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EL1 Eastern League

EL Newsletter

July 31, 2007 - Eastern League (EL1) News Release


Volume IX July 31, 2007 Issue 15

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Quote of the Week

" So many good things have happened to me in the game of baseball. When I do allow myself a chance to think about it, it's almost like a storybook career. You feel so blessed to have been able to compete this long. "

Cal Ripken Jr.

Baltimore Orioles

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Eastern League Batting Leader Promoted To Triple-A

After going 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in a 6-3 loss against the Aeros at Canal Park on Sunday, Altoona Curve first baseman Steven Pearce was promoted to the Indianapolis Indians of the Triple-A International League. At the time of his promotion the 24-year old led the Eastern League in batting average (.334) and slugging percentage (.586) and was ranked second in RBI (72).

Pearce, who was chosen in the eighth round of the 2005 draft by the Pirates out of the University of South Carolina, started the season at Class-A Lynchburg and hit .347 with 11 home runs and 24 RBI in 19 games before being promoted to Altoona on May 1, where he hit .334 with 14 home runs and 72 RBI in 81 games. The 5'11", 200 lb. slugger has combined to drive in 96 runs between Lynchburg and Altoona this season, a total which ranks first in all of Minor League Baseball.

Pearce was not the only top prospect to depart the Eastern League last week, as Trenton and Portland both saw top players promoted to Triple-A.

Last Tuesday it was announced that RHP Joba Chamberlain and RHP Ian Kennedy, both of whom were selected by the Yankees in the 2006 draft, had been promoted to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Chamberlain had a record of 4-2 with 64 strikeouts and a 3.43 ERA in 39.1 innings for the Thunder, while Kennedy was 5-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of work.

In Portland, shortstop Jed Lowrie was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket following Thursday's game against Connecticut. He hit .297 in 93 games for the Sea Dogs, led the league in doubles (31) and led the Sea Dogs in hits (100), triples (7), home runs (8), RBI (49), and walks (65).

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Former Reading Manager Passes Away

Bill Robinson, a former R-Phils coach and manager who had been working for the Los Angeles Dodgers' as their minor league hitting coordinator, passed away July 29 at the age of 64.

Robinson was part of the Phillies player development system from 1994-1998. He served as the hitting coach on Reading's 1995 Eastern League Championship team and returned to manage the club in 1996.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bill Robinson," said Chuck Domino, the President of the Reading Phillies. "The Reading Phillies pass on our deepest condolences to Bill's family. Bill will be remembered a class act who treated everyone with dignity."

Robinson was in his second season in the Dodger organization following four years as a member of the Florida Marlins coaching staff, where he was the hitting coach for the 2003 World Championship team. He also served in that role for the New York Mets from 1984-89, which included their 1986 World Championship.

A native of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Robinson spent 16 years as a player in the Major Leagues and compiled 1,127 hits, 166 homers and 641 RBI as an outfielder for the Braves, Yankees, Phillies and Pirates from 1966-83. Robinson played in a career-high 148 games for the 1979 World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates and batted .264 with 24 home runs, 75 RBI and 13 stolen bases that season.

His finest season was in 1977, when Robinson batted .304 and set career highs in hits (154), runs (74) homers (26) and RBI (104), which ranked eighth in the NL. He also finished 11th in National League MVP voting that season.

Robinson also served as an analyst for ESPN's Baseball Tonight in 1990-91.

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Two Top Prospects Promoted To Reading

Last Thursday it was announced that the Philadelphia Phillies promoted two of the top prospects in their organization from Single-A Clearwater to Reading.

One of the players promoted was outfielder Greg Golson, the 21st overall pick in the 2004 draft. The 21-year old was batting .286 with 119 hits, 27 doubles, 12 home runs, 66 runs scored, 52 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 98 games with the Threshers. Greg, who was named a Florida State League All-Star this season, was ranked as the 10th best prospect in the Phillies system by Baseball America entering the season. In his first four games for the R-Phils, Golson is hitting .333 with one double and one triple.

The other player promoted to Reading was left-handed starting pitcher Josh Outman, who entered the 2007 season ranked as the sixth best prospect in the Philadelphia organization. Outman, a 10th round selection in the 2005 draft, was 10-4 with 117 strikeouts and a 2.45 ERA in 18 games for Clearwater. The 22-year old made his Double-A debut on Saturday and gave up four runs and struck out four batters in 4.2 innings against the Trenton Thunder.

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Former Rock Cat Makes His Major League Debut

Former New Britain Rock infielder Brian Buscher made his Major League debut for the Minnesota Twins on Friday, July 27. Buscher, who began this season with the Rock Cats, started at third base and went 2-for-4 in the Twins' 10-4 loss at Cleveland. The 26-year-old singled in his first Major League at-bat.

The former San Francisco farmhand was selected by Minnesota in the Rule V Draft in December. Buscher began the season with the Rock Cats and hit .308 with 19 doubles, seven home runs, 37 RBI and 37 runs in 63 games, before a promotion to Triple-A Rochester.

Brian also played in the Eastern League as a member of the Norwich franchise during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

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Tejada Rehabs In Bowie

Baltimore Orioles All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada made a rehab appearance at Prince George's Stadium for the Bowie Baysox last Wednesday and went 0-for-3 with one RBI in an 8-2 win against Reading.

Tejada was placed on the DL on June 22 after suffering a broken bone in his left wrist, breaking his consecutive games played streak at 1,151 games.

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Eastern league Team News and Notes

For the week ending 8/30/99

Akron Aeros

OF Brian Barton is batting .359 (14-for-39) with one home run, five RBI and five runs scored over his last 10 games and is hitting .337 with 16 RBI and 15 runs scored during the month of July. The Aeros have lost four out of their last six games to fall into second place in the Southern Division standings.

Altoona Curve

OF Jason Delaney set a new Curve franchise record by recording at least one RBI in 12 straight games from 7/15-7/26. 1B Steven Pearce was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis following Sunday's game at Akron. Pearce was leading the Eastern League in batting average (.334) and slugging percentage (.586) at the time of his promotion and his 96 RBI between Single-A Lynchburg and Altoona was leading Minor League Baseball entering this week.

Binghamton Mets

RHP Kevin Mulvey has opposed fellow Eastern League All-Stars Radhames Liz, Luis Munoz, Charlie Zink and Geno Espineli in each of his last four starts and is 2-1 with 21 strikeouts and a 2.88 ERA in those games. Binghamton has won two of their last three road series, but just one of their last nine series at NYSEG Stadium dating back to May 25.

Bowie Baysox

The Baysox enter the week with a nine-game winning streak and have moved to within five games of a playoff spot in the Southern Division standings. E.L. Pitcher of the Week Radhames Liz was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 16 strikeouts in a pair of starts last week and in five starts during the month of July, Liz has a record of 4-0 with 37 strikeouts and a 1.47 ERA.

Erie SeaWolves

Erie has won seven straight games to move to a season-high 16 games over .500 and take over first place in the Southern Division standings. With their 14-7 win over Harrisburg on Saturday night the SeaWolves matched their win total from the 2006 season (60). OF Pedro Cotto is batting .417 over his last seven games.

Harrisburg Senators

The Senators have scored six or more runs in 11 of their 18 games after the All-Star break, but have just a 5-13 record during that time. On Tuesday night with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in town, the Senators will welcome their five-millionth fan since returning to the Eastern League in 1987. INF/OF Dan Dement is batting .403 with three homers, 16 RBI and 16 runs scored since the All-Star break.

New Britain Rock Cats

Saturday's doubleheader sweep in New Hampshire was the Rock Cats sixth of the season and New Britain has a record of 14-2 in doubleheaders this season. RHP Tim Lahey picked up his ninth and tenth saves of the season by closing out both ends of the Rock Cats' doubleheader sweep on Saturday. New Britain currently leads the league in team batting average (.275).

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

OF David Smith hit a league-high five home runs and drove in nine runs in eight games for the Fisher Cats last week. Filling in for the injured RHP Tracy Thorpe, LHP Jesse Carlson earned three saves for the Fisher Cats last week. SS Sergio Santos is hitting .311 at Merchantsauto.com Stadium this season and currently leads the team in home runs (17) and RBI (52).

Connecticut Defenders

Over his last three games 1B Tyler Von Schell is batting .600 with four home runs, six RBI and six runs scored. The Defenders enter this week with a 15-12 record during the month of July, which will be their first month with a winning record this season. OF John Bowker hit .391 (9-for-23) last week and is now tied for first in the league in hits (117).

Portland Sea Dogs

The Sea Dogs and Defenders combined to score a franchise record 33 runs in a 20-13 Sea Dogs loss on Sunday. The 20 runs allowed by the Sea Dogs was also a franchise record. OF Bryan Pritz hit .478 (11-for-23) with eight RBI last week to raise his average to .311, which ranks ninth in the league. C Dusty Brown hit .524 with six doubles last week and is batting .455 during the month of July.

Reading Phillies

INF/OF Joey Hammond collected his 1,000th career hit in a 6-2 win against Trenton at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday. OF Mike Spindale currently has a 10-game hitting streak. Reading became the first team in the league to post back-to-back double digits in runs against Trenton's league leading pitching staff this season with a 13-5 win on Saturday and an 11-7 victory on Friday.

Trenton Thunder

In 25 games during the month of July 1B Juan Miranda is hitting .311 (28-for-90) with 11 doubles, two triples, three homers, 27 RBI and 14 runs scored. RHP Jeffrey Marquez is 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last four starts. RHP Alan Horne is currently ranked second in the league in ERA (2.36) and strikeouts (125).

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Transactions

Akron Aeros

Signed RHP Bobby Brownlie and Assigned to Akron (AA)

Placed RHP Jake Dittler on the DL

Placed C David Wallace on the Temporary Inactive List

Activated INF Shaun Larkin from the DL

Sent LHP Rich Rundles to Buffalo (AAA)

Received RHP Michael Finocchi from Kinston (A)

Received LHP Aaron Fultz on a Major League Rehab Assignment

Placed RHP Joe Ness on the DL

Received OF Nathan Panther from Kinston (A)

Altoona Curve

Activated C Milver Reyes from the DL

Sent C Milver Reyes to Indianapolis (AAA)

Sent RHP Luis Munoz to Indianapolis (AAA)

Received RHP Brandon Williams from State College (A)

Sent C Dave Parrish to Indianapolis (AAA)

Sent 1B Steven Pearce to Indianapolis (AAA)

Binghamton Mets

Placed RHP Michael Devaney on the DL

Activated LHP Raul Valdes from the DL

Received 3B Vince Harrison from Florida

Sent INF Mark Kiger to New Orleans (AAA)

Received RHP Tim McNab from New Orleans (AAA)

Bowie Baysox

Received C Ryan Hubele from Norfolk (AAA)

Sent C Morgan Clendenin to Frederick (A)

Activated 1B Brandon Sing from the DL

Erie SeaWolves

None

Harrisburg Senators

Sent RHP Jonathon Albaladejo to Columbus (AAA)

Received RHP Carlos Martinez from Potomac (A)

Sent RHP Josh Hall to Columbus (AAA)

Placed LHP Mike O'Connor on the DL

Received RHP Alex Morales from Columbus (AAA)

New Britain Rock Cats

Placed 1B Brock Peterson on the DL

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Activated INF Ryan Klosterman from the DL

Connecticut Defenders

Received INF Julio Cordido from Fresno (AAA)

Sent OF Alex Requena to Augusta (A)

Portland Sea Dogs

Placed RHP Charlie Zink on the DL

Received RHP Chad Povich from Lowell (A)

Sent RHP Chad Povich to Lowell (A)

Activated LHP Daniel Haigwood from the DL

Sent INF Jed Lowrie to Pawtucket (AAA)

Sent RHP Lincoln Holdzkom to Pawtucket (AAA)

Received INF Zach Borowiak from Pawtucket (AAA)

Received RHP Barry Hertzler from Pawtucket (AAA)

Activated RHP Charlie Zink from the DL

Placed RHP Barry Hertzler on the Temporary Inactive List

Received RHP Chris Jones from Greenville (A)

Placed LHP Daniel Haigwood on the DL

Reading Phillies

Sent OF Javon Moran to Ottawa (AAA)

Received OF Greg Golson from Clearwater (A)

Received LHP Josh Outman from Clearwater (A)

Sent SS Michael Garciaparra to Ottawa (AAA)

Activated 1B Juan Tejeda from the DL

Placed RHP Charlie Weatherby on the DL

Received RHP Bubba Nelson from Ottawa (AAA)

Trenton Thunder

Sent RHP Brett Smith to Tampa (A)

Received RHP Kevin Whelan from Tampa (A)

Received RHP Steven Jackson from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Sent RHP Joba Chamberlain to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Sent RHP Ian Kennedy to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Received LHP Chase Wright from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Received RHP Tyler Clippard from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Placed OF Jamal Strong on the DL

Received INF Carlos Mendoza from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Activated OF Bronson Sardinha from the DL

Placed C J.T. LaFountain on the DL

Check out the Eastern League Statistics



Eastern League Stories from July 31, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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