SL1 Southern League

Race for the Title

Published on June 10, 2003 under Southern League (SL1) News Release


Monday, June 16 will conclude the first half of the 2003 Southern League season. The race for crown of "First Half Champions" and a playoff berth should come down to the wire. Carolina holds just a four-game edge over Tennessee and will finish the first half with a four-game home stand against the Smokies for the Eastern Division championship. Meanwhile, Huntsville is holding on to a four-game lead over the defending Southern League Champions, the Birmingham Barons, and is just three games ahead of West Tenn in the Western Division.

After a piping hot 15-2 start, Carolina has gone just 21-22 the rest of the way. During that run, the Mudcats put together a nine-game winning streak while Tennessee answered the call with a six-game winning streak of their own to jump right back into the thick of the race by the last week in April. May was a month of adjustments for both teams as they were hit with promotions of arguably the Southern League's three best pitchers through the first month-and-a-half of the season. Sean Fesh, a two-time BC Powder Southern League Pitcher of the Week this season, and Dontrelle Willis were promoted during May. Willis posted four wins and a 1.49 ERA before being promoted to the Marlins' staff while Fesh picked up six wins and had not allowed any runs at the time of his promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque. They combined to go 10-1 for the Mudcats with a 0.93 ERA. Fesh has since returned to the Mudcats and picked up another win. Tennessee had to cope with the promotion of their staff ace, Dan Haren, to Triple-A Memphis shortly after Carolina dealt with loss of Willis on May 10. Haren was tied with Fesh for the Southern League lead in wins (6) and also topped the charts with a 0.82 ERA through 55 innings of work.

Fortunately for both of these Eastern Division powers, their bats could help pick up the slack for a depleted pitching staff. Carolina leads the league in hitting with a .283 team average while Tennessee is a close second. Carolina has been led all season by third-baseman, Miguel Cabrera, who was named the BC Powder Hitter of the Week in back-to-back weeks during April. Until recently, he led the league in hitting with a batting average hovering around .370 for most of the season, and has been helped out by the play of outfielder Chris Aguila. Aguila, who bats in front of Cabrera, is hitting over .300 himself, has 38 runs scored, and has almost matched Cabrera's nine home runs. Matt Padgett and Chip Ambres have also contributed seven home runs each while Padgett's batting average nears the .300 mark. Carolina should also be aided during the stretch run with the addition of prize first base prospect, Adrian Gonzalez, who joins the Mudcats after a stint with Albuquerque.

Tennessee has been paced by the play of second baseman Caonabo Cosme, first baseman Bucky Jacobsen, and outfielder Scott Krause. Cosme has batted .324 to Krause's .318 while each has stroked five home runs. Cosme is third in the league with 77 hits and trails only Cabrera with 22 doubles. Jacobsen has blasted 14 home runs to lead the Southern League while posting a .284 average. The bullpen has been anchored by the play of the Southern League saves leader, Mike Lyons, who has already recorded 18 closeouts.

Tennessee entered the May 30 game at Carolina having dropped two of three to the Mudcats and desperately needed to split the series or else fall five games behind Carolina, which would have virtually eliminated them from serious first half title contention. The Smokies' manager, Mark DeJohn, put it quite simply, "We need to win this one." After falling behind 3-0, the Smokies rallied for three runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings behind a Cosme home run and capitalized on Mudcats' errors to take a 7-4 lead. A two-run homer by catcher, Yadier Molina, sealed the 9-6 victory and first half hopes for the Smokies.

The Huntsville Stars have taken a different approach over in the Western Division. With an offense whose paltry .247 batting average ranks seventh in the Southern League, the Stars' pitching has carried them to the Western Division lead. Mike Jones, Luis Martinez, and Pedro Liriano rank fourth, fifth, and tenth respectively in terms of ERA while the staff as a whole is allowing 0.53 earned runs less than any other team in the Southern League. Ben Diggins' 2.36 ERA would bump him ahead of Jones, but he is still 2.1 innings pitched away from meeting the minimum qualifications. Meanwhile, Derek Lee's seven wins are tied with Birmingham's Neal Cotts and Carolina's Fesh for the wins lead. The offense has still done enough to put the Stars (35-25) within one game of Carolina for the best record in the league. Sparked by outfielder, Dave Krynzel's .313 batting average (tied for ninth in the league), a league-leading seven triples to go with a league-leading 24 stolen bases, and 43 runs scored that trail only Bucky Jacobsen's 44, the Stars have put together enough timely hits to support their strong pitching. Outfielder Ryan Knox's 21 stolen bases trail only Krynzel while second baseman Rich Paz's .425 on-base percentage is good for fifth in the league. Shortstop J.J Hardy and third baseman Corey Hart are hot on Krynzel's heels with batting averages of .308 and .311 respectivley. Hart's 47 RBI's trail only Miguel Cabrera.

West Tenn (32-30) and Birmingham (30-30) have not done much as teams to distinguish themselves in the rankings. West Tenn does rank fourth in hitting, but is ahead of only Greenville's promising and emerging pitching staff. Birmingham is in the middle of the pack in both categories. Birmingham is paced by the hitting of outfielder Scott Bikowski (.329) and first baseman Gabe Alvarez (.325). They rank fourth and fifth in the league and Alvarez's .438 OBP ranks third, just behind West Tenn's Jason Dubois (.441) who is second. Cotts ranks second in the league in ERA while Enemencio Pacheco is eighth. The Diamond Jaxx have relied on outfielders, Dubois, who is also hitting .323, and Ray Sadler who is among the league leaders with 68 hits, to guide their quest for the title. Highly touted Angel Guzman has gone just 1-2 with a 3.26 ERA while opponents are hitting .326 against him.

After a four-game set at Chattanooga, Carolina will head home to open up against Tennessee on Friday, June 13 to close out the first half. Huntsville has its hands full, traveling to Birmingham for four games on Monday June 9, including Wednesday's Rickwood Classic, before closing out with four games hosting West Tenn also beginning on Friday. Anything can happen as the intensity builds for the final week of the first half. Of these five teams only two can lay their claim on an early season playoff berth. Who can overcome their deficits and who wants it more?

Southern League Personalities John Woods SL Umpire, Crew Chief

John Woods has been with the Southern League for nearly two years and has been appointed as a crew chief for the 2003 season. The resident of Phoenix, Arizona has entered his seventh season with Minor League Baseball having previously worked in the Florida State, Midwest, Northwest and Arizona Leagues. Early in his career he spent a season in each of the independent Northern and Texas-Louisiana Leagues.

How did you get your start as a professional umpire?

From the time I was young I knew I wanted to pursue a career in professional umpiring. When I was growing up in Arizona, I played sports, but I always had a stronger interest in the officiating end of sports, especially baseball. In Junior High and High School I began umpiring Little League games and it paid a few bucks a game. It was a way of making money and having fun at the same time doing a part-time job, and it beat mowing lawns or working at a fast-food restaurant after school! During college I became involved in officiating basketball, but I decided that baseball was my sport. I thought I was pretty good, so I began umpiring high school baseball when I was 19 and became acquainted with a few Minor League umpires who lived in the Phoenix area (one of whom was Mike Snader, a Southern League Umpire at that time, and currently a police sergeant with the Major League Baseball Security Department). These umpires were very influential in the launching of my professional career in baseball. As a result of their advice (and against the advice of my parents--they thought I was crazy), I decided to leave the University of Arizona to attend the Brinkman-Froemming Umpire School in Cocoa, FL at the age of 20 in 1994. It was there that I discovered that I really wasn't very good at all. I was competing among 120 other students who were also hopeful of landing in the group of 10 who would be chosen at the end of the five-week school to move on to the Major League Baseball Umpire Development Program's annual evaluation course (now operating as the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation). There, these 10 students would compete against each other as well as the 20 students selected from the other two schools who were also hopeful of landing one of only a handful of open positions at the rookie level of professional baseball. Needless to say, because of the unexpected competitiveness and my lack of experience, I was not one of the chosen few that year. However, this did not discourage me. It only made me want it more. In fact, I went back home to Phoenix, and still with the fire in my belly; I used my training to climb the ladder in the amateur umpiring ranks. I worked any games I could get my hands on, including college games. Then I was hired to umpire in the Texas-Louisiana League in 1995 and the Northern League in 1996, both of which are independent minor leagues. By January of 1997 I felt I had the tools that I needed to make it into organized professional baseball, so I enrolled in the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring and, upon completion, was fortunate enough to be one of the chosen ones that year to be placed into the Minor Leagues. That is when my career in the affiliated minor league system began. I am 30 years old now and have never looked back!

What is your favorite thing about being an umpire in professional baseball?

As far as the job itself, I absolutely love the time I get to spend on the field every night. The intensity and the concentration that are associated with umpiring a professional game are very challenging, and that makes the job very fun. It is not the same old routine day in and day out like a "9- to-5" job can be. New situations and unusual plays arise every night and you always have to be on your toes, because if you're not, you will be the subject of the local news and the top story in the local newspaper the next morning, and your job will be in jeopardy. As for the perks, there are many. The best one is the travel and the amount of free time that come with the job. I am in a different city about every four days. During my years in baseball, I have been fortunate enough to visit well over half of the states in the union. I have met people everywhere (one or two I wish I never would have met) and I have established friendships with these people, including fellow umpires that will last a lifetime.

What's the toughest thing about working in the Minor Leagues?

Hands down, the most difficult part of this job is being away from the ones you love for half the year. I come from a very close-knit family and I truly miss them when I am away. The commitment to this job causes you to make sacrifices, such as missing significant events like family weddings, graduations, Mother's Day/Father's Day, births, etc. The upside is that in the age of cell phones and the Internet, loved ones are only a click away.

In your opinion, what qualities make a good umpire? In my opinion, a good umpire is one who has a good feel for the game of baseball and has the instincts to react to a play or a non-routine situation before it happens, not while it is happening or after it happens, because then it is too late. The game is played with a great deal of emotion, and as an umpire you cannot become caught up in that emotion. Rather, you must be the fair, calm, levelheaded arbitrator of the game. I think of myself as a cop on the field. I'm there to enforce the rules and see that the game is played fairly. Most of the time, I am just a background figure, but every now and then, I have to send someone to "jail" if they are not abiding by the law. It sounds like a silly analogy, but in all seriousness, that is where you earn your money as an umpire. There are many people who have the ability to call balls and strikes, safes and outs, fairs and fouls for a few hours a night, but there are few who have the competency to successfully handle the unusual situations that arise. You must have good people skills and you must be a good communicator. You need the right demeanor and the ability to defuse an argument or volatile situation in a game. The easy way out of a tough situation is to send someone to the showers, but if you continually choose this path, you are only creating problems for yourself down the road. Certainly, there are times when this is the best course of action, but when you can prevent this last resort by keeping an argument from escalating, you have succeeded. I have come a long way in these areas throughout the course of my career. Another thing is you must be in good physical shape to be a good umpire. The job is very physically demanding, and if you don't have the ability to be in the best position for every call, you will not last in this game. How do you spend your "free time" on the road? All umpires have different ways of spending their down time on the road. Personally, I like to spend a couple hours a day at the local gym. It keeps me in shape for the job. I enjoy spending time with my partners, and I equally enjoy some alone time during the day on the computer, watching television and reading the newspaper. In the summer months, I spend a great deal of my time by a pool or ocean. I jump on any chance I get to be in the water. I find it interesting to explore the local cultures and visit the various landmarks and attractions in the different cities. Also, I am a member of the 5-man Board of Directors for the Association of Minor League Umpires (our union), so these days I spend quite a bit of time involving myself with union matters. At night after the games, I like to check out some of the local establishments. I feel it is very important to have a social life outside of baseball at times.

Who are some of the more memorable players you have seen during your time umpiring in the minors?

To be honest with you, I don't involve myself with keeping track of the "superstars." Sure I see players I have had on the field in the Minors on ESPN Sportcenter every night who are now having successful careers in the Majors. But, to me, the players I remember and respect the most are the ones who come out every night and work hard at their job and do not spend time worrying about the umpiring. We have a job to do as well, and at the Double-A level, most of us have a pretty solid grasp of what that is. Yes, we are human and we make mistakes every now and then just as the players do, but we learn from these mistakes in the low Minor Leagues, and so, as a result, the umpiring improves along with the level of play. I have never played professional baseball and the players have never umpired professional baseball, so we will never have a true understanding of what it's like on the other side, though we must respect each other's roles in the game. But I don't waste my time worrying about what could have happened if a player didn't miss the "hit and run" sign, and a player shouldn't put too much stock in an umpire calling him out on strikes on a pitch that he believed might have been a fraction of an inch off the plate. Chances are if he would have swung at such a pitch, he wouldn't have missed the "hit and run" and he could have driven in a run. If players are overly concerning themselves with our jobs while trying to prepare for the Big Leagues, their focus is in the wrong place.

What has been your most memorable moment thus far in your career?

Wow. There have been so many! It is hard to put my finger on any one moment in particular, and it would be impossible to try to list all the great memories I have had. I will say that I have had no regrets and the memories I have will stay with me for a lifetime.

What is the best career advice you ever received?

The best advice I received was from one of my supervisors back in rookie ball. He said, "Son, God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason: listen twice as much as you talk." This has been a great quote to live by in umpiring, and in life. In arguments on the field, being a good communicator requires just the right amount of listening. If you try to say too much, you increase your chances of saying the wrong thing or saying something you don't mean, which can be turned around on you and can come back to haunt you. You shouldn't always insist on "getting in the last word."

What advice would you give to someone interested in following in your footsteps?

First, make sure you are aware of the time and dedication this job demands before you spend your money on attending an umpiring school. Realize the commitment that is required to persevere as a professional umpire in order to hopefully one day make it to the Big Leagues. My best advice: finish college before you attend umpire school! Your odds of earning a college degree and landing a job after college are far greater than your odds of earning a job in professional baseball, let alone reaching the Major League level. Here's an alarming statistic: less than one-half of one percent of all students who attend umpire school will eventually make it to the Majors. But, if you do finish college and you do make it out of umpire school, you should never ever have the attitude that the odds will beat you. Even though you are chasing a dream, the only way to make that dream a reality is to think that you will beat the odds...someone has to make it so why not me? That attitude has helped me reach the level I am at today. Other advice: always listen to the more experienced umpires above you and to your supervisors, and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Don't let your ego get in the way of learning and becoming a better umpire. The advice they give you is from things they have learned over the years, and you are foolish if you do not take their advice. This can only make you a better and more competent umpire in the time to come. I have been afforded the luxury of being around many Major League umpires and other more experienced umpires over the years through teaching with them at umpire school and at clinics in the off-season. I can learn more just from listening to them in one weekend than I can from spending an entire season with my peers, and implementing their suggestions in my job has been an integral part of my success. Also, work hard every night, stay in shape, keep a positive attitude, and never allow the job or the travel come between you and the ones you love.

You are a huge game show fan. What game show would you like to be on most and why?

Ah, yes, the game show thing! Actually, the word "fan" is a derivative of the word "fanatic" and I don't think that word adequately describes me when it comes to game shows. I think "junkie" is the appropriate term. From an early age, I have always loved television game shows. It is good clean, fun TV, and when I was a kid, game shows dominated the networks every morning. In the summertime, my siblings and I would spend our mornings watching game shows and our afternoons in the pool. For many years, talk shows took over the dial, but in the last five or six years, I have been glad to see game shows making their return. One show that has remained on the air as long as I have been alive, and is my favorite, is The Price is Right on CBS. It is the only show of its kind that selects its contestants on the spot right out of the audience and its dialogue is totally unscripted and spontaneous. The show's host, Bob Barker, at the ripe age of 80, still has the quick wits to bring out the excitement in people and can make a new refrigerator seem like a pot of gold. I have always had a true love for that show. In fact, it was in 1991, while I was supposed to be in class in Tucson, that my Mom happened to be watching the show one day and spotted me sitting in the audience with my girlfriend. We had decided to drive over to Hollywood and check out the show in person. Then, the following spring break, I went to the Los Angeles area with a group of friends and we mixed in a visit to The Price is Right. I really wanted to compete as a contestant on the show, and sure enough, I was picked out of the audience and earned my way up on stage. I won a "lovely" bedroom set, a "handsome" hand-painted wooden trunk, some after shave, and an air cleaner, all totaling about $4,500.00 (actual retail price!). It was one of the highlights of my life! I continue to watch and visit the show periodically in the off-seasons, and as a result of becoming acquainted with some members of the staff, I have been on stage during some tapings and have gotten know the announcer and some of the models. My love for game shows does not stop there. In January I auditioned for the Game Show Network's WHAMMY! The All New Press Your Luck and was called in for a taping in March. I competed as a contestant for "big bucks" on the half-hour show, which aired May 19 on the Game Show Network. Who knows...maybe there is a future for me in the game show world if for some reason umpiring doesn't work out!

Southern League News and Notes

Orlando Rays' relief pitcher Evan Rust was the Southern League winner of the Rolaids Relief Man competition for May, compiling 25 points on 9 saves and a 0-1 record.

The Mobile BayBears held an overnight campout for the Mobile Area Council Boy Scouts of America Friday May 30th. Over 1,000 Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and volunteers camped out on the field at Hank Aaron Stadium. The Boy Scouts also presented the colors and lead the Pledge of Allegiance prior to the BayBears' game against the Chattanooga Lookouts.

The Birmingham Barons announced that Mark Haley is their new hitting coach filling the spot left vacant when Gregg Ritchie was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte last month. Haley joins the Barons from Advanced Rookie Great Falls. Haley is in his 12th season in the White Sox organization having served as hitting coach at Class A Winston Salem and Manager of Class A Hickory.

The Greenville Braves' annual baseball camp will be held June 23rd-June 25th at Greenville Municipal Stadium. Led by G-Braves' manager, children who enroll will enjoy three days of hands-on instruction from Greenville Braves' professional baseball players, coaches and staff.

The San Diego Padres will host a Free Agent Tryout Saturday June 28th at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, AL starting at 10:00 am. All interested players ages 16 and older with no prior professional experience are invited to attend.

Tennessee Smokies got some major league names into the lineup when the St. Louis Cardinals sent closer Jason Isringhausen and catcher Joe Girardi to the Smokies for a major league rehabilitation assignment. Isringhausen is recovering from shoulder surgery and the former Chicago Cubs' catcher Girardi is trying to get over the shoulder problems that have kept him from the big leagues this year.

Jacksonville Suns' Hitting Coach Pat Harrison is filling in as interim manager for the Suns for a few days as Dino Ebel is attending to family business in California. Harrison will manage the team for the four –game series in Orlando June 9-12 with Ebel returning to the dugout Friday against Greenville.

Orlando Rays' outfielder Matt Diaz was named the Topps Player of the Month for the Southern League. Diaz exploded during the month of May hitting .409 with 45 hits, 13 doubles, four home runs, 26 RBI, and 20 runs scored. Diaz was promoted to AAA Durham on June 9.

Clubhouse Chatter

BIRMINGHAM BARONS

1B RYAN HANKINS hit a solo homer in the top of the 10th inning and 3B GABE ALVAREZ added a two-run homer in the inning to beat Tennessee, 5-4, on May 22. Hankins went 18-for-47 during an 11-game hit streak from May 12-24 and Alvarez went 10-for-15 from May 19-22...LHP ROYCE RING extended his scoreless innings streak to 20 1/3 over 19 games through May 28. Ring allowed 10 hits and fanned 28 during the streak while picking up 13 saves...LHP LUIS MARTINEZ was pounded for seven runs and 11 hits over five innings in a 7-5 loss to Huntsville on May 28. Martinez had allowed just eight earned runs in his first 10 starts, not allowing more than two in any game.

LHP NEAL COTTS struck out a career-high 12 batters over 6 1/3 innings in a 9-1 win against Huntsville on May 29. Cotts, allowed a run, four hits and two walks. On June 3, Cotts left with a sore shoulder after fanning four batters over two scoreless innings against West Tenn. Cotts has held righthanders to a .169 average this season. His 85 strikeouts led the league...SS GUILLERMO REYES, batting .204, drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat West Tenn, 2-1, on June 3...LHP ROYCE RING had his streak of 21 1/3 scoreless innings over 20 outings snapped on June 3 when he allowed a home run in the ninth inning against West Tenn...RHP BRIAN WEST pitched a three-hitter in a rain-shortened, 10-1 complete game win against West Tenn on June 2 to improve to 3-4 with a 5.19 ERA.

CAROLINA MUDCATS

2B JESUS MEDRANO was placed on the disabled list with lower back pains. Medrano was 3-for-21 since joining the club from Albuquerque...OF TOMMY BOST joined the club from Jupiter (.280, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 8 SB) and went 0-for-5 in his first two games...OF CHIP AMBRES hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning to beat Jacksonville, 3-2, on May 23...LHP TODD MOSER pitched six scoreless innings (6 H, 2 BB, 6 SO) in a 6-0 win against Tennessee on May 28 to improve to 2-2, 2.76 ERA...SS JOSH WILSON went 4-for-5 with two doubles on May 28 in a 6-0 win against Tennessee.

OF CHRIS AGUILA led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run to lift the Mudcats over the Tennessee Smokies, 6-5, May 29. LHP SEAN FESH earned his eighth relief win of the season, his league-leading seventh in the Southern League, with a pair of strikeouts in a perfect ninth inning. Aguila had not committed an error in 52 games through June 4...1B ADRIAN GONZALEZ was sent down from Albuquerque (.216, 1 HR, 18 RBI) and went 4-for-18 in his first five games. He was 2-for-his-last-25 in the PCL...LHP TODD MOSER allowed one unearned run and 13 hits over three starts from May 23-June 2. He pitched seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 win against Greenville on June 2 and six scoreless in a 6-0 win against Tennessee on May 28. Moser improved to 3-2 with a 2.27 ERA in seven starts for the season.

CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS

SS RAINIER OLMEDO re-joined the Lookouts after going 0-for-5 in two games for the Reds...RHP DUSTIN MOSELY allowed two earned runs over six innings and collected a single and a double during an eight-run third inning in an 8-5 win against Tennessee on May 26. C BRIAN PETERSON singled twice in the inning...OF STEVE SMITHERMAN had played 50 games without an error through May 28...3B SANTIAGO PEREZ hit .364 (28-77, 4 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 9 SB) in 18 games May 10-28.

RHP RYAN MOTTL fanned nine batters, including the side in the second and sixth innings, over six innings in a 3-2 loss at Mobile on May 30. Mottl allowed a run on seven hits. The 25-year-old had allowed just six earned runs in his last six starts but had just one win to show for his efforts...C DANE SARDINHA's RBI single in the top of the 11th inning beat Mobile, 7-6, on May 29...RHP JOSH HALL tossed six scoreless innings (3 H, 3 BB, 3 SO) in a 7-0 win at Orlando on June 3 to improve to 3-5, 2.74 ERA. OF STEVE SMITHERMAN went 5-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. Smitherman went 13-for-27 with three doubles, a triple, three homers and nine RBI in his last six games...OF ALEJANDRO DIAZ stole three bases on June 1 in a 7-2 win at Orlando.

GREENVILLE BRAVES

RHP BRETT EVERT, moved to the bullpen after going 1-5, 5.18 ERA in seven starts, fanned six batters over two scoreless innings on May 23 against Orlando. RHP BO NELSON pitched six scoreless innings of four-hit ball to record the 7-4 victory. He was 4-4 with a 3.83 ERA after losing, 6-5, to West Tenn on May 28...After homering just once all season, SS KELLY JOHNSON homered May 25 & 26 at Orlando. Johnson hit .323 (21-65) in 19 games from May 3-27 to raise his average to .275.

1B ADAM LAROCHE had a single and three-run double during a seven-run eighth inning in an 11-4 win at Carolina on May 31. OF RYAN LANGERHANS hit three doubles in the game and 2B RICHARD LEWIS had three hits, including his third homer. Lewis also went 24 games without an error through June 4. LaRoche ranked fourth in the league with 11 dingers through June 4...RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT allowed two runs and eight hits over seven innings in a 4-2 win at Carolina on June 1. The 21-year-old was 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his last six starts to improve to 4-2, 2.69 ERA overall.

HUNTSVILLE STARS

RHP BEN DIGGINS (3-2, 2.36 ERA), a 2000 first-round pick, was placed on the disabled list with a partially torn MCL in his elbow which may require season-ending surgery...OF DAVE KRYNZEL committed two errors in the third inning but the Stars went on to defeat West Tenn, 5-2, on May 23. Krynzel had a 10-game hitting streak snapped on May 28 at Birmingham. He was 18-for-40 on the streak. The 2000 first-round pick swiped four bases on May 24 against West Tenn and was leading the loop with 21 steals, 37 runs and seven triples through May 28...3B COREY HART went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs in a 13-9 win against West Tenn on May 24...RHP MATT PARKER allowed no earned runs in six consecutive games from May 3-27 (18.2 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 6 BB, 14 SO). He picked up three wins and a save.

C MIKE KREMBLAS went 4-for-5 with four RBI in an 11-inning, 5-4 win against Mobile on May 31. He had a two-run single in the seventh, an RBI single in the 9th to force extra innings and the game-winning RBI single in the 11th...OF CHRIS COSBEY (.171, 0 HR, 6 RBI) was traded to the Phillies...SS J.J. HARDY hit a solo homer in the first inning and a two-run shot in the sixth in a 6-3 loss against Mobile on June 3. Hardy was fourth in the league in slugging (.570), fifth in on-base percentage (.422) and ninth in batting (.320) through June 4. The 20-year-old had 23 walks and 14 strikeouts and just seven errors in his first 38 games...LHP LUIS MARTINEZ allowed three unearned runs and six hits in a complete game, 11-3 win against Mobile on June 2 to improve to 5-3 with a 1.84 ERA...OF DAVE KRYNZEL hit .462 (18-39, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 RBI, 8 SB) in 11 games May 23-June 2. Through June 4, he led the loop with 21 steals and seven triples and was eighth in batting at .321.

JACKSONVILLE SUNS

RHP ALFREDO GONZALEZ was activated from the disabled list and went 1-0, 2.45 ERA in his first three starts. Gonzalez was out all season with arm problems...RHP RYAN MINOR, the former Orioles third base prospect, joined the club from Vero Beach (0-0, 2.70 ERA) as he attempts to convert to the mound...2B VICTOR DIAZ homered May 27 & 28 against Orlando, capping a 15-game stretch in which he went 24-for-56...RHP EDWIN JACKSON, the youngest pitcher in the league at 19, allowed eight runs -- six earned -- and 26 hits over 41 2/3 innings in seven starts from April 22-May 26, but he managed just one win.

RHP ALFREDO GONZALEZ was tagged for five runs and 12 hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 12-4 loss at Jacksonville on June 1. The 22-year-old was 1-1, 4.08 ERA in his first four starts...OF REGGIE ABERCROMBIE hit safely in 12 straight games (17-43, 6 2B, 2 3B, 5 RBI, 4 SB) May 20-June 2, raising his average from .206 to .262. The 22-year-old had seven walks and 59 strikeouts in his first 40 games...RHP STEVE LANGONE allowed no earned runs in 20 2/3 innings (1R) over 10 straight outings from April 22-May 28 before giving up seven runs -- four earned -- over 1 1/3 innings on June 1 against Tennessee...RHP JOEL HANRAHAN allowed a run and five hits over seven innings in a 6-1 win against Tennessee on June 2 to improve to 6-2 with a 2.32 ERA. He had allowed just five earned runs in his last five starts.

MOBILE BAYBEARS

LHP ROGER DEAGO re-joined the club from San Diego (0-1, 7.84 ERA) and went 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his first two outings back...After going 0-4 with a 6.11 ERA in his first eight starts, RHP BRAD BAKER, a 1999 first-round pick, was moved to the bullpen and pitched three scoreless innings in his first two starts...LHP CORY STEWART allowed two runs or fewer in seven consecutive starts April 21-May 27 (41.1 IP, 22 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 15 BB, 45 SO), going 4-1...1B JON KNOTT hit .371 (26-70) with seven doubles, seven homers and 19 RBI in 20 games from May 6-28. He was tied for second in the league in home runs (11) and was fourth in RBI (35).

3B RICO WASHINGTON homered and drove in four runs in a 6-3 win against Huntsville on June 3...Through June 4, 2B JAKE GAUTREAU was batting .205 (8-39) with 11 strikeouts against fellow lefthanders. He also was hitting .167 with runners in scoring position. The former Pirates prospect leads the club in batting (.293) and ranks second in homers (6) and RBI (25) through June 4...SS KHALIL GREENE went 17-for-43 in 10 games from May 23-June 2 to lift his average 28 points to .265. He walked 14 times in April but just twice since...RHP CHRIS OXSPRING pitched five scoreless innings in a 3-2 win against Chattanooga to extend his scoreless inning streak to 17 2/3 innings.

ORLANDO RAYS

SS ANTONIO PEREZ (.272, 2 HR, 10 RBI) was promoted to Durham...LHP JOHN ROCKER allowed six runs, three hits and five walks in one inning on May 23 against Greenville, a 7-4 loss...OF MATT DIAZ hit .408 (29-71, 10 2B, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 3 SB) in 18 games from May 9-28. He had not committed an error in his first 51 games, and he ranked second in batting (.374) and hits (73)...The Rays pounded out 17 hits and all nine batters drove in a run in a 15-5 win against Jacksonville on May 27. 3B JUAN SALAS and SS JORGE CANTU each homered. RHP MATT WHITE, a former first-round pick who has struggled with arm problems the last three years, started and allowed four runs over five innings.

OF J.J. GOMES hit a pair of home runs and drove in three runs in a 5-2 win over Jacksonville on May 30. It was the second time in the past 18 days that the 22-year-old had hit a pair of home runs off of Heath Totten in a contest. In fact, Gomes has homered off of the Los Angeles Dodgers prospect in four of his last five at-bats. The younger brother of fellow Tampa Bay Devil Rays farmhand J.G., Gomes doubled in his other plate appearance against Totten...LHP JOHN ROCKER fanned all three hitters he faced in the ninth inning against Jacksonville on May 29. On June 1 against Chattanooga, he allowed two homers and four runs over two innings...RHP JOSE VERAS pitched a two-hitter with seven strikeouts over eight innings in a 5-0 win against Chattanooga on June 2. It was his second win in 12 starts this season.

TENNESSEE SMOKIES

1B BRANDON SING (.209, 5 HR, 23 RBI) was sent to Daytona on May 25...RHP NICK STOCKS allowed eight runs -- all in the third inning -- and seven hits over 2 2/3 innings in an 8-5 loss at Chattanooga on May 26...The Smokies scored four runs on four walks, two hit-by-pitches and one hit in the ninth inning to defeat Chattanooga, 7-4, on May 23...RHP JEREMY CUMMINGS pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings of three-hit ball in a 2-0 win at Chattanooga May 24 to improve to 5-4 with a 3.66 ERA...RHP MIKE LYONS allowed no earned runs in 20 consecutive games April 14-May 27 (19.2 IP, 12 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 28 SO), picking up a win and 15 saves.

C YADIER MOLINA went 14-for-34 with a homer and nine RBI during a nine-game hitting streak through June 5 to lift his average 30 points to .293. Molina had a pair of three-hit games against Jacksonville on June 2 & 3...3B COREY ERICKSON hit a grand slam during a five-run sixth inning of a 6-3 win at Jacksonville on May 31. He went 9-for-16 with four doubles and six RBI in four games May 29-June 1 after going 1-for-25...RHP MIKE LYONS, the league leader in saves with 17, allowed a ninth-inning homer to Chris Aguila to lose, 6-5, to Carolina on May 29 and snap his streak of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run at 19 2/3...RHP JEREMY CUMMINGS struck out a season-high 12 batters as the Smokies blanked the Suns, 6-0, on June 3. Cummings, who was selected in the 21st round of the 1999 draft, faced three batters over the minimum, giving up just a fourth-inning single and hitting a batter over eight scoreless innings for his sixth win of the season. The 26-year-old has allowed just two earned runs and 20 hits with 32 strikeouts in his last 39 innings, improving to 6-4 with a 3.62 ERA overall.

WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX

OF DAVID KELTON has been converted from third base. He had made 11 errors in 33 games...OF JASON DUBOIS doubled home three runs in the top of the 11th inning to down Huntsville, 4-1, on May 26. Through May 28, Dubois led the league with a .444 on-base percentage...OF JACKSON MELIAN joined the club from Iowa (.180, 3 HR, 9 RBI) and homered May 27 & 28 against Greenville. The 23-year-old, a one-time top prospect while with the Yankees, hit .308 in 71 games for the Jaxx last season.

RHP ANGEL GUZMAN combined with two relievers on a seven-hit shutout on May 29 as the Diamond Jaxx blanked Greenville, 1-0. 2B JOHN POWERS drove in the lone run with a fourth-inning double. Guzman, who was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Cubs on November 12, 1999, scattered six hits and struck out 11 batters in seven scoreless innings to earn his first win this season. On June 3, Guzman allowed a run and six hits over eight innings in a no-decision against Birmingham, a 2-1 loss. One of the top pitching prospects in the Cubs organization, the 21-year-old has allowed three or fewer runs in nine of his 12 starts, including three scoreless outings, and has a 3.26 ERA over 69 innings...OF JASON DUBOIS had four hits and drove in two runs in a 2-0 win at Greenville on May 30. Through June 4, Dubois was leading the league in on-base percentage (.445).

SL BC Powder Hitter/Pitcher of the Week

Hitter of the Week (May 23-May 29)

Tarrik Brock – Jacksonville Suns

Jacksonville Suns' outfielder Tarrik Brock was named the BC Powder Southern League Co-Hitter of the Week. Brock hit .440 (11-for-25), drove in eight runs and scored six times. Brock smacked five extra-base hits with four doubles and a home run. For the week, the 29-year-old had a .720 slugging percentage and a .533 on-base percentage. A Southern League veteran, Brock was originally selected by the Detroit Tigers in the June 1991 draft. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Brock as a free agent in 2002. He resides in Tarzana, CA.

Matt Diaz – Orlando Rays

Orlando Rays' outfielder Matt Diaz was named the BC Powder Southern League Co-Hitter of the Week. Diaz hit .444 (12-for-27), drove in 10 runs and scored twice. Diaz smacked five extra-base hits with four doubles and a home run. For the week, the 25-year-old had a .704 slugging percentage and a .448 on-base percentage. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected Diaz in the 17th round of the June 1999 draft out of Florida State University. He resides in Winter Haven, FL.

Pitcher of the Week (May 23-May29)

Matt Parker – Huntsville Stars

Huntsville Stars' pitcher Matt Parker was honored as the BC Powder Southern League Pitcher of the Week after picking up two wins. The big righthander picked up the win against the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx on May 23 pitching 1.2 innings, surrendering no runs on no hits and got another win against the Birmingham Barons on May 27 pitching five innings, surrendering no runs on one hit. For the week, the 24-year-old pitched 6.2 innings, surrendering no runs on one hit while striking out three and walking three. The St. Louis Cardinals originally selected Diaz in the 31st round of the June 1999 draft out of Mercer University before he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2000. He resides in Hartsfield, GA.

Hitter of the Week (May 30-June 5)

Stephen Smitherman – Chattanooga Lookouts Chattanooga Lookouts' outfielder Stephen Smitherman was named the BC Powder Southern League Hitter of the Week for his outstanding offensive week. Smitherman hit .538 (14-for-26), drove in nine runs and scored five times. The big leftfielder smacked eight extra-base hits with four doubles, a triple and three home runs. For the week, the 24-year-old had a 1.12 slugging percentage and a .538 on-base percentage. Smitherman is ranked by Baseball America as the 13th best prospect in the Cincinnati Reds' organization. The Reds selected Smitherman in the 23rd round of the June 2000 draft out of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. He resides in Hartshorne, OK.

Pitcher of the Week (May 30-June 5)

Jeremy Cummings

Tennessee Smokies' starting pitcher Jeremy Cummings was honored as the BC Powder Southern League Pitcher of the Week after an outstanding outing against the Jacksonville Suns June 3. The big righthander pitched 8.0 innings, surrendering no runs on one hit while striking out 12 and walking nobody. Cummings' efforts have helped the Tennessee Smokies remain in the race for the first half East Division title where they remain two games back of the Carolina Mudcats with 11 days remaining in the half. The St. Louis Cardinals selected the 26-year-old in the 21st round of the June 1999 draft out of West Virginia University. He resides in Hurricane, WV.

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Southern League Stories from June 10, 2003


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