MassBrew

Al, way, way, more than four signed -- that BA bonus link only listed bonuses of those 12th round players whose bonus information became available. They did list bonus info for all players in the top ten rounds when that was a valid link.

Here's the article mentioned in the link just above about catcher Clay Blevins: Former Dale High School baseball player Clay Blevins recently signed a minor league baseball contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Blevins, who just completed his sophomore season at Cowley County Community College, batted .320 with three home runs and a team-high 22 doubles. The catcher compiled a .503 slugging percentage in his sophomore season and was second on the team with 24 walks. Blevins was drafted in June 2003, and agreed to a "draft and follow" procedure, where the organization retains the rights to sign the player, but the player returns to college for another season and signs before the draft the following year. Blevins is currently in Tempe, Ariz., attending the Brewers' summer camp and will soon begin play with the Helena (Mont.) Brewers of the Class A short-season rookie league.

Link while live: www.news-star.com/stories...o_12.shtml Wahpepah drafted in third round by Brewers By Fred Fehr SNS Sports Editor Soon, Josh Wahpepah will have to make a decision. Wahpepah, a Dale High School product who has signed a baseball letter of intent with the University of Texas, was a third-round selection (76th pick overall) of the Milwaukee Brewers in Monday's major league draft. Wahpepah's former high school coach, Bruce Throckmorton, says his ex-pupil has two good options. "Texas is one of the best baseball programs in the country and being a third-round pick, for his age, is pretty good financially," said Throckmorton. Wahpepah has spent the last two seasons at Cowley County Junior College in Arkansas City, Kan. He posted very impressive numbers this year as a sophomore -- 11-1 record, 1.24 earned run average in 17 starts, six complete games and three shutouts. In 85 innings of work during the regular season, Wahpepah allowed 46 hits, 49 walks and fanned 82. He allowed only seven extra-base hits in the regular campaign and opposing batters recorded a measly .159 average. Wahpepah was drafted last year by Detroit but recently turned down an offer from the Tigers. Last weekend, he worked out for the Brewers, who obviously liked what they saw. "I talked to him by phone Monday and congratulated him. He was very excited and honored about being drafted in the third round," Throckmorton said. "It's been a life-long dream of his. "No. 1, he's a great kid and he has matured a lot. We knew a long time ago that he had god-given ability. He had what scouts like in that he's tall, he has lanky arms and good velocity. "Now, he's filled out where he is at least 6-4 and weighs from 200 to 210 pounds. We knew if he grew that he would have a chance to play pro ball." Should Wahpepah decide to sign with Milwaukee, he would be the second Dale product and Cowley County star to ink with the Brewers. Clay Blevins recently agreed to a contract with the Brewers organization and is currently attending a summer camp in Arizona.

Daily Press High Desert Game Story: Mavericks match last year's worst losing streak High Desert drops its ninth game in a row By KRIS REILLY/Staff Writer ADELANTO ? The High Desert Mavericks feel like they're better than last year's team, but they're now neck-and-neck with that squad in one dubious category ? consecutive losses. The Mavericks lost 5-3 to the Lancaster JetHawks at Mavericks Stadium on Monday, suffering their ninth-straight defeat. Nine in a row was a season-worst for last year's Mavericks, who finished with a 42-98 record ? the worst in minor league baseball. "I definitely think this is a better team," said pitching coach John Curtis, who was with the Mavericks for the latter part of last season. "For all I know, it's also a better league. It might be more competitive. We feel we haven't been beaten by better teams as much as we've been beating ourselves." The Mavericks had a hand in their own demise Monday by committing four errors, their second most this season. "We made some errors we shouldn't have made," Mavericks manager Mel Queen said. "They weren't tough balls to handle; we just didn't handle them. We may have been a little overaggressive. At least they were errors with effort, and even after they made the error they hustled and tried to do something about it." High Desert got another solid start from right-hander Bo Hall, who went five innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out three. Hall, who didn't facter into the decision, hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last five starts. High Desert reliever Nick Slack pitched two no-hit innings, but David Nolasco (2-4) gave up two runs on three hits in the eighth, which clinched the victory for Lancaster. Allowing five runs on eight hits to the best batting and best power-hitting team in the California league was a was a bit of a moral victory for a High Desert pitching staff that allowed 72 runs in its previous eight losses. "We're going to climb out of this rut, and I believe pitching's going to lead the way," Curtis said. "Hopefully it will be sooner than later." The JetHawks' Clint Goocher (8-2) scattered nine hits over seven innings and got the victory. Hall retired the first five batters he faced, but Lancaster got on the board in the second with a ground-rule double to center by first baseman Sean Luellwitz followed by a two-run homer to left by outfielder Jarred Ball. High Desert designated hitter Pete Rasmusen responded in the bottom of the second with his first home run of the year, a solo shot to right. Lancaster extended its lead to 3-1 with an unearned run in the fourth inning. High Desert's Jeremy Frost, who was filling in at first base for Travis Hinton, mishandled a grounder by Carlos Quentin and then misfired on a throw intended for Hall at first. Quentin advanced to second, and Frost was charged with a double error. Luellwitz drove in Quentin with a single to center field. High Desert made it 3-2 on a home run to right by Dan Boyd in the sixth, then tied it in the seventh on an RBI single by Callix Crabbe that scored Rasmusen. Lancaster pulled away in the eighth on an RBI groundout by Daniel Tosca and an RBI base hit by Luellwitz. It was the sixth time during the slump that High Desert lost by two runs or fewer and the third-straight day that the Mavericks lost by two runs. "We're a good team; we've just had a nasty streak of bad luck," said Rasmusen, who was 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. "We've been in just about every game. We get close, then we lose it. It's snowballed a little bit, but we'll stay positive and turn it around really soon, hopefully." NOTES: Left-handed pitcher Chris Capuano of the Milwaukee Brewers (High Desert's parent club) will make a one-time rehab start for the Mavericks tonight against Lancaster at Mavericks Stadium. Capuano, who is on the Brewers' 15-day disabled list with muscle cramps in his left arm, is 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA in four starts for Milwaukee this season. Capuano is slated to go three innings, after which left-hander Manny Parra will take over. ... Crabbe has reached base safely in 24 consecutive games and has hit safely in 23 of his last 25. Kris Reilly can be reached at 951-6275 or via e-mail at kris_reilly@link.freedom.com. Scott Smeltzer/Victor Valley Daily Press Staff Photographer The Mavs' Enrique Cruz misses a throw from first baseman Jeremy Frost as Lancaster's Jarred Ball steals second during Monday night's game. http://www.vvdailypress.com/storypics2/060804_mavs.jpg

And finally for now: Waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting . . . YES! STEVE SOLLOWAY, Staff Writer Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. ORRS ISLAND - After Craig Rogers asked for quiet, the only sound was the squeak of a squeeze toy held in the jaws of the family´s pet Pekingese. One moment dragged slowly into the next. Two dozen people crowded into the Rogers´ family room held their breaths. Bodies tensed. The voice on the speaker phone resumed. "Tampa Bay, with the fourth pick, selects Jeff Niemann of Rice University." The squeeze toy squeaked. Champagne glasses sat empty on the kitchen table. No one moved. "I hadn´t felt this way since two hours before my wedding when I put my tux on," Craig Rogers would say later. "I was a little weak-kneed that day, too." Monday was draft day in baseball. The day major-league teams picked the amateur players they wanted to sign. The day Mark Rogers´ life was put on hold until he learned which team wanted his signature on a contract worth a couple of million dollars or more. He couldn´t sleep the night before. He tried not to think about Monday but the more he tried, the harder it was not to. "It was what I didn´t know that was keeping me awake," said Rogers. "Which team was I going to?" Elsewhere in the house, his father wrestled with his own anxiety before calling it a night. "Being a lobsterman, I know when I´m tired physically. Emotionally, I had no idea what this was doing to me until it hit me. "You can only sit on pins and needles for so long." Dad is also the Mt. Ararat High baseball coach, which made the pins and needles that much sharper. The Eagles are two wins from a state championship. Monday morning, around dawn, a ringing phone woke Craig Rogers. Someone in the media with another request for answers or an interview. "I asked them to please call back later. I mean, it was 5:15." Much later, an hour or so before the draft, Mark Rogers tried to get on the Internet. No go. The 18-year-old honor student, normally so poised, started to come a little undone. The Internet was his link to the draft. Rogers ran to a neighbor´s. His mother followed. At the Rogers´ home, more family members, friends and teammates started to arrive. The draft would be relayed from next door. "The Milwaukee Brewers, with the fifth pick, select Mark Rogers . . ." Cheering drowned out the rest. Never mind that the Brewers are a small- market franchise with a recent history of bad baseball. Mark Rogers was a top-five pick, a first-round pick. His stock was rated blue chip. That´s what mattered. Mark Rogers walked in through a back door. "Holy smoke," he said as he was passed from one embrace to another. "Oh man, holy smoke. "This is definitely life-changing. All I´ve known is here." The boys at the dock where the Rogers men load and unload their lobster boat had their perspective. Mark can keep lobstering for another 10 or 15 years with all the money he´ll get from baseball. Yes sir. A few of his teammates stood off to the side, smiling. "Mark has never been about me, me and I," said Chris Doherty, Mt. Ararat´s third baseman. "He´s tried hard not to let this affect the rest of us. "But it has been fun playing in front of those big crowds. It made us all play better." With each dominating performance, more fans found their way to Mt. Ararat baseball games until the crowds swelled to about 1,000. They came to see the phenom and wound up discovering a good team. Monday afternoon, Doherty´s mind worked. Where could he find a dozen or more Milwaukee Brewers caps on short notice? Might be fun for everyone to wear a Brewers cap before their next playoff game. Brett Rogers watched everything. He is Mark´s big brother, maybe the only one in the house who "slept like a baby" the night before. He´s a ballplayer and he would have given his right arm to be in his brother´s shoes. He has been his brother´s rock, grounding him, calming him. "Whenever Mark needed him, Brett was there," said Craig Rogers. It´s what brothers do. "I´d do this again but I´m glad it´s over," said Craig Rogers. "Maybe now I´ll get my wife back. "She was the communicator, she was the one who knew all the scouts by name and which team they were with. I got the names but I didn´t always get the teams straight. "You know moms. They´ll walk through fire for their kids. Stephanie did that." The champagne glasses were filled, finally. Mark´s hands were empty, of course. Bob Neron, a friend, an assistant coach, raised his for a toast. "Here´s to the long road ahead. Here´s to the best ballplayer to come out of these parts." Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at: ssolloway@pressherald.com

More, same site: Rogers chosen fifth in major league draft PAUL BETIT, Staff Writer ORRS ISLAND ? Mark Rogers won´t be hauling lobster traps this summer. He´ll be too busy playing professional baseball. The Milwaukee Brewers made Rogers, the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Mt. Ararat High in Topsham, the fifth pick in baseball´s annual draft for amateur players Monday. Rogers´ family has fished for generations out of Harpswell. His selection by the Brewers capped a hectic spring, as scouts from dozens of major-league teams swarmed to each game he pitched. "II really didn´t realize how stressful this has been," said Craig Rogers, Mark´s father and coach of the Mt. Ararat baseball team. "It´s been a gradual thing, but I can tell you right now . . . I´m just really tickled. I´m so happy." Last week the Rogers family got an inkling the Brewers were considering making Mark their first pick in the draft for high school and college players. "All of a sudden, instead of just showing up at the games, we were getting two or three phone calls in the middle of the week," Craig Rogers said, "and they were talking with Mark. Asking him about signability. Doing a personality check on him, little special tests he needed to take." The Brewers apparently zeroed in on Rogers nearly four weeks ago. "Our chief scout called me about a month ago after seeing Mark pitch and told me ?I think I just saw our No. 1 pick,? ? Milwaukee General Manager Doug Melvin said. "(Our scouts) are confident he´s someone who wants to go out and play and work to get better. Hopefully, we´ll see him someday at the top of rotation here in Milwaukee." Rogers said he´s excited about being selected by the Brewers. "They have a good history about developing their players," he said. "Right now they have a lot of young guys in Triple- A on the edge of just breaking into the majors. "(The Brewers) are people I want to get involved with and get on track to the big leagues." Rogers is the first Maine high school player ever selected in first round. In 1991, Mark O´Brien, a left-handed pitcher from Deering High in Portland, was taken in the fifth round by the Texas Rangers. Billy Swift of South Portland was the second player taken in the 1984 draft, but that came after his senior year at the University of Maine. He signed with the Seattle Mariners. During his 13-year career, Swift also pitched for the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies. Milwaukee has drafted Maine players before. In 1997, the Brewers took Nick Caiazzo, a former Deering catcher, in the 45th round following his senior year at the University of Maine. In 2000, they took Lisbon High pitcher Jeremy Shorey in the 21st round. Matt Kinney, a right-handed pitcher from Bangor, is in his fourth season as a major leaguer with the Brewers. In 1996 he was taken in the sixth round by the Boston Red Sox. While in the minor leagues, Kinney was traded to the Minnesota Twins, who traded him to Milwaukee after bringing him to the majors. The Brewers believe Rogers has what it takes. "Our scouts really liked his physical skills," Melvin said. "We think he has a great fastball and the makings or a great curveball. We just have to refine his skills." Equally important to the Brewers in making Rogers their first selection in the 50-round draft was several aspects of his´ makeup. "A lot of what (the scouts) liked about him are intangibles," Melvin said. "His aptitude. His athleticism. His competitiveness. His leadership qualities. We just think he´s able to adapt to what it takes to get to the big leagues." After he signs, Rogers will be assigned to a rookie-league team in Maryvale, Ariz., Melvin said. But no negotiations can take place until his high school season ends. "They can´t make any offers or say anything until then," Rogers said. Mt. Ararat (17-1) is still competing for the Class A state championship. Tonight it plays Brewer for the Eastern Maine title at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor. Rogers isn´t sure whether he´ll start tonight. "We´ve got two other guys who can throw (tonight)," he said. "Hopefully we can get in there and win with whoever´s pitching." If the Eagles win the regional title, they will advance to the state championship game Saturday against Deering or Portland at Gorham High. "My first priority right now still is Mt. Ararat baseball," Rogers said, "and we´re going to try to win a state championship." Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com

From Maine Today: Is it worth risking future for state title? If the coming years go as Mark Rogers hopes, he'll call some or all of the following cities home: Maryvale, Arizona. Helena, Montana. Beloit, Wisconsin. Adelanto, California. Hunstville, Alabama. Indianapolis. At the end of this moving van tour across America is Miller Park in Milwaukee. Rogers, the Mt. Ararat High School pitching phenom, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, the fifth overall pick in the major league baseball draft. Monday night, Rogers spent a few minutes talking to the Milwaukee media. After he signs, there might be a quick trip to Milwaukee before heading off to rookie league in Arizona, and maybe a quick trip to the broadcast booth to say hello to everyone listening to a Brewers game. Before Rogers, the Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year, can become a professional baseball player, he has a senior season to complete for Mt. Ararat. At most, that means he has two more games, but those games raise big questions for the fifth overall pick and his father, Mt. Ararat coach Craig Rogers, need to answer. Does he pitch again for Mt. Ararat? Should Rogers pitch again for Mt. Ararat? As of Monday night, Rogers wasn't sure if he'd take the mound against Brewer High School in tonight's regional final at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor. "We've got two other guys who can throw (tonight)," he said. "Hopefully we can get in there and win with whoever's pitching." Part of it can be considered gamesmanship, not tipping Brewer off to anything. Let 'em wonder until they see who's throwing warmup tosses in the bullpen. Part of it has to be that Rogers knows that every time he throws a pitch, it will affect the rest of his life. Rogers' numbers this season are staggering. Nine wins. One hundred and 42 strikeouts and a measly 10 walks in 56 innings. An earned run average of 0.16. He struck out 20 hitters in back-to-back games, then struck out 22 in another outing. Now, Rogers is on the verge of being paid to throw a baseball, and the financial numbers involved are even more eye-popping. As the fifth overall pick, it's possible that Rogers could sign for $2 million. All season long, Rogers has thrown with around a week's rest between starts. He pitched the Eagles' 4-0 win over Hampden Academy last Friday. If he pitches tonight's regional final against Brewer, that gives him three days rest. That's plenty of time for the average high school pitcher. Is it plenty of time for a kid with millions at stake? If Rogers does take the mound tonight, and feels a twinge in his elbow or shoulder, what happens with the Brewers? It's doubtful they would give up on a first-round pick, but would the first-round money still be there? Rogers said on Monday that right now, Mt. Ararat baseball is his first priority. Does Rogers owe it to teammates who have been along for this ride to pitch? For most of the Eagles, a state championship would be the pinnacle of their baseball careers. Does anyone doubt that Rogers on the hill gives them their best chance at the title? Would you call Rogers selfish if he didn't pitch? Would you call him foolish if he did? The money isn't a wish on the horizon anymore, it's there. So are teammates looking for their ace to lead them to a title. On the happiest day of his life, Mark Rogers has no right or wrong answers. No matter what he does and doesn't, Rogers will be second-guessed over and over. Welcome to the pros. Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242 tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Text here, link while it's "live": www.herald.ns.ca/stories/...1.raw.html Brewers tab Langille in 7th Hammonds Plains pitcher selected 196th overall By MONTY MOSHER / Sports Reporter The Milwaukee Brewers said they liked Craig Langille and they backed it up on Monday. The Brewers tabbed the 18-year-old right-handed pitcher from Hammonds Plains in the seventh round of Major League Baseball's first-year draft. He was the 196th selection overall. He becomes the second-highest MLB draft pick out of Nova Scotia. Langille was the second Canadian selected behind catcher Mike Nickeas of Vancouver, who went to the Texas Rangers in the fifth round, 141st overall. Milwaukee seemed to show the most interest of any big league club in the six-foot-two, 190-pound Langille, who has shown pro potential on three pitches - a change-up, slider and a fastball that tops out around 88 mph. The Brewers made a few scouting visits to Nova Scotia and invited him to a camp in Milwaukee last week, though he did not attend. A member of the Dartmouth junior team who only emerged as a pitcher two years ago, Langille said playing professional baseball is a dream. "This is the No. 1 thing I wanted to do," said Langille, who has exams beginning Monday and will graduate from C.P. Allen High School in Bedford later this month. "It's the best career possible. I was thinking about taking business if I went to school, but this is definitely a lot better than taking business." He was born in Moncton, but moved to Nova Scotia as a youth and played all his minor ball here. His parents will be his agents. The scouting report on Langille is positive about his mound repertoire. He draws comparisons to relief pitcher Paul Quantrill of the New York Yankees, another Canadian. "Agile. Easy thrower with fresh arm. Progress made from last year. Minor mechanical faults correctable," the pre-draft report states. Langille discovered he was a Milwaukee selection by tracking the draft on MLB.com. He nearly jumped out of his seat when his name flashed up on the screen. "It was awesome, I couldn't believe it," he said. "I never expected the seventh round." The Brewers gave him a congratulatory phone call, along with all of his friends, and promised a visit in the next week or two. Since Langille expected to be picked somewhere between the 15th and 20th rounds, he can expect a better signing bonus than he was anticipating. A number of teams identified him as a decent prospect and the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners were on hand last week when he pitched a no-hitter against a junior team from Kentville. The Los Angeles Dodgers also had an eye on him. There is no guarantee the Brewers will take him to the U.S. right away. The visa quota for international minor league players has been used up for 2004, meaning most prospects other than the Americans won't get to work out for their teams until the Arizona Fall League. Players do not need work visas for the instructional league because they don't get paid. Langille said he's in no hurry to leave home. "I really don't know whether I will go away this year or next year. I really wouldn't mind seeing my friends for a little bit longer, but if they (the Brewers) bring me down soon that's just as well, too." Dartmouth's Steve Nelson, now recovering from arm surgery, is the top pick ever out of Nova Scotia. He went in the fifth round to Los Angeles in 2001. Cole Harbour pitcher Terry Forbes went in the ninth round to Seattle in 2002. Prior to that, Bedford's Trevor Wamback was the highest selection, going in the 22nd round to Montreal in 1998. Other Nova Scotians to be selected are David Detienne (1997, Los Angeles), Jamie Vallis (1995, Minnesota), Joel Young (1994, Montreal), Trevor Zwaan (1994, Houston), Mark Creelman (1993, Florida), Darren Doucette (1992, St. Louis) and Joel Irvine (1991, New York Yankees). Dartmouth's Vince Horsman was the last Nova Scotian to play a major league game when he pitched for Minnesota in 1995. DARREN PITTMAN / Staff Craig Langille of Hammonds Plains pitches in a recent junior game in Dartmouth. The 18-year-old was taken in the seventh round, 196th overall, by the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday in Major League Baseball's first-year draft. http://www.herald.ns.ca/2004/06/08/bigthumbs/1028.jpg

High Desert Game Summary (Lancaster Site): Mavs are back home now -- need those game summaries, guys! Sean Luellwitz had three hits and drove in two runs as the JetHawks downed the High Desert Mavericks 5-3 on Monday night at Maverick Stadium. With the win, Lancaster improved its record to 35-22, and increases its lead in the South Division to three games. Clint Goocher (8-2) turned in his eighth straight quality start for the JetHawks, to win his eighth game of the year. Goocher allowed three runs on nine hits over seven innings to become the first eight game winner in the California League this year. Lancaster got a two-run home run from Jarred Ball in the second inning to get off to an early lead, and extended the lead to 3-1 with a run in the fourth inning. Carlos Quentin reached on an error, and two outs later came home on a single by Luellwitz. After the Mavericks tied the game 3-3 with a run in the seventh, the JetHawks would come right back to retake the lead. Quentin opened the inning with a double and Jamie D?Antona followed with a single to left. Dan Tasca drove home Quentin with a ball that hit off losing pitcher David Nolasco?s ankle. Luellwitz then drove home his second run of the game with a single to left to score D?Antona. Jason Bulger pitched a scoreless ninth to record his seventh save of the year for the JetHawks Conor Jackson missed his second straight game with a sore wrist. Jackson remains day-to-day, and may return to the line-up on Tuesday night. Game two of the series against the Mavericks is Tuesday night at Maverick Stadium. Adam Bass will make the start for the JetHawks. Chris Capuano will be making a rehabilitation start for the Milwaukee Brewers, the Mavericks parent club, in the 7:05 (9:05 Central) game.

David Weiser's www.starsboxscore.com Huntsville update: STARS BLOW ANOTHER OPPORTUNITYWest Tennessee lost again. That's seven of their last nine games........ But it's just another lost opportunity for the Stars....... We may as well be chasing Mobile and in fact, we will be soon. The Bay Bears are tied for first place with the Diamond Jaxx after shutting them out this afternoon, 2-0....... The Stars at least came out swinging on a rather busy day off the diamond. To get this out of the way, it's common knowledge now that Jason Belcher, who was out of Sunday's lineup, was held back for a reason....... He was dealt Monday with former Stars pitcher Jason Childers for outfielder Peter Bergeron and a player to be named later....... I hope the Brewers are getting a damn good PTBNL. Childers, who was part of the Stars bullpen in 2001-02, was the closer at Indianapolis and had a sparkling 1.26 ERA with 15 saves for Indianapolis this season. Belcher was one of the Stars two ventricles, together with Brad Nelson, taking up the slack for the batting failures for most of the first half of Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, and Tony Gwynn, Jr........ Belch was 2nd to Nelson in average, and had driven in 17 runs in right field duty that wasn't always full time....... Two very important cogs for two different teams........ For this Milwaukee gets an outfielder with modest speed who couldn't hit .250 in the majors in four tries. A Triple-A lifer that the Expos, who have been conducting their team like a yard sale, have decided to give up on and the Brewers, naturally with a $27or $28 million dollar payroll, take up on since all they would have to pay him is $300Gs........ Bergeron will be assigned to Indianapolis........ I don't know who the Expos will send, but Alejandro Machado, who was picked up by the Expos in March after hitting .226 for the Stars in 45 games last year, was the Florida State League's batting leader before he was called up to Double-A Harrisburg (which is where Belcher was assigned)....... I'd die crying if it turned out to be Machado. The Stars struck in the first for three runs after Weeks struck out looking and Gwynn, trying to bunt his way on, popped up to pitcher Charlie Manning........ Fielder, however, stayed alive at 3-2, then kept the inning alive, stroking a one-hop single solidly hit to center....... Fielder had another two-hit day with a single through the right side in the 6th....... Prince is now 8-for-19 in his last five games, raising his average to .263....... Brad Nelson followed with a double to right-center, sending Prince to third. Nelson now has 19 doubles on the season, 2nd in the league to Richard Lewis of West Tennessee, who is one up........ Ryan Knox, returning from Indianapolis, on an 0-2 pitch, singled on one hop to left-center, driving in both runners, his first 2-RBI game since delivering a pair of sacrifice flies in an April 11 game against Montgomery..... On the throw home to get Nelson, Knox moved to second, then scored on Chris Barnwell's single up the middle -- his 28th RBI for the Stars, to give the Stars an early 3-0 lead....... Barney is now 9-for-30 this month w/4 RBIs. He's gone up there to swing the bat. He's struck out only three times this month and not drawn a single walk. I had expected Reggie Rivard to get a spot start tonight, as I was told, but Dennis Sarfate, on three days rest, took the hill for the Stars....... His first inning was speedy, throwing 10 pitches and giving up just a leadoff single to Andy Beattie, who went nowhere........ But in the 2nd and 3rd innings, he tossed a combined 59 pitches, 30 for strikes, combining to walk four and give up three hits, one of them a home run on a 3-and-0, 98 mph fastball (that's right. I saw the gun on this) to left-fielder Travis Wilson, a former Greenville Brave, now doing mostly bench work for the Lookouts....... After a walk to Brian Peterson, Tony Gwynn tried to make a sliding catch on Ramon Moreta's bloop to right-center, but the ball glanced off his glove and wandered into the gap for a triple, the first of two for Moreta....... That scored Peterson and the Lookouts trailed, 3-2. Sarfate escaped trouble in the 3rd inning, loading the bases with two out....... Jeff Bannon doubled off the Gibson's BBQ sign under the scoreboard, then Dennis walked the next two hitters........Ramon Moreta, on 2-2, fouled off pitch-after-pitch, before striking out looking at a 90-mph fastball....... Moreta, disputing home plate ump Rob Hansen's call, stood there at home plate, cursing while everyone left........ Finally, Moreta flung his bat toward the Chattanooga dugout and walked away. Fernando Rijo kept the Lookouts quiet for the next two innings while Manning retired the Stars in order in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings....... Joel Alvarado nearly made the play-of-the-day in the 5th inning on a foul pop....... The dangerous Jesse Gutierrez sent a high pop on 3-1 in back of the 3rd base line. Chris Barnwell came over as the ball began to fall near the on-deck circle near the Stars dugout. Alvarado dove forward in the dirt, snaring the ball in his webbing, but the ball trickled out........ Gutierrez eventually walked, but did not score. Rijo faced five batters in the 6th inning, giving up a single to right by Manning and a ground-rule double by Beattie that bounced into the seats from the left field corner. William Bergolla's sharply hit ground ball to Ozzie Chavez's left scored Manning, but Rijo could not get that third out........ Edwin Encarnacion's double to the wall put the Lookouts in front, 4-3, and Rijo was done........Reggie Rivard, perhaps depressed that his Calgary Flames lost the Stanley Cup, gave up two more runs to make it 6-3........ Rivard has given up an average of five runs per nine innings in each of his months with the Stars........ In a reversal from last year's success, the Stars have not had a very effective bullpen this year, Ryan Miller (who's on the DL), and John Novinsky notwithstanding. I'll come up with some figures soon that I hope will support my statement. The Stars made one last stand in the bottom half of the 6th...... After Prince Fielder dribbled a single through the hole on the right side under Bergolla's glove, Nelson hit his 11th home run of the year --- a monster shot high over the 3rd tier of billboards in right over the 7-Up sign........ The Stars trailed 6-5, but never got closer than that. Tomorrow, the Stars face a tough pitcher in Arnie Munoz as Birningham comes in to the Joe........ Munoz, who was 6-0 for the Barons in 2002, started out 6-0 this season before losing to Jacksonville, May 29, and is now 6-2 with the 3rd best ERA (2.19) in the league........ The Stars counter with Matt Ford, who was on a 35-pitch limit his last time out and used every bit of it in no time, then Wednesday for an afternoon game, Mike Jones will make his return, I'm told, for the first time since going on the DL with a sore elbow, April 30. Ryan Knox painfully fouled a pitch off his ankle in the 7th inning, and after limping around for awhile, struck out swinging at the next one, as a follow-up to Brad Nelson's home run....... All of a sudden, you could hear some really loud banging........ It was coming from the dugout, Knox taking out the frustration of the day, being demoted, then this, on something metal down there......... In a nearly empty stadium tonight, it was clearly audible all over the park......... Tony Gwynn, Jr. snapped an 0-for-14 slump with a single in the 3rd........ Joel Alvarado, despite his shiny defense (he's thrown out 45% of the runners trying to steal), is in an 0-for-17 skid. With 70 at-bats this season, he has one less than he had his two previous seasons with the Stars....... Pete Zamora made his 3rd appearance on the mound in as many days for the Stars. That hadn't been seen since Mike Rossiter back on May 5-7, 2000. That's one short of hte record by Doug Scherer in 1986......... Catcher Elie Alfonzo was called up from Class A-Jupiter in the Florida State League to the Carolina Mudcats. Alfonzo, can you believe this, was 2nd among Florida State League leaders in home runs with 15 and 2nd in RBIs, while hitting .261 there. Elie hit .258 with 7 HRs in 69 games for the Stars in 2002. Four of the Brewers' top five selections in this year's amateur draft were pitchers....... Milwaukee's #1 draft choice this year was RHP Mark Rogers, a high school player from Orr's Island, Maine........ Rogers was thought to go in the middle of the first round by Baseball America. He was considered to be top prospect from upper New England........ He's the first prep player from Maine to go in the first round in the baseball draft....... Ranked 10th among the top pitching prospects in the draft. It was no secret that the Brewers were going to go after a pitcher. Baseball America forecast Rice pitcher Philip Humber would be their # 1 choice, but the Mets got to him first. The Brewers had the fifth pick....... Two other Rice pitchers went in the top eight........ Rogers has been gunned at 96-97 mph, but he generally sits at 90-95. Baseball American ranked his fastball as 3rd best among all prep prospects....... He has a 3/4 delivery, an explosive arm, but a loose, flowing delivery. A solid 12-6 curve, sharp breaking ball, and good change-up....... He struck out 77 in his first 29 IP against weak competition, allowing just one hit in his most recent prep season........ I'll say more about the other picks tomorrow and show you their names on my link, but it's 4:30 a.m. right now and I'm pretty damn tired.

Huntsville Site Game Summary: With a chance to pull within one game of first, Huntsville came out swinging Monday night. Just as they had the day before, the Stars erupted in the first for a 3-0 lead. This time Chattanooga?s potent bats proved too much to contain. Trailing 3-2, the Lookouts (33-25) scored four in the sixth and three in the seventh in a 9-5 victory at Joe Davis Stadium. Huntsville (29-29) now trails Southern League West co-leaders West Tenn and Mobile by two games with 12 to play. In the Stars? first, Ryan Knox, just arrived from triple-A Indianapolis, singled in two runs and scored on Chris Barnwell?s single to center. A Travis Wilson homer and Ramon Moreta run-scoring triple brought Chattanooga within 3-2 in the second. In the top of the sixth, the Lookouts batted eight and scored four, with Andrew Beattie, William Bergolla, Edwin Encarnacion and Jessie Gutierrez all driving in runs. Huntsville answered in the bottom of the frame, when Prince Fielder singled and Brad Nelson launched a monstrous two-run homer to right, his 11th of the season. The Lookouts sealed the game with their seventh-inning rally. Moreta tripled for the second time in the game and scored on pinch-hitter Jason Hill?s single. Hill stole second and scored on Beattie?s double, then Beattie raced home from second when Encarncion hit a bouncer up the middle and shortstop Ozzie Chavez made a beautiful stop behind the bag but threw wildly to first. Charlie Manning (4-3) picked up the win, allowing five runs on seven hits while fanning eight and walking none over six innings. Fernando Rijo (1-3) suffered the loss, permitting three runs on four hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Brad Salmon recorded his first save, tossing three scoreless frames, surrendering just one hit and one walk and striking out one. Huntsville sends lefty Matt Ford (1-1, 3.20) to the mound against left-hander Ryan Meaux (2-5, 5.68) in the first of a four-game series against the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at Joe Davis Stadium.

"There was a little twinge there in his arm and he couldn't get extended," Marc Bombard said of Bowers. "I think he'll be alright. He might miss a start, but needless to say, what a job by our bullpen. They pitched nine shutout innings." That's why the quick hook on the Red Barons' starter (three batters).

Indianapolis Post-Game Notes: Pablo Ozuna?s ninth inning home run helped Scranton-Wilkes Barre overcome a terrible first inning by right handed pitcher Shane Bowers and led the Red Barons to a 2-1 win over the Indianapolis Indians before 5,748 fans at Victory Field. "Winning is all that matters," Ozuna said. "You have to do what it takes to win." What Ozuna did was wait for a pitch down the middle. The Red Barons were one strike from losing before he hit a hanging curve ball over the left field fence that scored Jim Rushford, who had hit one-out single. "I just wanted something that was down the plate," Ozuna said. "I was looking for something over the middle and when I saw it coming I just swung away." Bowers got the Red Barons out to a shaky start despite not getting credit for any innings pitched. He faced three batters, hit two of them and gave up an RBI double to Indianapolis shortstop Matt Erickson that gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with no outs in the bottom of the first. "Our pitchers have done a great job lately," Ozuna said. "We had a bad start, but the rest of the guys settled down and got the job done." Bowers started the game by hitting left fielder Chris Magruder, who scored from first on Erickson?s double to the left field corner. Bowers then hit right fielder Corey Hart before being replaced by left hander Yoel Hernandez. After Bowers, the Red Barons got decent pitching from Hernandez, left hander Greg Kubes, right hander Dan Giese and left hander Jim Crowell, who got the win while pitching the ninth inning. Those four spread out five hits over nine innings and combined for six strikeouts. It was Crowell?s eighth save of the year. Ozuna?s home run ruined a spectacular pitching outing by Indianapolis right hander Ben Hendrickson, who went 7 1/3 innings, struck out five and allowed only five hits. "Ben pitched an outstanding game tonight," Indianapolis manager Cecil Cooper said. "I would have loved to keep him out there, but he tired at the end." The Indians managed one base runner in the bottom of the ninth when third baseman Luis Figueroa hit a two out single. Crowell then got shortstop Steve Scarborough to ground out to second to end the game. It was the Red Barons? fourth straight win. "We?ll do whatever it takes to win," Ozuna said. "That?s what the game is all about." The Red Barons play the second of four games in Indianapolis tonight.

WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (NEW YORK YANKEES) 31 24 .564 [b]INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (MILWAUKEE) 30 25 .545 1.0[/b] TOLEDO MUD HENS (DETROIT) 30 28 .517 2.5 LOUISVILLE BATS (CINCINNATI) 27 30 .474 5.0 WEST DIVISION W L PCT GB WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (CHICAGO CUBS) 31 27 .534 MOBILE BAY BEARS (SAN DIEGO) 31 27 .534 [b]HUNTSVILLE STARS (MILWAUKEE) 29 29 .500 2.0[/b] BIRMINGHAM BARONS (CHICAGO WHITE SOX) 29 29 .500 2.0 MONTGOMERY BISCUITS (TAMPA BAY) 25 33 .431 6.0 SOUTH DIVISION W L PCT GB LANCASTER JETHAWKS (ARIZONA) 35 22 .614 INLAND EMPIRE 66ERS (SEATTLE) 32 25 .561 3.0 LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO) 30 27 .526 5.0 RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES (ANAHEIM) 27 30 .474 8.0 [b]HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS (MILWAUKEE) 20 38 .345 15.5[/b] WESTERN DIVISION W L PCT GB KANE COUNTY COUGARS (OAKLAND) 35 22 .614 PEORIA CHIEFS (ST.LOUIS) 34 22 .607 .5 CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS (ANAHEIM) 34 23 .596 1.0 [b]BELOIT SNAPPERS (MILWAUKEE) 31 27 .534 4.5[/b] CLINTON LUMBER KINGS (TEXAS) 29 27 .518 5.5 QUAD CITY RIVER BANDITS (MINNESOTA) 26 27 .491 7.0 WISCONSIN TIMBER RATTLERS (SEATTLE) 24 33 .421 11.0 BURLINGTON BEES (KANSAS CITY) 18 40 .310 17.5

Final: Lancaster (Diamondbacks) 5, High Desert 3 Nine losses in a row -- when do we begin the second half of the Cal league schedule -- looking forward to that 0-0 record... High Desert Box Score: GAME DATE: 6/07/04 LNC at HD LANCASTER 5 AT HIGH DESERT 3 YTD YTD LANCASTER AB R H BI AVG HIGH DESERT AB R H BI AVG C.Quentin RF 3 2 1 0 .295 K.Bibbs CF 4 0 0 0 .302 J.D'Antona 3B 4 1 1 0 .312 C.Crabbe 2B 4 0 2 1 .314 D.Tosca DH 4 0 0 1 .273 D.Boyd LF 4 1 2 1 .300 S.Luellwitz 1B 4 1 3 2 .244 S.Candelaria 3B 4 0 1 0 .254 J.Ball LF 3 1 2 2 .284 J.Vanden ber CAT 4 0 1 0 .315 P.Avlas CAT 4 0 0 0 .302 J.Frost 1B 4 0 0 0 .269 B.Simon CF 4 0 0 0 .160 P.Rasmusen DH 4 2 3 1 .217 D.Richar SS 5 0 0 0 .356 M.Mendez RF 3 0 0 0 .207 N.Brown 2B 5 0 1 0 .305 E.Cruz SS 3 0 1 0 .215 C.Goocher PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 B.Hall PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Holsten PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 N.Slack PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.BULGER PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 D.Nolasco PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Kusiewicz PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 36 5 8 5 TOTALS 34 3 10 3 LANCASTER 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 0- 5 8 0 HIGH DESERT 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0- 3 10 4 E--J.Vanden ber, J.Frost 2, N.Slack. DP--LANCASTER 2, HIGH DESERT 0. LOB--LANCASTER 6, HIGH DESERT 6. 2B--C.Quentin (12), S.Luellwitz (5), C.Crabbe (10). HR--J.Ball (8), D.Boyd (7), P.Rasmusen (1). SB-- C.Quentin (4), J.Ball (10), N.Brown (11). SH--M.Mendez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA LANCASTER C.Goocher (W,8-2) 7.0 9 3 3 1 7 2 3.55 R.Holsten 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 7.90 J.BULGER (S,7) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1.96 HIGH DESERT B.Hall 5.0 5 3 2 1 3 1 5.65 N.Slack 2.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 5.88 D.Nolasco (L,2-4) 1.0 3 2 2 0 0 0 8.53 M.Kusiewicz 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.85 WP--D.Nolasco. SO--D.Tosca 2, B.Simon 2, D.Richar, N.Brown, K.Bibbs 2, D.Boyd, S.Candelaria 2, J.Vanden ber, J.Frost, P.Rasmusen, M.Mendez 2. BB--C.Quentin, J.Ball, E.Cruz. T--2:35. A--1063High Desert Game Log: As of post time, hard to read this -- all doubled up... www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=17911

More on the sweet 16-year-old, drafted in Round 16, this from ottawa-online.net on June 1st : Alexandre Periard?s biggest dream is about to come true: since he was 7 years old, he fantasized about playing major-league baseball. Following a series of exhibition games in Florida against college and professional rookie-league teams, Baseball America has ranked the right-handed pitchers as the 50th best draft-eligible high school player. The 16-year-old from St. Eustache has attracted the attention of over 20 major-league teams with his 90 mile-per-hour fastball. He remains modest about his successes; though he admits he enjoys the jolt of adrenaline he experiences when he sees the scouts charting his pitches with their radar guns. ?I?m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. And I shouldn?t, because it would show,? he states. In his first game against the North Iowa Community College Trojans, he struck out five batters in his first two innings, despite it being his first taste of American competition. ?In my head, I like to challenge hitters. Just because they were pros didn?t mean I was going to change that,? he says. In games against the rookie-league teams of the Expos, Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, and New York Mets, hitters scored an average of 14 runs against Academie de Baseball Canada pitchers. Despite this slightly dismal statistic, Periard was able to discern some positive knowledge from the experience: ?When you pitch against those guys, you learn quick.? Because of his age, Periard is in a unique position?if he doesn?t like where he gets drafted, he can play another year in Quebec and re-enter next year?s draft. This is unlikely, as Periard has his sights set on the pros. ?My goal is to be playing pro next year,? he said, adding that if goes later than the 10th round, he would consider re-entering next year.

Beloit Game Summary (from the Dayton Site): Adam Heether luckily gets the better of a nasty home plate collision... The elements of pitching that had been vastly improved for the Dayton Dragons (24-34) on the team?s current home stand disappeared in game three of the four game series with the Beloit Snappers (31-27) on Monday night. Dragons pitching walked eight Snappers, tied a franchise record with four hit batsmen and uncorked two wild pitches as the Snappers took a 2-1 series edge with a 10-5 win in front of 7,905 at Fifth Third Field. Dayton starter Rainer Feliz (L, 0-2) looked sharp in the top half of the first inning setting Beloit down in order. The top half of the second inning and again in the third, the right hander had a tough time consistently finding the plate as the Snappers jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Beloit?s first run came courtesy of a bases load walk of Will Lewis with two out in the second to give the visitors the 1-0 lead. A hit batsman, a walk and a single loaded the bases with none out in the third for Manuel Ramirez who picked up two RBI on a single for a 3-0 lead. A Josh Murray SAC fly and another RBI single by Tim Marks put Beloit in front 5-0 after two and a half innings. Feliz was lifted after the third in favor of Alexander Farfan. Farfan?s only inning of work got off to a rocky start as well with a lead off walk and an error by Dayton third baseman Walter Olmstead. Drew Anderson?s SAC fly gave Beloit a 6-0 lead as Terry Trofholz scored from third. After Farfan?s second walk of the inning, a free pass to Adam Heether, Vinny Rottino delivered his team leading 38th RBI with a single that scored Steve Moss and the Snappers led 7-0. The Dragons picked up two free passes in the bottom of the fourth inning and had first and second with one down for Olmstead. The Dayton third baseman atoned for his earlier error with his second three run homer in as many games. Olmstead lifted a Greg Moreira (W, 4-2) pitch over the wall in right center for his sixth home run of the season and the lead was cut to 7-3. The HR would be the only runs the Dragons would manage off the Beloit starter who threw 5.2 innings of three hit baseball. Moreira struck out seven and allowed two walks and a hit batsman before getting the hook in the bottom of the sixth with two out. Josh Thigpen was next on the bump for the Dragons and he began his night by hitting Heether with a pitch. The Snappers DH was involved in a nasty home plate collision in the second inning that forced Dayton catcher Chris Kroski out of the game with what was later diagnosed as a broken tibia. With one down, Ramirez drew a walk and the Snappers had runners at first and second base. With two down in the inning, Marks picked up his second and third RBI of the game on a double into the left field corner that cleared the bases and the Snappers led 9-3. Beloit took a 10-3 lead to the bottom of the ninth inning after plating the club?s final run off Carlos Guevara in the top of the ninth. Anderson added his second RBI of the game on another SAC fly that scored Will Lewis, who led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a Trofholz single. The Dragons tired to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning off Snappers reliever Ty Taubenhiem. Kyle Smith picked up a one out double and moved to third on Miguel Perez?s single up the middle. With two down, Will Hudson and Chris Dickerson picked up back-to-back RBI singles that got Dayton to within 10-5. The Dragons comeback fell short as Luis Bolivar flew out to center field to close out the game. The Dragons and Snappers wrap up the four game series Tuesday night at Fifth Third Field, with a 7:00 PM first pitch. The Dragons will start LHP Tyler Pelland; Beloit will counter with RHP Carlos Villanueva.

Three of the nine Canadians drafted on Day One are Brewers: www.canoe.ca/SlamBaseball..._2004.html

More on Leclercq: His plans to attend Indiana University probably won't change even if he'd be drafted this spring, he added. "I'll probably still go to college [if drafted] ... unless there's [an offer] that's real awesome." Viking's Leclercq goes to bat for Indiana By Andy Amey/Tribune-Star November 19, 2003 West Vigo shortstop Lenny Leclercq made sure he got to the mailbox on time Tuesday morning, because he had an important letter to send. The Viking senior mailed his national letter of intent to Indiana University, where he'll join the Hoosiers for the 2005 season. Leclercq, who was also recruited by Indiana State and the University of Iowa, said the Indiana coaches have a simple expectation of him. "They want me to come in and grab the bull by the horns, take advantage of the situation I've got," Leclercq said. "Their shortstop now is a senior, and he got drafted [by a major league team] last year [without signing]." The opening in the infield is an opportunity for Leclercq. "There's a chance," he said, that he could be a starter for IU as a freshman. Following in the footsteps of the current Indiana shortstop in the other way is something that he would like to do too, Leclercq added. His coach doesn't disregard that possibility at all. "You take his size [6-foot-2, 170 pounds], and you add his God-given abilities of tremendous speed and quickness of his hands and feet, plus his power and his arm strength," Steve DeGroote said Tuesday, "and I don't think people can even daydream about what he can accomplish." DeGroote has called Leclercq the fastest Viking baseball player ever, in fact. The shortstop said Tuesday he's been clocked at 6.5 seconds for 60 yards and at 3.8 or 3.9 seconds from home to first base -- eye-opening numbers for major league scouts -- and his other tools have earned him all-Vigo County and all-Western Indiana Conference awards in the past two seasons. "It would be nice to get drafted [by the major leagues]," Leclercq agreed Tuesday, "but at least I'll know I tried." His plans to attend Indiana University probably won't change even if he'd be drafted this spring, he added. "I'll probably still go to college [if drafted] ... unless there's [an offer] that's real awesome." Leclercq's work ethic will determine how far he can go, DeGroote said, and that's another point in his favor. "He's worked hard [to get] where he's at," the coach said. "All those early mornings have paid off." In the meantime, however, there's still a West Vigo season to play, and Leclercq's thoughts on that are simple. "Win a state championship," he said emphatically. Asked about individual goals, he continued, "I just want the [state-championship] ring. If I break a record or something, I break a record -- but I'm not going to try [to do that]." DeGroote is happy to contemplate what his shortstop can accomplish. "I look forward to this year," the coach said, "and years to come."

On SS Lenny Leclercq, who has a baseball commitment to Indiana University as a fallback: This from tribstar.com... Swinging and sprinting away West Vigo's Lenny Leclercq Two-sport star finds dual way to showcase speed, athleticism By Andy Amey/Tribune-Star May 20, 2004 Lenny Leclercq remembers it as a quest for discovery. Steve DeGroote recalls it as a bid for credibility. Bill Petscher doesn't care. He's just happy the idea was born that Leclercq -- West Vigo High School's potential all-state shortstop -- also try his hand at running track this spring. "Last year, after a baseball game, we went over and watched a track meet," Leclercq said recently, "and Coach DeGroote said he would like to see how I'd do [against the sprinters in that meet]. This year I took [the suggestion] more serious." DeGroote was just happy to have another stopwatch record his shortstop's sprinting ability, the Viking baseball coach said. "I'd been telling the scouts how fast [Leclercq] was," he noted, "but they had a hard time believing it." So this week Leclercq's schedule has included baseball games against Class 3A's top-ranked Sullivan Golden Arrows for the Western Indiana Conference championship, then the boys track sectional today at Terre Haute North. He was a key player in the baseball games, as befitting a player who has already agreed to a scholarship to play for Indiana University (unless a major league draft selection is more promising). Perhaps the surprising part is that he'll also be a key player in the track sectional, a threat to win in the sprints and long jump despite having zero experience in the sport prior to this spring. "I figured I'd do all right [in track]," said Leclercq, "but I didn't figure to have some of the top times in the Wabash Valley." "Due to his abilities, [Leclercq and DeGroote] thought [track] would be a good thing to try," said track coach Petscher, "and obviously the decision proved to be a good one." Leclercq won the long jump and the 100-meter dash and anchored a winning 400-meter relay team for the Vikings in last week's Western Indiana Conference meet, for example. He has the West Vigo school record in the 100, and he and his teammates set a school and conference record in last week's relay. Not bad for an athlete who has basically been a once-a-week track participant. Leclercq is usually available for track meets on Thursdays. Other afternoons he practices or competes with the baseball team. "He comes in in the mornings [before school] and works on exchanges and in the [starting] blocks," Petscher explained. Long jump practice usually comes on the Thursday's prior to the meets, assistant track coach Jeff Bond added. "He's more than fulfilled expectations," Petscher added. "It's fun; I like running," said Leclercq. "It makes me in better shape ... and it could get me a better jump on the basepaths." "It's been fun, and he's enjoyed it," said DeGroote. "I think we can work around things like [occasional track meets], and it's been good for him. "It's kind of a cross-training thing," the baseball coach continued. "Those guys [Petscher and Bond] know how to teach proper [running] technique. It's definitely improved his running speed." Viking baseball opponents probably figured Leclercq was fast enough already. He went into last weekend batting .611, as of Tuesday he had 11 homers and a school-record 50 RBI, and he's also a strong-armed defensive standout. None of this surprises DeGroote, for the same reason the baseball coach isn't surprised by Leclercq's early-bird track practice. "He's one that does beat me [to school] several times," said DeGroote, who opens the gym and his batting cages at 6 a.m. daily. "I'll open the door, but you're the one who has to step in and do something." FIRE TO FIRST: West Vigo shortstop Lenny Leclercq fields a ball and fires to first base for the out during Wednesday's game against Sullivan. The Vikes won 3-2. (Tribune-Star/Bob Poynter) http://www.tribstar.com/content/articles/2004/05/20/sports/sports01.jpg

Final: Chattanooga (Reds) 9, Huntsville 5 Huntsville Box Score: Brad Nelson is studly -- he has both of the Stars' extra-base hits in this one; Dennis Sarfate pitching on three days' rest for the first time ever tonight... GAME DATE: 6/07/04 CNG at HVL CHATTANOOGA 9 AT HUNTSVILLE 5 YTD YTD CHATTANOOGA AB R H BI AVG HUNTSVILLE AB R H BI AVG A.Beattie CF 6 2 4 1 .333 R.Weeks 2B 3 0 0 0 .235 W.Bergolla 2B 6 0 0 1 .267 A.Gwynn CF 4 0 1 0 .247 E.Encarnacio 3B 6 1 2 1 .301 P.Fielder 1B 4 2 2 0 .259 J.Gutierrez 1B 3 1 1 1 .309 B.Nelson RF 4 2 2 2 .297 J.Bannon SS 4 0 1 0 .278 R.Knox LF 4 1 1 2 .250 T.Wilson LF 4 1 2 2 .218 C.Barnwell 3B 4 0 1 1 .224 B.Peterson CAT 3 1 1 0 .294 J.Alvarado CAT 4 0 0 0 .143 R.Moreta RF 5 1 2 1 .202 O.Chavez SS 4 0 1 0 .222 C.Manning PIT 2 1 2 0 .318 D.Sarfate PIT 1 0 0 0 .143 J.Hill PH 1 1 1 1 .266 F.Rijo PIT 1 0 0 0 .333 B.Salmon PIT 1 0 0 0 .333 R.Rivard PIT 1 0 0 0 .250 P.Zamora PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Raburn PH 1 0 0 0 .250 TOTALS 41 9 16 8 TOTALS 35 5 8 5 CHATTANOOGA 0 2 0 0 0 4 3 0 0- 9 16 0 HUNTSVILLE 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0- 5 8 1 E--O.Chavez. DP--CHATTANOOGA 1, HUNTSVILLE 0. LOB--CHATTANOOGA 12, HUNTSVILLE 4. 2B--A.Beattie 2 (9), E.Encarnacio (17), J.Bannon (16), T.Wilson (6), B.Nelson (19). 3B--R.Moreta 2 (2). HR--T.Wilson (4), B.Nelson (11). SB--J.Hill (1). HBP--J.Gutierrez. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA CHATTANOOGA C.Manning (W,4-3) 6.0 7 5 5 0 8 1 4.35 B.Salmon (S,1) 3.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 5.45 HUNTSVILLE D.Sarfate 3.0 4 2 2 4 3 1 4.42 F.Rijo (L,1-3) 2.2 4 3 3 1 2 0 4.88 R.Rivard 2.1 7 4 3 1 0 0 5.64 P.Zamora 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3.48 HB--R.Rivard. WP--F.Rijo. SO--A.Beattie, E.Encarnacio, J.Bannon 2, R.Moreta, R.Weeks 2, A.Gwynn, R.Knox 2, C.Barnwell, O.Chavez, F.Rijo, R.Rivard. BB--J.Gutierrez, J.Bannon, T.Wilson, B.Peterson 2, C.Manning, R.Weeks. T--3:05. A--803Huntsville Game Log: Hate to see those first-inning runs go for naught... www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=11999

On 18th round outfielder Darren Ford from thedailyjournal.com: Darren Ford got his first glimpse of the big-league dream late Thursday night, as he and his mother, Carla, pulled into a Milwaukee hotel after a 14-hour drive. For Ford, a Vineland High senior, the dream was being fulfilled at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. Ford, a center fielder, is one of the best baseball players in the (Vineland, New Jersey) area. Last week he participated in pre-draft workouts in preparation for the 2004 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, which begins at 1 p.m. today. The draft is 50 rounds, and Ford has received a lot of attention this spring from pro scouts. "I try to block them out," Ford said of the scouts. "I try to play my game the way I know how to play it. But it's real hard. I just have to go out there and do my best. That's what they're looking for." The Brewers, Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves have shown interest in Ford, according to Vineland head coach Tom Ryder. Ford is one of the fastest athletes in the state. He runs the 60-yard dash (the standard tool for measuring baseball speed) in 6.6 seconds. "Rather obviously, in Darren, they saw raw speed," Ryder said. "He's probably the fastest kid I've ever observed." While Ford has big-league dreams, turning professional isn't always the best option. "Most of these kids think they're going to get thousands and thousands, even millions, of dollars," Ryder said. "That just isn't going to happen that many times. ... It's not the big money everyone envisions for some reason." Ryder has been encouraging Ford to consider the junior college route, especially if those big-money dreams don't come true right away. "Imagine how many guys in Major League Baseball who run a 6.6," Ryder said. "It's just a big adjustment. I know on occasion he thinks I'm tough on him, but imagine when someone gives him money to play. Then, it's no longer a game. It's a job you have to succeed in every day." Vineland center fielder Darren Ford, shown diving back into first base -- Staff photo/Barbara Errickson http://www.thedailyjournal.com/news/stories/20030426/localsports/186332-66042.jpg

Final: Scranton / Wilkes-Barre 2, Indianapolis 1 Sigh -- and no word on whether Phelps is a long-term option as closer, but what do you think Indy management has to say about the Jason Childers trade tonight?; details soon.. Indianapolis Box Score: Way to go, Ben -- do you think he's anxious to return to the bigs? GAME DATE: 6/07/04 SWB at IND SCRANTON-WB 2 AT INDIANAPOLIS 1 YTD YTD SCRANTON-WB AB R H BI AVG INDIANAPOLIS AB R H BI AVG M.Budzinski CF 4 0 2 0 .226 C.Magruder LF 3 1 0 0 .264 A.Machado SS 3 0 1 0 .242 M.Erickson SS 4 0 2 1 .214 L.Collier LF 3 0 0 0 .319 C.Hart RF 3 0 0 0 .283 J.Rushford 1B 4 1 1 0 .321 J.Nunnally CF 4 0 0 0 .246 S.Wooten 3B 4 0 0 0 .091 M.Johnson 1B 3 0 1 0 .287 P.Ozuna 2B 4 1 1 2 .256 L.Figueroa 3B 4 0 2 0 .299 A.Hinch CAT 4 0 0 0 .221 S.Scarbrough 2B 4 0 0 0 .210 J.Padilla RF 3 0 1 0 .252 A.Delgado CAT 3 0 1 0 .137 S.Bowers PIT 0 0 0 0 .500 B.Hendrckson PIT 3 0 0 0 .200 Y.Hernandez PIT 1 0 0 0 .000 T.Phelps PIT 0 0 0 0 .333 B.Hannahan PIT 1 0 0 0 .308 G.Kubes PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Smith PIT 1 0 1 0 .233 D.Giese PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Crowell PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 32 2 7 2 TOTALS 31 1 6 1 SCRANTON-WB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2- 2 7 0 INDIANAPOLIS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0- 1 6 1 E--A.Delgado. DP--SCRANTON-WB 1, INDIANAPOLIS 2. LOB--SCRANTON-WB 5, INDIANAPOLIS 6. 2B--M.Erickson (8). HR--P.Ozuna (4). SB--M.Budzinski (8). CS--M.Erickson. HBP--C.Magruder, C.Hart. SH--A.Machado. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA SCRANTON-WB S.Bowers 0.0 1 1 1 0 0 0 4.84 Y.Hernandez 4.0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0.00 B.Hannahan 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 G.Kubes 3.0 2 0 0 0 3 0 2.83 M.Smith 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 D.Giese (W,7-2) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.85 J.Crowell (S,8) 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1.17 INDIANAPOLIS B.Hendrckson 7.1 5 0 0 1 6 0 2.59 T.Phelps (L,5-3) 1.2 2 2 2 0 1 1 5.63 HB--S.Bowers 2. SO--M.Budzinski, A.Machado, L.Collier 2, J.Rushford, J.Padilla, Y.Hernandez, C.Hart, M.Johnson, S.Scarbrough, B.Hendrckson 3. BB--L.Collier, M.Johnson. T--2:24. A--5748Indianapolis Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=14151

Aarrgghh!!! Down to his team's final strike, Scranton / Wilkes-Barre's Pablo Ozuna crushes a two-run HR off of new Indy closer Travis Phelps -- a no-decision for the brilliant effort of Ben Hendrickson... In progress: Scranton / Wilkes Barre (Phillies) 2, Indianapolis 1, going to the bottom of the ninth...

Final: Beloit 10, Dayton (Reds) 5 Snappers with ten hits, eight walks, three HBP's, three sacrifice flies... Beloit Box Score: Nice outing by RHP Greg Moreira... GAME DATE: 6/07/04 BLT at DTN BELOIT 10 AT DAYTON 5 YTD YTD BELOIT AB R H BI AVG DAYTON AB R H BI AVG T.Trofholz RF 5 1 1 0 .310 C.Dickerson CF 4 1 1 1 .300 S.Moss CF 5 1 0 0 .188 L.Bolivar 2B 5 0 1 0 .215 D.Anderson LF 2 1 0 2 .269 J.Votto 1B 3 1 0 0 .294 A.Heether DH 3 2 1 0 .254 W.Olmstead 3B 3 1 2 3 .277 V.Rottino 3B 5 2 3 1 .304 B.Himes RF 4 0 0 0 .237 M.Ramirez 1B 4 2 2 2 .288 K.Smith DH 4 1 1 0 .225 J.Murray SS 2 0 0 1 .203 C.Kroski CAT 0 0 0 0 .278 T.Marks CAT 5 0 2 3 .210 M.Perez CAT 4 1 1 0 .229 W.Lewis 2B 3 1 1 1 .222 E.Beltre LF 4 0 1 0 .205 G.Moreira PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 W.Hudson SS 4 0 2 1 .205 S.Beresford PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Feliz PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Taubenheim PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 A.Farfan PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Thigpen PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 T.Rice PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Guevara PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 34 10 10 10 TOTALS 35 5 9 5 BELOIT 0 1 4 2 0 2 0 0 1-10 10 0 DAYTON 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 2- 5 9 1 E--W.Olmstead. DP--BELOIT 1, DAYTON 0. LOB--BELOIT 12, DAYTON 6. 2B--M.Ramirez (10), T.Marks (1), W.Lewis (1), K.Smith (14). HR-- W.Olmstead (6). SB--D.Anderson (6), W.Hudson (3). CS--W.Olmstead. HBP--D.Anderson 2, A.Heether, W.Lewis, W.Olmstead. SF--D.Anderson 2, J.Murray. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA BELOIT G.Moreira (W,4-2) 5.2 3 3 3 2 7 1 4.71 S.Beresford 2.1 2 0 0 0 4 0 4.11 T.Taubenheim 1.0 4 2 2 0 1 0 4.18 DAYTON R.Feliz (L,0-2) 3.0 5 5 5 3 0 0 10.19 A.Farfan 1.0 1 2 1 3 0 0 5.90 J.Thigpen 3.0 1 2 2 2 1 0 4.30 T.Rice 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7.27 C.Guevara 1.0 2 1 1 0 2 0 4.81 HB--G.Moreira, R.Feliz, J.Thigpen 3. WP--A.Farfan 2. SO--S.Moss, A.Heether, V.Rottino, C.Dickerson 2, L.Bolivar, J.Votto 3, B.Himes 3, K.Smith, E.Beltre 2. BB--T.Trofholz, S.Moss, A.Heether 2, M.Ramirez, J.Murray 2, W.Lewis, C.Dickerson, J.Votto. T--2:47. A--7905Beloit Game Log: www.sportsnetwork.com/mer...MEID=13452