Southern Bases

May 27, 2003 - Southern League (SL1) News Release

Two-and-a-half million dollars. That is the average salary for a Major League Baseball player. Two billion plus dollars is the aggregate of the 2003 Opening Day payrolls of all thirty Major League teams. It is no secret that the baseball economy is in disarray and numbers like these suggest that baseball is not going to come out of its financial slump anytime soon. Salaries that reach these figures are in large part due to large market owners throwing their cash at the best players money can buy. Meanwhile, the baseball economic system is being thrown out of whack and forcing officials to consider contracting small market teams that are trying their best to compete through the development of their farm system. Often the case is that once the small market team develops and establishes a talent, he bolts for a large market offer. In essence, the small market teams are serving as a farm system for wealthy owners.

The question is who sets the bar for the salaries, the players or the owners? Unfortunately, the large market owners set the salary bar in bidding wars for the prize free agent of the year. This is where the exorbitant salaries begin to trickle down into the game itself. Smaller markets know that they cannot compete with the rising salaries and seem to fear spending millions of dollars and still not win. The value of a dollar is greater to the small market team than it is to a team like the Yankees. If these small market teams pay the amount for players that the large market team does, the smaller markets will not be able to pay for any other quality players. For instance, Alex Rodriguez signed a ten-year, $252 million contract, which averages out to be $25.2 million per year. The 2003 Opening Day payroll for all of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays was a paltry $19.6 million (cut from $34.38 million in 2002), or just under $6 million less than that one player. The Yankees' Opening Day payroll was nearly $150 million. Just a couple of years ago the Yankees made headlines by breaking the $100 million mark in payroll. By the time they acquired Raul Mondesi and Jeff Weaver in mid-season trades last season, their payroll was more than a $100 million dollars more than the team with the lowest payroll, Tampa Bay. How are these teams supposed to compete?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are operating at a loss of $40 million to $50 million after the 2002 season. Despite winning the World Series in 2001 and earning an extra $13 million through that feat, they still lost $44.4 million during that season. This team is losing considerably more money than Tampa Bay is even spending. They became World Champions because they are willing to suffer such losses for now, whereas teams that cannot afford losses of such magnitude suffer as the bottom feeders of the league while having trouble competing let alone winning. That hardly seems fair. In an effort to cut down their losses, the Diamondbacks deferred $51.75 million of 2002 salaries. Even though they were able to gain an increase in revenue through ticket sales after a championship season, it was not enough to offset the increase in player salaries for last year. What about last year's World Champions? The Anaheim Angels do business in a contrasting manner to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They spend their money modestly and were ranked fifteenth among thirty teams last year, at just over $61 million in payroll. That is a mid-level team that managed to succeed with payroll parity, or the fact that the success of the team was not based upon the success of a few paid players. However, the team was still projecting a loss of $8 million to $10 million. Although it was good to see a mid-level team win a championship, they were still spending too much on salary. Coincidentally, if you subtract the losses from the player salaries of the past two World Series winners, their budget is very similar, within the $50 million to $55 million range. The fact that the Angels are portrayed in generally good economic shape while still losing the amount that they are, does not show a positive image of the economics of baseball. They just seem to be in good shape because they are operating at losses more than $30 million less than the previous champion. The price of winning has become excessive when a $10 million loss seems modest. Unfortunately, it is also a necessary evil when it comes to competing with larger markets. The Southern League is diversely affiliated with both the large and small market problem in baseball. While the Southern League is affiliated with four of the bottom five teams in terms of salary (Florida, Milwaukee, San Diego, and Tampa Bay) it is also affiliated with some of baseball's larger markets in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. The 2003 season has already shown a difference in the flexibility of these markets. When injuries struck the Marlins' pitching staff, they were forced to call upon Carolina Mudcat, Dontrelle Willis and the Padres summoned Roger Reago from Mobile to make a couple of starts. Meanwhile, the Braves can afford to have more depth and were able to sign Shane Reynolds and send a steady member of last year's pitching staff, Jason Marquis to Triple-A Richmond. The Devil Rays called upon infielder Felix Escalona twice to fill in for injured Rey Ordonez, but were forced to designate him for assignment after the second call-up. He is now playing for the Orioles in Bowie instead of helping Orlando. While these smaller markets are placing more emphasis on player development, their lack of flexibility will sometimes force their hand to call upon someone before they would like or before the player is ready to make the leap to the major leagues. Some players are ready, others are ruined and difficult to replace, while the larger markets can simply find a free agent replacement.

Baseball is fast becoming a business in which decisions are based on the fear of losing too much money. After all, one's job is on the line when it comes to making executive decisions. Oakland Athletics' GM Billy Beane would not initially give Jason Giambi a no-trade clause, realizing and fearing the ramifications of being stuck with such a large contract and abundance of young talent. He could not afford the loss of roster flexibility with one player. Building a team is exactly that, not a player, but a unit of players. Cleveland Indians' GM Mark Shapiro has done an excellent job of shipping high-priced veterans for highly touted prospects in an effort to rebuild the franchise to a championship caliber. He realized that tying up so much money in a veteran team that was not on a championship level would mean the team would flounder in mediocrity for a few years before losing the veterans anyway.

There is not a contract negotiation that does not involve the phrase "this is a business." The problem is that players realize that it is a business for them to make money. They are right, a business should make money and since they are the product, they should be paid accordingly. The mistakes in thought are that the players think that the owners are so wealthy that they can afford these salaries to pay the players. Yes, the owners are quite wealthy, but baseball is also a business investment to them. They are also in business to make money, or at least break even.

Unfortunately, money has taken over the aspect of winning. Understandably so, but only a select few can afford to buy the players they need to win. In the case of the Diamondbacks, they cannot afford the players needed, but they have them anyway. The fact is that very few teams are making money. In any other business, the business would go under, but for some reason players are under the assumption that they are the only ones who need to make money. Baseball should not be a non-profit organization!

* This editorial does not necessarily express the views of the Southern League or its members.

Southern League Personalities

Charlie Montoyo, Orlando Rays
Manager

A fiery motivator and passionate teacher, Montoyo enters his seventh season with the Devil Rays organization, all as a minor league manager. This is Charlie's first season with Orlando, and he joins the O-Rays after spending the last two seasons with the Class A Bakersfield Blaze. With Montoyo at the helm the Blaze qualified for the 2001 California League playoffs, and Bakersfield was the only Tampa affiliate to qualify for the playoffs that season. Prior to Bakersfield Montoyo led the Class A Charleston (SC) RiverDogs from 1999-2000. He owns a career managing record of 278-284 for a .495 winning percentage. Before his managing career he spent 10 years as a professional baseball player in the Brewers, Expos and Phillies organizations, making it to the big leagues once in his 10-year career.

You played this game professionally for a decade and now you have managed for seven years. What is the biggest difference in Minor League Baseball since your playing days?
The biggest difference now is the kids (players) get more money, and are more secure. When I played the real goal was to make it to the big leagues just to make some money. Now kids already have the money — it's not that the kids are working any less, they are still working hard; but at least they have something if it doesn't work out – they're set for life.

What is the biggest difference between baseball at the lower levels and Double-A?
Experience. Like anything else, the more you play, the more you learn. There should be an emphasis on winning everywhere in the organization, because you want to develop championship players.

How differently do you handle players at the lower levels and Double-A?
At the lower levels guys get more of a chance, but here, you either do it or you go home. They used to call it "Double-A tops", because guys get here and for some reason they hit a wall, and that's it. Here you go to the next level, or that's it for you. Here you have to tell the guys the truth – you have to tell them, hey listen, you better get it going because they're going to make some moves soon. It's tougher here. It's easier in the lower levels because you can tell the guys "You're gonna be O.K.; you might come back next year to the same league but we'll get you going," but here, they might end up going home.

What do you enjoy the most about being a minor league manager?
I like being a leader. Even when I played, I liked being a leader. I have my own ideas (about being a leader) and I like reading books about goals, and about all different kinds of people, different coaches and managers, and then trying to get all those points together and do it my way.

What is the toughest thing about your profession?
It's really tough. You have to worry about 25 guys plus three coaches, so you have 28 guys to take care of. There's always something happening - one guy might be happy, one guy might be sad, and you have to talk to them. You have to be like a dad to them sometimes – you end up being a coach, a counselor, a father figure.

What is your fondest memory of your baseball career thus far?
When I was called up to the big leagues. I got a hit in my very first at bat to win the game (with Montreal against Colorado on September 7,2003 - Charlie stroked a game-winning double in his first MLB at-bat).

Who are some of the players that you have enjoyed watching the most during your career?
When I got to the bigs, it was fun just watching Ozzie Smith take infield. Eddie Murray was another, especially when he was with the Mets.

What should we expect out of the Orlando Rays this season?
We're going to get better. You'll see them playing hard all the time, and you'll see them get better as the season goes on.

Baseball America ranks Tampa Bay's organization as a top 10 in talent. Are you excited about getting a chance to help develop these prospects into solid Major League players and helping Lou Piniella and the big league staff turn the organization around?
Of course – that's what its all about. Turning it all around is what we are trying to do. The last couple years for the Devil Rays haven't been very good, but hopefully we can get back to winning in the minor leagues, so when these players get to the big leagues they are winners. People get used to losing; we're human beings. If you lose everywhere, you're going to lose in the big leagues too.

Southern League News and Notes

Minor League Baseball teams attracted 5.7 million fans in games played through April, the highest total in the 102-year history of the organization.

John Rocker is back with the Orlando Rays after a brief stint in the big leagues. Rocker appeared in two games during his short stint with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The big lefthander pitched one inning, surrendered one run on two hits, while walking three and hitting one batter. He finished with a 9.00 ERA before being sent back to Orlando.

When the Birmingham Barons won the first game of a doubleheader against the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx May 12 they set a new record for most consecutive home wins. The victory was their tenth straight at the Hoover Met and eclipsed the previous high of nine straight set back in 1993.

Former National League MVP Andre Dawson was in Carolina taking in some Mudcats' games last week. Dawson is a special assistant to Florida Marlins' GM Larry Beinfest. Also in town recently catching a Mudcats' series was Marc DelPiano, Marlins' Director of Player Development.

Pro basketball Hall of Fame members Alex English, Nate "Tiny" Archibald and David Thompson along with pro and collegiate legends Otis Birdsong, Artis Gilmore, Jo Jo White and Bobby Jones were in at the Orlando Rays' May 17 game against Mobile. Jo Jo White threw out the ceremonial first pitch and fans had the opportunity to meet and get autographs from the heroes of the hard court who were in town in conjunction with their Sports Legends Fantasy Camp.

Birmingham Barons' hitting coach Gregg Ritchie was promoted to the Chicago White Sox AAA affiliate, Charlotte Knights on May 21. He replaces hitting coach Gary Walker who was recently promoted to Chicago to take the place of former Sox hitting instructor Gary Ward. Ritchie, in his eighth season as a hitting coach in the White Sox organization has spent the last four years in Birmingham.

The Carolina Mudcats and Hecht's department stores will be hosting the third annual Hecht's Collection for Kids Campaign on Sunday June 15, at Five County Stadium. Any fan bringing a new stuffed animal to the gates will receive a free general admission ticket to the game. The toys will be collected by the Mudcats and given to the Zebulon Police/Fire/EMS squads and in turn they will disseminate the stuffed animals to injured and/or traumatized children.

Former Cy Young winner and Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer will make an appearance at Greenville Municipal Stadium on June 24 as part of the Nexium "Pitching In for Community Health" season-long campaign. Palmer will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, conduct a free autograph session for the fans, and speak about his personal experience with Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in a special pre-game ceremony.

Clubhouse Chatter

BIRMINGHAM BARONS

LHP ROYCE RING did not allow a run in 13 outings from April 11-May 12, pitching 13 2/3 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts and eight saves...The Barons had a seven-game winning streak stopped in the nightcap of a May 12 twinbill with West Tenn, a 7-1 loss. In the opener, C CARLOS MALDANADO highlighted a four-run bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run double in a 4-2 win. RHP TETSU YOFU, who made his first career start, allowed two runs and three hits in five innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk, to record the win. OF SCOTT BIKOWSKI went 4-for-5 in the twinbill split...1B GABE ALVAREZ drove in both runs in a 2-1 win against West Tenn on May 10.

OF ERIC BATTERSBY (.174, 0 HR, 3 RBI), best known for hitting four homers for Burlington in the Midwest League in a playoff game on September 13, 1999, was released...LHP NEAL COTTS allowed an unearned run and three hits over five innings with nine strikeouts in an 8-7 win at Tennessee on May 19 to improve to 6-1, 1.58 ERA. He was leading the league with 67 strikeouts and was fifth in ERA through May 20...LHP ROYCE RING did not allow a run in 16 outings April 11-May 19, a streak of 17 innings. He allowed nine hits and four walks with 10 saves and 23 strikeouts...RHP ENEMENCIO PACHECO allowed a run and five hits over six innings to win his fourth straight in a 10-4 win at Tennessee on May 20. Pacheco's ERA of 1.46 ranked third in the league.

CAROLINA MUDCATS

3B MIGUEL CABRERA hit safely in 30 of his first 35 starts and had reached by hit or walk in 32 games. Through May 14, the 20-year-old was leading the league in batting (.400), RBI (38), hits (60) and slugging (.660). He was batting .488 with runners in scoring position, was 5-for-7 with the bases loaded with one grand slam and had stolen nine bases. He also went 58 at-bats with just one strikeout...After batting .196 through April 25, OF CHIP AMBRES, a 1998 first-round pick who has not produced, went 14-for-47 to raise his average to .243 through May 14. He ranked fifth in runs (25) and eighth in on-base percentage (.410). The 23-year-old had a .256 career average entering this season.

2B JESUS MEDRANO joined the club from Albuquerque (.228, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 7 SB) and went 2-for-12 in his first three games. Medrano had a .411 on-base percentage and 39 steals for Portland last season...3B MIGUEL CABRERA doubled, homered and drove in four runs and LHP RYAN SNARE allowed five hits over 7 1/3 innings in a 9-0 win against Orlando on May 20 to improve to 3-0, 3.35 ERA in 10 starts...The night before, RHP DONNIE BRIDGES allowed one hit over five innings in a 8-0 win against the Rays to improve to 3-1, 3.26 ERA.

CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS

OF DERNELL STENSON homered and drove in four runs and OF SANTIAGO PEREZ went 4-for-6 with three RBI and a stolen base in a 15-10 win against Greenville on May 10. Stenson, who also hit a pinch-hit homer the night before, doubled twice on May 11 against the Braves. Perez went 8-for-12 with six RBI in three games May 10-12. He joined the club from Ottawa after being acquired from the Orioles organization on May 8...OF STEVE SMITHERMAN went 11-for-24 with a pair of homers and seven RBI during a seven-game hit streak from May 8-13 that lifted his average 35 points to .302. For the season, the 24-year-old is batting .351 with runners in scoring position.

C DANE SARDINHA, a second-round pick who had been out all season with an injury, was activated and went 4-for-16 with a homer in his first four games...RHP DUSTIN MOSELEY allowed two runs over six innings and belted a grand slam in a 17-6 win at Tennessee on May 16. It was the second home run in 32 career at-bats for the 6-4, 200-pounder. OF DERNELL STENSON had three hits, including a homer, and drove in five runs...2B SANTIAGO PEREZ hit a two-run single in the ninth to tie West Tenn, 2-2, on May 19, and OF STEVE SMITHERMAN added an RBI double in the 10th to pull out a 4-2 victory. Two nights later, Smitherman ripped a two-run double in the ninth inning and scored on an error in a 4-3 win against the Smokies...In his second start, LHP CASEY DEHART pitched seven scoreless innings in a 6-2 win against West Tenn on May 20 to improve to 2-0, 2.84 ERA.

GREENVILLE BRAVES

RHP JOE WINKELSAS, who did not surrender a run in his first 13 games covering 16 1/3 innings,was tagged for five runs and four hits in one inning against Chattanooga on May 10...After allowing six runs in 9 2/3 innings over his first three starts, RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT allowed just six runs -- four earned -- and 19 hits over 25 innings in his next four outings. He walked three and fanned 23...After hitting .153 in his first 21 games, 3B JAMES JURRIES hit .500 (19-38) with six doubles, three homers and 12 RBI in 11 games from May 4-13 to raise his average to .289. He went 3-for-5 with a double, homer and four RBI in an 11-9 loss at Tennessee on May 9.

OF CORY ALDRIDGE homered twice in the fifth inning during an eight-run inning as the Braves crushed Jacksonville, 11-1, on May 18. The 23-year-old Texas native became the fifth player in the minors this season to hit a pair of homers in the same inning and the first to accomplish the feat in the Class AA Southern League. RHP MATT BELISLE hurled eight solid innings to earn his second win of the season for Greenville. The 6-3 Texan yielded a run, allowed three hits and struck out a season-high 10 batters to snap a personal four-game losing streak...LHP CHRIS WATERS was promoted from Myrtle Beach (1-1, 2.89 ERA) and allowed two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Huntsville on May 19...3B JAMES JURRIES, OF BILL MCCARTHY and SS KELLY JOHNSON each hit RBI doubles in the ninth inning to beat Jacksonville, 4-3, on May 15.

HUNTSVILLE STARS

RHP MIKE JONES threw eight innings of two-hit ball but did not figure in the eventual 2-0 loss to Tennessee on May 10. Jones yielded three walks, hit a batter and fanned six. The 12th overall player selected in the 2001 draft has allowed one run or less and registered 22 strikeouts over his last four outings. The 20-year-old has gone 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA in his first seven starts after going 7-7 with a 3.12 ERA in 27 starts in the Midwest League last season and skipping over the High Desert club this season...LHP LUIS MARTINEZ allowed five runs but just two earned over six innings in a 5-1 loss to Tennessee on May 12. Despite the loss, the start was the eighth straight in which Martinez had not allowed more than two earned runs this season (48 IP, 6 ER)...RHP PEDRO LIRIANO allowed just two runs over four starts and 22 1/3 innings to improve to 3-3, 2.49 ERA...OF DAVE KRYNZEL reached base safely by hit or walk in 24 consecutive games April 15-May 12 (30-90, 2 2B, 3 3B, 8 RBI, 10 SB). It was snapped May 13 against Tennessee. The streak lifted the 2000 first-round pick's average to .280. His four triples led the circuit and 11 steals ranked second through May 14.

OF CRISTIAN GUERRERO, the cousin of Vladimir Guerrero, was waived by the Brewers and picked up by Seattle...RHP BEN HENDRICKSON (1-1, 4.15 ERA), bothered by elbow problems, was sent to extended spring training. He pitched just two innings in a May 16 start at West Tenn...LHP LUIS MARTINEZ allowed four runs -- two earned -- over seven innings in a no-decision against West Tenn on May 17. It was the ninth straight start this season in which the 23-year-old had allowed two earned runs or fewer.

JACKSONVILLE SUNS

The Suns snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 15-2 pounding over Orlando on May 12. The 15 runs matched the total scored during the entire losing streak and was the most scored by the club since May 5, 2000. OF TARRICK BROCK snapped a 2-for-27 slide with a single, homer and four RBI. 2B VICTOR DIAZ had four hits, scored four runs and drove in two. Diaz stroked three doubles in a 9-4 loss to Orlando the next night...RHP HEATH TOTTEN made five straight starts covering 30 1/3 innings in which he did not allow a walk. However, he allowed 23 runs and 42 hits over that span...Throwing out the April 19 start in which RHP JOEL HANRAHAN allowed nine runs in 3 2/3 innings, the 21-year-old has allowed a total of five runs -- three earned -- over 38 innings in his other seven starts.

SS TRAVIS DAWKINS joined the club from Albuquerque (.165, 0 HR, 12 RBI)...OF TARRIK BROCK hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Suns over Mobile, 5-2, in the first game of a doubleheader on May 20. Brock, who was intentionally walked in both the sixth and eighth innings, went 2-for-3 in both games. RHP EDWIN JACKSON, the youngest player in the league at 19, pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings to win the nightcap, 6-0. Jackson allowed two hits and fanned eight. Jackson, 2-2, with a 2.28 ERA, had allowed six earned runs in his last six starts...RHP ALFRDEO GONZALEZ was activated from the disabled list and pitched five innings of one-hit ball in a 4-0 win against Mobile on May 21. Gonzalez left his first start of the season on April 5 after just one inning.

MOBILE BAYBEARS

LHP CORY STEWART hurled seven scoreless innings to win his fourth consecutive decision as the BayBears blanked Carolina, 2-0, on May 13. Stewart, who was signed out of the independent Texas-Louisiana League by the San Diego Padres on October 15, 2001, allowed just two hits, issued one walk and struck out seven batters to improve to 4-2 with a 2.86 ERA for the season...1B JON KNOTT hit .329 (23-70, 8 2B, 5 HR, 12 RBI) in 20 games April 20-May 13 and homered May 11 & 12 against Carolina...Despite batting third in the lineup, SS KHALIL GREENE, a 2002 first-round pick, had only eight RBI in his first 142 at-bats. Greene was batting .175 with runners on base, .194 with runners in scoring position and .091 with runners on and two out. All three of his homers had come when leading off an inning.

2B JAKE GAUTREAU finished with four hits and four RBI in a 5-4, 12-inning loss to Orlando on May 18. The14th-overall pick of the San Diego Padres in the 2001 draft, Gautreau ripped a three-run double in the fifth inning and led off the 12th with a solo homer to give the BayBears a brief 4-3 lead. He had only four hits in his previous eight games...1B JON KNOTT hit safely in 13 straight games May 6-20 (19-47, 5 2B, 6 HR, 13 RBI), raising his average from .221. He homered May 15 & 16 against Orlando and doubled twice and drove in four runs on May 17 in a 6-1 win against the Rays on May 17. Knott was tied for the league lead with 10 homers...LHP CORY STEWART allowed two runs or fewer in six consecutive starts April 21-May 20 (35.1 IP, 20 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 11 BB, 39 SO), going 4-0.

ORLANDO RAYS

C GRAIG MERRITT and SS JACE BREWER each delivered run-scoring singles in the bottom of the ninth inning to knock off Carolina, 5-4, on May 9. Brewer had gone 27 games and 102 at-bats without a walk through May 13...OF MATT DIAZ had four hits, including two doubles and a homer, in a pair of 4-2 wins against Jacksonville on May 11. Diaz was batting .379 with 55 hits and a .455 on-base percentage, all second best in the league through May 14...OF JONNY GOMES hit a pair of home runs on May 13 in a 9-4 win at Jacksonville. 1B FRANK MOORE went 4-for-5 with a double, homer and two RBI...3B JUAN SALAS was promoted from Bakersfield (.323, 5 HR, 28 RBI) and SS JORGE CANTU (.191, 2 HR, 9 RBI) was promoted to Durham. Salas went 0-for-5 with an error in his debut at Jacksonville on May 13.

C PETE LAFOREST, whose season was delayed due to Visa problems, drove in the tying and winning runs in the 12th inning as the Rays edged Mobile, 5-4, May 18. A native of Quebec, Canada, LaForest, who led the Class AA Southern League with 20 homers in 2002, ripped a two-run double to give Orlando the victory in just his fourth game with the club this season...2B ANTONIO PEREZ re-joined the club after going 1-for-3 for the Devil Rays...1B FRANK MOORE hit safely in 11 straight games (16-44, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB) April 29-May 16, raising his average from .209 to .270.

TENNESSEE SMOKIES

1B JOHN GALL connected on a two-run home run in the bottom of the 13th inning to lift the Smokies over Greenville, 11-9, on May 9. 2B CHRIS WEEKLY highlighted a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run single that tied the score at 8-8. After Greenville scratched for a run in the top of the 12th inning, OF SCOTT KRAUSE delivered a two-out homer to re-tie the score for the Smokies. LHP RICK ANKIEL started but allowed five runs and four walks over two innings...1B BUCKY JACOBSEN snapped a scoreless tie in the top of the ninth inning with a base hit on May 10, lifting the Smokies over Huntsville, 2-0. RHP NICK STOCKS allowed two hits and struck out seven over seven scoreless innings in a no-decision. A first-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999, Stocks had posted a 3-0 mark and a 2.51 ERA over his seven starts this season...RHP DANNY HAREN registered a career-high 11 strikeouts in the Smokies' 1-0 victory over the Stars on May 13. Haren, who fanned six of seven batters between the first and third frames, yielded four hits and a walk over seven innings to remain perfect at 6-0 with a league-best 0.82 ERA. The second-round pick from 2001 had allowed just one run in his last four starts. The 22-year-old was promoted to Class AAA Memphis.

RHP CHEYENNE JANKE (0-1, 4.34 ERA) was released...LHP RICK ANKIEL gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in three innings during a 10-4 loss to Birmingham on May 20. He allowed four runs over 1 2/3 innings in a loss to Chattanooga on May 15...OF KEVAN BURNS hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning to beat Chattanooga, 6-5, on May 17. 3B COREY ERICKSON's two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning tied the game...SS JOHN NELSON committed three errors in the ninth inning that contributed to two runs in a 17-6 loss to Chattanooga on May 16. Nelson had a total of just eight errors in his first 41 games through May 20...OF SCOTT KRAUSE hit .517 (15-29, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB) in 10 games May 9-20.

WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX

RHP JOHN WEBB lost six straight starts April 12-May 9 (33 IP, 41 H, 26 R, 24 ER, 15 BB, 28 SO)...1B BRANDON SING homered in both ends of a May 12 doubleheader split with Birmingham. Sing, who had two homers for the season entering the day, had five RBI in the twinbill. RHP MIKE NANNINI, a former Astros pitching prospect, allowed a run and four hits over five innings to win the nightcap and improve to 3-1 with a 4.20 ERA. Nannini dropped to 7-10 with a 5.81 ERA at Round Rock last season after winning 15 games for Lexington in 2001.

1B BRANDON SING hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Huntsville, 3-2, on May 16. The next night, 1B LUKAS MCKNIGHT drove home the winner in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat the Stars, 5-4...RHP ANGEL GUZMAN pitched seven scoreless innings (4 H, 1 BB, 6 SO) in a no-decision against Chattanooga on May 19. He left with a 2-0 lead but the pen couldn't hold the lead, losing 4-2 in 10 innings...RHP MIKE NANNINI threw seven scoreless innings (7 H, 1 BB, 4 SO) in a 3-0 win against Huntsville on May 18 to win his third straight decision.

SL BC Powder Hitter/Pitcher of the Week

Hitter of the Week (May 9-May 15)
James Jurries – Greenville Braves

In a week that saw several outstanding offensive performances, Greenville Braves' third baseman James Jurries was named the BC Powder Southern League Hitter of the Week. Jurries hit .577 (15-for-26), drove in seven runs and scored seven times. Jurries smacked seven extra-base hits with six doubles and a home run. For the week, the 24-year-old had a .924 slugging percentage and a .607 on-base percentage. Jurries has been on a tear of late hitting .512 (21-for-41) in his last 12 games. The Atlanta Braves selected Jurries in the 6th round of the June 2002 draft out of Tulane University. He resides in Lake Jackson, TX.

Pitcher of the Week (May 9-May15)
Royce Ring – Birmingham Barons

Birmingham Barons' closer Royce Ring was honored as the BC Powder Southern League Pitcher of the Week after picking up three saves in four appearances. The big lefthander closed out four games during the week picking up a save against the Jacksonville Suns on May 9, the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx on May 10, and again against the Diamond Jaxx on May 12. He also pitched a scoreless inning against the Carolina Mudcats on May 15. For the week, the 22-year-old pitched 3.1 innings, surrendering no runs on one hit while striking out eight and walking none. Ranked by Baseball America as the 10th best prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization, he was selected in the first round (18th overall) in the June 2002 draft out of San Diego State University. He resides in La Mesa, CA.

Hitter of the Week (May 16-May 22)
Ryan Hankins – Birmingham Barons

In a week that saw several outstanding offensive performances, Birmingham Barons' first baseman Ryan Hankins was named the BC Powder Southern League Hitter of the Week. Hankins hit .423 (11-for-26), drove in five runs and scored six times. Hankins smacked eight extra-base hits with six doubles and two home runs. For the week, the 26-year-old had a .885 slugging percentage and a .464 on-base percentage. The Chicago White Sox selected Hankins in the 13th round of the June 1997 draft. He resides in Simi Valley, CA.

Pitcher of the Week (May 16-May 22)
Edwin Jackson – Jacksonville Suns

Jacksonville Suns' starting pitcher Edwin Jackson was honored as the BC Powder Southern League Pitcher of the Week after an outstanding outing against the Mobile BayBears on May 20. The big righthander pitched 6.2 innings, surrendering no runs on two hits while striking out eight and walking three. Ranked by Baseball America as the 3rd best prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization, he is also ranked number 99 in the top 100 prospects in all of baseball. Jackson was named the 2002 Los Angeles Dodgers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The Dodgers selected the 19-year-old in the 6th round of the June 2001 draft. He resides in Columbus, GA.

Southern League Stories from May 27, 2003

• O-Rays Extend Streak to Three - Orlando Rays
• Smokies Open Carolina Series With Win - Knoxville Smokies
• G-Braves Breeze Past Jaxx - Mississippi Braves
• Bullpen collapses in 15-5 loss - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
• Southern Bases - SL1
• American Baseball Foundation to Hold BASIC Clinic at the Hoover Met - Birmingham Barons
• The Famous Chicken to Roost in Jacksonville for Four Days - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

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