FORMER 'HAWKS SKIPPER EMERGES.Byline: CHRIS COCOLES The Minors Rick Burleson Since those two seasons (1997-98) skippering JetHawks clubs with marginal talent to postseason berths, Burleson made a move toward a possible big-league gig, then dropped back to the barren landscape of rookie ball in Montana. But when the Cincinnati Reds fired manager Bob Boone The tenacious Burleson, a feisty big-league shortstop who made tough love beautiful during his tenure with the JetHawks, created plenty of curiosity among Bats players prior to his arrival. ``You never know what (Burleson's) going to do,'' Louisville's Corky Miller told the city's Courier-Journal. ``But if he lets us go out and play like Miley did, then I'm sure we'll be all right.'' Burleson left the Seattle Mariners organization after his stint in Lancaster. He went to the Dodgers, reaching as high as Double-A before being let go. He'd spent the previous two seasons in Billings (Mont.) in the Pioneer League. It was considered advanced rookie ball but far from the big-league clubhouses he frequented as a former hitting coach in Oakland, Boston and Anaheim. Burleson's first Triple-A game ended in a loss, 10-4 to the visiting Toledo (Ohio) Mud Hens on Thursday, making him 0-1 in his new town. But he's been around the big time enough, as a player and coach, to know what's at stake. He's not in Billings, or even Lancaster, anymore. ``Down there it's about development, but here it's more about winning,'' he told the Courier-Journal. ``There are times when you've got to give somebody a kick in the butt Noun 1. kick in the butt - punishment inflicted by kicking the victim in the behind corporal punishment - the infliction of physical injury on someone convicted of committing a crime .'' There's probably few better at that than Burleson. ``But also (there are) times when you have to give a pat on the back,'' he said. ``It's my job to know when to do one or the other.'' --Check swings: After pitcher Kameron Loe (Granada Hills High/Cal State Northridge) was at times dominant in the low Single-A Midwest League, the Texas Rangers tested Loe by promoting him to Stockton in the California League. Loe didn't dawdle daw·dle v. daw·dled, daw·dling, daw·dles v.intr. 1. To take more time than necessary: dawdled through breakfast. 2. in his new uniform, pitching five scoreless innings with two hits allowed to earn a victory. ... Fizzling: Single-A Salem (Va.) shortstop Josh Canales (UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX ) went 22 consecutive games played without an 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 through June and July. Sizzling siz·zle intr.v. siz·zled, siz·zling, siz·zles 1. To make the hissing sound characteristic of frying fat. 2. To seethe with anger or indignation. 3. : Since moving up to Double-A Midland (Texas), shortstop J.T. Stotts (Hart of Newhall/CSUN) had 10 multiple-hit days and at least one hit in 21 of 25 games. ... Overshadowed by other pitchers such as Seth Etherton, Barry Zito and Mark Prior during his USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. career, Rik Currier is methodically moving up the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Yankees' organizational ladder. He was promoted to Double-A Trenton (N.J.) from Single-A Tampa (Fla.). ... Pepperdine product David Newhan was reinstated from Triple-A Colorado Springs' disabled list. CAPTION(S): 4 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1) Dallas McPherson Double-A Arkansas third baseman (2) JEFF SUPPAN (3) DMITRI YOUNG (4) GARRET ANDERSON Box: (1) DODGERS MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT (2) ANGELS MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT |
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