JETHAWKS: JETHAWKS' ROTATION GETS A BOOST.Byline: Gideon Rubin Special to the Daily News LANCASTER - Add another prospect to an already prospect-rich JetHawks rotation. Right-hander A.J. Shappi, a 6-foot-2, 22-year-old right-hander with Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, roots, joined the team after dominating the low-A 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 at 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.), going 11-1 with a 2.86 ERA. Shappi - he pitched for the JetHawks briefly at the end of the 2004 season, including making three postseason appearances - is ranked 25th by Baseball America  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . among the parent Arizona Diamondbacks' organizational prospects. Shappi is among three top-30 prospects in the JetHawks' rotation, giving Lancaster arguably the California League's most formidable starting five. ``I like what we have,'' JetHawks pitching coach Jeff Pico Jeff Pico (born February 12, 1966 in Antioch, California), is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues for the Chicago Cubs from 1988-1990. He is currently the pitching coach of the Visalia Oaks. said, ``but they still have to pitch.'' A Yorba Linda Yorba Linda (yôr`bə lĭn`də), city (1990 pop. 52,422), Orange co., S Calif., in a region of citrus fruit; inc. 1967. The city has grown tremendously along with the southern California area; its population increased fivefold between resident who pitched for UC Riverside, Shappi said he's excited about returning to the West Coast. He drove 2,300 miles in two days to join the team in time for a Wednesday night game he was not required or expected to show up for. ``No sense in taking my time,'' Shappi said. ``I figured I might as well push it and be here at the same time as everyone else.'' --Revamped rotation: The JetHawks reset their rotation after the All-Star break, with Matt Chico Matthew Bryan "Matt" Chico (born June 10, 1983 in Fullerton, California) is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. A graduate of Fallbrook Union High School, Chico attended Palomar College and was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching in Thursday's 10-7 loss on four days rest. All-Star Garrett Mock Garrett Lee Mock, born April 25, 1983, in Houston, Texas, is a North American professional baseball player. He is a right-handed pitching prospect in the Washington Nationals organization. was scheduled to pitch Friday for Lancaster. Chad Scarbery is slated to pitch tonight, with Jon Castellanos to follow Sunday and Shappi on Monday. Pico said the left-handed Chico got bumped ahead of the otherwise all- right-handed rotation because High Desert is a predominantly left-handed-hitting team. Rancho Cucamonga features a mostly right-handed-hitting lineup. ``We felt that this gave us the best chance to win,'' Pico said. Chico, who pitched the first and last games of the JetHawks' recent six- game Northern Division road trip, started three of seven games going into Friday. --Off days: JetHawks hitting coach Damon Mashore is assuming managerial duties for three days while manager Bill Plummer takes off days all Arizona Diamondbacks minor-league managers and coaches are permitted during the season. Plummer will join the team Sunday, when Lancaster plays at Rancho Cucamonga. --Injury watch: JetHawks utilityman Steve Garrabrants and outfielder Alex Frazier, who have been out since May 22 with left-wrist injuries, are expected to come off the disabled list soon. Garrabrants is expected to be back in the lineup this weekend. Frazier could be as much as two weeks away, Mashore said. --Also: Former JetHawks pitcher Brandon Webb (2001) and former Antelope Valley High coach Bud Jones will be inducted to the team's Hall of Fame before tonight's 7 p.m. game against Rancho Cucamonga. ... JetHawks players will wear the team's 1996 inaugural season jerseys for this season's ``Shirt Off Backs Night'' tonight. The jerseys will be auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting the JetHawks' booster club. ... Only grass-seat tickets remain for Monday's Fourth of July Fourth of July, Independence Day, or July Fourth, U.S. holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Celebration of it began during the American Revolution. game against Bakersfield and postgame fireworks fireworks: see pyrotechnics. fireworks Explosives or combustibles used for display. Of ancient Chinese origin, fireworks evidently developed out of military rockets and explosive missiles and accompanied the spread of military explosives westward to . ... Thursday's loss was the JetHawks' seventh straight defeat to start the second half and their eighth consecutive loss overall. Gideon Rubin, (818) 713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: SHAPPI |
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