A LOOK INTO MLB'S FUTURE.Byline: CHRIS COCOLES The Minors Today's All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game was conceived by Jimmie Lee Solomon, an Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball, looking for an event to showcase the minor leagues and round out the All-Star week festivities. in Milwaukee features four first-round picks from the 2000 draft. Matt Harrington Matt Harrington (born February 1, 1982) is a baseball player who holds the record for the most times being chosen in the Major League Baseball amateur draft. Between 2000 and 2004, Harrington, a top prospect coming out of high school, was chosen in all five drafts, but never signed isn't one of them. While Camarillo High product and outfielder Joe Borchard Joseph Edward Borchard (born November 25, 1978 in Panorama City, California), a 1997 graduate of Adolfo Camarillo High School in Camarillo, California was the 12th pick of the first round in the 2000 MLB amateur draft out of Stanford University by the Chicago White Sox. (Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are a professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the White Sox have played in U.S. ) and pitchers Sean Burnett Sean Burnett (born September 17, 1982 in Dunedin, Florida) was a pitcher from Wellington High School in Wellington, Florida. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round in 2000, and has stayed with that team since then. (Pittsburgh), Billy Traber William Henry (Billy) Traber, Jr. (born September 18, 1979 in Torrance, CA) is a left-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team. Traber went to Loyola Marymount University, where he was First-Team All-American and West Coast Conference player of the year. (Cleveland) and Adam Wainwright (Atlanta) are playing and appear destined des·tine tr.v. des·tined, des·tin·ing, des·tines 1. To determine beforehand; preordain: a foolish scheme destined to fail; a film destined to become a classic. 2. for major-league ballparks, Harrington remains miles away from attending the showcase game for top prospects. Failing to come to terms with both the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres after the past two drafts not only cost Harrington millions of dollars, but three seasons of pitching. He's not even pitching at all right now since the Palmdale resident recently was released by the independent Long Beach Breakers This article is about the former Western Baseball League team, for the American Basketball Association team, go to Long Beach Breakers (ABA). The Long Beach Breakers were a minor league baseball team that played at Blair Field in Long Beach, California. . When Harrington finally does sign a contract, he can make back some of the money he turned down in offers by Colorado and San Diego. But he can't have back the three years wasted in negotiations and independent-league auditions he's endured. Take the stories of Wainwright and Burnett, like Harrington high school seniors drafted in 2000's first round. Burnett, the 19th overall selection, signed about a month after the draft and got 31 valuable innings in rookie ball, posted a 2.62 earned-run average in 2001 in the Single-A South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, or "Sally League," is a minor league baseball league which operates mostly in the southeastern United States, although it now has teams in New Jersey and Ohio. and has dominated (11-1, 1.41 ERA) in the advanced Single-A Carolina League. Wainwright was the second-to-last pick (No. 29 overall) in round one and signed for what is now viewed as an ordinary $1.25 million bonus. But like Burnett, signing early meant Wainwright would pitch in pro baseball right away. He also jumped from a summer of rookie-league mounds to the full-season South Atlantic League in 2001, and has made a strong showing in the Carolina League (6-2, 2.65). They're both among their respective organization's top prospects. Being selected to the Futures Game adds to Burnett's and Wainwright's growing reputations. Harrington also has made a name for himself in the past three years but for the wrong reasons. Baseball's future stars will romp around Miller Park today as a warmup to Tuesday's major-league All-Star Game. We're still waiting for Harrington's baseball future to begin. --Streaking: Traber is making the cost-cutting Cleveland Indians look sharp for jettisoning All-Star second baseman Roberto Alomar to the New York Mets
Traber is 13-2 with a 2.76 ERA and won his eighth in a row for Double-A Akron (Ohio) last Tuesday. His win total shares the minor-league lead with Double-A Chattanooga's (Tenn.) John Koronka and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's (Pa.) Joe Roa. Another player with local ties, Single-A Potomac (Md.) pitcher Dan Haren (Pepperdine), is tied with Triple-A Colorado Springs' Aaron Cook for most innings pitched with 124 2/3. --Check swings: The San Diego Padres promoted pitcher Jack Cassel (Chatsworth) from Fort Wayne (Ind.) in the low Single-A Midwest League to advanced Single-A at Lake Elsinore of the California League. Cassel, 4-1 with a 3.02 ERA in 27 relief appearances at Fort Wayne, didn't allow a run in his first two games at Lake Elsinore. ... Ex-Pepperdine standout Jared Pitney was sent to the short-season Staten Island (N.Y.) Yankees of the New York-Penn League after playing with New York's Gulf Coast League The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and rookie team in Florida. ... The Triple-A Syracuse (N.Y.) SkyChiefs' roster includes reliever Robbie Crabtree, released by San Francisco earlier this season before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays "Blue Jays" redirects here. For other uses, see Blue Jay (disambiguation).. The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. . Crabtree (CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge ) is 1-1 in seven appearances with his new team. BASEBALL WATCH Statistics and standings through July 4 DODGERS MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Single-A South Georgia pitcher Brian Pilkington, the club's top pick (second round) in the 2001 draft, continues to show progress battling back from shoulder surgery. He won South Atlantic League pitcher of the week honors after going 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA and striking out 14 with no walks in 16 2/3 innings. The hard-throwing right-hander is 8-1 with a 3.35 ERA. ... Another successful member of the draft class of 2001, 22nd-rounder Scott Gillitzer, is also one of South Georgia's top players with a .312 average, 48 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in and versatility working for him as he progresses through the organization. He's played all five infield positions, 30 games at first, 16 at second, 13 at third, 18 at shortstop and eight at catcher. ... Triple-A Las Vegas right fielder Luke Allen's arm is his biggest attribute, impressive considering he was hitting .347 with eight homers and 52 RBI. Allen already was credited with 16 outfield assists a week before the All-Star break. SPOTLIGHT SHANE NANCE Triple-A Las Vegas, P Standing just 5-foot-8 hasn't prevented this left-hander from setting himself up for a lefty setup reliever job in the majors if he keeps performing this well, including 10 victories this season with the 51s. ANGELS MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Bobby Jenks, the organization's top pitching prospect, had an erratic night in his latest start for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday. Jenks couldn't throw strikes and allowed six walks and six runs in 4 2/3 innings at Lake Elsinore. ``I'm not really worried about the walks, and that's what I said to him one of the times he went out there,'' Quakes manager Bobby Meacham said. ``I told him, `They can't hit you.' ''... Mario Mendoza Jr., a reliever in the organization and the son of former big-league shortstop Mario Mendoza, made his debut at Triple-A Salt Lake last Sunday and got a save with three respectable innings. ... Steven Shell, a third-round pick last season, is 9-3 with a 3.59 ERA at Single-A Cedar Rapids. SPOTLIGHT JOEL PERALTA Single-A Cedar Rapids, P Released by Oakland in 1997 and converted to a pitcher by the Angels, this Dominican is building a career as a reliever. He has a 3-0 record, 0.83 ERA and seven saves in 18 appearances. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1) MAGNANTE (2) FETTERS fet·ter n. 1. A chain or shackle for the ankles or feet. 2. Something that serves to restrict; a restraint. tr.v. fet·tered, fet·ter·ing, fet·ters 1. To put fetters on; shackle. (3) GLAUS Box: BASEBALL WATCH (see text) |
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