NEW FACES FOR JETHAWKS OUTLOOK IS BULLISH FOR LANCASTER'S HOME TEAM.Byline: Gideon Rubin Special to the Daily News LANCASTER - Perhaps it was the offseason regime change in Phoenix, or maybe it was just a significant portion of the JetHawks' parent Arizona Diamondbacks This article is about the baseball team. For other uses, see Diamondback. The Arizona Diamondbacks (also referred to as the D-backs) are a Major League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the West Division of the National League. farm system aging out Aging out is popular culture vernacular used to describe anytime a youth leaves a formal system of care designed to provide services below a certain age level. There are a variety of applications of the phrase throughout the youth development field. . Whatever the reason, the 2006 JetHawks Opening Day roster has a drastically different complexion than teams Arizona has sent to Lancaster in recent years. The Diamondbacks have sent its share of prospects to Lancaster the past few years, to be sure, but under the regimes of farm directors Tommy Jones Tommy Jones is an American professional bowler currently on the Denny's PBA Tour (Professional Bowlers Association). Born on November 2, 1978, Jones is a current resident of Simpsonville, South Carolina. Jones, a right-handed cranker, is one of the "hottest" pros on the tour today. and Bob Miller, Arizona has used Lancaster as a quasi-independent squad to which they assigned career minor-leaguers. Even elite prospects they've assigned to their advanced Class-A affiliate in the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley have been older, top-level collegiate draft picks - such as the "Three Amigos AMIGOS Advanced Mobile Integration in General Operating Systems ," Conor Jackson Conor Sims Jackson (nicknamed Co-Jack or Action) was born May 7, 1982 in Austin, Texas. He is a first baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He bats right handed and throws right handed. He is 6'2" and roughly 225 pounds. , Carlos Quentin Carlos Quentin (born August 28, 1982 in Bellflower, California, is an outfielder who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. School years Quentin attended Saint Pius X Elementary School (Chula Vista, California), and later, University of San Diego High School (San Diego, and Jamie D'Antona, who forged the nucleus of the 2004 first-half championship team, and Stephen Drew Stephen Oris Drew (born March 16 1983 in Valdosta, Georgia) is a shortstop in major league baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Drew was selected for the 2006 All-Star Futures Game. He is the younger brother of Red Sox outfielder J.D. last season. Under first-year farm director A.J. Hinch, Lancaster opens the season with few familiar faces. The JetHawks return just six players from last year's team and two others who played in Lancaster in 2004. Only two position players are back, and only one- sparingly used first baseman/outfielder Javier Brito - was on the playoff roster. Despite a glaring lack of experience, several factors contribute to an exceptionally bullish outlook. The JetHawks, who open their 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 season tonight at Lake Elsinore, feature nine top-30 Baseball America organizational prospects - more than Arizona has previously sent to Lancaster - from a Diamondbacks system ranked No. 1 by BA and the nucleus of last season's Single-A South Bend (Ind.) Midwest League championship team. Headlining that group is elite prospect Carlos Gonzalez, last season's Midwest League MVP (Multimedia Video Processor) A high-speed DSP chip from Texas Instruments, introduced in 1994. Officially introduced as the TMS320C80, it combines RISC technology with the functionality of four DSPs on one chip. . Gonzalez, a 20-year-old left-handed hitting Venezuelan outfielder ranked fourth among Arizona's prospects, is a five-tool player with explosive power potential. He tapped into that potential in last season's breakthrough year, when he batted .318 and hit 18 homers in what's considered a pitchers' league. Top 30 prospects Cesar Nicolas (No. 22), a right-handed hitting first baseman who hit 21 homers last season at South Bend, outfielder Jerome Milons (No. 26), who hit 10 at South Bend, and Gonzalez give Lancaster a powerful heart of the batting order that figures to be a combustible com·bus·ti·ble adj. Capable of igniting and burning. n. A substance that ignites and burns readily. mix amid the Antelope Valley's high winds and thin air. "It could get ugly," JetHawks hitting coach Damon Mashore said. Anchoring a prospect-rich starting rotation are No. 17 Matt Chico and No. 18 A.J. Shappi, who spent half a season at Lancaster last year. Chico, Lancaster's Opening Day starter, is among three left-handed starters. Closer Matt Elliott was 3-4 with a 2.14 ERA and led the organization with 32 saves last season at South Bend. Manager Brett Butler, the popular former Dodgers outfielder, by all accounts brings the same energy to managing the game as he did playing it. He said he'll emphasize fundamentally sound baseball. He said he will have the JetHawks playing "small ball" and vowed not to let the conditions of hitter-friendly Lancaster dictate his emphasis on development. "We're going to teach these guys the way the game is supposed to be played, both fundamentally and situationally," Butler said. "I didn't change my style when I went to (Wrigley Field), and I didn't change my style when I went to Coors Field." gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: JetHawks outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is expected to provide power for Lancaster this season after his successful stint at Single-A South Bend (Ind.) Midwest League, where he hit .318 and 18 homers last season. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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