Link Report for Games of Thursday, July 28th

[molitor fan]

According to Raul Duke on the Fermaint thread, it has already happened

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.dailymail.com/news/Sp...005072930/

 

Hickory's Pedro gets manager's vote

Michael Dailey

Charleston Daily Mail sportswriter

 

Standing just 5-foot-7 and tipping the scales at 145 pounds, Hickory Crawdad outfielder Pedro Powell has heard all the wise cracks.

 

He's heard the cracks about his relation to '80s child star Gary Coleman.

 

He's heard fans ask sarcastically about a height requirement in baseball.

 

He's heard fans question whether his jersey number -- 1 -- is his age or his height.

 

You name it, and Powell has more than likely heard it.

 

And when the Crawdad's made their first trip to Appalachian Power Park Thursday evening, it was no surprise that Powell was subjected to the same old ribbing, from a new set of well wishers.

 

However, what was surprising was Powell's reaction to the "Buck Night" crowd.

 

After singling in the first inning amid "Vote for Pedro!" cat calls, Powell turned on a third inning fastball from Power starter Greg Kloosterman and deposited it over the left-field wall.

 

Powell's two-run blast, his first in 142 career professional games, not only quieted the Power faithful, it also opened an early lead in what ended as a 3-2 win for the Crawdads.

 

"I hear the fans and it just motivates me," said Powell, an 18th round pick in the 2003 amateur draft. "I'm a good Christian man, so I don't let that bother me. I just play ball and block them out.

 

"Growing up, people would always be on me about my height. I'd just let that motivate me to play hard and to play the game the right way.

 

"That's my first professional home run tonight, so I felt really good about that. I've gotta call mom and dad and tell everybody about that. I'm very excited about that."

 

But Powell's newly discovered power won't change his approach at the plate.

 

"When he came back to the dugout, I told him he's not a power hitter," joked Hickory manager and former big league infielder Jeff Branson.

 

And that's just fine with Powell, who turned down a football and track scholarship to the University of Georgia to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

"Speed is my game," said Powell, a Georgia native. "I just try to hit the ball on the ground and do anything possible to get on base. I'm not a home run hitter, that's just a bonus.

 

"I just try to put the ball on the ground and run."

 

However, as is the case for many young professional hitters, thinking about putting the ball in play and actually doing it are two completely different things.

 

"I've struck out a lot," said Powell, who is in his first full season as switch hitter. "But I just have to keep working to put the ball in play.

 

"I'm just trying to get the Big Leagues. I've just got to keep on playing and trying to get better. For the people that say I'm too little, I'll just do my talking on the field."

 

On the mound for West Virginia, Kloosterman suffered his South Atlantic League leading 15th loss against just three wins, despite tossing six steady innings.

 

"Certainly, it's a sign of respect that we keep sending him out there," said Power pitching coach John Curtis of Kloosterman's tough-luck season.

 

After having no luck against Hickory starter Matt Guillory (2-4) through five innings, the Power was able to scratch through a pair of runs in the seventh inning off of reliever Kyle Pearson.