4 JETHAWKS BRING TALENTS TO ALL-STAR GAME.

Byline: Bryan Winchell Daily News Staff Writer

For most of the JetHawks, today is a day of fishing, golfing or just plain relaxing before Wednesday, the start of the season's second half.

But for Ken Cloude, Jose Cruz Jr., Marcus Sturdivant and Jason Cook, today is a day for the photo album.

The four will appear in the first-ever California League-Carolina League All Star game, which pits the leagues' best players against each other at 6:05 p.m. at Rancho Cucamonga's Epicenter.

For Ken Cloude, who might start on the mound, the game is a chance for him to show what's helped him win six straight for the JetHawks.

For Cruz Jr. and Sturdivant, the game is a farewell to the Cal League, as both were called up to AA Port City following Sunday's game at Lake Elsinore.

And for Cook, the game offers a chance for relatives in Virginia and friends in Atlanta to see him play on television.

While the game is special to each player for different reasons, a common bond unites their appearance in it: improvement.

All have rode the ups-and-downs of minor league baseball over the past few years, but each has put his game together this year, whether it's in the growth of Sturdivant as a leadoff hitter or the emergence of Cloude as a dependable starter.

Here's a look at the players and why each made the team: Ken Cloude. The Mariners' 1993 sixth-round draft pick was touted as the team's ace in spring training and started the season like it, with a 1.99 ERA through four starts.

He couldn't buy a win, though, and was 2-0 in five starts through Lancaster's hot April.

When the team started slumping in early May, Cloude did too, dropping to 2-2 with a 4.43 ERA.

``He basically had some things to learn,'' Lancaster manager Dave Brundage said of Cloude, who is in his first year in the league.

Cloude worked through it and won his next six starts, lowering his ERA to 3.23 and closing out the half second in the league in wins (8-2) and third in strikeouts (91 in 84 innings).

``Every time I'm going out I feel more confident, like I have command of everything,'' Cloude said. ``And the team's been scoring a lot of runs and playing good defense when I pitch so that makes it a whole lot easier.''

For Cloude, the All-Star team is a nice way to end the first half.

``Every season it's a goal of mine to make an All-Star team,'' he said. ``You always want to do something to make you stand out or help you get to the next level.''

Jose Cruz Jr. The No. 3 pick overall in last June's draft, Cruz Jr. entered the season with two goals in mind: to cut down on strikeouts and work the count.

He succeeded through his first 23 games, walking 18 times to 14 strikeouts, while hitting .356, sixth in the league.

But on the team's trip to Lake Elsinore in late April, he aggravated a groin injury he had suffered in San Jose and missed two-and-a-half weeks.

And, maybe coincidentally but probably not, that was when the team began its slump.

``There's no question that when you lose you're No. 3 hitter in the lineup that's a big blow,'' Brundage said.

And sitting out was not easy.

``It was really frustrating,'' the 21-year-old Cruz Jr. said. ``I was going good and all of the sudden it was like a lightning bolt.''

Cruz Jr., though, came back and picked up right where he left off, finishing the half hitting .325 with six home runs and 43 RBI.

``I've been more aggressive and at the same time more selective at the plate,'' he said. ``I'm not swinging at bad pitches.''

Cruz Jr. credits playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League with helping speed along his development.

And, in the tradition of superstitious baseball players, he sticks to routines to keep his consistency. His favorite pre-game technique is listening to a favorite salsa CD or some Bob Marley.

``I didn't listen to (the salsa CD) for a while and I went 0-for. So I started listening to it and I got a few hits.''

Brundage will certainly miss Cruz Jr., superstitions and all.

``He put up some good numbers and did exactly what we asked him to do,'' Brundage said.

Marcus Sturdivant. For Sturdivant, this season has been about learning a new role.

After primarily batting ninth or second with Riverside last year, Sturdivant was informed in spring training that he would be the team's leadoff hitter this season.

``A year ago, I'm not so sure he could have handled the role of being the everday leadoff hitter,'' Brundage said. ``But he's really shown me and the staff that he's someone to be reckoned with in the years to come.''

Sturdivant adjusted his outlook at the plate to make the adjustment smoothly.

``Last year, I would try to get hits and I wasn't as patient, but this year I tried to get on base regardless of how I did it,'' he said. ``It puts pressure on the pitchers and that gives our hitters more fastballs to hit.''

Sturdivant, who played in all but two games, finished the half fourth in runs scored with 54 and tied for second in stolen bases with 23. He was only caught stealing nine times.

He believes learning how to read lefthanders' moves was key to his improved base-stealing.

But he concedes that he's still not going to be perfect on the base paths.

``You're going to get thrown out,'' Sturdivant said. ``But if I'm going to be thrown out, it's got to be a perfect play by the catcher so you just have to tip you're hat to him.''

Jason Cook. Cook has been Brundage's jack-of-all-trades, a guy who can play second base, shortstop, third base and even outfield if needed.

While primarily a second baseman for Lancaster, Cook entered pro ball a third baseman two years ago.

While his play-anywhere ability has helped Brundage through the injury merry-go-round, perhaps his biggest contribution he has made has been his consitency.

``He's been very, very consistent,'' Brundage said. ``He's a very valuable member of this team.''

Said Cook: ``I've been pretty streaky in the past so that was something I wanted to work on this year. I think I'm being more patient at the plate. I'm pretty pleased with my first half in terms of consistency but there's still room for improvement always.''

Like Cruz Jr. and Sturdivant, Cook feels patience at the plate and understanding the strike zone has made him a better hitter.

After striking out 27 times and walking 19 times in his first 32 games, Cook has walked 21 times and struck out 10 times in his second 32 games.

Brundage rewarded Cook's patience by moving him from the seventh spot to the fifth spot in the batting order.

``I felt like I wanted to get him some more (at-bats),'' Brundage said. ``He was getting on base and he can protect the hitters in front of him.''

Cook has also been solid in the field, too, committing just six errors in 64 games.

``He's just been very consistent,'' Brundage said. ``What you see with him is what you get.''

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1) Ken Cloude

No. 2 pitcher has 91 strikeouts

(2 ) Jason Cook

Utility player gets job done

(3) Jose Cruz Jr.

Winter play honed batting skills

(4) Marcus Sturdivant

Leadoff hitter stoke 23 bases