JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: MORE THAN 'IDOL' VIEWER.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO - Even if JetHawks closer Jason Bulger were to make the big leagues today, he'd still just be the second-hottest commodity in his tiny hometown of Snellville, Ga.

Unless you happen to be Diana DeGarmo, these days it's not that easy to get noticed in Snellville.

DeGarmo, an energetic 16-year-old singing sensation and former Miss Teen Georgia has already gained national prominence as a finalist on Fox television's ``American Idol 3.'' DeGarmo competes against North Carolina resident Fantasia Barrino in tonight's final round, with the winner to be announced on the program's season finale Wednesday night.

And although Bulger hasn't been home much over the past year (he spent most of the offseason in Tucson, Ariz., rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery), he admits he's caught up in the commotion the reality show has created in Snellville, a city of 15,351.

``Sure I'm excited,'' Bulger said amid a cluster of teammates teasing him about his interest in the program. ``I want to see the hometown girl win. She's put our town on the map.''

DeGarmo is a student at Shiloh High, a rival of Brookwood, from which Bulger graduated in 1997. A friend of Bulger's younger brother is friends with DeGarmo and has been Bulger's inside source for scoops on the Diana happenings.

Although she's considered an underdog - an online gaming site has DeGarmo's chances of winning listed at 3 to 1 - Bulger believes the pride of Snellville is a good bet.

``She's got a great shot,'' he said. ``She's got a great voice and she's just really bubbly. She's already done a great job.''

--Resilient reliever: Despite being hit in the face Friday by a foul ball that deflected off the top of the dugout, JetHawks reliever Justin Wechsler pitched in the last two games of the weekend series against Inland Empire.

Wechsler, who suffered a cut under his left eye that required seven stitches, pitched two shutout innings in an 8-7 loss Saturday to Inland Empire and one scoreless inning in a 7-2 victory Sunday over the 66ers.

``I wanted to get in there and throw,'' Wechsler said. ``I knew I was fine. I don't think (Inland Empire) thought I was 100 percent, but I felt fine. I didn't get hit in the arm, and as long as I could see, I knew I'd be all right.''

Wechsler was just happy it wasn't worse.

``It's not as bad as it looks,'' Wechsler said. ``I think it would have been a lot more swollen but it just kept bleeding so the blood had a place to go instead of settling in.''

Wechsler spent most of the night waiting to be treated at a San Bernardino-area hospital. But he still hadn't been treated by the time Friday night's game ended, so Inland Empire manager Darren Brown loaned JetHawks trainer Adam Weyer his 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.

``It was really nice of him,'' Wechsler said. ``If he hadn't lent us his truck, we probably would have had to stay in San Bernardino (overnight). It's a nice truck he has, too.''

--``I'd seen enough'': JetHawks manager Wally Backman dumped a garbage can full of plastic cups onto the field after being ejected Sunday for the second time this season.

Backman was ejected by plate umpire Aaron Banks, who ruled that Carlos Quentin left third base early on what would have been a Sean Luellwitz sacrifice fly.

Backman believed Quentin didn't leave early but acknowledged that by squatting before he left the base, it might have appeared as if Quentin did. Nevertheless, Backman was displeased with the umpiring crew of Banks and Brandon Leopoldus, and with his team leading 5-1 in the fifth, Backman wanted to send a message.

Backman's complaints included what he believed were several bad calls on the basepaths and an erratic strike zone. And in his opinion, the calls weren't going the JetHawks' way.

``I'd seen enough,'' Backman said. ``I thought we'd gotten hosed too many times.

``We're in A-ball and umpires are going to make mistakes just like players make mistakes, but you can't make that big a mistake. To me there can't be that big a margin for error.''

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

JASON BULGER

JetHawks closer from same Georgia hometown as an ``American Idol'' finalist.