DUNHAM TAKES ALL-STAR ROLE; PATTERSON HURT, SO ACE TAKES SPOT.Byline: Chris Cocoles Daily News Staff Writer JetHawks pitcher Patrick Dunham didn't want to stake his claim to an All-Star roster spot simply because of John Patterson's sore back. ``In some ways I wish it was him that was going instead of me, because they chose him,'' Dunham said of Patterson, the High Desert Mavericks The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a "high-A" class team in the California League, and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch. ace. ``I feel bad for him because you never want to see guys get hurt like that.'' Patterson's bad back aside, Dunham certainly didn't back into Tuesday's California League The California League is a minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth 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 Lancaster Municipal Stadium. ``He deserved to be there from the very beginning,'' JetHawks pitching coach Jim Slaton The numbers amplify Slaton's opinion. At the time of the selections for the Valley Division's pitching staff, Dunham was 6-3 with a 1.99 earned run average earned run average n. Baseball Abbr. ERA A measure of a pitcher's performance obtained by dividing the total of earned runs allowed by the total of innings pitched and multiplying by nine. Noun 1. . Despite having an ERA that never climbed over 3.00, Dunham did start the season with an 0-3 mark that might have influenced the vote by the five division managers. ``They had their reasons (for not selecting me),'' said Dunham, who took a 7-3 record and 2.16 ERA into Thursday's start at Bakersfield. ``It's nice to know I was the first pitcher off (Valley Division and JetHawks manager Rick Burleson's list of alternates).'' Save for San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. reliever and Cal State Northridge alum Rob Crabtree, Dunham was the first logical selection among an impressive class of pitchers in both divisions in the traditionally hitting-dominated Cal League. ``From the (rookie-level) Pioneer League to the major leagues, there's always going to be a couple guys left out,'' Burleson said. ``You can't put enough people in there.'' Dunham becomes the fifth All-Star representative from the host JetHawks, joining fellow pitcher Brian Sweeney Brian Edward Sweeney (born 13th June 1974 in Yonkers, New York) is a baseball pitcher for the Japanese Nippon Ham Fighters franchise. After making his debut with the Mariners in 2003, Sweeney moved to San Diego in 2004 and then signed with Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham , first baseman Cirilo Cruz, second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Adonis Harrison and third baseman Brendan Kingman. ``I'm just happy that I'm going to be representing the JetHawks,'' Dunham said. ``It's not an individual thing for me. I'm just helping my team win.'' Dunham also is representing East Carolina University East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, intensive research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statue and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina in the game along with his old college roommate Tim Flaherty, the Bakersfield catcher who will play for the Freeway Division team. Dunham pitched for the Pirates before transferring to Auburn. He was a third-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners in 1997. Something to prove: With Jason Bond coming off the disabled list and rehabbing pitching prospect Greg Wooten coming aboard, Lindsay Gulin knew his stay in the JetHawks' rotation would be a short one. The 21-year-old left-hander made his own personal statement Wednesday night, tossing five near perfect innings out of the bullpen in an 8-2 win at Bakersfield. Gulin allowed just three Blaze runners aboard. Chad Faircloth and Flaherty each collected singles and Don Denbow reached on an error by shortstop Ramon Vazquez. ``Definitely I had to prove something to myself,'' said Gulin, who came to the Mariners from the New York Mets
JETHAWKS vs. MODESTO Game times and probable pitching matchups: Tonight (7:05) JetHawks LH Brian Fuentes (3-2, 5.13) vs. A's RH Kevin Gregg (3-4, 2.76); Saturday (7:05 p.m.) JetHawks LH Jason Bond (2-1, 3.06) vs. A's RH Edgar Leyva (3-3 4.02)/RH Flint Wallace (1-2, 5.82); Sunday (6:05 p.m.) JetHawks LH Julio Ayala (5-1, 3.09) vs. A's LH Jason Anderson (4-1, 3.55)/RH Tim Manwiller (6-4, 2.76). All games at John Thurman Field John Thurman Field is a stadium in Modesto, California. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Modesto Nuts minor league baseball team. It was built in 1955. It holds 4,000 people. . Modesto massacre: After losing their first meeting of the season, the JetHawks have beaten Modesto five consecutive times by a combined score of 70-20, including a record-setting 24-3 destruction last Saturday in Lancaster. - Chris Cocoles CAPTION(S): 2 Boxes BOX: (1) JETHAWKS vs. MODESTO (See text) (2) JETHAWKS 8, BAKERSFIELD 2 |
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