Weekly and Cole return
Published on March 21, 2005 under Northern League (NL)
Schaumburg Flyers News Release
SCHAUMBURG, IL- With key performers such as SS Geoff McCallum and OF-1B Justin Hendrickson already back in the fold, the Schaumburg Flyers have added two more members of last year's imposing Northern League lineup to their 2005 roster. 3B Chris Weekly & OF Eric Cole have re-signed with the club for the upcoming season as the May 5 player report date draws closer.
Weekly, 28, put together an outstanding all-around season in 2004, batting .330 with 16 HR-68 RBI. In any year but 2004, his home run total would have led the Flyers or tied for the team lead. Weekly ranked third on the '04 roster in home runs behind Hendrickson and league MVP Mario Delgado. His RBI total ranked second on the club behind the league record 104 runs driven in by Delgado. Weekly also started 92 games at third base. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
Weekly was the MVP of the Northern League All-Star Game in Joliet and earned NL Player of the Week honors for July 5-11. He was part of four sets of back-to-back home runs last summer, including a pair with Cole on July 31 in Fargo.
Weekly started his pro career in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system in 1999. He spent three seasons in that organization before a brief stint in the Cubs chain in 2002. The Arizona resident finished that season in the St. Louis farm system and spent all of 2003 in the Cardinals chain.
Cole, 29, returns for a second season with the Flyers after turning in a solid effort for the South Division champs last summer. The 10-year veteran batted .266 with 12 HR-54 RBI while playing in 94 of 96 games in the regular season. Cole made 66 starts in centerfield and 25 more as the rightfielder. He could see regular time at either position in 2005. Ryan Ruiz, the centerfielder at the end of last season, has returned to Sioux City. Cole bats and throws right-handed.
Cole's experience came to the forefront at playoff time as he hit two home runs in the championship series against St. Paul and was also a clutch performer in the first round win over Kansas City.
Cole spent all but one season in the Houston Astros organization from 1995-2003. He played in the Texas Rangers farm system in 2002.
Cole and Weekly have both played as high as âTriple A' during their careers.
Notes: The Flyers also signed RHP Chris Pfalzgraf (FALLS-GRAPH) on Monday...Pfalzgraf, a resident of west suburban Geneva, is attempting a comeback after a brief pro career in the Texas Rangers organization in 2000...
The 27-year old played college ball at nearby Aurora University, a Division III program...
News & Notes Prepared By: Matt McLaughlin-Director of Media Relations & Team Broadcaster
Northern League Stories from March 21, 2005
- Weekly and Cole return - Schaumburg Flyers
- Explorers fill hole at shortstop - Sioux City Explorers
- Vipers ink a pair - Calgary Vipers
- Silver Cross Field gets schooled - Joliet JackHammers
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