Hardy Named Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Pioneer League
Idaho Falls - The Kansas City Royals named yesterday Rowdy Hardy and Mike Aviles as the Alex George Royals Minor League Players of the Year. Aviles, an infielder for the Omaha Royals, "AAA" affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, hit .296 (159-for-538) with 27 doubles, 6 triples, 17 home runs, 77 RBI and 78 runs scored.
Hardy, a graduate of Austin Peay State University, posted a record of 15-5 this last season for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Advanced Class "A" Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. He was also named the Wilmington Blue Rocks Pitcher of the Year last August. In 26 appearances for the Blue Rocks, Hardy led the Carolina League with complete games (3) and innings pitched (167.0), while marking an ERA of 2.48. In addition, he was named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Year.
In 2006, the lefty was the lone member to represent the Chukars in the Pioneer League Postseason All-Star Team. For the Chukars, Hardy finished 4th in the league in ERA at 2.80 while posting an overall record of 5-3. He tied for 3rd in the league in innings pitched (80.1), walked only five batters (started his first 45.2 professional innings without a walk), and led the team in starts with 15. Hardy was also named that season by the Kansas City Royals as the organization's Pitcher of the Year.
Believe it or not, the expansion has officially begun. The last of the environmental soil samples have been completed. Barring any negative results of those samples, R & O will be rolling in heavy equipment very soon.
The 2008 Raptors Coaching Staff is now official. Former major leaguer Mike Brumley has been chosen to be the Skipper for this season. Mike is no stranger to managing in the minors. He spent three seasons as the skipper of the old Salt Lake Stingers. We welcome his arrival and look forward to working with him. Let's cross our fingers that we can finally over take those bad boys from Orem. Craig Bjornson will return for a third season as Pitching Coach along with Henry Cruz returning for his second season as the Hitting Coach. Pete Hite will return as Trainer and the Strength and Conditioning Coach has not yet been named. The Minor League Coordinators for the Dodgers will remain in tact with the exception of Rodney McCray joining the staff as the Hitting Coordinator. McCray is most noted for crashing completely through the outfield wall in Portland back in the 80's. Google his name and you can see the video. Former Raptors Skipper Jeff Carter will manage the GCL Dodgers and Juan Bustabad will move up and manage the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League.
There are still a few Suites left for leasing. I want to get started on the construction of the Suites within the next 30 days so if you are interested, email me and I will send you the outline of the Suites and what will come with them. Don't delay! I need to move quickly.
I have mentioned it before and I'll mention it again. We have acquired our own screen- printing equipment to produce t-shirts and other apparel items. If it's flat, we can screen it for you. If your company or family needs custom screen-printing, I'll make you a deal. Regardless of quantity, I will print any white tee shirt with one color imprint for only $3.00! I dare you to beat that price. If you can, I will match it. Please add .50 cents for each additional color you may want to include. If you have any other shirt colors you would like to have, just let me know and I will price it for you. Please email me if you wish me to talk to you about printing you apparel. You can also call me at 393-2400.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions and concerns you may have. For those who haven't paid for your 2008 Season Tickets, we would appreciate anything you could do to send it in now.
BobblEction '08 moves from Cyberspace to the real world
Northwest League
BOISE, ID - The Boise Hawks announce a major change to the way BobblEction '08 voting will be conducted.
"We've been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response we've gotten to the celebrity bobblehead," said Hawks President/GM Todd Rahr. "That's the good news. Unfortunately, we've also received numerous allegations of voting impropriety. Because our webhosting company can't guarantee that the poll we're conducting online is absolutely fair, we believe it's in everyone's best interest to move to a face-to-face voting format. We'd heard rumors people had started calling it BobbleGate '08. I'm not saying we had hanging chads or anything like that, but I think Congress was this close to getting involved (laughs)!"
To that end, the Hawks are inviting the four celebrities to the club's HawksNation Celebration which is tentatively scheduled for Friday night, May 16 at Memorial Stadium. It's an evening of free fun and fireworks at the ballpark for fans and families from across the Treasure Valley. Each candidate will be given the opportunity to make a brief stump speech to the crowd followed by a one-person, one-vote election.
Four local celebrities are vying for the top prize in BobblEction '08. They are: Mark Johnson - KTVB news anchor; Natalie Hurst - KBCI news anchor; Scott Dorval - KIVI meteorologist and Vin Crosby - KTRV meteorologist. Jeff Caves and Mike Prater - co-hosts of KTIK's Idaho Sports Talk have asked to be removed from the competition.
The winner of the contest will get his/her likeness on a bobblehead that will be given to the first 1,250 fans at one of the Hawks' games this summer!
Fans can still win! We're looking for e-mails telling us why you're voting for your favorite celebrity. There will be a winning e-mail for each of our four candidates. Those winners will receive a VIP invitation to HawksNation Celebration. If their candidate wins BobblEction '08, the fan will receive a Hawks jersey signed by the winning celebrity, a Boise Hawks ticketing bonus book and the opportunity to throw out the first pitch with your celebrity on BobblEction promotional night this summer.
The Hawks continue to prepare for their 22nd season of Northwest League play in 2008. The club has won 6 NWL Championships, the most recent banner coming in 2004. Season, mini-plan, and single game tickets for Hawks' games are available at 322-5000. Don't stand in line. Purchase and print your tickets from home @ BoiseHawks.com. The Boise Hawks...rated F for fun!
National Grid Named Title Sponsor of 2008 All-Star Game
New York-Penn League
Troy, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats, the Class A affiliate of the Houston Astros, are pleased to announce that the team has entered into a title sponsorship agreement with National Grid for the New York-Penn League All-Star Game, which will be held at the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008.
The 2008 National Grid All-Star Game will showcase future Major League stars from each of the New York-Penn League's 14 teams. The three day itinerary will feature community events throughout the Capital Region, including a Hall of Fame themed luncheon and an All-Star Fan Fest.
"We're proud to be involved with such a wonderful family event, and we're pleased to help bring the New York-Penn League All-Star Game to the Capital Region as its title sponsor." said William Flaherty, National Grid's Regional Executive Director for the Eastern Division, "Our sponsorship of the 2008 All-Star Game demonstrates a great way to invest in our community and showcase this area to the many baseball fans, league executives and Major Leaguers of the future who will be visiting the Capital Region to be a part of this experience."
"It is a pleasure to partner with National Grid to present the 2008 New York-Penn League All-Star Game." said Rick Murphy, Vice President/General Manager for the ValleyCats. "The three day festival will bring an enormous amount of excitement to the Capital Region and provide a lifetime of memories for baseball fans throughout the entire Northeast."
National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority. National Grid is the largest power producer in New York State, owning 6,650 megawatts of electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers and supplies roughly a quarter of New York City's electricity needs. It is also the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Tickets for the 2008 National Grid All-Star Game can be obtained immediately by purchasing a Six Game All-Star Mini-Pack. This is a chance to get your All-Star Game ticket before individual tickets for the game go on sale in June.
Prices for the Six Game All-Star Mini-Pack are $39 for a Reserved Box Package and $47 for a Premium Box Package. You may purchase your Mini-Pack online at Tri-City ValleyCats: Home, by calling (518) 629-CATS, or at the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium Box Office Monday-Friday between 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Renegades Are Affected by the Writers Strike First Hand
New York-Penn League
The Hudson Valley Renegades regrettably announce that their 2008 Promotions Schedule has been put on hiatus until further notice due to the Writes Guild of America's current strike.
The strike of nearly 12,000 writers has blocked the production of the Renegades 2008 Promotions Schedule. The Renegades Promotion Schedule joins a long list of other projects being postponed by the strike. Other such projects being delayed are TV shows such as: The Office, CSI New York, Heroes, Scrubs, Friday Night Lights, and Grey's Anatomy.
The strike is affecting more then just TV shows and the Renegades though. The list of everyone affected is highlighted by the Golden Globe Awards. The strike transformed the prestigious Golden Globe Awards from its usual red carpet affair into a 30-minute press conference.
"This has been a tragic event for the entire entertainment community," Assistant General Manager Corey Whitted said. "I never thought the strike would last this long and reach all the way out to the Hudson Valley."
The Renegades are working closely with their contacts to help resolve this situation before it causes further harm to the organization. The 2008 Promotion Schedule was in the works long before the strike began but will not be able to be resumed until both sides come to an understanding.
The Renegades as a staff are eager for the strike to come to an end so the production of the promotion schedule can move forward. There are plenty of great promotional ideas for the upcoming 2008 season but they need to be etched in stone by our writers.
"We are working with WGA right now to come to an understanding," stated General Manager Eben Yager. "We are positive that the WGA will work with us to reach an agreement that satisfies both parties."
The Renegades promotional staff would like to thank the fans for their cooperation and understanding.
BURLINGTON, VT --- The Washington Nationals minor league system is ranked 9th among the 30 Major League teams according to Baseball America's 2008 Prospect Handbook, the Nationals announced today in a press release.
Along with the rankings, Baseball America also released the top 20 prospects in the Nationals organization. 10 of the top 20 prospects have spent time in Vermont with the Lake Monsters, including seven players in the top 10 and six players that were with Vermont during the 2007 season.
The Nationals have moved up to the 9th spot after finishing dead last in 30th-place before the 2007 season. Since 2001, the previous high for the Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos was 16th in 2002.
Nationals Top 20 Prospects
Former Vermont players in bold (*2007 Lake Monsters)
1. Chris Marrero, 1B/OF
2. Ross Detwiler, LHP
3. Collin Balester, RHP
4. Michael Burgess, OF*
5. Jack McGeary, LHP*
6. Josh Smoker, LHP*
7. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP*
8. Justin Maxwell, OF
9. Colton Willems, RHP*
10. John Lannan, LHP
11. Jake Smolinski, OF
12. Tyler, Clippard, RHP
13. Adam Carr, RHP
14. Ian Desmond, SS
15. Garrett Mock, RHP
16. Stephen King, SS*
17. Esmailyn Gonzalez, SS
18. Shairon Martis, RHP
19. Brad Peacock, RHP
20. Kory Casto, OF/3B
2008 Team Rankings
1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Texas Rangers
5. New York Yankees
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
7. Colorado Rockies
8. Atlanta Braves
9. Washington Nationals
Brooklyn, NY, January 25, 2008 - Brooklyn Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen is confident that the Giants will win the upcoming Super Bowl against the Patriots. So confident, in fact, that he challenged a rival New England-area peer to a friendly wager, based on the outcome of the game.
When (not "if," according to Cohen) the Giants win, the General Manager of the Lowell (MA) Spinners * Tim Bawmann * will make the four-hour trek to Brooklyn to work on the Cyclones' Grounds Crew, prior to a matchup against his team, a Boston affiliate. Should the Patriots beat the Giants, however, Cohen will be forced to travel to New England, and man the rakes, shovels and mowers to help the Spinners' Grounds Crew prepare their field, instead.
"New York is still the sports capital of the world," said Cohen, "despite what our friends in the New England area may think these days." "My gut tells me that the Giants are primed to pull off the upset and shock the world," he continued. "My back and knees, however, just saw the spread and are begging me to reconsider."
Riding the bravado rooted in the recent success of the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots, the Lowell GM seems to think the Pats' undefeated season is a foregone conclusion. "I look forward to sending (Cyclones GM) Steve to the field for some grounds crew work this summer," said Bawmann. "In fact, the entire Spinners staff is so confident in our New England Patriots that I'm extending the same challenge to the seven other New York teams in our league. I'm putting my entire summer schedule on the line!"
The Cyclones will take on the Spinners in Lowell, August 6-8. The Spinners come to Brooklyn August 21-23. On one of those days, one GM will have his hands full (of dirt), and will likely remember why there's no betting in baseball.
Cyclones ticket plans and group tickets are available now at brooklyncyclones.com or by phone at 718-37-BKLYN. Individual game tickets will be on sale in late April/early May.
The Lakewood BlueClaws Coaches Clinic presented by Velocity Sports Performance is back for another year on Saturday, February 2nd. Featuring long time head coach at Rutgers University, Fred Hill, and MLB Umpire Phil Cuzzi, the clinic will take place at FirstEnergy Park.
Space is limited, and the $39.95 registration fee includes instruction from the coaches, a continental breakfast, lunch, official clinic T-Shirt, and goodie bag. For additional information, please contact Steve Farago or Lisa Carone at 732.901.7000.
Kannapolis, NC - The Kannapolis Intimidators would like to welcome the newest member of the front office team, Greg Pizzuto. Greg will assume the role of Director of Group Sales for the Intimidators this season and looks forward to meeting the Intimidator fans, players, coaches and booster club members.
Greg joins us from Ohio where he worked with the Cleveland Indians. Greg hails from Geneva, Ohio and still has family in the northeast Ohio area. Greg graduated from Kent State University with a Masters in Sports Management. He is happily married to Carolyn, his very supportive wife. He has a son, Bobby, who attends SUNY Buffalo where he plays centerfield for the Bulls. Greg's passion, besides his family and baseball, is fly fishing.
Be sure to welcome Greg when you see him during Intimidator home games at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium this season.
Suns, HMS Technologies continue scholarship program
South Atlantic League
Hagerstown, MD - HMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a leader in advanced IT Systems Integration, will once again team up with the Hagerstown Suns to provide area high school students whose parents have served overseas in the armed forces the opportunity to apply for the "Son or Daughter of a Serviceman Overseas Scholarship Fund."
As part of the Suns' "Serviceman Overseas" promotion, HMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. will donate $5 into the scholarship fund for each run the Suns score during the 2008 season. "We were proud to sponsor this wonderful scholarship last year and are excited about doing this again this year. Supporting the children of our Armed Forces serving overseas is the right thing to do, and we are privileged and honored to do so. We look forward to culling thru the many qualified candidates and picking our ultimate winner this year. Best wishes to the Hagerstown Suns for an outstanding year," said Harry M. Siegel, President and CEO, HMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To qualify as a potential candidate for the scholarship, an applicant must meet several standards: attend a public or private high school in Washington, Jefferson, or Berkeley County, maintain 3.0 G.P.A and have a parent who has served or is serving overseas in any branch of the United States Armed Forces or Active Reserves. Eligible students should submit a three-page essay on why they are deserving of the award along with SAT scores, transcript of grades and three non-family member recommendations on why they are worthy of the award. Applications are available by contacting the Suns front office. The recipient will be honored during an on-field presentation prior to a Suns game.
This past season Alisha Commer, a Clear Spring High School graduate, was awarded $3,200. In 2006, HMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. presented Becky Funk, also a Clear Spring High School graduate, $3,000 to further her education at West Virginia University.
HMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. is an established Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) that integrates technology, partners, and clients for the common goal of teamed success in both the Federal and Commercial environments. Their mission is to be the most responsive SDVOB Systems Integrator in the world that is recognized for award-winning quality and value of their work while living the priorities of the organization through the five C's in the following order: Country, Clients, Colleagues, Corporation, and Cost-Control.
The Hagerstown Suns are the South Atlantic League Class "A" affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The 2008 home opener is scheduled for Friday, April 11th. Ticket packages and sponsorships are available by calling 301.791.6266. The Suns are owned by Los Angeles based Mandalay Baseball Properties.
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Hardy Named Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Year
