MassBrew

The Brewers confirm for us that we have the correct Ryan Gordon (see above), but they plan on using him as an outfielder, so we'll provide 2004 batting numbers here with UNC Greensboro: 43 games 68-for-182 (.374) 12 doubles, 6 triples, 6 HR's (SLG .604) 34 RBI 18 BB, only 14 K (OBP .437) 11-for-15 in SB attempts A glance at a box score or two shows that he hit in the # 2 spot and played CF in those games.

The Luis V. Ramirez just signed (from the above post) is a 17-year-old, not the former Diamondback farmhand -- I've deleted that link. We'll have more on several of the "mystery" Latin players when the media guide is available from the Brewers.

Baseball America lists the Brewers as having signed LHP Michael Gordon, and although his name is Michael Ryan Gordon, it appears he goes by Ryan Gordon. He'll be making his pro debut in 2005 having turned 24 in January, so starting out at low-A West Virginia is a possibility. He was a two-way player at UNC-Greensboro, and did not sign with the Blue Jays after being selected in the 43rd round in 2003, opting to return for his senior year. Now Gordon only pitched 1.1 innings in 2004, but raked to a 1.041 OPS as an outfielder. We'll check with the Brewers to verify that their intentions are to use him on the mound. He had fine pitching numbers in 2003 prior to his draft selection: www.sports-wired.com/prof...c29063.asp This bio is a couple of years old: www.uncgspartans.com/spor...YER_ID=859 And of course, if we've identified the "wrong" Michael Gordon, all bets are off http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif . Baseball America also lists the Brewers as signing another LHP, Luis V. Ramirez. Could it be this soon-to-be 23-year-old former Diamondback farmhand who last pitched in pro ball in 2002? Perhaps, but it could be a brand new Latin youngster just about to get his feet wet. Again, we'll verify...

City excites Stars GM Van Schaack assumes duties this week after stint with Phillies affiliate By MARK McCARTER Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com One lost election in Pennsylvania may turn out to be a significant victory in Huntsville. Tom Van Schaack, 41, has been hired as the new general manager for the Huntsville Stars. He replaces Bryan Dingo, who resigned in December to accept a position with Buffalo Rock. Van Schaack had been hired last February as the general manager of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Phillies. The Red Barons are controlled by the Lackawanna County Stadium Authority, which is overseen by the Lackawanna County Commission. When two new Republican commissioners were elected to take majority control of the commission, they seated two new Republican Stadium Authority members. They voted Jan. 10 to dismiss Van Schaack. "They said it was nothing personal,'' Van Schaack said. "I just wasn't their guy.'' Within two days, International League President Randy Mobley gave Van Schaack a call and a message: There's a job opening in Huntsville. "I was surprised something was even available,'' Van Schaack said. "I wasn't holding a lot of hope. Obviously this was a pleasant surprise.'' He went to New York to interview with Stars majority owner Miles Prentice and visited Huntsville early last week for a tour of the stadium and the city. "What I saw, I got excited even more about the job,'' Van Schaack said. "You always want to see a community and the ballpark before you take a job. After the visit, it didn't discourage me at all.'' When he arrives later this week to begin his duties, he'll find the calendar a bit challenging. "Opening day is right around the corner,'' he said. The Stars' first home game is April 15. The Stars' existing staff "has been working all fall and winter getting things ready even though they haven't had a GM,'' said Van Schaack, who, like Prentice has done, praised Dingo for his work in the transition process. "The people there are capable of doing their jobs. I'm just going to go down there and see where they stand. "The first thing, obviously, is to make sure the sales and season tickets are on schedule. We've got to get the program put together, outfield signs sold. But the staff is actually ahead of last year's pace. Hopefully I'll blend right in.'' Prentice said he has faith in the club's newest addition. "We're fortunate to get a seasoned baseball operator," Prentice said. "I'm excited to have him, and I believe he can carry on the fine work of Don Mincher and Bryan Dingo." Van Schaack, who is single, is a native of Oswego, N.Y., where, ironically, his father Herbert, a college professor, is a former county legislator. Van Schaack attended SUNY-Brookport and majored in broadcast journalism. His previous stops in baseball include Richmond, Va., Watertown, N.Y., Sarasota, Duluth, Minn., and Syracuse, where he was the assistant GM before moving to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He had briefly been a disc jockey before visiting a friend who worked with a minor league team in Burlington, N.C., "and I stayed. That's how I got into baseball. I've been in it ever since.'' Well, except for two days this past January ...

Latest from the Power staff (for those unaware, Martha Stewart has been incarcerated in the federal facility in West Virginia, thus the added interest): The Power will begin play in the 2005 season at Hagerstown in 59 days and the home opener will hit the capital city in just 66 days. The promotional schedule continues to fill up every single week and will be released within the next week. In this week's article we will preview the ?Martha Stewart Release Party? which is scheduled for Saturday April 16th. We will also hear from 2005 field manager Ramon Aviles for the first time since being named manager of the Power. For those who haven't had a chance to check out the new Power Website, check it out at www.wvpower.com. MARTHA STEWART RELEASE PARTY After the Opening Night I and II festivities have ceased, the Power will fire up the first weekend at the new park with a ?Martha Stewart Release Party? against Hagerstown on Saturday April 16th. The Power have several activities planned for the party which will entertain all those in attendance. To begin, all those who can prove that they are named either ?Martha? or ?Stewart? will get in for free. The Power will host segments throughout the game featuring Gardening Tips with Groundskeeper Eric Bailey and Cooking Tips with Ryan Montgomery the Director of Concessions. In addition, the employees will wear orange jumpsuits and the ushers will wear moles and Martha wigs. There will be Martha Stewart K-Mart items given away throughout the game and the Power will conduct a Martha Stewart look-alike contest. More details on the release party to come as we get closer to the season. Q AND A WITH RAMON AVILES In his native town of Nati, Puerto Rico, Ramon Aviles currently resides where he was born and bred, spending his off-seasons running, reading the bible and conducting baseball clinics. At 56 years old, he expects his 35th year of professional baseball in 2005 with the West Virginia Power to be very exciting. Ramon spent his playing days with the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers organizations. He was a part of the 1980 World Series Championship team for Philadelphia, and he has collected a total of 25 different championships in his coaching and playing career. Ramon took some time to talk to Power play-by-play man Andy Barch this week about baseball and life. AB=Andy Barch RA=Ramon Aviles AB: Before the baseball questions, tell us about your family life, what kind of family do you have? RA: I don't have a real big family, but it's big enough. My father was a cop in Puerto Rico and I have 3 brothers and a sister. I have currently been married for 24 years; I have a daughter, a son, a 10-year-old granddaughter and a 16-month-old grandson. AB: When did it all begin for you in baseball? RA: I started playing street ball in Puerto Rico when I was seven years old. I played every position in little league and in high school. I signed with an amateur team in Puerto Rico in 1966 as a 2nd baseman. I continued to play amateur ball in Puerto Rico for two years. In December of 1969 I signed with the Boston Red Sox as a free agent. I made my professional debut in 1970 for Greenville, SC. AB: You played with the Phillies, Red Sox and spent a short amount of time with the Rangers during your 14-year playing career, who were some of the high profile athletes that you played with? RA: When I was with the Red Sox, I played with Carlton Fisk, Carl Yastremski, George Scott and many others when I was called up. I was part of the World Series Champion Phillies team in 1980 and I played with Steve Carlton, Larry Bowa, Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt. This year marks the 25th anniversary of that team. AB: Take us through your coaching career. How much time did you take off after your playing days were over before you went into coaching? RA: I didn't take any time off at all, matter of fact, my coaching career began in 1983 which was also my last year as a player. I entered spring training in 1983 as a player but halfway through the spring the Phillies asked me to be a player/coach in Portland, Oregon for the Pacific Coast league team. That year I played shortstop and we won the PCL championship. In 1984 I was a coach in the Northwest League in Bend, Oregon. I coached the Clearwater team in the Florida State League in the 1985 season, which was Clearwater's first season in that league. In 1986 I was a coach for the Reading Phillies of the Eastern League. I was the manager of the Spartanburg team in the South Atlantic League in 1987. I went to Orchard Beach the AAA affiliate as a coach in 1988. In 1992 I went back to Reading as a Coach. From 1990-92 I managed the Batavia Muckdogs of the New York Penn League. From 1993-98 I was the infield-roving instructor for the Phillies. I filled in as the manager for the AAA Scranton team during the 1996 season when Butch Hobson ran into some legal problems. In 1999 and 2000 I managed the Gulf Coast League Phillies. I went back to Clearwater as the manager for the 2001 season, in 2002 I was the hitting coach for the Lakewood BlueClaws and in 2003 I was the infield coach for the Gulf Coast team. AB: You've experienced a lot in 34 previous years of baseball, what are some of your best and worst moments in this game? RA: My worst moment came in 1977 after I was called up to play the Red Sox. They happened to be in Yankee Stadium when I was called up. My manager Don Zimmer told me that if we beat the Yankees two out of three games, that I would play the first two games in the series against Detroit. We swept the Yankees and I didn't play at all against Detroit. I only had one at bat in three months. That was not the only time he lied to me. This taught me a valuable lesson in coaching. Now, regardless of how much the truth might hurt one of my players, I always tell them the truth whether it's the answer they want or not. I'm always honest with them, and I never lie to them. My two best moments came with the Phillies. I recorded my first major league hit against Charlie Hough at Dodger Stadium. It was a two-run single to left field back in 1979. My other favorite moment was winning the World Series Championship with the Phillies back in 1980. AB: Aside from running and reading the bible, what are some of the other off the field activities are you involved in? RA: I can't keep myself away from the game. I am always watching baseball, or looking over stat sheets, thinking about the lineup and getting to know my players better. I watch a lot of baseball on TV to study the managing styles of other managers and try to apply the things that I learn by emulating them in different situations. One of my instructors once told me that if you are learning at least one new thing a day, then you're learning at least 365 new things a year. I am always learning and trying to find ways to get better at what I do. QUICK REMINDER Don't forget that the Power Job Fair will take place from noon-4 pm on Saturday March 4th. All those who would like to be game day employees are highly encouraged to attend. Those interested in working in concessions, souvenir stands, retail, the kids area, and those interested in being suite attendants need to head to the Power Front Offices at the Old Bob Evans next to Charleston Town Center. Season Tickets and partial season tickets are still available. Call 344-2287 or check out the website at www.wvpower.com. We would like to thank to Ramon Aviles for joining us this week and thanks to all of you for supporting the West Virginia Power. Have a great week.

Another dip into the independent league waters -- this time, a former Detroit Tiger farmhand, likely a starter or swing man for Brevard County or even Huntsville -- hey, almost any healthy 24-year-old starter arm that's LH is worth a signing, right? LHP Jeremy Lewis: The Evansville Professional Baseball Team has announced pitchers Jeremy Lewis and Kevin Cassidy have had their contracts purchased by Major League Baseball affiliates. Lewis has been signed by the Milwaukee Brewers, while Cassidy will be going to spring training with the Houston Astros. The two signings make 17 players who have had their contracts purchased by Major League Baseball in the three years with Greg Jelks as field manager and Jeff Pohl as pitching coach. Jeremy Lewis completed the best season ever for an Otters? pitcher in 2004, setting franchise records, and ranking second in the Frontier League among starting pitchers, for ERA (2.47) and strikeouts (120) while finishing with a 9-4 record. Lewis was voted to the Frontier League All-Star Game. Lewis joined the Otters midway through the 2003 season, finishing with a 3-6 record, 3.49 ERA, and 71 strikeouts. A 23rd round selection by the Detroit Tigers out of high school, Lewis has a 30-35 career record with a 3.79 ERA and 409 strikeouts. Kevin Cassidy joined the Otters? bullpen at the end of the 2004 season out of Centenary (LA) College. Cassidy appeared in two regular season and one playoff game for Evansville, combining to allow three runs in five innings. For Centenary in 2004, Cassidy compiled a 3-7 record with 69 strikeouts in 89.1 innings after finishing 2003 with a 7-5 record and 81 strikeouts in 89 innings. "This is a great opportunity for both Jeremy and Kevin,? said Jeff Pohl, Director of Baseball Operations and pitching coach for the Otters. ? When Lewis arrived in '03 he was determined and worked extremely hard to get his second chance and Cassidy made the most of his short stay in Evansville. This is a credit to the level of play in the Frontier League." Career numbers: www.sports-wired.com/prof.../tbc82.asp

Hunter Pence (Brewers 40th round, 2002) listed as the the # 10 Astro prospect on their 2005 BA list: www.baseballamerica.com/t...stros.html

Newest catcher -- link while available, text follows: www.railcatsbaseball.com/...asp?ID=387 Gary, Ind.?The Gary SouthShore RailCats Professional Baseball Club announced today that the contract of catcher C.J. Medlin has been sold to the Milwaukee Brewers organization. ?Part of the RailCats role in professional baseball is to provide players with a link that will give them the opportunity to play with a major league organization,? said Roger Wexelberg, RailCats Vice President & General Manager. ?We are pleased with this opportunity that is being provided to C.J. and wish him great success with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.? Medlin, 22, appeared in 13 games with the RailCats in 2004, batting .208 with no home runs and six runs batted in. He spent the 2002, 2003, and part of the 2004 season in the Chicago Cubs organization after being selected in the 15th round of the 2002 draft out of Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma. Career stats: www.sports-wired.com/prof...bc6247.asp Other Brewer farmhands out of Seminole include Josh Wahpepah, Clay Blevins and Richard Breshears.

If Simon Beresford continues to work hard to refine those mechanics so he gets the command needed to become more effective, then I can definitely foresee some Power 50 love for the big Aussie in 2005 -- huge performance here in the semi-final tournament game: VICTORIA 1 (1-0) WESTERN AUSTRALIA 0 (0-1) Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Rutgers, Paul 2b........... 3 0 0 1 White, Dean ss............. 3 0 0 0 Hodges, Jarrod cf.......... 4 0 0 0 Hughes, Luke dh............ 4 0 0 0 Harman, Brad ss............ 4 0 0 0 Tope, Stephen lf........... 4 0 0 0 Moylan, Peter 1b........... 4 0 1 0 Dale, Lachlan 1b........... 4 0 1 0 Kent, Matthew c............ 4 0 0 0 Edmondson, Gavin c......... 2 0 0 0 Dingle, Hayden dh.......... 3 0 0 0 Walters, Brett 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 Kimberley, Glynn lf........ 3 1 1 0 Scott, Stuart cf........... 3 0 0 0 Booth, Ryan rf............. 3 0 1 0 Ismail, Malcolm rf......... 3 0 1 0 Utting, Ben 3b............. 1 0 0 0 Kyle, ANDREW 2b............ 2 0 0 0 Beresford, Simon p......... 0 0 0 0 Kelly, Mark p.............. 0 0 0 0 Thomas, Brendon p......... 0 0 0 0 Totals..................... 29 1 3 1 Totals..................... 28 0 2 0 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- VICTORIA............ 001 000 000 - 1 3 2 WESTERN AUSTRALIA... 000 000 000 - 0 2 2 ------------------------------------------- [b]E[/b] - Utting, B; [b]Beresford, S[/b]; White, D; Kyle, A. DP - WA 2. LOB - VIC 4; WA 4. HBP - Utting, B. SH - White, D; Edmondson, G; Kyle, A. SF - Rutgers, P. SB - Kimberley, G. VICTORIA IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Beresford, Simon W,1-0.... 9.0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 28 31 11 14[/b] WESTERN AUSTRALIA IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kelly, Mark L,0-1......... 2.1 2 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 8 10 3 1 Thomas, Brendon ........... 6.2 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 1 0 21 22 4 8 HB - Thomas, Bren. Strikeouts - Rutgers, P; Hodges, J; Harman, B 3; Kent, M; Dingle, H; Booth, R 2; Walters, B; Ismail, M. Walks - Utting, B. Umpires - HP: Paul Hyham 1B: Neil Poulton 3B: Taka Itchikawa Start: 3.00pm Time: 1:44 Attendance: 150Several photos of #28 here: www.baseball.com.au/defau...42%2F15765

Wow -- congratulations to Robert, a true professional. You will be missed. Here's hoping Indy gets their web audio link squared away in 2005 for Pirate fans http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif . I've always found the comings-and-goings of minor league broadcasters intriguing, and have read quite a bit on the subject in the past two years. Every so often, you'll see an announcer move from a AAA or AA club to one that is lower in class (or even independent), but if the new team is in a larger media market, then that's a key for additional opportunities. In this case, Robert not only moves to AAA, but moves to the larger market as well. I had recently communicated to Robert that we were hoping the Stars' site would archive their pre-game interviews for us, as Robert excelled in those. This is something Nashville does -- nice! Here's hoping Stars' management is looking into this still, and here's to hoping for a replacement with as much knowledge and ability as Robert. Good luck to this friend of Brewerfan nation.

Stars' Portnoy moves to Triple-A By MARK McCARTER Huntsville Times Sports Staff markcolumn@aol.com The past two summers, Stars broadcaster Robert Portnoy has seen countless Huntsville players being promoted to Triple-A. Now, it's Portnoy's turn. Portnoy, who celebrates his 38th birthday today, will join the broadcast team for the Indianapolis Indians of the International League. He will partner with Indianapolis fixture Howard Kellman, who has broadcast Tribe games since 1974. He will work both home and road games and handle some sales responsibilities. Ironically, Indianapolis had been Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate, so Stars making their way toward the big leagues would typically be promoted to Indy. The Indians are now a Pittsburgh affiliate, with Milwaukee having aligned with Nashville last October. His departure is another in an off-season of upheaval in the Stars' front office, which has lost general manager Bryan Dingo, assistant GM Robin Bellizzi and other key personnel. Team owner Miles Prentice said he has been seeking a replacement general manager. Portnoy has made his home in Huntsville the past two years with wife Tami and 4-year-old daughter Dana. Along with his play-by-play duties with the Stars, he has served as the team's director of media relations and handled several sales accounts. "In the two years I worked with him, not only did he have a great voice on the radio but he had a great knowledge of the game and a great rapport with the players and the staff,'' said Dingo.

Power Press Release: There are now only ten weeks remaining until the home opener at the brand new ballpark. The construction process will be taken to another level now that the lights have been installed allowing the construction crew to work a third shift through the night. You can take a look at the construction via the live webcam at http://63.126.209.45/. In this week?s newsletter Andy Barch (Director of Media Relations / Broadcaster)sits down with Power Pitching Coach Mark Littell and we will also take a look at the new power website which is now up and running at www.wvpower.com. WEST VIRGINIA POWER WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING The West Virginia Power unveiled their new website on Wednesday morning at www.wvpower.com. The Power has partnered with Terradon Communications, a national leader in web-site development that is headquartered in Nitro, on the construction of the new website. ?Terradon?s ?Content Management System? was instrumental in creating the partnership,? said Power General Manager Andy Milovich. ?It will allow us to utilize the web-site as the premier source for information on the West Virginia Power.? The new website is incredibly user friendly and will provide up-to-the-minute information on all aspects of the West Virginia Power. The site features information on ticket packages, group outings, merchandise, promotions, employment opportunities, events at the park, and construction up-dates via the stadium construction cam that provides a live look at the stadium construction. Tickets will be available for purchase on the web-site once single game tickets have been placed on-sale. Fans have an opportunity to register to receive the team?s newsletter at the site to receive even more information on West Virginia Power news. Q AND A SESSION WITH MARK LITTELL 33 years in the world of professional baseball can provide one with many stories to tell, many experiences that will never be forgotten, and an incredible amount of knowledge to pass on to those who are just getting their careers started. The 2005 season will be Power Pitching Coach Mark Littell?s 34th in professional baseball. His career began back in 1971 when the Kansas City Royals drafted him right out of high school in the 12th round and baseball has been a major part of his life ever since. In 1982 his playing days came to an end, but he ended his career on a winning note as a member of the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals squad. He?s been coaching ever since during the regular season and still does a lot of work with high school kids in the off-season. He sat down with our own Andy Barch for this week?s newsletter. AB=Andy Barch ML=Mark Littell AB: Before we get into the baseball questions, tell us about your family. What kind of family life do you lead? ML: I?ve lived in Arizona for the past 12 years. I live with my wife Sanna. We?ve now been married for six years. I don?t have any children, but I do have a dog named Harper and a cat named Domino. AB: What do you do in the off-season to keep you busy? ML: I conduct a lot of one-on-one sessions with kids, mostly high school players. I?m out on the field with them basically every day trying to help them improve. I also have a lot of interest in automobiles. I own a few cars from different eras myself. Older cars interest me particularly and I?ve always enjoyed studying the evolution of automobiles over the years. Studying the parts, models and different modifications of cars over the years is something that I have always enjoyed. AB: You spent a significant amount of time in the big leagues, who were some of the big name players that you spent some time with? ML: My time with the Cardinals and Royals provided me with a lot of great experience with some great players. I came through the Royals system with George Brett. He and I were drafted the same year and I roomed with him when we both played in Billings during the 1971 season. He was extremely loose, a very funny guy, great to be around and really had fun doing what he did. I also roomed with Lou Pinella for a road trip when I was 20 years old. He was very loose as well, but he was always on the go. I also played with Ozzie Smith, Keith Hernandez, Harmon Killebrew, Buck Martinez and Jim Kaat who pitched 26 years in the big leagues and earned 16 gold gloves. AB: What were some of your best moments during your playing days? ML: I don?t remember occasions in particular but I do recall single seasons in which I was able to excel. The 1976 season was a big one for me. I was very consistent, I became more of a strikeout pitcher and I made my mark as a relief pitcher when relievers were just on the rise. AB: What would you say were some of your worst moments? ML: My worst moments came when I was injured only because I really hated having to sit back and watch. Knowing that you cannot contribute really eats away at you. When I wasn?t injured, I?d say what was most frustrating was going into the 9th inning and giving up a series of runs. As a reliever that was the one thing that really irked me. AB: Having spent last year in Helena you are very familiar with some of the pitchers who will be here in West Virginia. What can you tell us about these guys? ML: A lot of the guys we had last year were burned out because they had played so much prior to the beginning of the season, so we tried to protect those guys as much as possible. They did a great job of buying into my system later in the season and they didn?t waste many pitches. Josh Baker, Derek DeCarlo, Josh Wahpepah and Robbie Wooley were the guys who really stood out in my mind on last year?s Helena team. AB: What kind of approach do you suggest your players take when they are on the mound? ML: I always teach my players to work quickly. I like for my guys to use a very simple approach by stressing the infamous KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) system. Throwing through the mitt, changing speeds on pitches and getting off the mound quickly are the characteristics I want my guys to focus on. I tell them that if they can put the ball in play after three pitches, then they are doing something right. Tempo, getting off the mound quickly and not beating around the bush are aspects of the game that I?d like all of my pitchers to display. Of the guys I?ve taught so far, most have the physical tools to get them where they need to be. My job is to make them tougher mentally, because the pitcher who breaks mentally first will lose. I am still learning on the field, and I understand that I have to have the trust of my players to be effective. One thing I?ve learned is that you cannot try to buffalo the players. You?ve got to be down to earth with them, and let them know that you are there to help them. Nice job by Andy -- MB.

And the beat goes on, and on, and on. I remember much earlier in this thread "cosnj" was questioning the sheer number of qualified AAA / AA arms. And that was about twelve signings ago! Will jobs be won or lost (at least at the AAA level) based on ten or fewer spring training innings? Perhaps. Are they building additional mounds in Maryvale? Source: www.nashvillesounds.com: RHP Matt DeWitt - The 27-year-old California native joins the Brewers organization after splitting the 2004 campaign between the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League and the Ottawa Lynx, the Class AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. In 39 appearances between the clubs, he went 3-4 with one save and a 6.52 ERA (50 ER / 69.0 IP). DeWitt, who was the St. Louis Cardinals' 10th-round selection in the 1995 draft, has appeared in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres during his 10-year career. Career numbers: www.sports-wired.com/prof...bc1178.asp

Couple of Simon Beresford photos from the tourney (credit to Pat Milmlow in Australia): http://www.baseball.com.au/site/baseball/image/fullsize/15140.jpg http://www.baseball.com.au/site/baseball/image/fullsize/15133.jpg

Seems fitting that on his 21st birthday, we tip the cap to OF Hasan Rasheed -- a beneficiary of Major League Baseball's "RBI Program -- Reviving Baseball in Inner-cities", mentioned briefly here regarding Nashville's RBI program: www.tennessean.com/sports...D=64595546 Link to MLB.com's "RBI" page, where it's noted that seven RBI alumni were drafted in the first 15 rounds of the 2004 draft, including the Brewers' 2nd round RHP, Yovani Gallardo. mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ml...ty/rbi.jsp

Well, it must be "roll out the new team website week" -- first Helena, now West Virginia. There's probably an official team release coming soon, but Brewerfan jumps the gun http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif www.wvpower.com/ You really can't critique these sites much at all until the season begins -- heck, half the Helena roster is still playing college or juco ball right now. For now, both sites look professional enough. The real tests begin once the seasons begin -- it'll be interesting how roster pages are handled throughout minor league baseball this year, as last year's tie-in with the Sports Network really stifled creativity, or killed, the player pages. The key will be getting decent game summaries online within an hour of two after each game, home and away. You know me -- I just eat up just about everything these minor league affiliates feed us, and am among the last to cast a critical eye -- but I've tried to see what Power management has tried to do marketing-wise, and I must admit I just don't see the big picture. I'm OK with the "Power" moniker and color-scheme, but removing "Charleston" can't please the locals, somebody should have realized that the alternate batting practice logo is much better than the actual game hat logo, and I don't care how cool the black looks, no kid is going to be clamoring for a team T-shirt with the State House dome on it -- no way, no how. (They better come up with a cool mascot for the kids -- don't electrocute yourself, young'uns!) Other than that, we love you guys in Charleston -- more greetings from Brewerfan http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif By the way, you can check out the above mentions on their Merchandise Page: www.wvpower.com/shared/co...teebig.gif With another six inches of snow due to fall tonight here in Massachusetts, bringing my week's total here in the Bay State to nearly three feet, I am reminded I'm way overdue on ordering my Manatees cap....

Well, Down Under, it's summertime -- and Australia's National Baseball Championships are taking place, with six teams banging heads in a round robin-style field that includes just about every state-side professional Aussie of consequence, including IF Trent Durrington and RHP Simon Beresford of the Brewers. As Kevin Goldstein of Baseball America noted, "You know, the best thing about box scores from Austrailia is that I already have the results from tonight's games." Huge kudos to just-turned 22-year-old Beresford in Game One of the tourney! VICTORIA 6 (1-0) SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2 (0-1) Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Hodges, Jarrod cf.......... 4 1 1 1 Tainty, M cf............... 3 0 1 0 Utting, Ben 3b............. 4 1 1 1 Chenoweth, Leigh 2b........ 4 0 0 0 Harman, Brad ss............ 5 1 2 2 Tainty, A 2b.............. 1 0 0 0 Moylan, Peter 1b........... 5 0 2 1 Wigmore, Ben c............. 5 1 2 0 Kent, Matthew c............ 5 0 0 0 Watts, Craig dh............ 3 1 0 0 Malthouse, Dean c......... 0 0 0 0 Wilson, Dan lf............. 4 0 1 0 Dingle, Hayden dh.......... 1 0 0 0 Kloeden, Jamie 1b.......... 3 0 1 1 Kimberley, Glynn dh....... 2 0 0 0 Brusnahan, Ben ph/1b...... 1 0 1 0 Rutgers, Paul 2b........... 4 2 1 0 Galpin, Simon rf........... 4 0 1 1 Mascoll, Glenn 2b......... 0 0 0 0 Ziersch, Dale 3b........... 3 0 0 0 Booth, Ryan rf............. 3 1 2 1 Burrows, Lachlan ss........ 3 0 0 0 Tierney, David lf.......... 4 0 0 0 Fidge, Darren p............ 0 0 0 0 Beresford, Simon p......... 0 0 0 0 Mildren, Paul p........... 0 0 0 0 Wilson, Brendan p......... 0 0 0 0 Norman, Leigh p........... 0 0 0 0 Barker, Dean p............ 0 0 0 0 Bonaddio, Adam p.......... 0 0 0 0 Hendricks, Donovan p...... 0 0 0 0 Totals..................... 37 6 9 6 Totals..................... 34 2 7 2 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- VICTORIA............ 010 500 000 - 6 9 1 SOUTH AUSTRALIA..... 000 100 010 - 2 7 0 ------------------------------------------- E - Utting, B. LOB - VIC 8; SA 11. 2B - Moylan, P; Booth, R. HBP - Hodges, J; Ziersch, D. CS - Tainty, M. VICTORIA IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Beresford, Simon W,1-0.... 6.0 3 1 1 2 4 1 0 1 0 21 24 8 5[/b] Wilson, Brendan ........... 1.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 5 1 1 Barker, Dean .............. 0.0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Bonaddio, Adam ............ 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 5 1 1 Hendricks, Donovan ........ 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 2 SOUTH AUSTRALIA IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fidge, Darren L,0-1....... 3.1 8 6 6 3 1 0 0 0 0 19 22 5 4 Mildren, Paul ............. 3.2 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 12 13 5 2 Norman, Leigh ............. 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 6 2 3 [b]WP - Beresford, S.[/b] [b]HB - Beresford, S[/b]; Mildren, P. PB - Kent, M; Wigmore, B. Strikeouts - Utting, B 2; Kent, M 2; Kimberley, G; Booth, R; Chenoweth, L; Wigmore, B 2; Watts, C; Wilson, D; Galpin, S; Ziersch, D. Walks - Utting, B; Dingle, H; Booth, R; Tainty, M 2; Watts, C 2; Burrows, L. Umpires - HP: HYHAM P 1B: HATCH T 2B: ICHIKAWA T Start: 11.00 Time: 2.30 Attendance: 78 Barker, D faced 2 batters in the 8th.Let's just say that the veteran Durrington's debut was less than stellar... QUEENSLAND 0 (0-1) NEW SOUTH WALES 3 (1-0) Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Simpson, Michael ss........ 1 0 0 0 Oeltjen, Trent cf.......... 3 1 1 0 Bylett, David rf........... 4 0 1 0 Fingleson, Gavin 2b........ 3 1 1 0 [b]Durrington, Trent 3b....... 4 0 0 0[/b] Holland, Mark 2b.......... 0 0 0 0 Foster, Ben lf/c........... 4 0 1 0 Kingman, Brendan 3b........ 4 0 1 0 Sutherland, David 1b....... 4 0 2 0 Williams, Glenn ss......... 4 1 2 2 Browning, Scott 2b......... 4 0 1 0 Lewis, Craig 1b............ 4 0 2 0 Roberts, Josh cf........... 2 0 1 0 Krajancic, Anthony dh...... 2 0 0 0 Naughton, Joel dh.......... 3 0 0 0 Mangioni, Jared lf......... 3 0 1 0 Watson, Shayne c........... 2 0 1 0 White, Gary c.............. 3 0 0 0 Dutton, Wade pr/lf........ 0 0 0 0 Auty, Tim rf............... 3 0 1 0 White, Luke lf............ 0 0 0 0 Rowland-Smith, Ryan p...... 0 0 0 0 Paewai, Riki p............. 0 0 0 0 Bennett, Matt p........... 0 0 0 0 Baker, Brett p............ 0 0 0 0 Oxspring, Chris p......... 0 0 0 0 Ough, Wayne p............. 0 0 0 0 Totals..................... 28 0 7 0 Totals..................... 29 3 9 2 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- QUEENSLAND.......... 000 000 000 - 0 7 2 NEW SOUTH WALES..... 000 000 03X - 3 9 0 ------------------------------------------- [b]E - Durrington T[/b]; White, L. DP - QLD 2; NSW 1. LOB - QLD 6; NSW 5. 2B - Foster, B; Sutherland D; Fingleson, G. HR - Williams, G. SH - Simpson, M; Krajancic, A. CS - Bylett, D; Browning, S; Mangioni, J. QUEENSLAND IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paewai, Riki .............. 6.1 7 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 21 24 6 9 Baker, Brett .............. 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 Ough, Wayne L,0-1......... 1.0 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 6 2 1 NEW SOUTH WALES IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rowland-Smith, Ryan ....... 4.0 4 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 13 14 3 2 Bennett, Matt W,1-0....... 4.0 3 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 12 16 2 6 Oxspring, Chris S,1....... 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 2 WP - Paewai, R. PB - Foster, B. [b]Strikeouts - Durrington T 3[/b]; Foster, B; Browning, S; Naughton, J. Walks - Simpson, M 2; Roberts, J; Watson, S; Oeltjen, T; Fingleson, G. Umpires - Start: 7.30pm Time: 2:30 Attendance: 600But Trent followed that up with this... QUEENSLAND 4 (0-2) AUSTRALIA PROVINCIAL 5 (1-1) Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Simpson, Michael ss........ 4 0 3 3 Kimpton, Nick cf........... 3 2 1 0 Bylett, David rf........... 5 0 2 0 Davies, Josh ss............ 4 0 0 1 [b]Durrington, Trent 3b/c..... 5 0 0 0[/b] D'Antonio, Trent 2b........ 3 0 1 2 Dutton, Wade 3b........... 1 0 0 0 Wells, Michael 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 Foster, Ben lf............. 4 0 1 0 Lysaught, Michael 3b...... 0 0 0 0 Sutherland, David 1b....... 4 1 1 0 Ryan, Matt 3b............. 0 0 0 0 Browning, Scott 2b......... 3 1 1 0 Collins, Michael c......... 4 1 3 1 Roberts, Josh cf........... 2 1 0 0 Vincent, Tom rf............ 4 0 1 0 White, Luke cf............ 1 0 0 0 Saunderson, Mark 1b........ 3 0 1 1 Naughton, Joel dh.......... 4 1 1 0 Phelan, Brent dh........... 4 0 0 0 Watson, Shayne c........... 1 0 0 0 McMillan, Ryan lf.......... 4 2 2 0 Fairbrother, Todd c....... 0 0 0 1 Hardy, Cameron p........... 0 0 0 0 Gahan, Matt p.............. 0 0 0 0 Weichard, Paul p.......... 0 0 0 0 Veitch, John p............ 0 0 0 0 Acret, Luke p............. 0 0 0 0 Paradise, Daniel p........ 0 0 0 0 Ramshaw, James p.......... 0 0 0 0 Baker, Brett p............ 0 0 0 0 Totals..................... 34 4 9 4 Totals..................... 32 5 9 5 Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- QUEENSLAND.......... 002 000 200 - 4 9 3 AUSTRALIA PROVINCIAL 110 010 101 - 5 9 2 ------------------------------------------- Note: 2 outs, 3 runners LOB when the game ended. E - Simpson, M 2; Watson, S; Davies, J; D'Antonio, T. DP - QLD 2; AUSPROV 2. LOB - QLD 8; AUSPROV 10. 2B - Simpson, M; Collins,M. HBP - Roberts, J; Wells, M; Ryan, M; Collins,M. SH - Watson, S; Davies, J. SF - D'Antonio, T; Saunderson M. SB - McMillan, R. QUEENSLAND IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gahan, Matt ............... 6.0 8 4 3 2 3 0 1 0 0 23 28 5 9 Veitch, John .............. 2.2 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 9 10 1 4 Paradise, Daniel .......... 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Baker, Brett L,0-1........ 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 AUSTRALIA PROVINCIAL IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hardy, Cameron ............ 6.0 3 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 20 22 5 10 Weichard, Paul ............ 0.1 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 4 0 0 Acret, Luke ............... 1.1 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 7 1 2 Ramshaw, James S,1........ 1.1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 6 1 2 HB - Veitch, J; Baker, B 2; Weichard, P. BK - Gahan, M. Strikeouts - Simpson, M; White, L; Naughton, J; Kimpton, N; Wells, M 2; Saunderson M 2. Walks - Simpson, M; Browning, S; FairbrotherT; Kimpton, N 2; D'Antonio, T. Umpires - Start: 11.00 am Time: 2.40 Attendance: 500 Gahan, M faced 1 batter in the 7th. Paradise, D faced 1 batter in the 9th. Baker, B faced 2 batters in the 9th.Trent figured it out in Game Three: AUSTRALIA 0 QUEENSLAND 2 Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- White, Dean ss............. 4 0 1 0 Simpson, Michael ss........ 3 0 1 0 Hughes, Luke dh............ 4 0 1 0 Bylett, David rf........... 2 1 1 0 Tope, Stephen lf........... 4 0 0 0 [b]Durrington, Trent 3b....... 2 1 1 0[/b] Dale, Lachlan 1b........... 3 0 0 0 Foster, Ben lf............. 3 0 1 1 Barnes, Clayton 3b......... 2 0 1 0 Sutherland, David 1b....... 3 0 2 1 Ismail, Malcolm rf......... 3 0 1 0 Browning, Scott 2b......... 3 0 0 0 Scott, Stuart cf........... 3 0 0 0 Roberts, Josh cf........... 1 0 0 0 Pragnell, Paul c........... 3 0 1 0 Naughton, Joel dh.......... 2 0 1 0 Andrew, Kyle 2b............ 2 0 0 0 Watson, Shayne c........... 2 0 0 0 Kelly, Mark p.............. 0 0 0 0 Ough, Wayne p.............. 0 0 0 0 Eissens, Simon p.......... 0 0 0 0 Fredericks, Clayton p..... 0 0 0 0 Totals..................... 28 0 5 0 Totals..................... 21 2 7 2 Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- WESTERN AUSTRALIA... 000 000 0 - 0 5 0 QUEENSLAND.......... 000 002 X - 2 7 3 ----------------------------------------- [b]E[/b] - Simpson, M 2; [b]Durrington T.[/b] DP - WA 2. LOB - WA 9; QLD 4. 2B - Foster, B. [b]SB - Durrington T.[/b] CS - Ismail, M; Bylett, D. WESTERN AUSTRALIA IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kelly, Mark ............... 2.0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 6 8 0 2 Eissens, Simon ............ 3.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 10 10 4 4 Fredericks, Clayton ....... 1.0 4 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 0 1 QUEENSLAND IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ough, Wayne ............... 7.0 5 0 0 2 9 1 0 0 0 28 30 7 4 WP - Ough, W. Strikeouts - Hughes, L; Tope, S 3; Dale, L 2; Barnes, C; Scott, S; Pragnell, p; Simpson, M; Browning, S; Watson, S. [b]Walks[/b] - Barnes, C; Kyle, A; Bylett, D; [b]Durrington T[/b]; Roberts, J. Umpires - HP: Neil Poulton 1B: Iain Rouse 3B: Paul Hyhan Start: 11.00 am

Newcomer RHP Jason Ryan pitched 36 innings in Venezuela this winter: www.baseballamerica.com/t..._lag.shtml Ryan is quoted within the text of the disturbing article below -- again, I hope Huntsville's Mark McCarter follows up with Glenn Woolard in Maryvale about his Venezuela experience: Families of athletes increasingly become targets in South America By KEVIN BAXTER Miami Herald MARACAY, Venezuela - It was broad daylight on Sept. 1 when four gunmen, dressed in police uniforms, burst into a farmhouse in a heavily populated area south of Caracas and kidnapped Maura Josefina Villareal, the 54-year-old mother of former Florida Marlins pitcher Ugueth Urbina. Nearly five months later, a $6 million ransom remains unpaid and the kidnapping remains unresolved. And neither Venezuelan authorities nor the intensely private Urbina, who will return to Florida in three weeks to begin spring training, are willing to discuss the case. ``It's something he doesn't want to talk about. And I'll respect that wish,'' said a friend who declined to give his name. ``It's certainly been a difficult time for everyone involved.'' Urbina is not alone. In the past 18 months, the families of well-known athletes have been among those targeted in violent attacks throughout South America. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, nearly 100 kidnappings of athletes and others were reported in 2004, the most spectacular being the armed abduction in November of Marina Lima de Souza, the 43-year-old mother of soccer star Robinho, the nation's most popular player. She was released, unharmed, 41 days later. In neighboring Argentina, soccer players and their families have been involved in at least 20 kidnappings in the past two years. And another was thwarted in July when police unearthed a plot to abduct the brother of basketball star Manu Ginobili the day before Ginobili signed a $52 million contract with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. Kidnappings are also on the rise in Paraguay, farther north in Mexico and even on the otherwise peaceful Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago, where abductions have become so common that the rate of kidnapping ranks behind only that of Colombia. In Venezuela, as in many other Latin American countries with the exception of Colombia, much of the recent violence has been fueled by economics, not politics. The nation's economy, in decline since the 1980s, has plunged since President Hugo Chavez came to power five years ago. And though a slight recovery appears to be taking place, nearly a fifth of the workforce remains unemployed with more than half the population living below the poverty line. As a result, crime has skyrocketed, with homicides up 124 percent and kidnappings increasing sixfold, to more than 300, since 1999. And with the average major-league salary topping $2.3 million, baseball players and their families, still revered as heroes in baseball-mad Venezuela, have not escaped unscathed. ``Baseball players are targets because people know that they have money,'' said Diego Arria, who served four years as Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations and was president of the UN Security Council in 1992. ``Wealthy people like bankers know how to protect themselves and their families. But in many cases, baseball players and other athletes come from humble backgrounds,and their families live in humble areas. ``They become easy targets because they really don't know how to protect themselves.'' So while the Urbina kidnapping is the first reported abduction involving a baseball player or his family in Venezuela, it marks a dangerous escalation in a long string of attacks on well-known athletes and leaves the players wondering what will come next. In the past three years alone, dozens of players or members of their families have been shot at, assaulted or robbed in Venezuela. Texas Rangers outfielder Richard Hidalgo was shot in the arm during a carjacking, free agent slugger Magglio Ordonez was attacked by armed thugs and the brother of the Baltimore Orioles' Melvin Mora was gunned down a block from his mother's house in Valencia before Mora himself was robbed at gunpoint. Tanya Perez, the wife of Philadelphia Phillies infielder Tomas Perez, was victimized when her SUV was vandalized when she took the couple's newborn baby to the doctor. Career minor-leaguer Lipso Nava, currently playing for Aragua in the Venezuela winter-league championship series, had a gun at his head when thieves tried to take his new Hyundai Elantra but settled for jewelry, a watch and his wallet. ``All the players are concerned,'' said Twins pitcher Johan Santana, who was assigned five government bodyguards after becoming the first Venezuelan to win baseball's coveted Cy Young Award as the American League's best pitcher last season. ``We all look out for each other.'' Even some of the developmental academies run by major-league clubs to train young Venezuelans have been hit, with armed gangs attacking facilities run by the Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners in and around the northern province of Valencia, holding players and staff hostage, then robbing them. That's one reason why more than a third of the 22 big-league teams that once ran academies here have pulled out since 2002. ``It's never been this bad before, ever,'' said Twins pitcher Juan Rincon, who comes from oil-rich Maracaibo, in the northwest corner of Venezuela. ``And it's getting worse every day.'' In response players have begun changing their habits, leaving ostentatious jewelry, credit cards and cash at home, rarely venturing out at night and using old cars and taxis whenever possible. Marlins infielder Alex Gonzalez bought a spacious three-story home in downtown Maracay, about 90 minutes west of Caracas, after signing his first multimillion contract last year. He topped the eight-foot wall around the house with eight strands of electric wire. Still, he usually circles the neighborhood once to check things out before pulling into his driveway. And, like Twins pitcher Carlos Silva, he rarely stops for red lights after dark. Tigers infielder Carlos Guillen, who also lives in Maracay, has turned his house into a fortress, topping the outer walls with electric wire and razor-sharp spikes and hiring uniformed security guards, one of whom stands in a tower near the front entrance. And the separate apartments Marlins' outfielder Miguel Cabrera brought for himself and his parents contain so many security gates, steel doors, locks and barred windows they feel more like prison cells than anything else. Others, such as Santana and Philadelphia Phillies star Bobby Abreu, have bodyguards. Yet despite the dangers, 44 of the 66 Venezuelans that played in the major leagues last summer also played in the country's highly regarded winter league this year. ``You always have to be aware because you never know what's going to happen,'' said Abreu, who is playing for Caracas in this week's seven-game championship series. ``But you've got people to protect you and you always have to be with somebody. You've got to be aware and put those things in God's hands.'' And in the hands of Major League Baseball. In November MLB security chief Kevin Hallinan briefed the 30 clubs on conditions in Venezuela while Lou Melendez, baseball's vice president for international operations, met with officials of Venezuela's winter league to discuss security measures. Partly as a result of those conversations, Venezuelan authorities have placed as many as five security guards on team buses, stationed two plain-clothes officers in dugouts during games and offered police escorts to players traveling to and from their hotels. And baseball has reason to be concerned. In addition to the 66 Venezuelans who played in the majors last season, more than 800 started the summer in the minors, leaving Venezuela behind only the U.S. and Dominican Republic in the production of professional baseball players. ``There's a tremendous talent pool. The amount of talent that continues to come out of there has been on the rise a while,'' said Deric Ladnier, senior director of scouting for the Kansas City Royals. ``But there's been an increasing concern with the safety of people from the U.S. going down there.'' Adds Mike Arbuckle, the Phillies' assistant GM for scouting and player development: ``The violence has definitely increased. We're a lot more careful that we used to be.'' Others, however, say Venezuela is getting a bad rap, with violence there drawing extra attention in part because of Washington's opposition to Chavez's policies while soaring crime rates in U.S. allies such as Mexico are ignored. ``It's just like anywhere else. Just like if you went to New York or if you went to Chicago'' said Andres Reiner, the Houston scout who discovered Santana and Hidalgo and who founded the Astros' developmental academy in Venezuela more than a decade ago. ``I would not tell you it's the safest place in the world, but it's not the unsafest either.'' Former big-leaguer Jason Ryan, who has pitched for two Venezuelan teams as an ``import'' player this winter, agrees. ``I've had no problems,'' he said. ``But I'm a Jersey kid from the inner city. I know what to stay away from. I had a lot of friends that were saying it's bad and all down here. But I like it here.'' Urbina, meanwhile, will soon be heading back to Florida to start spring training with the Detroit Tigers, not knowing when - or if - he'll see his mother again. ``There's not much he can do down there,'' his friend said. ``If he was a member of the police it would be different. But he's a baseball player. He plays baseball.''

Nice job, as always, with the Daily Brew, batman. Bill begins his new series by introducing us to RHP Jerome Gamble: www.brewerfan.net/ViewDai...portId=324

I heard that the Brewers have claimed Phil Stockman from the Dbacks. He's a big Australian righty who throws hard, and is kind of a project. He was DFA'd, and the Brewers are working out a trade that should be finalized by Wednesday or Thursday. Hey DHonks, I guess some posts were meant to go in the "Trade Rumors" forum, huh? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

From northjersey.com: Rutherford (NJ) senior pitcher Vinny Mazzaro has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for St. John's, but Queens might not be his destination after high school. Mazzaro, who signed with the Red Storm three weeks ago, is likely to be picked in baseball's amateur draft in June. If he's selected high enough, and the prevailing thought is he could go within the first 10 rounds, Mazzaro said he'll turn pro. "I'm just going to keep my options open," Mazzaro said. "If everything goes well, then I will go professional. If not, I will attend St. John's. The pro stuff is like a bonus for me. My intention now is to attend St. John's." Red Storm coach Ed Blankmeyer, whose team is ranked 31st in Baseball America's preseason poll, said he understands Mazzaro may never pitch for St. John's. "The kid clearly is a draftable player, but nothing can be said until he throws a pitch in the spring," Blankmeyer said. "His status will be determined at that time. He definitely has an opportunity to play and compete at our level right away." Mazzaro said he has had in-home visits with scouts from the Mets, Brewers, Indians and Red Sox. He expects more before the season begins in March. Mazzaro was an All-North Jersey pitcher last season who led the Bulldogs to the Group 2 State title with an 11-1 record, a 0.75 ERA and 137 strikeouts to only 16 walks in 75 innings. He chose St. John's over Rutgers because "it is a smaller school, and I think I would fit in better than at Rutgers."

Power Press Release: Q AND A SESSION WITH TONY DIGGS Born in the Sunshine state where the sun shines all year round, Tony Diggs grew up an avid fan of baseball and idolized Pete Rose and Ozzie Smith. Years later, he now lives in Beloit, Wisconsin with his wife of 12 years and seven children. Originally drafted by the Brewers in 1989, Tony played in the Milwaukee and St. Louis organizations until he retired in 1996. Today he enjoys sharing his experiences in baseball and watching players of today hold onto and apply the information that he shares with them. This week he sat down with our own Andy Barch for a Q and A session. AB=Andy Barch TD=Tony Diggs. AB: What was your best memory or moment during your playing days? TD: My two favorites include playing for Joe Torre in big league camp during the spring of 1995, and winning the championship at the AAA level playing for the Louisville Redbirds. Watching the way Torre controlled the team was absolutely amazing. I came a single away from hitting for the cycle in that game. AB: Ozzie Smith and Pete Rose are two of your favorite players of all time, what fascinates you about those two? TD: I loved Pete Rose?s style on the field, he was just incredible in every aspect of the game. When I met Pete, I was in awe of him just because I couldn?t believe that I had met a guy I grew up idolizing. I always loved Ozzie?s speed and style at shortstop and I loved watching him enjoy the game the way he did. I met Ozzie late in his career when I was with the Cardinals. He was such a class act and he was different from Rose in that he wouldn?t let you be in awe of him because he didn?t want you to think differently about him just because he was a superstar. AB: Ozzie and Pete may have been your favorite players of all time, but who would you say was your favorite teammate of all time? TD: My favorite teammate was Gordon Powell, a third baseman in the Brewers organization. He still to this day is one of my great friends and he had an outstanding outlook on the game. He had a tremendous amount of talent but injuries prevented him from making it to the big leagues. Gordon had every reason to be bitter about his situation but he never let that affect him. He brought a lot of energy to our team in Beloit, he was a class clown and had a great understanding of life. AB: Who had the biggest influence on your life? TD: Without question, it would be my parents. They were very strict and gave me a great sense of discipline and character. I had a total of five siblings and they did a great job of keeping us in line and teaching us core values that would help us all succeed in life. AB: While baseball has been your claim to fame and ultimately had a huge impact on your life, were you ever heavily involved in any other sports? TD: Yes, matter of fact, I originally signed my letter of intent at the University of Florida to play football. I was a Wide Receiver and a Defensive Back in High School, but later decided to play baseball instead. Had I stuck with football and played at Florida, I would have played with Emmitt Smith, John L. Williams and Ricky Nattiel. AB: You are a big hunter in the off-season, what do you hunt exactly and what do you enjoy about hunting? TD: I hunt deer, turkey and pheasant. I?ve always loved hunting for different reasons. I just enjoy being in the woods because of all the details you see in the wildlife. It can be very relaxing. I also enjoy the challenge of hunting, which involves matching wits with animals like deer who are incredibly smart. NEXT WEEK Next week we will give you an update on the new West Virginia Power Website, which is near completion. We will also discuss some of the promotional ideas that will highlight the 2005 season, and sit down with Power Pitching Coach Mark Littell. The Power would like to thank hitting coach Tony Diggs for taking some time to talk to us and we would also like to thank all of your for supporting Power Baseball. Have a great week. OK, my thoughts: While we appreciate the effort from the Power staff, how can you not ask the hitting coach about the philosophies he's trying to impart on his players? We definitely railed on Diggs' Snappers a bit last season for a seeming lack of patience at the plate, as they ranked near the bottom of the Midwest League in walks. Most of the Beloit kids will move on, so it'll be interesting to see how the 2004 Helena kids fare under Diggs in 2005.

So when does it become overkill? How many arms are now competing for spots in Huntsville / Nashville / Milwaukee? Will there be an opportunity to properly evaluate with so many guys competing? I'm with Toby, I mean, we're approaching a dozen guys at least who just won't be able to squeeze into an organizational slot and will have to be traded or released. Here's the latest name, courtesy of the Sounds' site: RHP Jason Ryan - The 28-year-old Ryan is a familiar face to Sounds fans, having spent the first half of the 2001 season as a member of Nashville's starting rotation (3-5, 4.53). He is no stranger to the Pacific Coast League either; the right-hander has spent portions of five of the last six seasons in the circuit. The league's ERA leader with a 2.70 mark with Memphis in 2003, Ryan split the 2004 campaign between the Redbirds and Omaha, posting a 2-10 record and 6.91 ERA (77er/100.1ip) in 22 games (19 starts). Career Stats: www.sports-wired.com/prof...c17486.asp His 2004 Rotoworld summary: www.rotoworld.com/content...mp;id=6319

I heard that the Brewers have claimed Phil Stockman from the Dbacks. He's a big Australian righty who throws hard, and is kind of a project. He was DFA'd, and the Brewers are working out a trade that should be finalized by Wednesday or Thursday. Career numbers -- 25 years old this month, and scary control: www.sports-wired.com/prof...bc7143.asp When a player has been designated for assignment, his team has 10 days to decide to return him to the active roster, outright him to the minors, trade him, or release him. A player may only be designated for assignment if the 40-man roster is full and a player needs to be added. If a trade is made, a player is often designated for assignment to make immediate room for him on the 40-man roster. Most often, a player is designated for assignment when the team doesn't have time to wait for him to clear waivers to add another player to the roster. Since any player who is removed from the 40-man must clear waivers to be released or sent to the minors, any player who isn't traded within the 10 day span must pass through waivers. The only time a designated player can be returned to the roster is when the player provides proof of an injury that hindered performance, in which case the team will place that player on the disabled list. Why wouldn't the Brewers just claim him and not give anything up? I guess the thinking is that another team could trade for him first. And by the way, DHonks, nice inside scoop. Between the Washington Post ("?") reporting on Ricky Bottalico and the occasional Brewerfan scoop, well, I'll just leave it at that...

Hernan says "let me play" in Venezuela this week -- didn't work out so well http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif -- hey his team won!... GAME DATE: 1/12/05 OCC at LAR OCCIDENTE 4 AT LARA 5 (EXTRA INNINGS) YTD YTD OCCIDENTE AB R H BI AVG LARA AB R H BI AVG L.Rodriguez 2B 6 1 1 0 .304 L.Ugueto SS 6 0 0 0 .261 O.Salazar 1B 1 0 0 0 .268 L.Sojo 1B 4 1 2 0 .324 O.Salazar LF 3 1 1 0 .268 [b]H.Iribarren PR 0 0 0 0 .000[/b] A.Cabrera 1B 5 0 1 0 .351 L.Jimenez 1B 2 0 0 1 .167 C.Valderrama PR 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Reyes CF 4 0 0 0 .318 C.Valderrama CF 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Perez DH 5 1 1 0 .196 R.Hernandez DH 5 0 1 0 .293 S.Langaigne RF 3 1 1 0 .310 F.Diaz CF 5 0 2 2 .273 J.Lopez 3B 5 1 1 4 .171 F.Diaz RF 1 0 0 0 .273 R.Medina LF 3 1 1 0 .333 L.Landaeta LF 0 0 0 0 .211 L.Maza 2B 4 0 1 0 .167 L.Landaeta RF 5 1 2 0 .211 J.Yepez CAT 3 0 0 0 .429 J.Colina 3B 5 1 1 2 .098 J.Azuaje PH 1 0 0 0 .250 Y.Torrealba CAT 5 0 1 0 .300 V.Valencia CAT 0 0 0 0 .250 M.Izturis SS 5 0 2 0 .276 E.Cyr PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Silva PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 L.Urdaneta PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Galva PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 W.Abreu PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 G.Larreal PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 J.Rincon PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Garces PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 M.Hampton PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 R.Beasley PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 G.Carrara PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 C.Maduro PIT 0 0 0 0 .000 TOTALS 46 4 12 4 TOTALS 40 5 7 5 OCCIDENTE 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0- 4 12 2 LARA 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1- 5 7 0 E--F.Diaz, M.Izturis. DP--OCCIDENTE 2, LARA 1. LOB--OCCIDENTE 10, LARA 7. 2B--A.Cabrera (3), F.Diaz (2), L.Landaeta (2). HR--J.Colina (1), J.Lopez (2). SB--L.Sojo (1), J.Lopez (1). [b]CS--H.Iribarren.[/b] SH-- L.Maza. YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA OCCIDENTE J.Silva 7.0 4 4 4 3 2 1 2.86 C.Galva 0.1 1 0 0 1 1 0 9.82 G.Larreal 1.1 2 0 0 0 1 0 6.75 R.Garces 2.1 0 0 0 0 2 0 6.23 R.Beasley (L,0-1) 0.2 0 1 0 2 0 0 4.50 LARA E.Cyr 5.1 4 2 2 2 4 1 3.38 L.Urdaneta 1.2 2 0 0 0 0 0 7.71 W.Abreu 0.0 2 2 2 0 0 0 8.10 J.Rincon 0.2 1 0 0 0 2 0 9.64 M.Hampton 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.86 G.Carrara 2.0 2 0 0 1 1 0 3.86 C.Maduro (W,1-0) 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 5.11 SO--L.Rodriguez 2, O.Salazar 2, A.Cabrera 2, R.Hernandez, L.Landaeta, J.Colina, L.Ugueto, L.Jimenez, R.Reyes 2, R.Perez, S.Langaigne. BB--O.Salazar 2, C.Valderrama, R.Hernandez, R.Reyes, S.Langaigne 2, R.Medina 2, V.Valencia. T--3:42.