ALL-STAR NOTEBOOK: EX-'HAWK TAKING ROAD LESS TRAVELED.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer RANCHO CUCAMONGA Rancho Cucamonga (răn`chō k  'kəmäng`gə), city (1990 pop. 101,409), San Bernardino co., S Calif. - Sometimes, discretion isn't the better part of valor valora rodenticide no longer marketed because of toxicity in horses causing dehydration, abdominal pain, hindlimb weakness, inappetence, fishy smell in urine. Called also N-3-pyridyl methyl N1-p-nitrophenyl urea. . Former JetHawks pitcher Greg Jacobs had an opportunity to continue playing organized ball in the Houston Astros' system last season, even though he was sent to their low-A affiliate after playing for their Triple-A spring training group. He turned down the offer. Jacobs is a former Big West Conference batting champion at Cal State Fullerton and always believed his best tool was his bat. Instead of playing in the Astros' system, he played for an independent team in Long Beach, where he nearly won the Western League triple crown. Now, he's revived his career as an outfielder in the Seattle Mariners' system. ``That ticked me off and I just blew up, so I asked for my release,'' Jacobs said. ``I rolled the dice, and I guess it's worked out.'' Jacobs is batting .335 (83 for 248) with eight homers and 47 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 for Inland Empire In·land Empire A region of the northwest United States between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains, comprising eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northern Idaho, and western Montana. Farming, lumbering, and mining are important to the area. and was the California League's MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. in the California/Carolina League All-Star game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games at Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday. Carolina won the game 5-3. ``I just said if I'm not going to make it (to the big leagues) and I'm not having fun, that's stupid,'' Jacobs said. ``If I don't make it as a position player I can deal with that because I'm doing something I want to do and I'm having fun.'' After getting his release from the Astros, he immediately began working with former perennial batting champion Rod Carew He was born to a Panamanian mother on a train in the town of Gatun, which at that time was in the Panama Canal , a lifelong friend he considers a ``second father.'' But Carew was one of the few people who supported his decision to give up pitching. Many, including Angels pitcher John Lackey John Derran Lackey (born October 23, 1978, in Abilene, Texas) is a major league baseball starting pitcher from Abilene, Texas. He has played for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim his entire career. , thought he was crazy. ``People were telling me like, `You're left-handed and you throw in the mid-90s.' It was like, `What are you thinking?' '' Even though Jacobs had success against several former major-league pitchers in the Western League, he wasn't sure that automatically translated to success hitting in organized ball. But he considers his all-star selection a measure of vindication. ``It's a great feeling,'' Jacobs said. ``I wouldn't trade it for anything right now. I just hope I continue having success and keep climbing the ladder. I'm 26, and I need to get out of here (A-ball).'' Jacobs said the Mariners haven't told him whether or when he'll be promoted this season. ``I told them, `Throw me in the fire,' '' Jacobs said. ``I've always been a guy who does well under pressure, so I just want to see if I can hang in there.'' --Out of his shell: JetHawks all-star infielder Dan Uggla Daniel Cooley Uggla (born March 11 , 1980 in Louisville, Kentucky) is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Florida Marlins. Uggla finished third in the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year voting behind teammate Hanley Ramirez and Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington is glad he had the chance to compete in the pregame home run derby This is about the Major League Baseball contest. For the 1959 television show of the same name, see Home Run Derby (TV series). The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. , and he's glad it's over. An admittedly nervous Uggla, who had just one home run after making eight of his 10 allowed outs, said he was uncomfortable hitting without a batting cage Noun 1. batting cage - a movable screen placed behind home base to catch balls during batting practice cage baseball equipment - equipment used in playing baseball . ``They take that little turtle (batting cage) out of there and it's different,'' he said. ``When you walk inside the turtle you can't feel everybody looking at you, now you've got crowds of people out there. ``I was lucky to get one.'' --JetHawks notes: JetHawks outfielder Josh Kroeger started in right and played the entire game. He was 1 for 4 with a run scored, including a leadoff double that started a two-run inning for the California League in the bottom of the fifth. He also had an outfield assist, starting an inning- ending double play in the top of the fifth. ... JetHawks catcher Chris Snyder, who's since been sent to Double-A El Paso (Texas), entered the game in the sixth inning and was 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. ... Uggla walked in his only plate appearance in the seventh inning. ... Former JetHawk Melqui Torres (2000) struck out the side in the eighth inning for the Carolina League. Gideon Rubin (818) 713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (ran in SAC edition only) GREG JACOBS Former JetHawks was MVP of the California/Carolina All-Star Game of Tuesday. |
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