Capps To Return, Tabata To Make Home Debut Tuesday At BCB
Published on August 18, 2008 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA- Curve fans attending Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. homestand opener at Blair County Ballpark against the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) will be treated to the return of a member of the franchise's Tenth Anniversary Team and the home debut of one of the Pittsburgh Pirates' brightest young stars. Pirates' closer Matt Capps is expected to be in uniform for the Curve during Tuesday's contest, while 20-year old outfielder Jose Tabata, one of the four players acquired from the New York Yankees in the Damaso Marte/Xavier Nady trade on July 26, will play his first home game in an Altoona uniform.
Capps is expected to make his sixth minor league rehab appearance in Tuesday's game against Portland. The 24-year old right-hander, who has been on the Pirates' Disabled List with a right shoulder injury since July 2, tossed two scoreless innings for Altoona over two appearances against the Sea Dogs last week in Maine. He has also pitched in two games for the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates and on Sunday worked 1 1/3 scoreless frames for Triple-A Indianapolis. Capps last appeared in a game with Pittsburgh on July 1. In 37 games with the Pirates before landing on the D.L., he was 3-2 with 17 saves and a 3.12 ERA.
A 7th round selection of the Pirates in the 2002 June Draft out of high school in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, Capps pitched for the Altoona Curve during the final month of the 2005 season and in his time with the Curve established himself as a future major leaguer. The right-hander posted a 2.70 ERA and seven saves in 17 appearances at the close of the '05 campaign to help the club land an improbable berth in the Eastern League playoffs. Shortly after Altoona's season came to an end, he made his major league debut for Pittsburgh that September. Earlier this season, Curve fans honored Capps as the lone relief pitcher on the team's ceremonial Tenth Anniversary Team.
Tabata, who appeared in nine games for Altoona during the club's just-completed 11-day road trip, finally will wear the Curve's home white uniform during Tuesday's game vs. Portland. The exciting center fielder, who was acquired by Pittsburgh from the Yankees along with pitchers Jeff Karstens, Dan McCutchen and Ross Ohlendorf, has been impressive in his short time with the Curve, hitting .359 (14-for-39) with one double, one triple, one home run, five RBI, seven runs scored and three stolen bases in nine starts. Last Wednesday at Portland he posted a 4-for-4 game and was equally as impressive as part of a 3-for-6 performance Saturday at New Hampshire, including his first Curve home run.
Prior to the start of the 2008 season, Baseball America ranked Tabata as the third-best prospect in the Yankees' organization and as a consensus Top 50 prospect in Minor League Baseball. He was also rated by BA as the "Best Hitter For Average" in the Yankees' system after hitting .305 over his first three professional seasons despite being one of the youngest players at his level each year. The native of Venezuela opened this season as one of only two 19-year olds in the Eastern League and hit .248 with nine doubles, three homers, 34 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 78 games with the Trenton Thunder.
Only 10 Curve home games remain in the 2008 season and six of those 10 will be played this week at Blair County Ballpark. Altoona will host Portland in a three-game series through Thursday, then the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) will visit for three days this coming weekend. The Curve will play their final four home games August 29-September 1 against the Reading Phillies.
Half of the 10 remaining home games will feature spectacular Post-Game Fireworks (Aug. 19, 22, 24, 29, 31), while six contests will feature great fan giveaway items (Aug. 19, Jose Bautista/Nate McLouth Tenth Anniversary Photo Ball; Aug. 20, Parney Bobblehead Doll presented by Sheetz; Aug. 21, Curve Travel Mug presented by Forney Financial Solutions; Aug. 23, Tom Gorzelanny/Rob Mackowiak Tenth Anniversary Photo Ball; Aug. 24, Kids Soccer Ball Giveaway; Aug 30, Chris Duffy/J.R. House Tenth Anniversary Photo Ball).
Plenty of other fun, family promotions are planned for the final 10 home games of the 2008 season at Blair County Ballpark. Great seats are still available for all games and can be purchased by visiting the BCB Ticket Office, by calling (877) 99-CURVE or by logging on to AltoonaCurve.com and clicking one of the "BUY TICKETS" links on the homepage.
Eastern League Stories from August 18, 2008
- Thunder earns sweep - Trenton Thunder
- Thunder Make $2 Million Investment In Waterfront Park - Trenton Thunder
- Thunder Name New General Manager - Trenton Thunder
- Three Fireworks Shows, Five Giveaways This Week - Altoona Curve
- Fisher Cats Jean Machi Named Bank of America EL Pitcher of the Week - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Capps To Return, Tabata To Make Home Debut Tuesday At BCB - Altoona Curve
- Zambrano Added To Thunder Roster - Trenton Thunder
- Lars Anderson Named Eastern League Player of the Week - Portland Sea Dogs
- Bank of America Pitcher-Player of the Week Awards Week Ending August 17th - EL1
- Individual Game Playoff Tickets Go On Sale Tuesday - Portland Sea Dogs
- Pedro Feliz to rehab in Reading tonight - Reading Fightin Phils
- Rock Cats Make 2 Roster Moves - New Britain Rock Cats
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