P-Rays update

February 5, 2006 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release

The completion of Super Bowl XL paves the way to make room for the magic words we've been wanting to hear. They are the favorite words for baseball fans of the promise of warmer months ahead and these words will start echoing throughout Florida and Arizona major league spring training facilities over the next 10-12 days-"pitchers and catchers report!" Our front office here in Princeton has been busily assembling what, in our nineteenth year as an Appalachian League franchise, could be our finest promotional schedule yet! Everything with P-Rays baseball has always revolved around getting our fans the most "bang for their entertainment buck" and we will start this newsletter with that attitude by giving you reason to read it all:

"We can tell you right now that this newsletter is worth a quarter. Intrigued? Read through this newsletter to find out how!"

With that in mind, we have a lot of information to share with you in this February, 2006 edition of "Raywatch," the official e-mail monthly newsletter of the Princeton Devil Rays.

DEVIL RAYS' REPORTING DATES: Yes, it is almost time to fill a good portion of your time with the review of major league teams getting ready to make the long journey across the calendar of 2006 toward the ultimate goal of postseason play in October. The Tampa Bay major league pitchers and catchers are slated to report on February 16 with their workouts to begin the following day while position players report on February 21. The first full-team workout for the 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays will be on February 22.

FORMER P-RAY STAFFERS IN THE SYSTEM: Of course, you already know that Jamie Nelson will return here in 2006 for his fourth straight year as manager of the P-Rays, and that he will be joined once again by pitching coach Rafael Montalvo, and new hitting coach Rafael DeLeon. However, there are several familiar faces dotting the TB farm system with Princeton ties. Dave Howard, who managed the 1998 P-Rays to the Appalachian League's Eastern Division title, will take on his first full-season job at Tampa Bay's Midwest League affiliate, the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. Howard also managed for five years (2001-2005) at Hudson Valley and has a career managerial record at the professional level of 210-229. Last year's Princeton trainer, Kris Russell, will join the Southwest Michigan staff as well in the same capacity. At the position of hitting coach for the Rays' high full-season "A" affiliate, the Visalia Oaks of the California League, will be the man who has held that position at Princeton the previous three years, Manny Castillo. Wearing the Oaks' colors also will be trainer Jimmy Southard, who also held that title for the 2003 P-Rays. The Montgomery Biscuits of the AA Southern League will once again be managed by Charlie Montoyo, who began his managerial career as skipper of the inaugural 1997 P-Rays. Finally, 2000 P-Rays' trainer Chris Tomashoff will be the organization's overall Minor League Assistant Athletic Trainer. We wish the best of luck to all these shining lights from Princeton's past.

ZAMBRANO CASHES IN: Victor Zambrano, who really started learning the intricacies of pitching as a member of the 1997 Princeton Devil Rays, signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the New York Mets on January 17. This represents a $900,000 raise over his 2005 salary. This past season was his first full season as a Met and Victor recorded a 7-12 record in 31 appearances (27 starts) to move his lifetime record as a major league pitcher to 44-39. He was a position player in the Yankees farm system before Tampa Bay converted him to a pitcher. Once again, attend P-Ray games since you never know who will be the next Victor Zambrano to rise in a rags-to-riches storyline which begins right here in Princeton!

FORMER INTERN STILL RISING: Brian LeHeup, an intern with the P-Rays' outstanding intern class of 2003, has just made another career move in his baseball administration journey that has us here beaming with pride. He just began his new job on February 1 working for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and will assist with functions and appearances for players concerning the eastern half of the United States. The St. Petersburg resident will be right at home as he will still be based with an office at Tropicana Field, where he worked in group sales last season for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Following his 2003 stint in Princeton, Brian moved to the front office staff of the 2004 "AA" Tennessee Smokies before returning to his native Florida prior to the 2005 campaign. He is just one of many success stories as a result of students completing the P-Rays' comprehensive annual intern program for the baseball executives of tomorrow!

CALENDAR PROJECT GOING STRONG: Have you made your statement of support for professional baseball in Princeton by purchasing your spot on the "Friends of Princeton Devil Rays Baseball Calendar" yet? This is great piece of reference material and a way to have your name listed as being a member of our "team." These 11" x 17" full-process color calendars will be distributed in late-May and will be dated from June 1, 2006 to May 31, 2007. Each month will feature full-color pictures of great players in our franchise history. Now, here is how you can have your name listed on the calendar as a supporter: You have the opportunity to list your favorite fans' birthdays and anniversaries in the appropriate corresponding calendar grid squares. A $10.00 contribution gives you two birthday/anniversary lines on the calendar and also one calendar will be delivered to you (there is a $2.50 mailing charge to be added if you don't live within our local delivery area) when they become available for distribution. Join your friends and fellow fans that have already made their purchase and get your name listed on this valuable collectible which will also help you keep track of everybody's birthdays and anniversaries. We will be accepting orders until April 15, 2006 on this project that was originally launched on January 11. For more details, please contact the P-Rays front office either by e-mail at raysball@sunlitsurf.com (and we in turn can e-mail back to you the detailed order form) or by telephone to the Hunnicutt Field front office at (304) 487-2000. This is a very important project that is affordable for every fan and enables you to show you are helping to continue the P-Ray operation to run strong.

P-RAYS IN NATIONAL INK: Many names from both our past and present showed up in two recent national magazine sections evaluating the Tampa Bay farm system. Here are some quotes from USA Today/Sports Weekly issue of January 11-17, 2006:

Jason Hammel (2002 P-Ray) listed as the magazine's "Top Pitcher" in the TB farm system: "If he does not make the Tampa Bay roster this spring, he should be there soon. While there might be other pitchers in the system with better pure stuff, no one else is this polished, this close to the majors and this healthy."

Wes Bankston (2002 P-Ray) listed in their "Cream of the Crop" category: "One of the top power prospects in the organization, he has made the adjustment from the outfield to first base.

Reid Brignac (2004 P-Ray) listed in the "Up and Coming" category: "Projects to be a big-time major league shortstop. He has great athleticism as well as power potential."

Wade Davis (2004 P-Ray) also listed in the "Up and Coming" category: "Led the New York-Penn League this past season in strikeouts with a fastball clocked as high as 98 mph, a power curve and a solid changeup."

Elliot Johnson (2002 P-Ray) listed in their "Sleepers" category: "He has run his way on to the prospect list. His speed and hard-nosed style could keep him rising."

Jacob McGee (2004 P-Ray) also listed in the "Sleepers" category: "Limited batters to a .226 average in 2005. He throws a fastball in the low 90's and a potentially plus curveball. He fields his position well."

Shawn Riggans (2001 P-Ray) also listed in the "Sleepers" category: Last season when he returned from the disabled list, he hit .315 in July and .433 in August. He's a solid defensive catcher with whom pitchers like to work."

In additional review of the TB 2005 draft, the magazine also recognized 2005 P-Ray pitcher Mike Wlodarczyk for leading the entire farm system in earned run average while describing '05 Princeton centerfielder John Matulia as a pure centerfielder with good speed and a live bat.

In addition, the Baseball America magazine issue of January 16-29, 2006 did their review of the TB farm system and had five former P-Rays listed among their "Top Ten" prospects in TB system: Hammel (#3), Brignac (#4), Davis (#6), Bankston (#7), and 2005 P-Ray pitcher Matt Walker was listed in the ninth position. The magazine predicted that Hammel and Bankston both have shots at major league regular-season playing time before the end of this season and made the following quotes about Walker: "Rookie-level Appalachian League observers were impressed. His fastball ranges from 89-96 mph with good life. His overhand power curveball has a sharp break and is the best in the (TB) system.

Under the magazine's "Best Tools" section listing the top players in the TB farm system, Wade Davis is listed with the best fastball, Matt Walker with the best curveball, Jason Hammel as the best control pitcher, and Shawn Riggans was named best defensive catcher.

2ND ANNUAL MAJOR LEAGUE BUS TRIP: Seats are already beginning to fill up for the P-Rays' second annual bus trip, this year once again going to Pittsburgh on Saturday, May 27 to see the Houston Astros (featuring 1998 P-Ray Brandon Backe) taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates (featuring 1998 P-Ray Humberto Cota) at Pittsburgh's beautiful PNC Park. The 54-passenger, air-conditioned USA Coach bus will depart the Hunnicutt Field parking area in front of the ticket office on the day of the game (with a one-hour lunch/shopping stop enroute) and will return to Princeton immediate following the 7:05 p.m. game. Cost of the trip is $80.00 and includes all transportation fees and your game ticket as well as a gift for all passengers from the Pirates' group sales department and also the game features a bobblehead giveaway to all fans that night. Payments will be accepted until April 7 or until the bus is full, whichever happens first. For more details, please contact the P-Rays front office either by e-mail at raysball@sunlitsurf.com or by telephone at (304) 487-2000.

JONNY GOMES-HOMETOWN HERO: Jonny Gomes (2001 P-Ray) will be honored in a ceremony planned by his hometown of Petaluma, CA on Saturday, February 11. He is currently sponsoring three Little League teams there and has made several donations to both his high school and junior college baseball teams.

Before we reach the end of this newsletter, you have to be asking yourself, how is this newsletter worth a quarter? Well, we have Randolph Evans and his staff at "The Bronze Look" to thank for that. Since just before the mid-point of the 2005 season, "The Bronze Look" has been very active with the Princeton Devil Rays and now they've once again come up with another clever promotion for our fans to take part in. Their store, located at the intersection of Mercer Street and Second Street in Princeton, is open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Any of you that will print a copy of this newsletter and present it to a staff member at their store will receive a Denver Mint-issued West Virginia state quarter. Visit their website at www.coinsplusmore.com to learn more about this important backer of P-Rays baseball!

CONCLUSION: The P-Rays front office is a very busy place at this time of year as all the promotions and giveaways that makes our very affordable games incredibly even more "value-added" for you are starting to fall into place. Right now, game dates being assigned for each giveaway item. Obviously, you will be among the first to receive further breaking news all winter and spring long about P-Rays baseball as a result of you being a "Raywatch" e-mail newsletter subscriber. Current box seat holders will receive their renewal forms sometime in the month of February and there are plenty of good new box seat locations available right now for those of you who want to take advantage of these great seats. Some of you really got started attending a lot of games last year for the first time and this certainly should become your year to buy the "season ticket" book package which gives you thirty undated tickets to use in any quantity at any P-Rays regular season home game in 2006 for only $1.67 a ticket! Do not wait until the snow is flying next winter to say that you had meant to attend some games in the summer of 2006 but that you were "busy" during all 34 home dates. Any game is the right game to attend where Princeton Devil Rays Baseball is concerned. We want to make every game special for you and our front office staff and game day staff pledge to you that we want any game you pick to attend to be special as we want to perform for you at a high level with the idea that "Every day is opening day for somebody!"

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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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