Eastern League News

Published on May 14, 2003 under Eastern League (EL1) News Release

The Chase Bank and Eastern League President Joseph McEacharn are pleased to announce Akron Aeros pitcher Jeremy Guthrie as the Chase Eastern League Player of the Month for the month of April.

Selected by Eastern League news and media personnel and broadcasters, Guthrie was an overwhelming choice, receiving more than twice as many votes as any other nominee.

Born April 8, 1979 in Roseburg, Oregon, Jeremy Shane Guthrie was taken by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the June 2002 draft after going 13-2 with a 2.51 ERA in 20 starts and being named the 2002 PAC-10 Pitcher of the Year as a junior at Stanford University.

In his two seasons at Stanford, Guthrie went 26-6 with a 2.65 ERA while striking out 264 batters in 291.2 innings.

The Las Vegas, Nevada native had a spectacular opening month of the season, going 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA, while striking out 17 batters and walking only six in his five April starts.

throughout the season, as well as a season ending Eastern League Chase MVP. In addition, Chase will select a Chase Pitcher of the Year, a Chase Rookie of the Year and a Chase Manager of the Year at the conclusion of the 2003 Eastern League season.

Guthrie will receive his award during an on-field presentation later this month at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio. As the first of five monthly award winners, Jeremy will also be recognized at the Chase MVP Awards banquet during which the season-ending award winners will be announced.

Derek Jeter Makes Rehab Appearance in Trenton

New York Yankees All-Star shortstop, Derek Jeter, played a five game rehabilitation assignment with the Trenton Thunder from Wednesday, May 7 through Sunday, May 11.

Jeter, a five-time American League All-Star with the Yankees, suffered a separated shoulder during the Yankees season opener on March 31 against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Jeter sustained the injury in a collision at third base with Toronto catcher Ken Huckaby, who covered the base and came down on Jeter's shoulder while in full catcher's gear, driving his legs into Jeter's shoulder and forcing the 1996 Rookie of the Year to the DL.

Jeter completed his rehab assignment in Trenton going 8-for-18 (.444) with two runs scored and five RBI as the Thunder went 5-0 with Derek on the roster. Jeter's return to the Eastern League, where he played for the Albany Colonie Yankees in 1994, was also a success at the gates as the Thunder set the single-game record for attendance at Waterfront Park on Saturday, when 8,729 fans watched Derek and the Thunder, paced by Jeter's two hits and three RBI, down the New Haven Ravens 6-4.

Saturday's attendance total passes the previous record which was set when the Boston Red Sox and Trenton Thunder played an exhibition game at Waterfront Park in front of 8,602 fans on May 27, 1998. Saturday's total also marked the fourth straight day that the attendance total at Waterfront Park was among the top 10 largest crowds in franchise history, with Sunday's total of 7,741 falling just 16 fans short of joining the top 10 and raising Trenton's average attendance for the season to 5,491 and the total attendance for the season to 115,319.

Jeter becomes the eighth player to play with the Thunder on a Major League rehab assignment, joining Bret Saberhagen, Tom Gordon, Bryce Florie, Aaron Sele, Tim Naehring, Bill Hasselman and John Valentin, who all spent time with the Thunder during the franchise's first nine season of play. Derek is expected to rejoin the Yankees starting lineup on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium against Anaheim.

Line of the Week

May 7, 2003
AB 1B 2B 3B HR R RBI BB
6 5 0 0 0 2 1 0

Jose Castillo,
Altoona Curve

Altoona Curve shortstop Jose Castillo went 5-for-6 with two runs scored and one RBI in Altoona's 10-2 win over Akron on May 7. Castillo became only the fourth player in Altoona Curve franchise history to post five hits in a game.

Quote of the Week

"If I had my career to play over, one thing I'd do differently is swing more. Those 1,200 walks I got.....nobody remembers them."

Pee Wee Reese,
Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers

News and Notes From Around The League

Akron Aeros

2B Maicer Izturis went 0-for-5 on Thursday, ending his hitting streak at 18 consecutive games, just two games shy of the longest streak in Minor League Baseball this season. Over the streak Izturis his .380 (30-for-79) with six doubles, four triples, one home run, 14 runs scored, nine RBI and five stolen bases. Despite losing his first game of the season on Thursday, RHP Jeremy Guthrie gave up only one earned run, lowering his ERA to a league-best 1.27.

Altoona Curve

RHP Landon Jacobsen threw a complete game three-hitter on Tuesday at Akron. The 24-year old currently ranks among the league leaders in ERA (1.34-2nd), wins (4-2nd) and complete games (1-2nd). 1B/DH Chan Perry hit .458 (11-for-24) last week, raising his batting average to .379 (2nd in the E.L.) on the season.

Binghamton Mets

RHP Jake Joseph, ranked in the top 10 in the league in ERA prior to his start on Saturday, surrendered eight runs on seven hits against the Senators, lowering his ERA from 1.97 to 4.01. Despite losing two out of three games to Harrisburg over the weekend, the B-Mets remained only 1.5 games behind the first place Portland Sea Dogs in the Northern Division standings.

Bowie Baysox

The Baysox dramatic 3-2, 10-inning win over Reading on Saturday night gave Baysox manager Dave Trembley his 1,100th al-time regular season win as a minor league manager. The win on Saturday also improved the Baysox record in extra innings game to 7-1 and their record in one-run games to 9-1. Each of Bowie's last three wins have come in extra innings.

Erie SeaWolves

E.L. Pitcher of the Week, Jeff Farnsworth, threw his second complete game shutout of the season on Sunday, blanking the Curve, 1-0. Farnsworth has pitched 19 consecutive innings without giving up a run. After winning only five games during the month of May in 2002, the SeaWolves have already surpassed that total this season, opening the month with a record of 7-3.

Harrisburg Senators

RHP Gustavo Mata has allowed only four runs over his first 19 innings of work with the Senators. The 19-year old combined with LHP Chad Bentz to shutout Binghamton on Sunday, earned his second win in three starts. C Scott Ackerman has blasted five home runs in just 50 at bats this season.

New Britain Rock Cats

RHP Brent Schoening improved his record to a club leading 4-0 with a 3-2 win at Portland on Friday. The 25-year old is also leads the team in strikeouts (26) and ERA (3.45). DH Matt Scanlon hit .450 (9-for-20) with two doubles, one home run and three RBI in six games last week. Scanlon currently has a team-leading .489 slugging percentage and is second on the team with three homers.

New Haven Ravens

RHP Jason Arnold gave up two runs, one earned, and struck out seven batters in six innings of work to earn a win in his final start with the Ravens on Wednesday, before being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. The Toronto Blue Jays named New Haven 3B Simon Pond their Organizational Player of the Month for April. Pond finished the month hitting .358 with 20 RBI.

Norwich Navigators

1B Mike Cervenak homered in back-to-back games (May 6-7), including a grand slam against Portland in the ‘Gators 8-5 win on Wednesday. Cerenak currently ranks second in the league in runs batted in with 28 and is leading the ‘Gators with five home runs. Despite combining for a record of 2-5, RHP Boof Bosner and LHP Mitch Walk are both ranked in the top 10 in the league, with ERA's of 2.09 and 2.31 respectively.

Portland Sea Dogs

Portland starters have allowed only 26 earned runs over their last 19 games after posting a 7.88 ERA during the first nine games of the season. The Sea Dogs currently hold a one game lead in the division, marking the first time the Sea Dogs have been in sole possession of first place since April 12, 2001 and the first time since 1997 the team has led the division this late in the season.

Reading Phillies

E.L. Player of the Week, Jorge Padilla, extending his hitting streak to 11 games on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Padilla is hitting .417 (20-for-48) during the streak. LHP Frank Brooks has struck out at least one batter in all 12 of his relief appearances and has fanned two or more batters in each of his last six outings.

Trenton Thunder

New York Yankee SS Derek Jeter ending his five game rehab stint with the Thunder hitting .444 (8-for-18) with two runs scored and five RBI. 3B Bryan Myrow has a league-best 33 RBI and is among the league leaders in home runs (7) and runs scored (24).

Chevrolet Player of the Week

JORGE PADILLA, an outfielder for the Reading Phillies, is the Eastern League's Chevrolet Player of the Week for the week ending May 11th. Padilla, a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, had an outstanding week, hitting .458 (11-for-24) with five doubles, one home run, five RBI, three runs scored and three stolen bases in six games. The 23-year old is tied for the league lead in doubles (11) and is among the league leaders in stolen bases (11-3rd) and batting average (.326-9th). The 6'0", 187 lb. slugger currently has an 11-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 28 of the 34 games he has played in this season. Jorge, who was named the Player of the Week for the week ending April 14, 2002, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the June 1998 draft.

Chevrolet Pitcher of the Week

JEFF FARNSWORTH, a right-handed pitcher for the Erie SeaWolves, is the Eastern League's Chevrolet Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 11th. In two starts last week the Pensacola, Florida native went 2-0 with no walks and a 0.00 ERA in starts against the Bowie Baysox and the Altoona Curve. In his first start of the week the 27-year old struck out five batters, scattering 10 hits in six shutout innings of work. In his second start of the week the 6'2", 190 lb. hurler struck out four batters while tossing a complete game five-hit shutout at Altoona to even his record at 3-3 and lower his ERA to 3.23 on the season. Farnsworth currently leads the Eastern League in complete games, with two. Jeff was acquired by the Detroit Tigers from the Seattle Mariners in the Rule 5 Major League Draft on December 13, 2001.

Eastern League Stories from May 14, 2003

• Orioles Affiliate Comes to Trenton This Weekend - Trenton Thunder
• Curve Drops Tenth Straight Home Game - Altoona Curve
• Aeros Dynamics - Akron RubberDucks
• Bud Smith, Great Homestand and more - Reading Fightin Phils
• Eastern League News - EL1
• Morning Game Returns to Baseballtown - Reading Fightin Phils

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