and catchers talk before the game, we go over hitters before the game. Everybody's in communication with how we're going to do certain things. "At times, the catcher realizes that there might be some certain things that the pitcher is working on. Say it's his third pitch. Well, we want him to have success throwing his third pitch and it's his catcher's responsibility to pick his times that he thinks are best to get that third pitch in so he can help develop it. "It could be his fourth pitch. "I've always told the guys that a catcher's responsibility is to do everything he can to be on the same page with you. His job is to suggest. "Ultimately, when that ball leaves your hand, you're responsible for it. The catcher puts down a pitch and you're not feeling it, shake him off and throw the pitch that you want to make, and throw it with conviction. "Our catchers do a great job and they know a guy's ability and strengths and know things they're trying to develop and work on. "It's a big process. There's a lot involved in it, and I think we do a good job here with that." It's a long way from the old Lawton High diamond, where Dabney's teammates included Kelly Stinnett, James Byrd and Charles Thompson. He attended Cameron for one year and Seminole Junior College for one before being drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 15th round of the 1988 amateur draft. He pitched in Utica, New York, South Bend, Sarasota, Birmingham, Nashville, Canton-Akron, Orlando and Iowa before joining the Mercuries Tigers in 1997. "I always thought I was going to be a big league pitcher," Dabney said. "That didn't turn out. "Being around the game and learning and feeling that you have things to offer other people - the good things and the bad things that happened in my career - I just always thought that I wanted to be part of the game somehow. I was fortunate to get that opportunity." If you knew then what you know now, would you have made it? "Ah, yes. "I was of the generation where if a coach says something, you do it. And that's a good philosophy to have. But I think the biggest thing for me is when I dropped down and threw sidearm. I would have questioned that a little bit because I did have a really good changeup. "Everything happens for a reason, so I'm not disappointed. "I think all the stuff that I went through made me a better coach. I think outside the box as a coach; I don't try to put everybody in the same bubble. "If I feel a guy needs to throw on a certain side of the rubber or he needs to develop a fourth pitch . I think all the stuff that I went through prepared me to be a better coach. "My responsibility is the players, the pitchers that I deal with, and that's what I focus on. I don't on me and where I am. I focus on what I can do to help these pitchers be the best that they can be and have them reach their goals and ultimately creating value for our organization." A plus on playing in Oklahoma City is the opportunity to see family. "It's fun seeing my parents (Ed and Theresa), my brothers and some friends," Dabney said. "It's been a good time."

Futures Game with Orlando Arcia -- Broadcast time is 2:00 PM Central on MLB Network and MLB.com

Look for these just prior to the respective game times -- Colorado Springs Media Notes - Home games only, it's a unique link each day, but look for it under the "Multimedia" banner on the Sky Sox' site. Biloxi Media Notes - Linked on the Shuck Dynasty blog Wisconsin Media Notes - Linked on the Rattler Radio blog *** STANDINGS: AAA - Pacific Coast League American Northern Division AA - Southern League South Division High-A - Florida State League North Division A - Midwest League Western Division Pioneer League North Division Arizona League Central Division Dominican Summer League San Pedro de Macoris *** Sortable individual stat pages: Colorado Springs Biloxi Brevard County Wisconsin Helena Maryvale DSL Brewers *** Weather.com: Colorado Springs, CO Sevierville, TN Port Charlotte, FL Beloit, WI Orem, UT Maryvale, AZ

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