BRITO GETS THE JOB DONE FOR JETHAWKS.Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Special to the Daily News LANCASTER -- On a prospect-rich JetHawks roster loaded with high-profile players, it's easy not to notice Javier Brito. The 23-year-old native Venezuelan hasn't put up huge numbers and doesn't even play every day. But Brito, the only returning position player from last year's team on this season's Opening Day roster, has settled in nicely to a part-time role, splitting playing time between first base and the two corner outfield positions. Although Brito has appeared in just 44 games, he's made the most of his chances, batting .302 (39 for 129) with seven homers and 24 RBIs. He's drawn 24 walks and has a .418 on-base average. Brito's blue-collar approach and willingness to accept his limited role, as well as his propensity for coming through with clutch hits, has made him a favorite of JetHawks manager Brett Butler Brett Butler can refer to different people:
``He's not real flashy, he just gets the job done for us,'' Butler said. ``He gets on base and he just seems to get the big hits with runners in scoring position In the sport of baseball, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit, while a runner on .'' Brito was a late-season addition last year, batting .292 in 25 games at Lancaster. He batted .296 at low-A South Bend South Bend, city (1990 pop. 105,511), seat of St. Joseph co., N Ind., on the great south bend of the St. Joseph River, in a farming and mint-growing region; inc. as a city 1865. (Ind.) last season in the Midwest League The Midwest League is a Class A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States. History Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort , where he represented the East team in its midseason 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 . With Carlos Gonzalez in Pittsburgh over the weekend for the Futures Game, Brito got to start in place of his fellow countryman fellow countryman n → compatriota m fellow countryman fellow irreg n → compatriote m fellow countryman fellow , who played for the World team in Sunday's prospect showcase. Brito had a career game on Saturday, going 4 for 4 with three doubles. Charity event: The JetHawks play host to the Jeremy Rourke Foundation Celebrity Softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' Game on Aug. 6. The 1 p.m. game precedes an already scheduled 6 p.m. game against the Lake Elsinore Storm The Lake Elsinore Storm are a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. They are a "high-A" class team in the California League, and are a farm team of the San Diego Padres. . Proceeds from the game will benefit the Jeremy Rourke Foundation and National Foundation Against Violence in Youth Sports. The Jeremy Rourke Foundation was started by Brian Rourke, whose 15-year-old son, Jeremy, was killed by another teen striking him in the head with a bat in April 2005. The softball game will feature several yet-to-be-named Hollywood celebrities and retired athletes playing a nine-inning softball game against a team made up of local community members. The $10 admission includes entry for both games. The foundation's stated goals are to educate the public about violence in youth sports and to educate parents, kids, officials and youth sports organizers about the effects of sports rage. For more information on the foundation, log on to www.noviolenceinyouthsports.org or www.nviys.org. Also: Outfielder Jon Zeringue, a 2004 second-round draft pick out of LSU LSU Louisiana State University LSU Large Subunit LSU La Salle University (Philadelphia, PA) LSU La Sierra University LSU Link State Update (OSPF) LSU Learning Support Unit who spent the second half of that year with the JetHawks, was assigned to Lancaster from Double-A Tennessee. Zeringue batted .335 (77 for 230) with 10 homers and 41 RBIs in his pro debut with Lancaster, but struggled in Double-A, batting .217 this season and hitting .241 at Tennessee last season. Zeringue replaces utilityman Mark Reynolds
gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com (661) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) BRITO |
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