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MWL1 Quad Cities River Bandits

Swing shake up pitching staff

May 28, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release


The St. Louis Cardinals Friday made several roster moves to shake up the Swing pitching staff as they enter the stretch run of the first half. Lefthanded starter Eric Haberer has been promoted to Class A-Advanced Palm Beach of the Florida State League, while righthanded reliever Michael Gross has been sent to extended spring training. To fill their roster spots, lefthanded pitcher Jeff Randazzo has been added to the Swing roster, as has righty Jeremy Zick.

Randazzo, a former Minnesota Twins prospect, comes to the Swing after pitching for the Quad City River Bandits in 2000 and 2001. He began the season with the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats in the Twins system, going 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA before being released in mid-April. Randazzo signed with the Cardinals as a previously-released free agent on April 29, going 0-1 with a 9.31 ERA in eight outings.

The 6-7, 205-pounder was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the fourth round of the 1999 draft, out of Cardinal O'Hara High School in Broomall, Pennsylvania. Pitching for the Quad City River Bandits in 2000 and 2001, Randazzo went a combined 10-4 with a 4.55 ERA. He was named to the Midwest League All-Star game for the River Bandits in 2001, but did not appear in the game due to injury. After a car accident forced Randazzo to miss almost all of the 2002 season, he pitched for Class A-Advanced Fort Myers in 2003 and 2004, going a combined 10-18 with a 4.82 ERA.

In addition, the Cardinals have added righthander Jeremy Zick to the Swing roster from extended spring training. The 6-1, 210-pounder from Ontario, California, was selected in the 15th round of the 2004 draft, out of the University of Mississippi. Zick went 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in 18 relief outings for short season New Jersey in 2004, striking out 28 in 27.1 innings of work.

Haberer gets the call to Palm Beach after going 4-2 with a 2.11 ERA. The Bloomington, Illinois, native, a third-round pick out of Southern Illinois in the 2004 draft, currently ranks sixth in the Midwest League in ERA. Haberer was scheduled to start Sunday night's game with Wisconsin, and the Swing have not announced who will fill his spot.

Gross, a 33rd-round pick last season out of North Carolina, has struggled with the Swing. In 20 relief outings, he has gone 1-3 with a 6.31 ERA. In his pro debut in 2004, Gross went a combined 4-2 with a 3.38 ERA while pitching for both Johnson City and New Jersey.

The Swing roster currently stands at 25 active players, the maximum allowed by the Midwest League. An updated roster follows this release.

UP NEXT: The Swing begin four-game series with third-place Wisconsin on Friday night, as Quad Cities sends Quinton Robertson (0-0, 4.70) to the mound against righty Jason Snyder (4-4, 3.67). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00, and pregame coverage on Progressive Talk AM 1270 will begin at 6:45. Tickets are available to all Swing home games by calling (563) 328-2000.

PROMOTION: The first 1,000 fans through the gates on Friday will receive a Swing T-Shirt, courtesy of I-Wireless, The Dispatch, KWQC TV6 and WLLR. In addition, fans will receive a Swing Cheer Card with a complimentary copy of The Dispatch.

HOMESTAND REPORT: The Swing's current homestand runs through Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. The Swing will be giving away I-Wireless Swing T-Shirts on Friday night, and BirdZerk! will come to town on Saturday. Sunday night will be a 7:00 start time followed by post-game fireworks, courtesy of KWQC-TV6, and Monday will be a special Memorial Day matinee.

Check out the Quad Cities River Bandits Statistics



Midwest League Stories from May 28, 2005


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