Your 2005 W.V. Power - Latest: Helena Squad, Audio Favorites

[MassBrew]

so where are two of the OBP boys, Festa and Rasheed?

 

See various updates at the end of the current transaction thread:

 

p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...2803.topic

[MassBrew]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005040550

 

Speed trap on the mound

Hard-throwing Rogers will have tight pitch limit

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

Among the newfangled innovations at Appalachian Power Park is a small scoreboard-like structure that sits atop the left-center wall.

 

It flashes the speed of each pitch in miles per hour and thus will serve as an educational device for fans with an eye for South Atlantic League fireballers.

 

The device will be especially useful when Power right-hander Mark Rogers takes the mound.

 

Rogers, a first-round selection in last summer?s amateur draft, delivers a fastball that should consistently register in the mid-90s and has demonstrated enough potential to earn a $2.2 million signing bonus.

 

Of course, if the speed of his impressive pitches is flashed on a scoreboard over his right shoulder, he might be tempted to take a peek. Rogers says he?ll resist that temptation.

 

?If I?m getting batters out,?? he said Tuesday, standing on the lush outfield grass at Appalachian Power Park, ?I don?t care if it?s going 81 or 98.??

 

When the Power opens its season at Hagerstown Thursday, the 19-year-old Maine native will start but will be strictly limited in his number of pitches.

 

The Power?s parent organization, the Milwaukee Brewers, takes a cautious approach to young arms and will not allow Rogers to go more than 80 pitches. If he makes 25 appearances this season, he will accumulate scarcely more than 100 innings.

 

Even if he looks brilliant in the early innings, he will depart upon reaching 80 or so pitches.

 

?What?s going to be important for the fans to understand,?? said Power pitching coach John Curtis, ?is that Mark Rogers may go out and pitch four shutout innings, blow the opposition away and the next inning he?s not going to be out there. And people will say, ?What are you doing that for?? ??

 

In Thursday?s opener at Hagerstown, Curtis and manager Ramon Aviles already have chosen Josh Wahpepah, an Oklahoma native who was taken in the third round of last year?s draft, to relieve Rogers. They will limit Wahpepah to about 40 pitches.

 

The Power, in fact, plans to use eight starting pitchers and will designate two pitchers for the Nos. 1, 3 and 5 spots in the five-day rotation. As a general rule, the younger the pitcher, the more cautious the approach.

 

?We have to do everything we can to protect them from injury,?? said Aviles.

 

Curtis, who worked 15 seasons as a major-league pitcher, admits it?s always a gamble to draft a high school pitcher in the first round but says Rogers is exceptional.

 

?He?s not quite Nolan Ryan, but he approaches Ryan,?? said Curtis. ?You?re going to see a major-league fastball and pretty darn good control with his curve and changeup.??

 

Rogers signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Miami and considered Arizona and Stanford, but the Brewers? $2.2 million offer and the immediate chance to start his professional career were too much to pass up.

 

After signing in June, he struck out 35 in 26 2/3 innings in rookie ball but allowed 30 hits and 14 walks and posted a 4.73 earned run average. He spent part of his off-season in Instructional League.

 

?If I?m throwing well,?? said Rogers, ?I?m keeping the ball down in the zone and varying my pitches and getting ground balls and not walking people.??

 

POWER POINTS: After meeting with a large media contingent Tuesday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park, the team switched to Watt Powell Park for a workout. Construction work at the new park would have interfered with a workout there. ... The Power will open at home Thursday April 14. ... Curtis and Aviles both played at Watt Powell Park in the 1970s. Curtis was a minor-league teammate of Carlton Fisk at Louisville in 1970 and in 1971 surrendered a long home run to Charleston Charlies slugger Richie Zisk. He also remembers the team staying in the old Daniel Boone Hotel. ?I remember the lunch crowd, sitting at our hotel and watching everybody hit the streets,?? he said. ... Aviles, an infielder who spent four seasons in the majors, played for Pawtucket from 1975 through 1977 and played for manager Joe Morgan, a former Charlies manager.

 

Photographer:

M.K. McFarland

 

Mark Rogers:

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/appy1.jpg

[MassBrew]

A ground-level view from behind home plate at Appalachian Power Park, which debuts in just eight days.

 

Photographer:

M.K. McFarland, Charleston Gazette

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/images/stories/Appy3.jpg

[MassBrew]

Link while active, text follows:

 

dailymail.com/news/Jack+B...k-20050406

 

Brewers serious about success of West Virginia baseball

Jack Bogaczyk

Charleston Daily Mail Sports Editor

 

The West Virginia Power got its first look at the new East End ballpark on Tuesday.

 

Both remain works in progress.

 

As the South Atlantic League baseball season opens Thursday, the Power flips the switch at Hagerstown with a manager with less than four months in the Milwaukee organization and a pitching coach who three weeks ago expected to be staying in extended spring training.

 

That said, West Virginia Manager Ramon Aviles and pitching coach John Curtis have bossed in the bushes before. Their resumes speak of the Majors, but they know low Class A life, too.

 

With the number of casual baseball fans in the capital city destined to mushroom significantly thanks to the opening of Appalachian Power Park, the Power probably doesn't have to win at the strong 84-56 level of the Alley Cats' swansong last summer.

 

After all, curiosity about "The APP" will bring out a goodly number of fans. The Power already has sold about 135,000 seats. An affiliation change isn't likely to impact turnstile spinning this season.

 

However, as Charleston baseball plays with its fourth different parent organization since 1998 (Reds, Royals, Blue Jays, Brewers), the question is whether the move to Bud Selig's former club is timely.

 

The Power will be younger than the recent Alley Cats. Toronto's philosophy was to draft college players. Milwaukee's recent pickings have been a mixture. The Brewers' top 10 picks last June included five high schoolers and two junior college products.

 

Aviles said the Power will run. The Alley Cats couldn't, and didn't. West Virginia will hit more homers than Charleston did in the old Cat house, but that's as much a function of the shrunken fence distances from Watt Powell Park to The APP.

 

"A lot of what you see here," Aviles said at the new yard Tuesday, "will depend on our pitchers' location. If we get the ball down, this place is fair. If we get it up, you're going to see a lot of homers and doubles."

 

Milwaukee is serious about success in West Virginia. It has sent its top four picks of last summer's draft, all right-handed pitchers, to the Power. The four received a combined $3.64 million in bonus bucks to sign.

 

The Brewers haven't won at the big league level since 1992, a second-place finish in the American League East, but playing with prospects is different.

 

The Power is the former Beloit Snappers, who had back-to-back winning Midwest League seasons (2003 and '04) after seven years of mostly struggle.

 

The switch to the Milwaukee system by West Virginia Baseball LLC wasn't as much about a desire for change -- new owners, new park, new attitude, new parent -- as it was the best available option. Toronto brass wanted a commitment on a four-year player development renewal last July.

 

The first-year owners and operators of the Cats weren't ready to sign then. The relationship, despite a very good team and a first-half division title, soured.

 

The Yankees and Red Sox needed new low Class A homes, but common ownerships and friendships at two South Carolina SAL cities had them headed there. The Cardinals headed to Quad Cities, within their Midwest regional sphere.

 

Texas and San Francisco wanted to come here, but Cardinals General Manager Walt Jocketty, the man who built the defending National League champions, suggested to local management that the Brewers were the best available option.

 

It's a two-year deal, and it's with an organization led by a braintrust -- guided by General Manager Doug Melvin and Player Development boss Reid Nichols -- that did the Rangers' farm construction in the building days of Juan Gonzalez and Pudge Rodriguez.

 

The 67th season of pro baseball in Charleston since 1910 will be interesting for more reasons than a diamond still in the rough on the edge of downtown.

 

At Watt Powell Park, the brewers always played big on Two for Tuesdays. The Brewers have six other days to prove they can provide Power, too.

[MassBrew]

Link while active, text follows:

 

dailymail.com/news/Sports/2005040626/

 

Power's battery keeps going

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

What are the odds?

 

That's what Oklahoma natives Josh Wahpepah and Clay Blevins wonder.

 

After all, how many other minor league baseball players can make this claim:

 

"He has been catching me since my sophomore year of high school, all through junior college and now in the second year of pro ball," West Virginia Power pitcher Josh Wahpepah said of roommate and Shawnee, Okla., neighbor Clay Blevins.

 

"We live like a quarter-mile apart."

 

If eager, athletic-minded fathers could bottle the fountain water at Dale High School, they would -- considering the school only has 160 students in grades 10-12.

 

"That's a pretty crazy deal," said Wahpepah (pronounced WAH-pi-pa). "I don't know when I'm going to have to play with somebody else, because I've been playing with him for six or seven years now."

 

That "when" nearly came during their junior season at Dale High school.

 

"I was sliding into a home head-first," Blevins said, "and I caught the catcher."

 

The impact broke Blevins' C-6 and C-7 vertebrae.

 

"Usually when you hear broken neck, you think about not walking or death," Blevins said. "I was frightened to death."

 

He recovered. The neck healed ... and the Oklahoma duo ended its high school careers on high notes.

 

"We won state a few times," Wahpepah said, grinning ear-to-ear on the Appalachian Power Park field.

 

That's five titles to be exact -- since Oklahoma schools have fall and spring seasons.

 

Blevins and Wahpepah expected to go different routes after high school. Blevins went straight to Cowley County (Kan.) Community College because Division I schools "weren't offering much money at the time."

 

Wahpepah had the University of Arkansas on his mind, but the Razorbacks weren't ready to open the doors so soon to a small-town kid.

 

"The coach at Arkansas thought it would be best if I went to a junior college or something, because I was from a small school," said Wahpepah, who went 11-0 with a 0.48 earned run average his senior year.

 

So, he went to Cowley County with Blevins, the same school that produced Major Leaguers Junior Spivey and Travis Hafner.

 

It didn't take long for Wahpepah to get noticed. The Detroit Tigers selected him in the 18th round of the 2003 draft after just one year.

 

"I really didn't know if I was ready to go out into professional baseball yet," the 20-year-old said.

 

He stayed in Kansas. An 11-1 record in 2004, Junior College All-American honors and a third-round selection from the Brewers changed the 6-foot-5, 195-pound right-hander's mind, quicker than his mid-90s fastball can hit the mitt.

 

After signing with the Brewers, Wahpepah went to Helena of the (rookie) Pioneer League, where he was 4-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 47 innings. Wahpepah will work in Thursday's Power opener in Hagerstown, Md., after starter Mark Rogers reaches his 80-pitch limit.

 

"He was masterful in spring training," Power pitching coach John Curtis said. "I was going to suggest he open up in Milwaukee. He has what I call a very loud delivery. It's a lot of arms and elbows and legs. We've tried to confine the movement, but he has great control of three pitches."

 

Blevins -- a 46th-round pick -- has control of Wahpepah's pitches. He just might not get as many chances to be on the receiving end of them as in years past.

 

"When we first got up to Helena I caught him a lot," said Blevins, who batted .243 in his first professional season. "Right now I'm at the No. 3 catcher.

 

"They don't stick us together just because we've been together so long."

 

Then again, something had to break apart the high school, college and pro teammates who share a Charleston apartment 1,053 miles from home.

 

"We are actually not rooming on the road this year," Wahpepah said. "We're going to split it up a little bit."

[MassBrew]

Very cool graphic, awesome, really:

 

dailymail.com/display_pho...?iid=15137

[batman]

The coverage we're getting for the Power is unbelievable. This is like Triple-A or even Major League quality stuff for a Single-A team... great, great, great, greatness.

 

~Bill

[madbad2000]

That could be the best Non-colbyjack graphic I've seen in a long time. West Virginia...keep this up and I'll stop "pouting" about taking my Snappers. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[MassBrew]

Link while active, text follows:

 

sports.mainetoday.com/pro...gers.shtml

 

Rogers takes another step up, bringing him closer to home

By PAUL BETIT, Portland (Maine) Press Herald Writer

 

After spending most of his first nine months as a professional baseball player out West, Mark Rogers is bringing his 95 mph fastball back East.

 

Since he signed for a reported $2.2 million after the Milwaukee Brewers made him the fifth pick in last June's amateur draft, Rogers has done all of his pitching in Arizona.

 

Now, he's heading a bit closer to home. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Rogers is scheduled to start for the West Virginia Power against the Hagerstown Suns in a Class A South Atlantic League season opener in Maryland.

 

"We're so darn excited, we're going to drive down to Maryland to watch his first start," said Stephanie Rogers, Mark's mother.

 

Rogers, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Orrs Island, could see a lot more of his family and friends during his second season of professional baseball.

 

"Obviously, I'm excited about being on the East Coast," said Rogers. "My family will be able to come see more of my games, and I feel I've got an upper hand because I'm used to the weather (in the East)."

 

Last summer, Rogers played in the Arizona Rookie League, where he was named that league's top pitching prospect by Baseball America. Last fall, he spent six weeks playing in the Arizona Instructional League, an assignment reserved for the Brewers' top 25 minor-league prospects.

 

After Christmas, Rogers spent six weeks at a training camp for pitchers in Newport Beach, Calif. One of the eight other campers was Barry Zito, the left-handed ace of the Oakland A's.

 

"(The camp) got me out of the Maine weather and got me outside to work out and get my arm in shape," Rogers said.

 

Earlier this month, Baseball America listed Rogers, who graduated from Mt. Ararat High School last June, as the 55th best prospect in its annual list of the top 100 prospects.

 

"All the stuff is there" said Jim Rooney, Milwaukee's minor-league pitching coordinator. "Now it's a question of fine-tuning and learning how a major-league pitcher performs. He's at the start of that process, and I don't foresee any problems with him finishing that process successfully."

 

In 15 innings during spring training, Rogers allowed two earned runs. Last Thursday, he didn't allow a hit and struck out five while pitching three innings against an Oakland minor-league team.

 

"His last two or three times out, he was up to 60-65 pitches, so he's all set and ready to go," Rooney said.

 

The youngest player on the Power, Rogers, 19, has been assigned to a team one rung higher on the minor-league ladder than is usual for a player of his age.

 

"We have two rookie ballclubs," said Rooney, "and a lot of our first-year college players go to Helena (in the Pioneer League)."

 

Despite his youth, Rogers was named West Virginia's starting pitcher in its opener.

 

"It will be a great opportunity to pitch in a meaningful game in front of a big crowd, which is something I haven't experienced yet," Rogers said. "We didn't get crowds in Arizona, I tell you that much."

 

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005040644

 

Low finish, high picks

Brewers should stock Power with solid roster

By Mike Whiteford

Charleston Gazette Staff writer

 

A new ballpark, a new nickname and a new color scheme are not the only areas of newness to be unveiled in this baseball season.

 

Beginning with tonight?s 6:35 season opener at Hagerstown, the green-and-gold-clad West Virginia Power will debut as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

When the Alley Cats, as they were then known, ended a four-year association with the Toronto Blue Jays in September and signed a two-year contract with the Brewers, it was a move that prompted head scratching.

 

As a perennial bottom-feeder in the NL Central, the Brewers are hardly an organization that inspires confidence or interest in Appalachia, especially in light of other options available to the Charleston franchise.

 

The team might have pursued an affiliation with the Red Sox, Mets, Yankees and Cardinals, all of which needed homes for their Class A clubs, but preferred the Milwaukee organization.

 

Among other things, the Brewers? farm system ranked No. 1 in baseball, according to a Baseball America survey, and the organization?s National League presence added to its appeal.

 

Whether the local ownership group made the right decision will be determined by the talent the Brewers send to Charleston this year and next.

 

?The Brewers have a commitment to developing talent that?s second to none,?? Power general manager Andy Milovich said at the time. ?We thought it was a great fit for the fans of Charleston.??

 

Because of the Brewers? poor won-lost records each year, they receive the right to choose early in the June amateur draft and, if they draft wisely, their farm system, including Charleston, will benefit.

 

?They?re picking some of the best players in the country,?? Power manager Ramon Aviles said Tuesday at Appalachian Power Park, ?and most other teams don?t get that chance. It?s an advantage.??

 

In last year?s draft, the Brewers used their No. 5 pick in the first round to select Mark Rogers, a hard-throwing right-hander who will start tonight?s opener at Hagerstown but will be limited to about 80 pitches. Scheduled to relieve Rogers tonight will be right-hander Josh Wahpepah, who was taken in the third round of last year?s draft.

 

The heart of the Power batting order will be occupied by second baseman Hernan Iribarren, first baseman Grant Richardson and designated hitter William Lewis.

 

Iribarren, a native of Venezuela, batted .439 with four home runs and 15 stolen bases in 46 games in the Arizona (rookie) League last year and earned a promotion to Beloit of the Class A Midwest League, where he hit .373 with one homer in 15 games.

 

Richardson, a former three-sport athlete at Washington State University, batted .367 with five home runs in 44 games at Helena of the Pioneer (rookie) League and .223 with six home runs in 28 games with Beloit.

 

Lewis, a 23-year-old native of Texarkana, Ark., hit .328 with five HRs in 38 games at Beloit.

 

In addition to Iribarren, Richardson and Lewis, the Power offense should offer balance, said Aviles.

 

?We have speed. We have people who can steal bases,?? he said. ?We have contact hitters and can play hit-and-run. We can move guys over. And we?ve got a couple of guys who can hit the ball out of the ballpark. We have a good combination.??

 

POWER POINTS: The Power will play four games at Hagerstown and three at Lexington and will open Appalachian Power Park on April 14. ... All games will be broadcast on WSWW 1490-AM (no web audio) ... The Appalachian Power Park grass, which was installed three weeks ago, is still soft and will not lend itself to offense until it develops more firmness. Balls hit on the grass will not be taking lively bounces. ?In a couple of months, that will change,?? said Power hitting coach Tony Diggs, ?and we?ll have a good, firm, solid foundation in the outfield.?? ... The Power will be hard-pressed to match the success of last year?s Alley Cats, who won 17 of their first 20 games and clinched a playoff spot with a 41-29 first-half record. It was the team?s first playoff berth since 1997. ... The Alley Cats? four-year record as a Blue Jay affiliate was 253-298 for a .459 percentage.

 

To contact staff writer Mike Whiteford, use e-mail or call 348-7948.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005040730/

 

No. 1 pick looking forward to start

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

John Curtis pointed his left index finger toward a group of reporters surrounding 19-year-old Mark Rogers.

 

That, he said, is where everybody will be looking.

 

"The fans here in Charleston are going to see someone that one day they go, ?Yeah, I saw Mark pitch way back when,' when he is in the big leagues," said Curtis, the West Virginia Power pitching coach.

 

Curtis knows all about the Majors -- he used that left index finger to pitch in the big leagues for 15 seasons.

 

He also knows a little bit about the expectations Rogers is facing as the Milwaukee Brewers' No. 1 draft pick and fifth overall selection in 2004. Curtis was twice selected in the first round (Cleveland 1966 and Boston 1968).

 

"Everybody will be looking, ?Why is this kid a number one?'" said Curtis, who made his Major League debut as a 22-year-old with the Boston Red Sox. "The other side will say, ?Oh, the bonus baby is out there.' Hits off him are going to be pretty special."

 

That's because Rogers received a $2.2 million signing bonus when he scribbled his signature on his contract.

 

"It's all right with me," said Rogers, who had a 0.16 earned run average and 142 strikeouts in just 56 innings last year during his senior season at Mount Ararat High School in Maine. "It's all fun for me. I play baseball for the love of the game. My draft status was great, but that is behind me now."

 

What Rogers has in front of him now is a quest to the big leagues, which includes the season-opening start in tonight's 6:35 West Virginia Power opener at Hagerstown's venerable (1931) Municipal Stadium.

 

"It's a pretty good honor -- brand new team, brand new (Appalachian Power) park," Rogers said. "Unfortunately it's on the road to start. I was anxious when they told me I was getting the nod on the first day. I have to be ready to go."

 

Rogers and roommate Grant Richardson, a first baseman, are fresh off a 28-hour road trip from spring training in Phoenix to Charleston.

 

The 19-year-old struggled at times in his nine games last summer with the Brewers' Arizona Rookie League team, collecting a 4.73 ERA in 26.2 innings. The biggest adjustment wasn't the level of competition, though, Rogers said.

 

"It was learning the lifestyle and how to conduct yourself as a professional athlete," he said. "It's not just a sport anymore, it's a job. You have to conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times."

 

Being one of the top minor league prospects pick adds to that.

 

"There is no question that the expectation level is high when you are a No. 1 draft pick like he was," said Curtis of Rogers, who is ranked the No. 55 prospect in the minors by Baseball America. "This is a kid whose maturity (passes) his years.

 

"He is a young man, but mentally he is put together pretty darn well. I think emotionally he is going to be able to handle this."

 

If anyone would know about the life of a No. 1 pick, it's Curtis.

 

"I met him at spring training for the first time and he has already helped me out a ton," Rogers said. "Coming from a pitcher's standpoint, you're always up for more information."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005040731/

 

West Virginia Power staff plans to treat pitchers with kid gloves

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

Be patient. Be understanding.

 

If there's one message from the West Virginia Power manager's staff, it is this.

 

"We have young pitchers," said John Curtis, the Power pitching coach. "They will be restricted."

 

The Milwaukee Brewers' low Class A team is treating the hurlers as youngsters.

 

"We're going to piggyback them," Curtis said.

 

All jokes aside -- piggybacking the pitchers is exactly what the Power will do.

 

Since eight of the 12 pitchers are considered starters, Curtis' rotation will rely on an 80-pitch outing from its starter, followed by a 40-pitch limit from his planned replacement.

 

So, if 19-year-old, first-round pick Mark Rogers is throwing a no-hitter going into the middle part of the tonight's season opener at Hagerstown, don't be surprised to see 20-year-old pitcher Josh Wahpepah abruptly come in.

 

It's all part of the plan, as the Power piggybacks "starters" at the Nos. 1, 3 and 5 spots in the rotation. The second time through the rotation, for example, Wahpepah gets the start, with Rogers following.

 

"As special as these kids are, it's going to be hard for the fans sometimes to understand how we are using them," said Curtis, who pitched 15 years in the Majors. "We are asking the fans to understand that these kids are very young in terms of their pitching development. The last thing we want to do is overuse them now."

 

That also means the Power's four relief pitchers will be getting plenty of work.

 

"They are going to have to carry us," Curtis said. "My main concern is that the kids ease into the season without expectations that make it to where they are trying too hard. They all have the ability."

 

As work continued for the April 14 opener at the $23 million Appalachian Power Park, players got their first glimpse of the fresh sod Tuesday.

 

"It is real nice," said second baseman Hernan Iribarren. "I want to play right now. It is awesome."

 

Some Charleston residents already have embraced several Power players.

 

"Everybody here in town -- as far as I've collected -- are ready for us to be here," pitcher Josh Wahpepah said. "It's a good feeling to know everyone is supporting you."

 

While players admired their new home, media members stared at Power Manager Ramon Aviles' flashy 1980 Philadelphia Phillies' World Series ring.

 

Aviles is equally excited about the 2005 South Atlantic League season.

 

"We have people who can run and people who can hit the ball out of the park," said Aviles, who played in the Majors for four years. "So we can manufacture runs or we can wait for the 3-run homer too."

 

At the top of Aviles' offensive plans is Iribarren, a second baseman and leadoff hitter who batted .439 in the Arizona Rookie League last year.

 

The rest of his batting order goes Alcides Escobar (second base), Josh Murray (third base), Grant Richardson (first base), Carlos Corporan (catcher), Freddy Parejo (right field), either William Lewis or Adam Mannon (designated hitter), Dallas Bates (left field) and Jason Tuttle (CF).

 

Seven of the 25 Power players weren't born in the United States, but they've adapted to the English language well.

 

The Brewers, like most Major League organizations, have English classes set up for players in spring training and in the host cities like Charleston.

 

"Parejo and Escobar have a little problem speaking English," said Aviles, who grew up in Puerto Rico. "One thing I am planning is when we are on road trips, I am going to bring those guys to my room and go over baseball expressions."

 

Players need to know baseball lingo in English if they are to excel on the field, Aviles said.

 

"It's very important because when you are on the field, you have to communicate," he said. "If you don't know the language and you can't communicate, it is going to be a little tough for you to succeed in the game."

 

None of the 38 minor leaguers suspended 15 or more games for steroid usage were from the Brewers' system.

 

The 1,000 tests issued during spring training were given at random, which pitcher Mark Rogers said is a good thing.

 

"You are either clean or not," Rogers said. "There is no way around it. We were definitely aware there was going to be testing. With random testing it is going to catch the right people and it should. We are just a good group of guys."

[Mass Haas]

Mark Rogers' Latest Journal (link, then text -- click on link to send Mark an email):

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp

 

Player Journal: The season starts

By Mark Rogers / MLB.com

 

Mark Rogers was the 2004 first-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, the No. 5 overall pick of the draft. The right-hander out of Mt. Ararat High School in Maine made his debut in the Arizona League last summer and is now in his first full season of professional baseball. He's a starting pitcher for the West Virginia Power, the Brewers' affiliate in the Class A South Atlantic League. He's agreed to chronicle his experiences in a journal for MinorLeagueBaseball.com.

 

Hey everyone,

The season has begun and I've pitched twice since the last time I wrote.

 

The first game of the season, I'd been thinking about it for a while. Then we had a five and a half hour bus ride to Hagerstown, Maryland, so I was going over it in my mind. At game time, I felt great, but I guess it was one of those days. The first batter, I got ahead of 0-2 and thought this was going to be a great night. But I lost him and walked the leadoff batter and that kind of set the tone for me for the next couple of innings. I ended up walking four and allowing five earned runs in three innings.

 

There were some positives I took out of it. As bad as I thought I threw, it could've been much worse. I pitched out of a couple of situations. I used my fourth best pitch, my changeup, as my most effective pitch and got a couple of strikeouts off of it. I actually pitched backwards off my changeup, which isn't common for me.

 

It was a different situation for me, trying to pitch out of trouble. And I know I'm going to face it many times again. I'm not going to throw out of the windup all the time. You have to experience it some time and learn from it and put it toward your next outing. You have to live game to game, and forget about it too.

 

Obviously, numbers are important, but I'm working on a few different things right now. My numbers may not be as good because I have to work on these things to be better down the line. Just watch Tiger Woods. He revamped his swing over the last year, kind of had to take a step back, and come back and won the Masters. Sometimes you have to step back, reassess your delivery and mechanics, to be that much better a year down the road.

 

I was able carry some of that over to my next outing, when I went 2 2/3 innings, didn't give up a run and struck out three. I was a lot more successful in this outing. I couldn't ask for a whole lot more than what happened there.

 

We had our home opener on Thursday. It was crazy. There were 5,354 people there, and it's a stadium that fits 4,500, so it was packed to the walls. It was the spark we needed coming off our unsuccessful road trip. We knocked out 12 hits and scored eight runs. The fans gave our offense the spark it needed to get going and we picked up our first win.

 

The new ballpark is unbelievable. The most impressive part of it is when you walk out onto the field, you see the jumbotron in left field and the enormous scoreboard. Everything is so clean. The infield grass is perfect, there's a high mound. It has that brand new feeling and smell. It's awesome right now.

 

Your emails were awesome, too. Thanks for all the good wishes as we get going this season. I'll try to answer some of your emails in every journal.

 

Mark's Mailbag

 

Hey Mark,

Hope to see you in Milwaukee in a couple years. Could you talk a little about your different pitches, and what pitches you are working on? -- Eric O., Milwaukee, WI

 

Eric, what most people know is I'm a fastball, curveball pitcher right now. Over the winter, I worked on my changeup. I've been throwing a cutter really effectively during the spring. I think I can throw all four of them, it's just a question of perfecting them and knowing when to throw each one, when each one will be effective.

 

Mark,

What has the organization told you regarding how you will be handled this year? With baseball seasons being so short in Maine (like they are here in Wisconsin), will you be on some sort of a pitch count this year? Also, what was it like training with Barry Zito, and what did you work on with him? -- Brad S., Wisconsin Rapids, WI

 

Brad, as far as this year, we're doing the piggy-backing system. There are three tandems on our team. I'll start one game, and I'll be on a pitch count which will get greater as the season goes on. The following outing, I'll follow the starter in relief and be on a pitch count there, too. It's their way of controlling the young pitcher.

 

As far as working with Barry, that was one of the best experiences I've had in baseball. To work with someone who's 26, but understands what a 19-year-old draft pick is going through, was great. He's only 26, but he has so much experience under his belt, a Cy Young, playoff games. It's not just the pitching side of it, it's the mental side of things that impressed me so much. We did yoga. Just seeing him in that studio, it's like there's no one else with him there in the studio. He takes that with him out there on the mound. It's just him out there on the mound. I took that confidence he has in himself with me this season.

 

Mark,

When you were little what team did you want to play for? Thanks and good luck with the Class A West Virginia power. -- Mac S.

 

Mac, growing up in New England, it was hard... I better be careful here... there are a lot of Red Sox fans. I was definitely one of them. Growing up, I thought I wanted to be a Boston Red Sox. That being said, I'm really fortunate the Brewers took me when I did and I'm happy to be a part of their organization.

[batman]

Obviously, numbers are important, but I'm working on a few different things right now. My numbers may not be as good because I have to work on these things to be better down the line. Just watch Tiger Woods. He revamped his swing over the last year, kind of had to take a step back, and come back and won the Masters. Sometimes you have to step back, reassess your delivery and mechanics, to be that much better a year down the road.

 

That is absolutely phenomenal to read because he's absolutely right. I have a feeling that Mark reads brewerfan at least occasionally and I'm sure it's hard to read criticisms and constant questioning from fans, but he's going to have to live with that and forget about the statistics he puts up this season. None of us should care if he struggles so long as he's committed to making those mechanical changes and continuing to develop his skills as a pitcher.

 

The Mt. Ararat video of Rogers from MLB.com's draft coverage is of a pitcher that is clearly powerful but who throws somewhat uphill and whose stride is well to the arm side of his body. He was "whip arm[ed]," to quote the MLB.com scouting report, and his mechanics were inconsistent, neither of which is good for effectiveness or health. He falls off the mound pretty dramatically toward first base and his glove arm is extended toward the plate, not cocked into a power position and driven down during his hip turn.

 

He obviously got results, and no one's mechanics are going to be perfect. But he really profiled as an injury risk to me then (and still does now, re-watching the video) without some pretty significant alterations to his mechanics and delivery. The thing that the Brewers were most high on about Rogers was his makeup, and that's what is going to get him through the ups-and-downs that will accompany his first full season in pro ball. The fact that he recognizes the importance of development vs. performance is a great indicator that the Brewers were right about him.

 

Anyway, thanks for the link, Mr. Haas.

 

~Bill

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.wvgazette.com/section...2005041837

 

There?s a Power fan 10,000 miles away

Dave Weekley, Charleston Gazette

 

At 6-foot-6, right-hander Simon Beresford is the tallest member of the West Virginia Power, and he?s also traveled the farthest to follow his dream of making it to the major leagues.

 

Beresford?s home in the Melbourne, Australia, suburb of Glen Waverly is nearly 10 thousand miles (9,921 miles as the crow flies, mate) from the Power?s new digs in the East End.

 

Despite Beresford being on the other side of the globe, the internet is making the city of Charleston seem like it?s just around the block.

 

When Beresford worked a perfect ninth inning of relief Friday night against Hagerstown, his Dad, Ian, was listening and watching his son?s handiwork on the mound via computer.

 

From his home on the southeastern tip of Australia, Ian Beresford was monitoring the Hagerstown Suns? streaming audio broadcast from Charleston and catching a glimpse of his son on the mound via the live netcam available 24/7 at WVPower.com.

 

?I had gone out to putter in the garden as I hadn?t been expecting him to pitch and returned just in time to hear the commentator call his name to take over from his mate Brian Montalbo. Very exciting!? wrote Ian Beresford via e-mail from Australia.

 

Power officials hope to begin streaming their games sometime this season, but you can bet that at least one resident of Glen Waverly, Australia, will be tuned to the Lexington?s on-line broadcast tonight as the Power opens a three-game series with the Legends.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005042021/

 

Serfass doesn't feel the heat with the Power

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

Jake Serfass leaned up against the batting cage before his West Virginia Power opener. Pop music buzzed in the background as hitters sprayed line drives to the outfield.

 

"Zeros straight across?" a scoreboard operator asked as he prepared to load the stat-less Serfass into the high-tech message board at the $23 million Appalachian Power Park Tuesday.

 

After watching other outfielders take swings, Serfass stepped in front of his new slow-throwing boss -- Power manager and former Major League infielder Ramon Aviles.

 

He lined a few to left, and many more to right.

 

This, Serfass admits, beats the heck out of the Arizona heat. The former West Virginia University outfielder has spent the past two months in Phoenix since reporting there for spring training.

 

When many Milwaukee Brewer farmhands received their season assignments at the first of April, Serfass was left out to dry in Arizona.

 

He stayed in what they call extended spring training, something designated for injured players or guys who will begin their season in the late-starting Rookie League.

 

"I was a little upset at first, but you have to brush it off," Serfass said, as his fingers brushed across his right shoulder.

 

So when Serfass got the call to be one of two players to replace Power outfielders Jason Tuttle and Adam Mannon after a 2-9 start, no questions were asked.

 

He'll let his role define itself.

 

"I'm a goofy guy. I lighten things up a little bit, but I'm sure they didn't send me here for that," said the 23-year-old former Mountaineer, who went 0-for-3 with an RBI in the Power's 10-5 loss to Lexington Tuesday.

 

One answer for his call-up might be the left-hander's power potential in a hitter-friendly ballpark.

 

"I hear the ball flies out here in right field," said Serfass, who corrected an early career strikeout problem at WVU to bat .302 with six home runs last season for the Mountaineers. "I'm a left-handed power hitter, so maybe they sent me out here for that."

 

Word traveled fast to Arizona about Appalachian Power Park's lively hitter's paradise.

 

"When you hear that, you don't believe it," he said. "You have to see it first."

 

One thing the former WVU standout wouldn't mind seeing in Charleston is an opportunity to become a local favorite.

 

"The hometown crowd will hopefully help me out a little bit," said the Fairless Hills, Pa., native who struggled at the plate (.177) last season between Rookie League Helena and Class A High Desert. "It would be fun to be the hometown guy."

 

There's a good chance that will be a little unfamiliar to Serfass this year, especially in the South Atlantic League.

 

Hagerstown's Grant Psomas and Asheville's Jason DiAngelo were teammates of Serfass' at WVU. Psomas, who keeps in regular contact with the new Power outfielder, homered twice on opening night against this West Virginia team.

 

DiAngelo, a 27th-round selection in 2003 by the Colorado Rockies, is serving a 15-game suspension for violation of baseball minor league steroids policy -- a test he called a "mix-up."

 

Two other WVU teammates, and state natives -- Eric Grimm and Jarod Rine -- played in the SAL last season for the Baltimore Orioles' Delmarva club. Grimm, who is from Parkersburg, is recovering from an injury, while the Moundsville native Rine is playing advanced Class A ball in Fredrick (Va.).

 

WVU pitcher Zac Cline pitched for Lakewood of the SAL last season, also.

 

Major League clubs drafted those players, with the exception of Grimm. But Serfass had to take an alternate route.

 

There were 1,498 names called in the 2004 first-year player draft, none of which were his.

 

"I was talking to a bunch of guys who told me they might pick me," Serfass said. "When it didn't happen I was bummed about it."

 

Serfass, though, said he wasn't ready to put the cleats away.

 

It just took a few weeks passed before good news came.

 

"A scout called and asked if I wanted to play," he recalls. "I said ?Absolutely.' I wanted to give it a shot."

 

Now Serfass has his shot with the Power. It sure beats the Arizona heat or the draft day blues.

 

Jake Serfass Photo by Craig Cunningham

http://www.dailymail.com/images/Serfass0420.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/200504213/

 

Minor league hurlers keep busy

 

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

If there's a tall athletic type in your Appalachian Power Park seat behind home plate, don't be rude.

 

You might even want to ask for an autograph before booting him on down the aisle.

 

When scouts like Milwaukee's Larry Aaron -- son of Major League all-time home run leader Hank Aaron -- aren't charting players' abilities, street-clothed West Virginia Power pitchers are finding seats where they can behind the backstop.

 

That's part of the deal here. These players aren't to the point where Major League officials hand them detailed scouting reports on every player coming to the park.

 

So, they work with what they have -- pens, pads and a radar gun.

 

But deciphering curveballs from sliders and cutters from four-seam fastballs isn't the biggest hassle. It's finding a seat in the new ballpark.

 

"You really don't have a set seat, so you have to meander around to find what seat you can use," said pitcher Derek DeCarlo, who gave up three runs in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to Lexington.

 

Earlier in the week, DeCarlo had radar gun duty while he and Yovani Gallardo found seats normally reserved for one of the Power's co-owners, Mike Kirtner.

 

Radar gun duty gets perhaps the most attention, because high velocity makes for curious fans.

 

"Usually people want to know how hard guys are throwing," he said. "The one that is up (in centerfield) is about 4-to-5 mph slow."

 

So when Mark Rogers suposedly hit 94 earlier in the week, what was the actual speed?

 

"Rogers hit 98," DeCarlo said. "He basically hits 94, so when it showed 89 or 90, it's actually a little bit faster than that."

 

Getting impressive speed numbers, however, isn't the most important job of these new part-time scouts. Game charts are, and it's a detailed process.

 

"You do a whole bunch of stuff," said Gallardo, who took the loss for the 2-11 Power Wednesday.

 

Whoever is slated to pitch the following day will chart every West Virginia hitter. This gives the coaching staff a good idea of what areas the batter needs to work on. Then, they write down what happens when Power pitchers face opposing hitters -- a much-needed packet of information for the next day's starter.

 

"He can see the other team's hitters to see what pitches he can use," DeCarlo said. "You know what the hitters' tendencies are -- if they can hit the curveball, or if they can hit the fastball."

 

The final scouting piece belongs to the video guy.

 

When the coaching staff needs video of a certain player's at-bat or pitch, he has one of the pitchers get in a position to get footage.

 

Coaches then use this video to break down potential problems or positives.

 

The Brewers aren't alone in this minor league ritual.

 

"A lot of times the other team's guys are right next to us," DeCarlo said.

 

West Virginia pitchers Forrest Martin, Josh Baker and Robbie Wooley sat close to two Lexington hurlers doing the exact same scouting job Wednesday.

 

So until pin-point scouting reports on every flaw and every strength reach low Class A minor league ball, look out for someone in your seat.

 

"It's not too bad," DeCarlo said.

 

"It's a good chance to have a day off from (sitting) in the dugout."

 

West Virginia Power pitchers Yovani Gallardo, front, and Derek DeCarlo chart their teammates? performances on the mound during a recent game at Appalachian Power Park.

Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Craig Cunningham

 

http://www.dailymail.com/images/thurStats0421.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp

 

Send Mark an email:

 

mailto:mrogersmlb@yahoo.com

 

Hey everyone,

There's not a whole lot going on here, just a lot of bus rides, a lot of pizza and a whole lot of trying to catch up on sleep, with pretty minimal success. We were in East Lake, Ohio, where we were supposed to play four games and we got snowed out. It was brutal. I thought I had escaped that kind of weather, but apparently not. At least I was in familiar surroundings.

 

We played the first game there in the rain. It was terrible. We were snowed out the next two days, then played a doubleheader. It was tough for me. I was supposed to start the second game, got bumped back twice in a row, then went on Monday in the first game of the doubleheader. That's hard for a starting pitcher. You wait five days to get back on the bump, then you get pushed back and you get pretty antsy.

 

From Ohio, we drove all the way to North Carolina and were rained out in our first game here. So we played two here on Wednesday and were on the short end of both of them. We're in a little funk right now. We're not clicking on all cylinders. It's got to come together soon. We're playing sound baseball, but we're not putting it all together right now. We're 3-16 and our record doesn't show how we're playing the game. We're not pushing a lot of runs across the plate when we get good pitching. When we do get some runs, our pitching will give up more. We have to start putting it all together really soon.

 

When our record is as it is, we have to concentrate on what we're here for -- to get better and develop. But I'm not used to losing. I've never been on a losing team. You never accept losing. When you do, it becomes a habit. Even though I didn't pitch in either game on Wednesday, but the team lost, so I felt I lost.

 

My next start is Saturday, so we'll see how that goes. My last nine innings have gone great. I've given up four hits and two runs Editor's Note: He also has 12 strikeouts in that span. I'm in tandem with Josh Wahpehpah, and the last two times we went we won, so we're hoping to build on that. We want to split this series here in North Carolina and head back to West Virginia on Saturday on a roll.

 

Thanks again for all the great emails. I've answered a few more below. Talk to everyone in two weeks.

 

What is the biggest difference you've faced going from high school ball to Minor League baseball? -- Travis

 

Travis, it's probably playing every day. We practiced in high school every day, but there's a game every day here. The days are a lot longer. Obviuosly, the competition's a lot better. There aren't two or three guys in a lineup you can just pump fastballs past. You can't just throw, you have to pitch to every batter. You could get away with more in high school. Here, you have to compete every pitch.

 

I am a fellow Mainer. I was wondering how the quality of high school baseball in Maine is compared to the rest of the country and how did playing in Maine help or hinder you for pro ball? -- SSG. Matthew Lennon, United States Army Infantry

 

SSG. Lennon, I always thought playing in Maine helped me. The quality of ball there is just as good as anywhere else. We just don't get to play as much. We're left out of the loop because we're not in the sun belt. Maine won the Legion Series last year, so there's not that much of a difference. It's just a question of repetition and getting out there, but I think Maine could produce just as many ballpayers as any other state.

 

What would your advice be to high school pitchers with aspriations of becoming professional baseball players? -- Glenn G.

 

Glenn, it's a long process. It's a little more difficult coming straight out of high school. I was fortunate enough for that to happen for me. But you need to let the process take care of itself. Going to college and then going into pro baseball would be a great experience. You get the college life and maybe get to play in a good college program and gain maturity that way. My advice would be to trust yourself, your instincts and decisions, if you go right out of high school, or go to college. It will take care of itself. Just take care of playing the game you love and you should be all set.

[Mass Haas]

The Power released their latest Q&A, with Pitching Coach John Curtis:

Nice job, Andy, with the questions...

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

nl.terradon.com/newslette...p;nlid=800

 

FIRST MONTH THOUGHTS FROM PITCHING COACH JOHN CURTIS

 

AB: Voice of the Power ANDY BARCH

JC: JOHN CURTIS

 

AB: Who or what has really surprised you in the first month of the season?

 

JC: The biggest surprise for me has been our slow start. I never thought we'd be this far below .500 at the end of April, but that's the way it's played out. I thought coming out of spring training that we'd have a solid team built around our pitching and defense. I thought we'd have more than enough offense to get us through, but all the pieces didn't come together the way any of us (manager, coaches, Power front office, and fans) hoped they would.

 

On the positive side, I've been pleasantly surprised by our pitching. The numbers don't look great, but the attitudes and the way they've gone about their work has impressed me. The young starters have done very well, generally speaking, and I look forward to seeing them get even better.

 

AB: If you were to grade the pitching staff after one month, what grade would they get and why?

 

JC: I told our pitchers before the season started that I looked at April as another month of spring training. I don't put a lot of value in to what happens this early in the season, as I believe, given our relatively brief spring training (three and a half weeks) that the pitchers need this month to pitch themselves into better shape. What grade would I give them? I'd say a solid B. They've been aggressive and their command of the fastball has been well above average. They're throwing almost two out of every three for strikes. Granted, they've left a few over the plate and given up quite a few home runs. But I'd rather see solo home runs than walks.

 

AB: There was a lot of pre-season hype surrounding Mark Rogers. Just how far do you think he can go? And what will it take for him to get there?

 

JC: All the attention Mark Rogers received in the press grew out of expectation. Everyone wanted to see what Milwaukee's No. 1 draft choice looked like and what he could do. What has been forgotten is that Mark is just a year removed from high school, and he's just now beginning his education as a pitcher. He has a great arm, a power arm, but his command of his pitches is a little weak right now. He's trying to overthrow at times, and his fastballs come into the strike zone (or out) dangerously high. He's been working hard on staying under control, and he's already showing great improvement.

 

There's no question that he's destined to make it to the big leagues. He has the talent. If he stays healthy and if he harnesses his talent, he'll be a starter for the Milwaukee Brewers in the near future. How quickly that happens is up to him. He has to get better control of his fastball, and that means being able to throw it for a strike at anytime and also being able to throw it to both sides of the plate. He has a good ?cutter,? which is a variation of his fastball, and his curve ball and change-up are above average. Once he can throw these pitches for strikes when he wants (and out of the strike zone when strategy dictates), he'll be on his way to the ?big show.?

 

AB: What are some of the benefits and drawbacks to using the ?piggy-back? system in your starting rotation?

 

JC: The biggest benefit is that it helps protect young, undeveloped arms. The system (whereby we use two starters in one game) has a built-in pitch count limit, and it helps young pitchers get acquainted with the latter stages of the game. The second starter usually enters the game in the sixth inning, so he gets a taste of what it's like to pitch late in a game.

 

The biggest drawback is its impact on the bullpen. If the tandems break down?in other words, they don't go a certain number of innings?the bullpen has to tally the innings. Because of the tandem set-up, you can only have a few relievers in the pen. We have four, and, if I have to use three, let's say, to carry a game from the third inning to the end, then I don't have much bullpen help for the next day. It takes a group of veteran relievers to pull off something like a tandem system, and we have two in Brian Montalbo and Simon Beresford. Rob Hinton and Ben Stanczyk have done good work so far, too, but they're young still.

 

AB: Despite the slow start, it has been mentioned that this team will make a big run and may just be a second half team. Could you elaborate on that?

 

JC: Hopefully, we'll make a run in the first half, but the hole we've dug for ourselves is pretty deep right now. If we get back to .500, which I believe we can, then we can make noise in the first-half standings.

 

I certainly don't believe we're a last-place club or as bad as we've been playing. For a few of our young players, this has been a big jump for them, and it's going to take some time for them to adjust to the competition in this league. They certainly have the ability to do that, and only they know how long it's going to take.

 

As I said before, I hope it happens in the first half, but I can't promise that. We're already starting to see Alcides Escobar and Hernan Iribarren begin to hit. I just hope our fans will stick with us through this dry stretch and be patient. There's some real talent here, and it's going to come out soon!

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/200505035/

 

Charleston blood goes through Baker boys

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

Josh Baker has more connections than the downtown bus system.

 

Heck, Charleston minor league baseball history runs right through the Baker family.

 

"My uncle Frank was a Charlie," said Baker, a West Virginia Power pitcher. "My brother was an Alley Cat. Now, I'm a Power. It's kind of cool, man."

 

Sure, having an uncle who played four big league seasons with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles helps. And it doesn't hurt to have a brother -- Jacob -- who played in the minor leagues for the Kansas City Royals.

 

Connections with professional athletics go deeper in the Baker family, though.

 

His father, Johnny, played four seasons between 1963-67 with the NFL's Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers.

 

And his sister just so happened to marry Lance Berkman, the power-hitting outfielder for the Houston Astros.

 

"He and my brother were roommates in college at Rice," said Baker, following the Power's 6-5 loss to Greensboro Monday. "Last night I probably picked his brain for, like, an hour on the phone. To have a hitter like that, who knows the game and is unselfish enough to answer questions, is awesome."

 

Baker starves to improve. So when he pitches tonight against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, expect a tip from Berkman to be worked in.

 

He's looking to improve upon his 7.71 earned run average for the 5-19 Power.

 

"It better go down," the easily approachable Baker said. "Even if it was a little lower than it is, I'd still want it to be better. I want to be the best."

 

Being at the top is something Baker is used to. Baseball America called his 2004 pitching staff at Rice "perhaps one of the most formidable staffs in college baseball history."

 

That's why fellow starters Philip Humber (No. 3), Jeff Niemann (No. 4) and Wade Townsend (No. 8) were all taken in the first round of last June's MLB draft. Baker settled for a fourth-round selection from the Milwaukee Brewers, just three years after deciding against signing with the Texas Rangers following a fourth-round call.

 

The Big Four -- along with closer David Aardsma (No. 22 overall in 2003 draft) -- helped Rice to its first national championship in any sport in 2003.

 

"We got to meet President Bush and he was almost as excited as we were," Baker said of his fellow Texan. "To go out and be able to win the pinnacle of college baseball was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It will be tough to beat."

 

Where's the championship ring?

 

"Honestly," said Baker, who went 17-2 at Rice. "I've never worn it. It's almost gaudy, so it stays at home."

 

While home is in Houston, this Charleston atmosphere isn't unfamiliar to Baker.

 

"I was going up through the stands and a lady had a picture of my brother and some of his teammates when he was an Alley Cat in 2000," the 23-year-old said. "I remember coming here as a high schooler. I got to stay with him and watch him play.

 

So, no Wheeler Bob, Baker doesn't need any of those Charleston memories you're trying to sell. He has his own.

 

"I still got my Charleston Alley Cats hat," Baker said.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Brady is still on a mission

Michael Dailey

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

Like any other minor leaguer, West Virginia Power infielder Josh Brady always dreamed of being a big league baseball player.

 

But before deciding to chase his childhood dream, the 24-year old Utah resident embarked on an even greater path.

 

One of spiritual fulfillment.

 

After high school graduation, Brady volunteered for a two-year Mormon mission in Germany from which he returned more physically and mentally mature -- but two years behind on the baseball diamond.

 

"Straight out of high school I went on a two-year mission for my church," Brady said Tuesday after his first game in a Power uniform.

 

"The trip was something I'll never forget. That was the time of my life and something that I'd do all over again if I had the chance.

 

"Maturity is one of the best things that I got from the trip," Brady said. "I was able to grow into my body a little bit and mentally I was also a little bit more mature.

 

"Personally, it's done nothing but help me."

 

Professionally, however, the mission threw Brady a curve of major league proportions.

 

Upon returning from the mission, Brady played two-years of junior college baseball in Las Vegas before landing at Texas Tech.

 

After an All-American season with the Red Radiers in which he batted .362 with 20 homers and 90 RBI, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Brady in the 19th round of the 2004 amateur draft.

 

In his first professional stop, he batted a robust .363 with nine doubles, four triples, five homers and 24 RBI in just 29 games with Helena in the Pioneer League.

 

After hitting just .071 in 16 games with Brevard County in the Florida State League, Brady was called north to replace injured first baseman Grant Richardson.

 

And while Brady didn't see action in Tuesday evening's 8-2 home loss to the Greensboro Grasshoppers, his offensive skills should help an offense that is struggling to produce runs.

 

"I just met him in spring training, but everything I've heard about him is that he's a good hitter," Power Manager Ramon Aviles said. "He's a line drive hitter who can hit .300, but in this ballpark he should be able to hit some balls out."

 

"He wasn't playing verry much at Brevard, but he's a good hitter who can play first base, third base and outfield."

 

Wherever his position on the field, Brady just hopes to help the Power rebound from a 5-20 start.

 

"Hitting is definitely my strength in this game," Brady said. "I hope I can bring something to the lineup that helps the team. Right now they need some hitters in the lineup. A lot of guys aren't hitting the way they'd like to, so hopefully I can help.

 

"Unfortunately, the guys have gotten off to a slow start, but they'll definitely come around. I've played with a lot of these guys before and they are good ballplayers.

 

"It's just a little bit of a shell shock when you first get started in a league. You don't know what will happen."

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

dailymail.com/news/Matt+L...t-20050504

 

Murray's power comes from somewhere else

Matt Lockhart

Charleston Daily Mail Sportswriter

 

There's Josh Murray, dirty and sweaty.

 

He's sitting on a black floor in the corner of a back room in a rowdy West Virginia Power clubhouse.

 

Locker room chatter smacks his ear as fans file from Appalachian Power Park. He's trying to focus in that secluded corner, between the newly painted walls.

 

If anyone should give up, it's Murray.

 

The Power third baseman once was considered a sure-fire Major Leaguer. Or, at least that's what the Milwaukee Brewers thought when they gave him a $825,000 bonus for signing in the second round of the 2002 draft.

 

At times, he's struggled more than anyone, on a team that could be considered the worst in the minors.

 

That's why you can find Murray's eyes fixed on the pages of Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life," in a noisy clubhouse after games.

 

"I started reading it last year just to deal with some off-the-field problems," Murray said of the faith-based book directed at finding one's purpose in life. "The book really helped me out."

 

Murray dusted it off this week.

 

He had to get reacquainted with his inspiration, because his .139 batting average was lower than most light-hitting Major League pitchers' bat work.

 

"It really helped me before," Murray said. "That's why I wanted to get into the book again. I just read the first chapter on Sunday. It was awesome."

 

On Sunday afternoon, he read: "Have you ever wondered about, or felt confused about, the purpose of your life?"

 

Murray isn't shy about that question. He knew baseball was his future as a 17-year-old, when the Brewers snagged him. He still believes that.

 

"This is where I believe God has blessed me with -- this path right here," said Murray, who homered a day after he started reading the book again. "If God didn't want me to be here right now, I wouldn't be here."

 

There's resounding truth to that. The 20-year-old has come too far to give up now.

 

As a high school sophomore in Tampa, Fla., Murray shattered his wrist.

 

The next year, he tore an elbow ligament and had the dreaded Tommy John surgery. You know, that's the one where they wrap a borrowed tendon -- normally from the hand, wrist, forearm or hamstring -- through three holes drilled in your elbow.

 

Despite all that, his senior year in 2002 was good enough for a second-round selection. And his first short-season in the minors yielded solid numbers -- .255 average and 19 RBI in 48 games.

 

Then, injury struck again.

 

"I pulled both sides of my groin," said Murray of the 10-game season he played in 2003. "And I had wrist injuries (in 2004)."

 

Success has been more than hard to come by. See, to many Brewer fans, Murray is toeing the road of failure. His sub .200 career average over four short, injury-riddled seasons has many wondering why he was such a high prospect.

 

"I'm only 20," said Murray, who is in his fourth minor league season. "I think from that standpoint, I'm maturing. I haven't played a full season yet."

 

So, times like these are when faith comes in to play for Murray, the son of a Jewish mother and Catholic father.

 

"It helps me prepare for baseball because it's not about me," said Murray, who attended an all-male Catholic high school. "It talks about that in the book. Everything I do has to be for God. Even though I'm struggling, I have to go out there and work hard for him."

 

Murray admits he's far from perfect, and his attitude in the past has been distant from where he believes it should be.

 

"When you struggle you get selfish and worry about yourself," he said. "I'm not worrying about myself right now. (The book) is something I really look forward to reading the next 40 days, because God is a huge part of my life."

 

So, when kids chanted, "Josh has the Power" earlier in the week, he could only help but smile.

 

His power comes from somewhere else.

 

West Virginia Power third baseman Josh Murray hasn?t lived up to expectations as the 2002 second-round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers, but won?t stop battling.

Charleston Daily Mail Photo: Tom Hindman

 

http://dailymail.com/images/Josh0504.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...;fext=.jsp

 

By the way, today I found out a guy who I work with, well, his brother's wife's cousin is Mark Rogers' dad. Or is Mark the cousin? Whatever, heck, I'm practically related to the kid now! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Send Mark an email:

 

mailto:mrogersmlb@yahoo.com

 

Mark Rogers Player Journal: 'Toast Man' rules

 

Hey everyone, I'm sorry for being a week late with this entry, but it's been really busy in the South Atlantic League lately.

 

I haven't been doing a whole lot off the field lately. We've been busy, and I feel I'm on the field all the time. We've been busing in and out of West Virginia so much that I'm either on the field playing, in the hotel sleeping or in my apartment trying to catch up on sleep.

 

Since the last journal entry, we took our longest bus trip of the year, about nine hours to Delmarva, Md. We left after an afternoon game on Sunday and got to Delmarva about 4 a.m. We usually try to schedule travel for an off-day, but not this time. Getting up to play the next night wasn't easy. If you're a starting pitcher, after a nine-hour bus trip, it makes it harder to get ready to go. I pitched the day after we got there, and even that wasn't easy.

 

We did get to go to Ocean City for a little while. I finally got to go back to the ocean. It was the first time I've seen it in quite a while. I've got a good friend on the team, Brian Montalbo, who is from Alaska. We both grew up around the ocean, and being back on the beach was quite a treat.

 

I had to pitch on the first day of a road trip in Asheville, N.C., in my last outing. Trying to stay focused on the bus and get up for that game was pretty difficult. It's hard to bounce back after the long road trip and be ready to go.

 

But lately, I've been pitching pretty well. In my last outing, I came into a situation in the fourth inning and we were down 11-0. It wasn't the ideal situation, but that's going to happen over the course of the season. I guess that's one of the drawbacks of the piggyback system we use. I worked on more of my pitches that game, mixing in everything. I'm used to pitching in a 0-0 ballgame instead of just trying to eat up innings. But just because it was 11-0 didn't mean I couldn't learn something while I was out on the mound.

 

In a past entry, I mentioned our "super fan" here in West Virginia. Let me tell you a little more about him. He's called the Toast Man. I've had the chance to get to know him.

 

He sits right behind the backstop. They have outlets there for him so he can plug in his toaster. Every time we strike someone out, he stands up and yells, "T-O-A-S-T, you are toast." It gets us motivated. He has signs and nicknames for all of us. Mine is "Rogers, over and out." He's the most diehard baseball fan there is. It helps get us ready to go. I don't know if he distracts the other team, but if they're thinking about anything but hitting the ball, it's a plus for us. And he's riding the other team all the time.

 

OK, before I get back to trying to catch up on sleep, let me get to a couple of your emails. Talk to everyone in two weeks.

 

How is medical care for your team? What is typical? Is it just an athletic trainer or do you have access to more? -- Kate A.

 

Kate, we have an athletic trainer at all times. He helps us with whatever physical problems we have -- muscle pulls, anything baseball-related. Through him, we have access to a regular doctor if we have anything else going on, like an illness. They take very good care of us here. Whatever is going on, we have someone we can talk to and someone to take care of us.

 

After your first couple of starts you have probably fallen into a routine of "baseball life," but what would you say is the hardest part of playing every day and being away from home, your family and friends? -- Rebecca L.

 

Rebecca, you've described it perfectly. I have fallen into the baseball lifestyle. You're up late every night. That's hard to get used to. You're at the ballpark until 10 or 11 p.m., then you want to get something to eat. By the time you get back to your apartment or hotel, it's midnight and it's probably 1 a.m. by the time you're ready to settle down and call it a night. But you sleep until 11 in the morning.

 

That's difficult in some aspects because it's harder to communicate with friends or family or find time for anything else but baseball. It's so time consuming at this level. Right now, though, baseball is the priority, and you have to take every advantage of every minute on the field if you want to learn anything. You can't change the system too much, you just go with it. It is what it is.

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/images/2005/04/04/josY599E.jpg

[Mass Haas]

Latest West Virginia Press Release / Newsletter:

 

nl.terradon.com/newslette...x&d=ND

 

Q & A from a portion of the newsletter:

 

Q AND A SESSION WITH POWER HITTING COACH JOHNNY NARRON

 

AB=ANDY BARCH (Voice of the Power)

JN=JOHNNY NARRON

 

AB: Who or what has been the biggest surprise to you since you arrived at the beginning of the month?

 

JN: The great atmosphere and support of the fans has been great and were the two things that really got my attention from the very beginning.

 

AB: The team has hit very well in the month of May, what has contributed their success offensively?

 

JN: We have been working on having the hitters utilize a better overall approach at the plate. Having a relaxed and confident physical, visual and mental approach is very important.

 

AB: You managed a lot of these guys in Helena last year, what kind of team do you think they will be in the second half of the season?

 

JN: We are going to be a better team! The team is playing with more confidence and that is only going to make us improve.

 

AB: Your family has a lot of baseball history, what can you tell us about your family and their ties to baseball?

 

JN: There have been eight members of my family that played professional baseball dating back to the 1940's when my Uncle Sam Narron played and coached for Branch Rickey. I have a nephew Sam Narron that is a pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers extended spring training and my brother Jerry Narron is in his 23rd year in the Major Leagues, currently the Bench Coach for the Cincinnati Reds.

 

AB: Sticking with the family theme, what kind of family life do you have?

 

JN: I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, Gail. We have four children, Johnny who is a Medical student, Holden a marketing agent with the AA Carolina Mudcats, Julia, a college student and Jane, a high school senior.

 

AB: Where is home for you and what do you do in the off season?

 

JN: I live in Smithfield, NC and I have a hitters training business called Baseball Advancement Service. Also, I will be releasing an instructional video, The Mental, Visual & Physical Approach to Hitting this fall.

 

AB: What do you like to do outside of baseball?

 

JN: I love to spend time with my wife. We enjoy all kinds of interest and we teach Sunday School together when I'm home.

 

AB: What are some of your favorite baseball memories?

 

JN: The most memorable time for me in baseball was my rookie year playing in the New York Yankees organization with my brother Jerry.

[Mass Haas]

Sorry, no picture, feel free to search...

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/News/2005052322/

 

Ben Affleck's wardrobe now includes W.Va. Power T-shirt

Brad McElhinny

Charleston Daily Mail staff

 

Talk about your product placement.

 

A recent issue of the celebrity-focused "US" magazine features a picture of movie star Ben Affleck in a West Virginia Power baseball team T-shirt.

 

"I don't know where he got the shirt from," said Andy Milovich, general manager of the Power. "I haven't seen him at any games yet."

 

Of course, Affleck's connection is pretty obvious. He has quite a close relationship with West Virginia sweetheart and "Alias" star Jennifer Garner.

 

Plus, Affleck is a big baseball fan. He's a longtime Boston Red Sox fan, and he and Garner made their first public appearance as a couple at a Sox game last year.

 

He also made a splash a couple of years ago with some pretty heated criticism of the New York Yankees.

 

"I mean, I just recognize that they are what's evil in sports," Affleck said back then. "It's not that there's hatred, but this is the epicenter of all things that are wrong with professional sports embodied by (Yankees owner) George Steinbrenner."

 

If Affleck's choice in T-shirts is any indication, he doesn't see anything wrong with Charleston's latest minor league baseball team.

 

The gang at the West Virginia Power headquarters got a kick out of the issue of "US," which shows a picture of Affleck and Garner walking together. Affleck is wearing a jacket, but it's definitely a Power T-shirt underneath.

 

The team's merchandising manager cross-checked the photograph to make sure it was one of the models available at the team's gift shop.

 

"Someone who is a friend of the family must have picked it up for him," Milovich said.

 

"A few different minor league teams have sent shirts to stars from their hometowns so they can get them on their TV shows. We've been joking for a while about getting the Power hat onto the ?Alias' set, but it seems like they beat us to the punch."

 

Now the Power wants to invite Affleck to a game.

 

"He's a huge baseball fan," Milovich said, "and we've checked our calendar. Unfortunately, we don't have the Sox affiliate coming to town this year."

 

Of course, Affleck might have other things on his mind. Tabloids have been speculating that Garner is pregnant with Affleck's baby. The publicists for Garner and Affleck have not confirmed those rumors.

 

Just in case, the Power front office is making tentative plans to wish the couple well.

 

"We've been in talks of having a Jennifer Garner/Ben Affleck baby shower promotion," Milovich said. "We haven't finalized the details. We want to send the two of them an invitation. We'd have people bring money to be donated to underprivileged children.

 

"It's a chance to have some fun with the hot topic everybody is buzzing about and do some good for the community as well. We figure the charitable aspect is important, too."