Notes from the Northwoods

Sorry for my inactivity

2007-05-18T07:09:00.000-06:00

My life has gotten too hectic for me to be able to keep this up the way I had planned. Please check out Summer Ball for the latest news on the summer collegiate baseball leagues and thanks for checking out my site.

Green Bay

2007-04-21T22:39:00.000-06:00

Green Bay has waived Kyle Conley from the University of Washington due to an injury he sustained this spring.

The Bullfrogs have signed two players from Portland University. LHP Ari Ronick is 2-4, 3.05 and has held opponents to a .225 batting average this spring. RHP/INF Danny Meier has one save and has struck out 14 in 16 innings of work. Danny is also batting .262 with two HR this season.

RHP Andy Beal of Loyola Marymount has been signed to play for Green Bay this summer. Andy is 2-1 with 5 saves and 20 strikeouts this spring.

The Bullfrogs have also added another in-state player in OF Boe Baitinger from Carthage College. Boe is hitting .346 with 8 doubles, 3 triples, 2 HR and his 14 steals are more than the rest of his team have combined.

Eau Claire

2007-04-21T08:21:00.000-06:00

Two freshman RHPs from Creighton University have signed to play for the Express this summer. Joe Bonfe led his high school baseball team to a second place finish at the state tournament and his high school hockey team to the state championship his senior year.
Casey Schmidt is 2-1 with 21 strikeouts in 26 innings this spring. Casey hopes to ba an athletic trainer for a professional team after college.

Eau Claire hopes its luck with in state players continues with their two newest signings. UW-Parkside LHP Andy Yushta is 2-2 , 2.60 with 35 strikeouts in 34.2 innings and has held opponents to a .149 average this spring. His teammate and former Express OF Casey Garms is showing outstanding plate discipline hitting .338 and taking 17 walks while only striking out 9 times this season. UW-Milwaukee OF Nick Wichser has 1 HR and a team high 7 steals this spring.

Eau Claire alumni from UW-Stevens Point are having good years so far. Jordan Zimmerman, who should be drafted in the early rounds of this years draft, is 4-0, 2.05 with 32 strikeouts in 30.2 innings this spring. Travis Kempf is 2-1, 3.10 in three starts and three relief appearances this season. Doug Coe was off to a hot start hitting .481 through 7 games but hasnt played since so he must have gotten injured.

Mankato adds four more to its roster.

2007-04-20T22:17:00.000-06:00

Mankato has signed IF Jason Christian and OF Alan Oaks from the University of Michigan. Alan was selected in the 50th round by the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 Major League first year player draft. Jason is hitting .361 with 2 HR and 8 steals this spring. Jason also earned Big Ten Player-of-the-Week honors for play in Tony Gwynn Classic in San Diego (Mar. 9-11).

The Moondogs have also added RHP Garett Claypool from UCLA. Garett is 1-0, 3.93 with 2 saves in 14 appearances this spring. He has only walked 10 while striking out 24 so far this season as a freshman.

RHP Jordan Tiegs of Sauk Valley Community College will be joining them in Mankato this summer. Jordan was drafted in the 46th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2006 draft. Jordan is 3-1, 2.01 with 1 save while walking only 5 and striking out 40 in 31.1 innings this spring. Tiegs has signed a letter of intent to transfer to the College of Charleston next season.

Duluth signs four players from Georgia Tech

2007-04-16T18:56:00.000-06:00

C Jason Haniger and OF Chris House will be returning for their second seasons with the Huskies. Jason has thrown out 2 of 6 attempted basestealers this spring in limited action playing behind Matt Wieters who should be a high draft pick this year. Chris has 4 steals this spring Georgia Tech. House hit .250 in 40 games for Duluth last summer.
Joining them from Georgia Tech will be 1B/OF Tony Plagman and RHP Andrew Robinson. Tony is hitting .314 with three steals so far this spring. Andrew has struck out 5 in 7 innings out of the bullpen this spring.

2007 Promotions Part 2

2007-04-14T22:18:00.000-06:00

I thought Madison deserved its own post for not only the quantity but the quality of the promotions they have announced so far. They are announcing them every weekday starting with the end of the season and moving towards the opener, so that is how I will list them.

Every Sunday throughout the season will also be Famous Footwear Kids Eat Free days. Every Sunday kids (14 & under) can receive a free hot dog, soda, and bag of chips with a full-priced ticket courtesy of Famous Footwear.
Every Saturday throughout the season will feature the Budweiser Concert Series and post-game fireworks presented by Life Style Staffing.
Moving to Fridays this year, the Working Mans Special presented by ESPN radio 1070 will once again include a ticket, 2 beers, and 2 hot dogs for 10.70. This special offer is open to the unemployed as well.
Thursdays throughout the summer will feature Great Dane Beer Tastings presented by WIBA-FM. Fans can sample Great Dane brews for free pre-game.
Also on Thursdays, PBR plastic beer steins will be given to the first 100 college students and 2-for-1 tickets will be offered with a college ID.
Also, each Thursday the first 650 fans will receive a Mallards pin as part of a five-part series presented by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Every Wednesday throughout the season will also feature the Mallards wearing yellow uniforms presented by Pella Windows. Pella is also sponsoring the “Power of Yellow” Family Four Pack that offers four bleacher tickets, four hot dogs, and four sodas for just $20! How can you beat that?
Every Monday and Tuesday this summer will feature “Two-For-One” specials presented by Budweiser and 94.1 WJJO that will feature 2-for-1 domestic taps, sodas, and hot dogs through the fifth inning.
On Friday, August 10, in honor of the Luedtke-Storm-Mackey Chiropractic Madison Senators Turn-Back-the-Clock-Night, all references to events happening “back in my day” will be allowed if and only if that said reference is shared between innings. The Mallards will wear replica Madison Senators Uniforms the team wore from 1907-1914.
Thursday, August 2 will feature the last opportunity to complete your PDQ & Quench Gum Trading Card set. Again, the first 1,000 fans will receive a Mallards trading card set.
Wednesday, August 1, The PDQ & Quench Gum Trading Card giveaway. “I’ll trade you Jordan Comadena for Maynard G. Mallard, straight up.” Similar phrases will be heard around the park as the first 1,000 fans will receive the first of a two-part Mallards trading card set.
Sunday, July 29, The Luxury Bath rubber duck giveaway. Rubber ducky you’re the one! The first 1,000 kids (14 & under) will receive a baseball-themed rubber duck courtesy of Luxury Bath Systems.
Friday, July 27 include:Stop Working with Monkeys Night presented by Concordia University! Mikey the Monkey, a rare overhand baseball-throwing chimpanzee, will be making a special appearance at the “Duck Pond.” Throughout the game Mikey will provide entertainment by being featured in funny skits in various areas around the ballpark. Note: The Mallards are not responsible for any “foreign” objects he may toss into the crowd.
On Friday, July 20, hold onto something sturdy because former Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bear defensive lineman William “The Fridge” Perry is coming to the “Duck Pond!” Perry tipped the scales at 370 lbs in his playing days and is best remembered for scoring a rushing touchdown from the halfback position in Super Bowl XX. In conjunction with his appearance, the Mallards will be wearing football-type jerseys.
Thursday, July 19, American Idol Night presented by Sony! Former Idol contestant and Madison resident Denise Jackson will sing the National Anthem and sign autographs during the game! Fans will have the chance to showoff their singing talents, or lack thereof, by singing “Gomeraoke” with the Gomers both before and during the Mallards game!
On Wednesday, July 18, the first 1,000 kids (14 & under) will receive a full-size Mallards wooden bat courtesy of Quench Gum! One lucky person will receive a corked bat courtesy of Sammy Sosa and the Baseball Hall of Shame archives (not really!).
Saturday, July 14, Goodman’s Jewelers Diamond Night! The first 1,000 ladies will receive a gemstone and one will be a real diamond! Bring your gemstone back to Goodman’s to find out if you have won the diamond! Are you cheap and about to be engaged? This is a great opportunity to kill two birds (not mallards, please) with one stone! The Gomers will also perform Neil Diamond songs before and after the Mallards game.
On Tuesday, July 17 it’s Newcastle Floppy Hat Night! The first 1,000 fans will receive a Mallards floppy hat courtesy of Newcastle! After receiving your hat, watch the Mallards battle the defending Northwoods Champion Rochester Honkers.
Friday, July 13 include:Short People Appreciation Night! Emmanuel Lewis, best known for his leading role in the 1980’s television sitcom Webster and his short stature (he’s 4’3”), will be making an appearance at the “Duck Pond!” In conjunction with his visit, the Mallards will be offering ticket pricing based on height. The pricing goes as follows:

4’3” and under – tickets are FREE!

4’4” to 5’6” -- 4 dollars

5’7” to 6’ -- 6 dollars (normal price)

6’ and over -- 7 dollars

In addition, all fans in the Great Dane Duck Blind will receive a Mallards t-shirt courtesy of Covance!
On Sunday, July 1 it’s Madison Blues Night presented by St. Mary’s Hospital! The Mallards will wear replica 1930’s style Madison Blues uniforms and the first 1,000 fans will receive a replica Blues hat. Westside Andy will also perform live blues music on the Duck Blind before and after the “Blues” game.
Fans will be able to vote at Mallardsbaseball.com to decide which giveaway the Mallards will have on Opening Day.The choices for the Opening Day giveaway are: sweat bands, bumper stickers, commemorative baseballs, and a mystery item.Stay tuned to Mallardsbaseball.com every weekday until April 25 for updates on next summer’s promotions!

2007 Promotions Part 1

2007-04-13T21:58:00.003-06:00

A few of the teams have announced promotions for the upcoming season and here are some that I found interesting

Eau Claire, July 14, Turn Back the Clock Night, Eau Claire will be wearing replica jerseys of the 1952 Eau Claire Bears and will be playing against Duluth in their replica 1961 Duluth Dukes jerseys. It will be sponsored by RCU.
Eau Claire, July 25, Mini Bats will be given out sponsored by Diversified Mortgage Services.
La Crosse, June 7, Country singer Michael Martin Murphy will be performing sponsored by Panera Bread/City Brewery/CC106.3.
La Crosse, June 14, Let's Make A Deal night sponsored by State Bank Financial.
La Crosse, June 16, ZOOPERSTARS LIVE will be performing.
La Crosse, July 25, Jake and the Elwood Blues, the Blues Brothers.
La Crosse, August 7, Baseball Card Giveaway sponsored by COCA-COLA AND THE EAGLE 102.7 KQEG.
Rochester, June 8, Championship Logo Baseball Night presented by the American Dairy Association and Newstalk 1340 KROC AM.
Rochester, June 15, Championship Logo Glass Night presented by Budweiser and KXLT FOX 47 TV.
Rochester, June 29, Plunger Night presented by Mr. Rooter Plumbing - Free Plungers for first 500 Fans. I have never heard of a plunger giveaway before.
Rochester, July 16, Championship Cap Night presented by Yellowbook USA and KXLT FOX 47 TV.
Rochester, August 3, LOGO GLOVE NIGHT presented by C.O. Brown Insurance FREE Baseball Gloves for the first 500 Kids 12 and Under.
Rochester, August 7, Team Trading Card Night presented by Pepsi and 106.9 KROC.

Hubbard Provides Heat on a Frigid Weekend

2007-04-10T17:10:00.000-06:00

Madison, WI – April 9, 2007. As an arctic blast was wreaking havoc on many college baseball teams’ schedules throughout the weekend, it was evident Furman Junior outfielder Bobby Hubbard sure didn’t seem to mind. The future Mallard (see picture) scored four runs and had five RBI’s on eight hits that included two home runs in a three-game series versus UNC-Greensboro. He upped his average to .322 and leads the Paladins in runs (17), hits (37), doubles (8), slugging percentage (.513), and stolen bases (5). Other former and future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these four players’ accomplishments.
Adam Mills, P, Sr., UNC-Charlotte. Former Mallard Mills is bringing new meaning to the phrase “lights out.” He was named the Atlantic 10 pitcher of the week for the fifth time after tossing a complete game 2-hit shutout against St. Joseph last Thursday that included a career-tying 14 strikeouts. Mills is now 8-1 with a 1.06 ERA.
Bubba O’Donnell, RHP, Jr., High Point. O’Donnell picked up his third win of the year after allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. His eight strikeout performance was a season-high.
Adam Pasono, OF, INF, So., Xavier. Pasono scored two runs on four hits in a three game series versus Richmond last weekend.
Jim Sajewich, RHP, So., Illinois St. Sajewich recorded his second win of the year in a four inning relief appearance versus UNI. He allowed two hits and struck out three batters to preserve the 10-9 victory.
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

Wisconsin add one from Austin Peay

2007-04-08T18:32:00.000-06:00

The Woodchucks have signed Will Hogue from Austin Peay State University. Will is leading the Governors in almost every offensive category. He is hitting .356 with 6 HR, 23 RBI, .604 slg %, and 9 stolen bases this spring.

<---Daniel Descalso is hitting .374 with 2 HR, 22 RBI and has been walked 17 times to give him an impressive .451 OBP this season at UC-Davis.

Steve Gerstenberger is leading Michigan State with a .429 average, 2 HR, .548 SLG % and a .479 OBP.
Pat Venditte has struck out a team high 48 in 42.1 innings this spring for Creighton. He has held opponents to a .186 batting average.

Eau Claire sign two from Nebraska

2007-04-08T09:48:00.000-06:00

Eau Claire has added LHP Wes Simmons and C Dominic Piazza from the University of Nebraska. Dominic was drafted in the 49th round by the Diamondbacks in last years draft. Wes redshirted last year with an injury. Neither have seen playing time with Nebraska so far this spring.
The Eau Claire Express have redesigned their website and it is a great improvement over the old one.

Sweet Continues Hot Streak

2007-04-06T21:57:00.001-06:00

Madison, WI – April 4, 2007. The state of Iowa might be without a Major League baseball club, but that doesn’t mean its lacking quality baseball talent. Future Mallard utility player and current Iowa Hawkeye Travis Sweet is providing plenty of excitement around the state. Sweet continued to swing a hot bat as he tallied three RBI’s and scored two runs on seven hits that included his third home run of the season in a four-game series versus Ohio State. He upped his average to .395 and leads the Hawkeyes in hits (32), home runs (3), and stolen bases (15). Other future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these six players’ accomplishments.
Jordan Comadena, C/OF, Jr., Purdue. Comadena had two RBI’s and scored four runs on three hits that included his fifth home run of the year in Sunday’s game versus Illinois. He is hitting .360 and leads the Boilermakers in runs scored (28), doubles (11), home runs (5), walks (16), and slugging percentage (.652).
Bobby Hubbard, OF, Jr., Furman. Hubbard hit his second home run of the season in Saturday’s game against Appalacian State. He is hitting .283 and ranks second on the team in RBI’s (19).
Dusty Napoleon, C/1B, Jr., Iowa. Napoleon had two RBI’s on three hits in an 8-0 win over Ohio State Sunday. He is hitting .403 and leads the Hawkeyes in doubles (6), RBI’s (31), and slugging percentage (.627).
Chris Roberts, IF/OF, Fr., Michigan State. Roberts had four RBI’s on three hits that included a triple in two games versus Indiana. He raised his average to .354 (17-48).
Jim Sajewich, RHP, So., Illinois State. Sajewich pitched 1 2/3 innings and picked up his first save of the season in a 3-1 win over Missouri State on Saturday. He lowered his ERA to 2.10 and now leads the Redbirds in appearances (13).
Brandon Wikoff, INF/P, Fr., Illinois. Wikoff had two RBI’s and scored four runs on four hits during a weekend series against Purdue.
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

2007-04-06T17:28:00.000-06:00

I was real busy this week and didnt get to update much but I will get back on track over the next few days. Andrew's Summer Ball blog has a new home here. I think he will like his switch to using blogger. They have a lot of nice features for bloggers to add to their pages easily without having to know much about html. My new favorite feature that I have added is the newsreel on the bottom of the links on the right side of the page. It should be constantly updated with news stories on the Northwoods League. If you haven't tried out google earth yet, check out the Google Pack for a bunch of free software to download.

17 Northwoods League Alumni on Opening Day Rosters

2007-04-02T18:13:00.000-06:00

Jay Gibbons (Manitowoc 96-97) is starting the year as the Orioles leftfielder but will see plenty of time as the DH this season.
Robb Quinlan (Dubuque, St. Cloud 96, 98) should see time at 1B and 3B this season for the Angels.
Curtis Granderson (Mankato 01) is the starting centerfielder and the leadoff hitter for the Tigers.
Juan Pierre (Manitowoc 96) is starting in centerfield for the Dodgers this year.
Bobby Kielty (Kenosha 96) is a backup outfielder with the Athletics.
Jay Marshall (Rochester 02) went from A ball last season to the Oakland bullpen this season.
Jeff Weaver (Dubuque 95) is in the Mariners starting rotation this year.
George Sherrill (Kenosha 97-98) is in the Seattle bullpen this season.
Josh Willingham (Waterloo 00) is the starting leftfielder for the Marlins this year.
Jeremy Accardo (Alexandria 01) is in the Toronto bullpen this season.
Casey Janssen (Wisconsin 01) also is in the bullpen for the Bluejays this year.
Paul McAnulty (Mankato 01) will be backing up 1B, 3B, and the OF for the Padres this season.
Tom Gorzelanny (St. Cloud 02) has earned a spot in the starting rotation for the Pirates this year.
Andre Ethier (Rochester 02) is starting in rightfield for the Dodgers this season.
Mike Rouse (Brainerd 99) is backing up the infield positions this season for the Indians.
Ben Zobrist (Wisconsin 03) is starting at shortstop for the Devil Rays this year.
Pat Neshek (Wisconsin 02) will be in the Minnesota bullpen this season.

Eau Claire, Rochester and Waterloo add players

2007-03-31T11:57:00.000-06:00

Butler CC C Tyler Goodro will be returning to Eau Claire this summer. He hit .309 in the 15 games he played after being a late season addition last summer.

OF Jonathan Ratledge will not be playing for Eau Claire this summer due to an injury.

The Express have also added a couple of pitchers from UIC. RHP Andrew Davis has a team high 3 wins in 14 appearances this spring. RHP Adam Worthington was the Flames closer as a true freshman last spring and made a Horizon League-leading 38 appearances. This spring he has 10 strikeouts in 8 innings.

Rochester has signed Baylor RHP Reed Woytek who has summer league experience pitching for the Hays Larks of the Jayhawk League last summer.

The Honkers have also added RHP Greg Martin from UNC-Greensboro. Greg has struck out 8 in 13 appearances this spring.

Nebraska freshman OF Aaron Jarosh has signed to play for Waterloo this summer. He was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 high school prospect in Iowa for the 2006 MLB Draft.

Huskies sign a pair of Jayhawks

2007-03-30T07:37:00.000-06:00

LHP Andy Marks will be making the return trip to Duluth this summer. He was 9-3, 2.05 with 59 strikeouts for the Huskies last summer. Andy is 3-3 with 50 strikeouts in 38.1 innings this spring at Kansas. Joining him will be Kansas teammate INF Justin Ellrich who gained Summer Collegiate baseball experience playing in the Jayhawk League last summer. Justin hit .323 with 8 HR last summer.

OFNick Sullivan is third on Nebraska with 4 steals this spring.

C Logan Gelbrich is hitting .298 with 4 steals this season for the University of San Diego.

Elon OF/P Chris Dove is batting .357 with 3 triples and 10 steals this spring.

INF Chase Austin has a .286 average and 3 HR as a freshman at Elon this spring.

3B Brayden Drake is hitting .303 with a team high 4 HR this season for Missouri State.

Missouri State RHP Tim Clubb is 3-0, 5.18 so far this spring.

A couple more added to Green Bay's inaugural roster

2007-03-29T20:40:00.000-06:00

Green Bay has added George Fox University INF Bo Thunell and LHP Matt Van Den Heuvel of Mesa CC. Bo is hitting .349 with 3 HR and 31 RBI and was named the Northwest Conference Hitter of the Week for Mar. 19-25. Matt's parents reside in the Fox Valley area.

C Rob Raux is batting .324 with 2 HR and 3 steals this spring at Ithaca College

Bo Thunell

His teammate RHP Nick Sottung is 2-1 and has 11 strikeouts in 14.1 innings this season.

OF Kyle Conley leads Washington with 5 steals this spring.

LHP Mike Jacobson is 3-0, 1.44 through 4 starts this spring at Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Battle Creek adds to roster

2007-03-29T19:40:00.000-06:00

C Jimmy Tanner of University of South Carolina Upstate. Jimmy has not made an error behind the plate and has thrown out 40% of those attempting to steal.

LHP Phillip Myers of Seminole CC. Myers is 4-0, 2.51 and has held opponents to a .200 average.

RHP Eric Pettis from UC Irvine. Eric has struck out 12 in 13 innings this spring.

LHP Andre Benjamin from Grand Rapids CC. Andre will be returning to the lineup sometime next month.

Napoleon’s Dynamite Performance Provides Spark for Hawkeyes

2007-03-29T19:22:00.000-06:00

Madison, WI – March 26, 2007. For most collegiate coaches, any offense the catcher position provides is viewed as being a huge bonus. If this viewpoint holds true at the University of Iowa, then catcher Dusty Napoleon is providing mega dividends for the Hawkeyes. Napoleon remained white-hot last weekend as he had seven RBI’s and scored three runs on seven hits that included a double in a four-game weekend sweep of North Dakota State. He is now batting .388 for the year. Other future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these seven players’ accomplishments.

Aaron Bray, INF, So., UNC Charlotte. Bray had three hits and scored five runs in a three game weekend series versus St. Louis University. He is now batting .276 and leads the 49ers in walks with 22.

Jordan Comadena, C/INF/OF, Jr., Purdue. Comadena scored three runs on four hits that included a double in a three game weekend series versus Western Illinois University. He leads the Boilermakers in doubles (10), home runs (4), and slugging percentage (.721).

Russell Harben, SS/3B, Jr., South Alabama. Harben hit his first home run of the season and added two doubles during a three game series against Louisiana Monroe.

Adam Pasono, INF/OF, So., Xavier. Pasono had two RBI’s and scored four runs on five hits to help the Musketeers sweep Dayton University in a three-game set last weekend.

Jim Sajewich, RHP, So., Illinois State. Sajewich allowed two hits in 3 2/3 innings of relief during a game against Southern Illinois on Saturday.

Travis Sweet, INF/OF/P, Jr., Iowa. Sweet had three RBI’s and scored three runs on six hits to lead the Hawkeyes to a four game sweep over North Dakota State.

Steve Turnbull, RHP, So., Iowa. Pitching the tail-end of a doubleheader against North Dakota State on Friday, Turnbull picked up the complete game victory after allowing two hits and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.

The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto http://www.mallardsbaseball.com/.

The “Duck Pond” to Host Green Bay Packers Charity Softball Game

2007-03-28T17:44:00.000-06:00

Current and former Green Bay Packers will take on firefighters in a charity softball game on Saturday May 12 at Warner Park. Representing the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin is a team from Eau Claire, WI who won last year’s state qualifying tournament.
General admission tickets cost $15.83 and are on sale now! Tickets can be purchased by calling the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or by visiting www.mallardsbaseball.com. Tickets for the Great Dane Duck Blind and suites are unavailable for this event. Proceeds go to the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m. with gates opening at 2:00 p.m.
Check back in mid-April when we release the names of Packer players participating in the event!
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

Illinois' Lars Davis Named Big Ten Player of the Week

2007-03-27T18:33:00.000-06:00

Catcher Lars Davis has played for Brainerd and Duluth over the past two summers and is signed to again play with Duluth this summer. Going 12 for 14 with 3 HR and a SB was all it took for Davis to earn his first Big Ten Player of the Week award. Lars is now hitting .429 with 2 triples and 5 HR. He is also getting on base at a .529 clip and has a .810 slugging percentage.

MoonDogs Land Speed and Run Producer

2007-03-27T18:17:00.000-06:00

(Mankato,MN)--The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is proud to announce the signing of two new players for 2007. Sophomore infielder/catcher Logan Forest and sophomore outfielder Jaime Armendariz, both from Midland Community College located in Midland, Texas have committed to play for the MoonDogs this summer.
Forest, a 6’4” 205 lb. sophomore, has started all 25 games for the Chaparrals this season. With 24 hits, five doubles, and 18 RBI already, Forest is quickly becoming one of the Chaps biggest offensive threats. His offensive prowess has given his team a legitimate bat in the middle of the line-up and someone who can produce at any given time.
Last year for the Chaps, he made an immediate impact and posted some impressive offensive stats. In 52 games he registered a .348 batting average, with 65 hits, 12 doubles, and drove in 56 RBI. The 65 hits and 56 RBI ranked him second on the team respectively.
This summer, the MoonDogs look for the left-handed hitting Forest to fill a similar role in their line-up. “Logan’s size and stature will help us both offensively and defensively. He is a left-handed bat that we can use in the middle of the lineup and someone who can produce in RBI situations. Defensively, he will give our infielders a nice target and will save a couple errors for them this season,” MoonDogs head coach Jason Nell said.
Amendariz, a 5’9” 160 lb. sophomore, is off to a fast start to the 2007 season. Through the first 25 games, he leads the team in batting average (0.380) and RBI (27) and continues to impress with his overall game. As a potent leadoff hitter who possesses great speed, he is also becoming a threat on the bases. He already surpassed his stolen base total (4) from last year with five swipes in 2007. His great plate coverage combined with speed will give the MoonDogs a great table-setter in 2007.
“In the outfield position you look for someone that has great speed, covers his position well, makes tough catches and has an accurate arm. That’s exactly what we are getting with Jamie. He can play all three outfield positions and is another left-handed bat in our line-up. His tremendous speed and offensive skills will put a lot pressure on teams to keep him off the bases. If they don’t, he will make things happen either by beating out infield hits, stealing, or taking an extra base,” Nell said.
Both Forest and Amendariz come from the same program that produced outfielder Tim Smith who transferred to Arizona State University this season.
The MoonDogs Home Opener is set for June 1, 2007 against the defending Northwoods League champions, Rochester Honkers. Mankato will also be the host of the 13th annual Northwoods League All-Star Game on July 11, 2007. To be part of all the MoonDogs action this summer, season tickets are on sale now as well as group and hospitality tickets. For more information go to www.mankatomoondogs.com or call the MoonDogs Ticket Office at 507-625-7047.

Four new players for Brainerd

2007-03-27T17:18:00.000-06:00

Brainerd has signed LHP William Blackmon of the University of Tennessee-Martin. William has 26 strikeouts in 24.1 innings this spring.

Another lefty joining the Blue Thunder this year will be Chuck Huggins from UC-Santa Barbara. Chuck is 3-0 with a team leading 2.08 ERA and has held opponents to a .132 batting average this spring.

Northern Colorado INF Adam Symons has signed with Brainerd. Adam has started every game this spring and his 2 steals and 14 RBI are both second on the team.

Brainerd has also signed INF Brian Harfst from McCook CC.

Two more headed for Rochester

2007-03-25T18:09:00.000-06:00

The Honkers have added OF Jarek West from Delta State. West was named the top prospect in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League and one of the top 10 Prospects in all of the Summer Leagues by Baseball america last summer. Jarek is hitting .305 with 4 HR and 5 steals this spring.

Rochester has also announced the signing of C Corey Kemp of East Carolina. Corey is hitting .270 with 2 HR this spring. He has thrown out 6 of 13 of theose attempting to steal.

Cal State Fullerton RHP Michael Morrison pitched two scoreless innings today, striking out three and only giving up one hit to Long Beach State.

INF Raynor Campbell leads Baylor with a .333 average and has one HR and two steals this spring.

INF Brett Featherston is getting on base at a .500 clip and leads Northern Iowa with 5 HR and 26 RBI.

OF Craig Lutes has 2 doubles and 2 HR in 16 at-bats this spring for Illinois.

Waterloo adds two more pitchers

2007-03-24T21:07:00.000-06:00

Waterloo has signed RHP Jay Broughton from Ball State. Jay was named Most Valuable Pitcher for the fall season.

The Bucks also added RHP Tom Boleska of High Point University. Tom is 2-1, 3.48 with one save and 14 strikeouts in 9 appearances this spring.

Ball State RHP Brenden Stines picked up his second win of the spring today, striking out seven in 6.1 innings against Akron.

C/1B Brent Milleville is hitting .314 this spring with Stanford and currently has a five game hitting streak.

OF Deric Manrique is hitting .316 with a team high 8 steals this spring at Northern Iowa.

RHP Brandon Hennessey has struck out seven and walked one in 7 appearances this spring for San Jose State.

Eau Claire signs a pair of Lobos

2007-03-23T21:59:00.000-06:00

Eau Claire has signed two pitchers from New Mexico. LHP Bobby LaFromboise was drafted in the 24th round of the 2005 draft by the White Sox. Bobby is 4-1, 3.12 with 48 strikeouts and one save this spring. He pitched 8 strong innings today giving up four hits and one run while striking out six and walking none. RHP Shane Dyer was drafted by the Rockies in the 24th round in the 2006 MLB draft. Shane is 1-1 in 5 appearances this spring. Another Lobo who has previously been announced as returning, Ian Hollick has a 9 game hitting streak going and was 2for5 today with 2 RBI. Eau Claire alum Matt Foote had 2 steals today to give him a team high 14 this spring for New Mexico.

Mallards in the Big Ten

2007-03-20T13:35:00.000-06:00

Big Ten Players Continue Hot Start to 2007
Madison, WI – March 19, 2007. The Mallards were well represented by Big Ten Conference teams last weekend. Leading the charge was University of Iowa infielder Travis Sweet who had six RBI’s and scored three runs on five hits during a Friday doubleheader against Dallas Baptist and Fresno State. He is now hitting .364 and leads the Hawkeyes with 16 hits and 13 runs in 10 games. Other future Mallards had noteworthy performances over the weekend as well. Below is a complete listing (in alphabetical order) of these seven players’ accomplishments.
Jordan Comadena, C/OF, Jr., Purdue. Comadena’s blistering start to the 2007 season continued as he had two RBI’s and scored five runs on six hits that included a lead-off home run in a three-game series versus Samford last weekend. He is now hitting .442 and leads the Boilermakers in runs (17), doubles (9), home runs (4), RBI’s (16), and walks (13).
Dusty Napolean, C/1B, Jr., Iowa. Napolean had eight RBI’s on five hits during a two-game Friday/Saturday series versus Dallas Baptist. His 15 RBI’s lead the Hawkeye’s squad.
Eric Nielson, C, So., Purdue. Nielson continued to make the most of his playing time and is now hitting .462 (6-13) after adding three hits in two games versus Samford.
Chris Roberts, OF, Jr., Michigan State. Roberts drove in the game-winning run with an RBI double in the top of ninth inning to lead the Spartans to a 4-3 victory over Oklahoma Friday. He also collected two hits in Sunday’s game.
Joseph Spiers, SS/1B, Jr., San Diego State. Spiers’ four hits and two RBI’s helped lead the Aztecs to two wins over UCLA last weekend.
Daniel Webb, OF, Jr., Illinois. In two games versus Yale and Jacksonville State University Webb had two RBI’s and scored four runs on three hits, including one double. He is now batting .308 for the season.
Brandon Wikoff, INF/P, Fr., Illinois. Wikoff scored two runs and had three hits in a 17-5 win over Yale on Sunday. He upped his average to .400 and is now tied for the team lead with 18 hits.
The Madison Mallards open the 2007 season against the Eau Claire Express on Thursday May 31, 2007. Group and season tickets are on sale now. Single game tickets go on sale Saturday, April 28. For more information please call the Mallards ticket office at 608.246.4277 or log onto www.mallardsbaseball.com.

Signings Around The League

2007-03-20T12:32:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin has signed INF/OF Justin Potes from Michigan State. He is hitting .333 with a team high 5 doubles this spring.

Rochester has signed C Derek Norris of Delta State. He has a team high 4 HR this spring and is on a 5 game hitting streak.

Eau Claire has announced the signing of LHP Rodney Wodson from Alabama-Birmingham. Rodney is a native Australian.

The Express have also signed their first ever ACC player in LHP Elliott Ogawa from Georgia Tech. The freshman did not give up a hit in his only appearance this spring.

Thunder Bay Additions

2007-03-19T12:09:00.000-06:00

Crnkovich

Thunder Bay has announced the signings of three players from the University of Illinois at Chicago. RHP Steve Crnkovich is 1-2, 2.48 with 19 strikeouts so far this year. He only gave up one run on three hits in eight innings against #1 ranked Vanderbilt on March 10. INF Mike Kaffel has not commited an error this spring. C Erik Whinery has caught 40% of those attempting to steal on him this spring.

The Border Cats also have signed four players from Belmont University. RHP Eric Diaz has only walked one in seven appearances this spring. RHP Chris Manning led Belmont with 10 saves last year and already has 4 saves this spring. INF Brandon McCall is hitting .271 with 3 HR and 3 steals this season. LHP/OF Carlo Testa is 2-0 with 20 strikeouts in 4 starts and has 1 HR and 2 steals this spring.

A few sites I like to visit.

2007-03-18T17:17:00.000-06:00

Brewerfan.net is a site that every Brewer fan should frequent. I haven't found a fan site for any team that has as much to offer as they do.

DTFC Minnesota Twins Forum doesnt have a high volume of posts, but they have high quality info.

If you want to read about the Cape Cod League then you must check out CodBall.

I also check out New York Collegiate Baseball League Blog a few times a week. There will be a few players in the Northwoods League this summer that played in the NYCBL in the past.

The College Baseball Blog is constantly updated with news on whats happening in college baseball.

A site I just found is College Baseball Summer Leagues!. Andrew has news on the many different summer leagues and their players. Make sure to check out his interview with future Madison Mallard Aaron Bray here.

Former Wisconsin Woodchuck and current Minnesota Twin Pat Neshek has his own blog.

Mallards making debuts in 07

2007-03-17T22:43:00.000-06:00

Three Iowa Hawkeyes have been signed to play for Madison this summer. C/1B Dusty Napoleon has thrown out 4 of 24 baserunners and has not commited an error behind the plate this season. CF Travis Sweet played in the infield and pitched last spring. He has been named Big Ten player of the week once this spring and is hitting .364 with 2 HR and 6 steals. RHP Steve Turnbull has 14 strikeouts in 12.1 innings this spring.

RHP Jim Sajewich and LHP Dan Sorce from Illinois State will make their Northwoods League debuts this summer. Jim is 1-1, 2.53 in 7 appearances this spring. Dan threw a no-hitter as a high school senior.

INF Aaron Bray was a freshman All-American for UNC-Charlotte. Aaron has 5 steals this spring.

A pair of teammates at San Diego State will be coming with plenty of summer college baseball experience. INF Joe Spiers has played in the Cape Cod League and the Alaska Baseball League the past two summers. LHP Donnie Hume has played in the Cape Cod League and the California Collegiate League. Donnie has struck out 31 and only walked 5 in 5 starts this spring.

Michigan State will be represented in Madison by a couple of notable prospects. RHP Mark Sorensen was selected as one of the top 10 prospects in the Great Lakes Collegiate League by Baseball America last year. His father Lary Sorensen played 11 seasons in the majors. INF Chris Roberts was ranked the No. 2 newcomer in the Big Ten according to Baseball America. Chris was selected in the 27th round by the Cleveland Indians in the 2006 MLB Draft.

RHP Bubba O'Donnell pitched a complete game shutout for High Point University last weekend to earn Big South Pitcher of the Week honors.

INF Brandon Wikoff is hitting .385 with one steal this spring. Illinois teammate OF Daniel Webb spent the last two summers playing for the Delaware Cows of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

OF Evan LeBlanc is hitting .324 with 1 HR for UC-Santa Clara this season.

The other signings that have been announced by Madison are SS Russell Harben of South Alabama, INF/OF Adam Pasono of Xavier, and C Eric Nielsen of Purdue.

New Loggers for 07

2007-03-16T23:59:00.000-06:00

Dallas Baptist University will have three players playing for the Loggers this summer. RHP Victor Black was drafted in 41st round by Mets out of high school and has struck out 42 in 37 innings this spring. Evan Bigley was hitting .304 through 3/15 and has played mostly in the outfield. INF Trevor Head has two HR this season.

Three players from Southern Miss will also be making the trip north this summer. OF Luke Adkins was named last year to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team. OF Bo Davis currently has a five game hitting streak. INF Brian Dozier is hitting .338 and has started every game at SS. Brian was also named to the Freshman All-American team last year.

La Crosse also has signed a couple of freshman from Arizona, LHP Paul Bargas and C Dwight Childs. Dwight has thrown out over half of those attempting to steal on him this spring. Paul has struck out 9 and only walked one this spring.

INF/RHP Cole White leads Army in most offensive categories and has 16 strikeouts in 16 innings as a pitcher this spring.

INF Sawyer Carroll has 11 doubles and 21 walks to go along with his .378 average this season for Kentucky.

San Diego State INF Troy Hanzawa is hitting .333 and has stolen 4 bases this spring.

Former high school teammates Brett Jackson and Greg Redig are both seeing some action during their freshman campaigns at California.

Others signings announced by La Crosse so far are Evansville LHP/1B Tristan Facer, Lamar LHP Justin Walker, and Northern Iowa C Jeremy Weih. Walker has struck out 11 in 8.1 innings this spring. Jeremy is hitting .273 and has caught four stealing.

Madison

2007-03-16T22:59:00.000-06:00

LHP Tom Stilson and INF Randy Molina will be back in Madison this summer after the season ends at Stanford. Tom was 1-1, 1.93 in four starts for the Mallards last summer. This will be Randy's third season with the Mallards.

OF/C Jordan Comadena is leading Purdue in almost every offensive category this spring, including an impressive .837 slugging percentage. He was a mid-season all-star last season for Madison and will be one to watch this summer in his third season with the Mallards. Also returning to Madison this summer from Purdue is RHP Allan Donato. Allan has struck out 8, walked one, and given up one run in four appearances this spring. He only allowed one run in 13 appearances with the Mallards last summer.

The other returning Mallards that have been announced are Winthrop 3B Mitch Saum and Bobby Hubbard from Furman. Mitch was a first team All-American in high school. Bobby was a mid-season all-star for the Mallards last year and can play in the infield or outfield.

Green Bay Bullfrogs to break ground on Fan Deck, Joannes Stadium renovations underway.

2007-03-14T02:08:00.000-06:00

Green Bay, WI -The Green Bay Bullfrogs, a 2007 expansion team of the premier collegiate Northwoods League, are very pleased to announce the addition of a new Fan Deck to be built at historic Joannes Stadium. A partnership has been finalized with Triangle Distributing of Green Bay and the newest amenity to Joannes Stadium will be known as the “Leinies Northwoods Deck.” The 4084 square foot, multi-tiered deck will be constructed down the right field line. Construction will start in the next couple of weeks and will be completed in time for the Bullfrogs Inaugural Opening Night on Monday, June 4 at 7:05p.m.

The Leinies Northwoods Deck is expected to hold about 400 people and will bring capacity at the former minor league ballpark to just over 2000. The fan deck is a staple in the Northwoods League and offers the fans a unique opportunity to see the game from a different view and allows the team to cater to larger group outings. “This is the first of many improvement we have planned for Joannes Stadium, our goal is to make this historic ballpark a place for all of Green Bay and the surrounding communities to gather and enjoy America’s pastime”, states Bullfrogs Owner and President Jeff Royle.

The Leinies Northwoods Deck will cost $25 and children under 12 are $15. Admission to the deck includes a game ticket with food and beverage being all-you-can-eat. Additional major renovations projects are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

“A number of smaller projects got underway this past fall when we received a 5 year lease to Joannes Stadium” said Royle. “The entire field was re-edged and both the pitchers mound and batters boxes have been completely re-built. Due to the location of the new deck, both bullpens will be re-built and located closer to fan seating. This will allow fans to be closer to the on-field action. In addition to construction of the deck, new 30 foot, major league type foul poles will be installed as well as a new state-of-art sound system. Improvements to the entire facility including restrooms, concessions and seating are already underway. This is only the beginning.”

The Bullfrogs begin play on May 31, 2007 against the Waterloo Bucks in Waterloo , IA before returning home for Opening Night in Green Bay on Monday, June 4. For more information please go to www.greenbaybullfrogs.com or call the Bullfrogs ticket office at 920-497-7225

Green Bay Bullfrogs Baseball: “Grip It and Ribbit”

La Crosse

2007-03-11T21:36:00.000-06:00

La Crosse has announced 9 players that will be returning this summer led by 06 team MVP Jesse Hart.

INF Jesse Hart is leading UW-Milwaukee with a .342 average through 9 games. Also returning from UW-Milwaukee will be RHP Dan Luczak, who went 6-3, 2.76 last summer for the Loggers.

UNLV INF Willie Bowman played for LaCrosse in 05 but missed last summer with an injury. Willie has been HBP a team high 4 times this spring. Son of former major league player and manager Bob Brenly, C Michael Brenly is leading UNLV with 18 RBI this spring.

Two RHPs from Winona State will be returning this summer. Bryan Ruff was 1-0, 2.08 in 6 games with La Crosse last summer. Don Erdall was 4-3, 1.19 and had 2 saves last year for the Loggers. Both are off to good starts this spring with Winona State.

RHP Adam Dominick has struck out 10 and only given up one earned run in 10 innings this spring at UW-Whitewater.

Spencer Lucian is hitting .300 in three starts in the OF for Princeton. He played in both the infiled and outfield last season.

OF Jim Viscomi led La Crosse last summer with 14 steals. Jim is hitting .344 and leading Evansville with 8 steals this spring.

Recent Signings

2007-03-11T17:20:00.000-06:00

Battle Creek has announced the signing of INF Iain Dykins from Central Missouri.

Duluth has signed INF Brayden Drake, RHP Tim Clubb, and OF Christian Overstreet from Missouri State. Drake is hitting .267 with 2 homeruns this spring. Clubb is 1-0 and has 5 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. Overstreet has played in 8 games this spring as a freshman.

Eau Claire has signed two players from UC-Davis. RHP Eddie Gamboa has made 5 appearances out of the bullpen this spring and struck out 4 in 7.2 innings. C Jacob Jefferies is hitting .340 this spring and is second on the team with 8 RBI.

Green Bay has signed P/1B Mike Jacobson from UW-Whitewater. Mike has been dominant in his two starts this spring, both of which were complete games. He is 2-0, 0.64 and has struck out 10 while only walking 2.

Waterloo has signed RHP Tanner Roark from Illinois and INF Adam Gaylord from Stanford. Tanner was undefeated last year in 10 starts as a freshman. Roark was also named one of Collegiate Baseball's Top Players to Watch in the Big Ten this year. Adam is hitting .314 this spring as a freshman.

Rochester

2007-03-09T21:08:00.000-06:00

2006 Honker of the Year OF Chris Jones headlines the group of players signed to play for Rochester this summer. He is off to a good start this spring at Cal-State Fullerton batting .281 with 19 RBI and 3 steals. Chris led Rochester last summer with 8 HR. Jones
Joining him this summer from Fullerton will be RHP Mike Morrison and INF Joe Scott. Morrison has 10 strikeouts in 12 innings this spring. Scott can play all over the infield.
LHP Ryan Hill and RHP Sean Finn have been mostly pitching out of the bullpen this spring for Dayton.
LHP Ryan Mullins has been impressive this spring out of the Winthrop bullpen. He is 3-2, 1.45, 1 save and has 16 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.
RHP Dave Sever was 4-1, 1.55 in 9 games last year for the Honkers. This spring Dave has 19 strikeouts in 22.2 innings for Saint Louis University.
A pair of freshman from Baylor, RHP Craig Fritsch and INF Raynor Campbell will be joining the Honkers this summer. Raynor has seen time this spring at second and third and has one HR.
C Joe Southers is a backup catcher at Kansas this spring after spending the last two seasons with Phoenix college.
1B Brett Featherston is leading Northern Iowa in many offensive categories this spring. He had 2 homeruns and 29 RBI for Rochester last summer.
OF Drew Hoisington is hitting .294 and leading Toledo with 2 homeruns and 2 steals.
INF David Flores has started every game at third this spring for Sacramento State and has four multi-hit games.
INF Matt Gaski leads UNC-Greensboro with 11 runs scored and has been walked a team high 8 times.
OF Craig Lutes has seen limited action this spring as a freshman at Illinois.
OF Aaron Senne is hitting .224 with one homerun this spring for Missouri.
OF Angelo Songco has a .329 average this spring and is leading Loyola Marymount with a .553 slg%.

Brainerd

2007-03-08T13:21:00.000-06:00

RHP Alex Guttosch is 0-1, 3.60 in two starts this year for Eastern Illinois

RHP Tyler Brandon has made one appearance this spring for Eastern Illinois. He played last summer for the LaCrosse Loggers.

RHP Mihai Burlea has struck out 7 in 3 innings of work this spring at Northwestern College in Iowa.

RHP Mike Germain will be returing to the Blue Thunder this summer. He redshirted last year at North Dakota State and has not made an appearance yet this spring.

RHP Carter Holt is 2-0, 1.56 with 8 strikeouts in 2 starts this spring for Neosho CC.

RHP Danial McHenry has only given up one hit in three appearances this spring for Neosho CC.

RHP Christian Larson was 2-1, 4.43 last year for South Dakota State. He has made two appearances out of the bullpen this spring, and should get some starts as the season progresses.

RHP Aaron Pribanic was 1-1, 3.38 in two starts last summer for Brainerd. This spring for Hutchinson CC he is 2-0, 3.86 and 19 strikeouts in three starts.

Pribanic

C Ryan Baker has thrown out 6 baserunners this spring for the University of Cincinnati.

IF Arin Fowble is playing this spring for Coffeyville CC. He will transfer next year to Arkansas-Little Rock.

OF Erik Komatsu hit .273 and had 13 doubles last summer for the Blue Thunder. He is playing for Oxnard CC this spring and will transfer to Cal State-Fullerton in the fall.

IF Tyler Metcalf is second on Barton CC this spring with 9 RBI. Last year he had a perfect fielding percentage.

OF David Wilson is hitting .288 with 12 RBI this spring for Barton CC.

IF Patrick Rose has one homerun this spring for California-Santa Barbara. He played last summer in the Hawaiian Collegiate Baseball League.

OF Ryan Royster has two steals this spring for Cal-Davis. His uncle is former major leaguer Jerry Royster.

Mankato

2007-03-06T13:47:00.000-06:00

Mankato has so far announced six MoonDogs that will be returning this summer. They will be announcing more signings later this week.

RHP/INF Matt Mossey was 5-5. 2.79 last summer for Mankato. This spring for North Dakota State he has struck out 6 and only walked 1 in 6.1 innings. He also leads the team with a .462 average.

RHP Tom Porter has not given up a run in 5 appearances this spring for Elon. Last summer he was 1-3, 3.92 and had 2 saves for the MoonDogs.

C Ben Geelan will be brought along slowly at Iowa this spring as he recovers from an injury he sustained while playing for Mankato last year.

C Jeff DeSmidt put up impressive numbers in the very short time he played for Mankato last summer. This spring he is hitting .267 and has one homerun for Minnesota.

INF Nate Hanson hit 3 homeruns for the MoonDogs last summer. Nate leads Minnesota with 2 homeruns this spring.

INF James Keithley is hitting .250 this spring for Texas-San Antonio. James hit .236 and had two steals for Mankato last summer.

Waterloo

2007-03-04T22:36:00.000-06:00

Waterloo is undertaking a five year stadium renovation project. The first phase includes a new entrance and a new restroom building. The team will again have a local connection with players from Northern Iowa.

LHP Dan Jennings has made 5 appearances out of the Nebraska bullpen this spring. He is one of four returning Bucks announced so far.

RHP Scott Shaw is 1-1 with 5 strikeouts in two starts this spring for Illinois. Last summer for Waterloo he was 4-3, 2.40 with 45 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.

RHP Chris Pack has made two appearances for Villanova as a freshman this spring.

RHP Brandon Hennessey has 5 strikeouts in 7.1 innings this spring for San Jose State.

RHP Joshua Schneider is 2-1, 1.95 this spring for Hawaii. Earned all-state honors in high school in three sports.

RHP Brenden Stines has struck out 15 and only walked 5 in three starts this year for Ball State.

C Scott Dunwoody leads Dayton with a .400 OBP and 2 steals.

C Brent Milleville was selected in the 39th round in 05 draft by Angels. Two-time high school player of the year in Kansas. Brent has also played 1B this spring for Stanford.

OF Jeff Whitlow was selected in 50th round of 05 draft by Detroit. Jeff had 10 steals last summer for Waterloo, and is hitting .308 with one steal this spring for Stanford.

OF Deric Manrique had 11 steals for the Bucks last summer. Deric has not committed an error in centerfield this spring at Northern Iowa.

IF Travis Hendrix was selected as a California Community College all-American as a sophomore before transferring this season to Northern Iowa.

IF Tim McCann has one homerun this spring for Seton Hall. Tim was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star in 06.

OF Mark Pappas was third on Seton Hall last year with a .294 average and is hitting .333 this spring

Wisconsin

2007-03-03T13:48:00.000-06:00

The Woodchucks biggest addition for 2007 will be new manager and former Milwaukee Brewer great Jim Gantner. Having the sons of two former major league baseball players and an ambidextrous pitcher on the team should make for an interesting summer.

Joining Jim this summer will be his son Matt Gantner. Matt is an outfielder at High Point University in North Carolina.

RHP Brett Bochy is a freshman at Kansas, and is the son of San Fransisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

INF Daniel Descalso led the Woodchucks with 10 steals last year. He also pitched two innings without giving up a run. This spring he is hitting .273 with 1 hr and 2 sb at UC-Davis.

Descalso

INF Steve Gerstenberger led the Big Ten last year with 7 triples. Through three games for Michigan State this spring he is batting .333 .

INF Elliot Arrington led UNC-Asheville last year with a .349 average and 46 RBI.

P Pat Venditte was one of three known ambidextrous pitchers in college baseball in 2006. He led Creighton last year with 54 strikeouts in 62.2 innings. This spring he has struck out 16 in 12 innings.

OF Jordan Stine led UW-Whitewater in 06 with a .397 average and 12 steals. As a Merrill, WI native he will be playing very close to home this summer.

Alexandria

2007-03-02T14:55:00.000-06:00

The Beetles so far have signed 3 freshman from UCLA and another from USC. They have also announced that Drew Saberhagen and Jonathan Greene will be returning in 07, and will be bringing Blake Murphy with them from Western Carolina.

C Keith Castillo has one start as a freshman at USC. He was a member of the National Honor Society in high school.

INF Casey Haerther was drafted last year in the 34th round by San Diego. Casey has 2 hits in 19 at-bats this spring at UCLA.

OF Gabe Cohen is hitting .300 with 2 HR this spring for UCLA.

LHP Matt Drummond was drafted last year in the 35th round by the Orioles. Matt is 0-1 in two starts this spring for UCLA.

C Blake Murphy is second on Western Carolina with a .407 average and has 2hr and been walked 8 times this spring.

LHP Drew Saberhagen was a mid-season All-Star for the Beetles last year. He is the son of 2-time Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen. He is 1-1, 0.66 this spring for Western Carolina.

Jonathan Greene today extended his hitting streak to 21 games for Western Carolina. He leads the team with a .414 average and has 3 homeruns. Greene can play in the infield, outfield, and also catches.

Duluth

2007-03-02T09:33:00.000-06:00

So far Duluth has announced five players that are returning from last years squad and four new additions.

RHP Mike Nihsen has yet to make an impact this spring for Nebraska after being a mid-season and postseason All-Star last year in the NWL.

OF Nick Sullivan has a triple and two steals this spring for Nebraska. Sullivan tied for the Duluth lead last summer with 3 HR.

RHP Mike Nesseth is a freshman at Nebraska and has not made an appearance this spring.

C Lars Davis is 3 for 10 after 3 games for Illinois. He played for Brainerd in 05 and Duluth in 06.

INF Joe Bonadonna will be back in Duluth for his third season. He is 2 for 6 this spring for Illinois.

INF Kevin Hansen is hitting .277 this spring for the University of San Diego. He was fourth on the Huskies last summer with a .283 average.

C Logan Gelbrich is second on San Diego with a .359 average. he also has 1 HR and one steal.

INF Chase Austin is hitting .240 as a freshman at Elon this spring.

OF Chris Dove is batting .452 with 7 steals for Elon this spring. He has not given up a run and has four strikeouts in 4 innings pitched. Last summer he was named as the number 10 prospect in the New York Collegiate Baseball League.

St. Cloud

2007-03-01T23:27:00.000-06:00

St. Cloud has announced five players that will be returning in 2007.

INF Bryan Cartie from McNeese State is only hitting .229 but his 13 walks have helped raise his OBP to .429. He tied a team record by walking four times in one game. Cartie also has stolen 4 bases in 5 tries.
RHP Luke Wertz did not give up a run in 5 appearances with St. Cloud last year. He was not as sharp in his first appearance this spring with Nebraska. He walked two, had two wild pitches, and gave up three earned runs in 1.2 innings.
INF/LHP James Leverton led the River Bats in homeruns and was second in steals last year. He had a couple multi-hit games last weekend for Texas Tech to raise his average to .233
LHP Trevor Fox is 1-2, 4.86 this spring for UC-Davis. He previously attended Santa Rosa JC.
RHP Chad Dawson struck out two and gave up two runs in his only start this spring for Indiana State. He was one of the most dependable River Bats last year, only giving up 9 runs in 37.2 innings of work.

Thunder Bay

2007-03-01T16:58:00.000-06:00

Thunder Bay has so far only announced the signing of 5 native Canadians. Lefties Morgan Carlile and Chris Lemay will be making the trip along with OF Temple Macdonald from Campbellsville University. Neither Lemay or Carlile have given up a run yet this spring. Lemay is 2-0, 1 save and has 17 strikeouts in 14 innings. Carlile won his only start. Temple is hitting .375 with one homerun and one steal. Temple's brother Andrew Macdonald will be joining the Border Cat infield this year. Through four games for Niagara University he has a .214 average. RHP Cory Hall has yet to se action as a freshman at Gonzaga.

Eau Claire

2007-02-28T18:19:00.000-06:00

Long Beach State OF Teddy Pattock will be back in the Express outfield this summer. He was selected as a mid-season and post-season All-Star last year, and also chosen as King of the Express.

Bryan Frew and Tim Huber will also be returning to Eau Claire after their junior seasons at Nebraska-Omaha. Huber was selected to the NWL mid-season and post-season teams last year. Tim has one start with no decision and 2 strikeouts this year and has also spent time at 1B and DH. Bryan was third on the Express last year with a .294 average and spent time all over the field. This spring he is hitting .280 and has one steal.

Ian Hollick will be back at third base for his third season with the Express. His season was cut short last summer when he broke a bone in his hand. He has been named to numerous preseason All-American teams this year including those by Rivals.com and Ping!Baseball.

Hollick

Nick Fellman has struck out 6 in 3 innings of work this spring out of the Minnesota State-Mankato bullpen. He will look to add to his Eau Claire team record 19 saves this summer.

Mike Laluna saw action in the infield and made a few relief appearances last summer for Eau Claire. His season at New York Tech starts on March 2 against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. It is possible that he may pitch more this summer for the Express.

OFJeff Rapoport and OF/LHPJustin Uribe, freshman teammates at UCLA, will be coming to Eau Claire. Rapoport has yet to see action this year for the Bruins, while Uribe is batting .348 with one homerun and has made one appearance as a pitcher.

Yavapai Junior College teammates LHP/OFKohl Calhoun and SS Daniel Duffy have signed to play for the Express this summer. Calhoun is hitting .333 with 3 steals and is 1-1 as a pitcher. Duffy has 4 steals and is hitting .327. Duffy originally commited to Arizona State but was drafted by the Yankees and went to Yavapai instead as a draft and follow candidate.

INF/RHPDavid Cales and C Brett Schaefer, both sophomores at Illinois-Chicago, have signed to play for Eau Claire. Brett is hitting .308 with one homerun. David is hitting .214 with one steal and also has one save and three strikeouts in two appearances out of the bullpen.

SS Jonathan Merritt has 2 steals and is batting .250 for Alabama-Birmingham. OF Jonathan Ratledge has so far not received any playing time for South Carolina. They both have signed to play for Eau Claire.

Those of you that will be attending games in Eau Claire this year will now have 400 more seats with backs on them. The grandstands behind home plate will now all have benches with backs on them except for the top row. So if you like to bring your own fold-up chair to sit on you might have to get their early and claim a spot on the top row.

Green Bay

2007-02-27T03:05:00.000-06:00

A look at the players Green Bay has signed so far for its inaugural season

Dick Knutz is a backup catcher with Lewis-Clark State College after spending his first two seasons at Centralia Community College. He's related to Hall of Fame WR Steve Largent.

Rob Raux of Ithaca College will begin play on March 11 against Cal Lutheran. He is a two-time all region selection at catcher.

Kyle Stalker a first baseman and DH for Willamette leads his team with 5 HR in 9 games.

Cord Phelps is batting .300 in 11 games for Stanford and has spent time at 3B, 2B, and SS.

Kyle Conley plays in the OF for Washington and is batting .350 with 2 steals in 6 games.

Dillon Bell redshirted last year at UC Irvine and is yet to get a start in the Anteaters outfield this year.

Tyler Cheney a LHP for Washington has one save and a 1.69 ERA in two appearances this spring.

Kevin Hernandez is 1-1, 4.91 in two appearances for Loyola Marymount this year. The RHP spent the previous two seasons at Moorpark Junior College.

Mark Grbavac has struck out 6 and allowed one run in 6 innings this season for Oregon State.

Nick Sottung had 3 complete game shutouts last year and led Ithaca with 53 strikeouts.

2006 Top 10 Prospects

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Lets take a look at how the 2006 top 10 Northwoods League prospects as selected by Baseball America are faring this year.

1. Jordan Zimmermann RHP Eau Claire - UW-Stevens Point starts their season on March 5th against the University of St. Thomas.

2. Charlie Shirek RHP Duluth - Charlie is 1-1, 5.00 in two starts for Nebraska this spring.

3. Brett Hunter RHP Alexandria - Brett has started in three games and appeared in two others. He is 2-1, 2.45, 1 save and leads Pepperdine with 23 strikeouts.

4. Steven Hensley RHP Duluth - In three starts for Elon, Hensley has gone 1-1, 7.71, with 18 strikeouts in 14 innings.

5. Chad Dawson RHP St. Cloud - Chad is 0-0, 3.18 in one start for the Sycamores of Indiana State.

6. Tim Smith OF Mankato - Smith is batting .421 with 1 HR and 1 SB in his first season with Arizona State after starring at Midland College for the past two seasons.

7. Tim Murphy OF/LHP Duluth - Tim is batting .261 with 4 steals in 13 games in the UCLA outfield. He also has three strikeouts in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.

8. Jeff Richard RHP Waterloo - Jeff is 0-1 4.15 with 6 strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work this year for Central Michigan.

9. Chris Jones OF Rochester - Jones has started all 13 games for Cal State Fullerton and is hitting .234 with 3 steals this spring.

10. Byron Wiley OF Duluth - Hitting .370 and leading Kansas State with 2HR and 2SB in 8 games, Byron has also shown good plate discipline while drawing 9 walks.

Battle Creek

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Future Battle Creek RHP Eric Lawrence has appeared in three games this spring for Central Michigan and has recorded one save. He was drafted by Arizona in 05 but returned to school. Joining him in Battle Creek will be LHP Dan Puls who has recorded one save and four strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work this spring for Eastern Michigan. The Bombers have also signed SS John Shaffer who has started every game for San Jose State this spring and leads the team with four steals. After redshirting last year OF John Lee has not started in Nebraska's first seven games this year.

Alumni in Spring Training 2

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Lefty Tom Gorzelanny , a River Bat in 2001 is in the mix for the Pirates rotation . Former Waterloo Buck catcher Tim Gradoville is in Phillies camp after missing time last year with a broken jaw. Wisconsin alum Ben Zobrist is a candidate to start at SS for Tampa Bay . Another former Woodchuck Pat Neshek looks to follow up on an excellent rookie campaign. He also has a website you should check out.

Alumni in Spring Training

2007-02-24T09:55:00.000-06:00

Alexandria alum Jeremy Accardo will be in the Toronto bullpen this year after spending a few years in the Giants system. Former Brainerd OF TJ Bohn has a chance to be the Braves fifth outfielder this season after spending 5 years in the Seattle organization. Joe Bisenius could wind up in the Phillies bullpen this year after being an all-star for Duluth in 2003. The first Mallard to reach the majors OF Ryan Spilborghs will try to stay in the Rockies outfield this season. Former Mankato 1B Paul McAnulty might break through as a bench player in San Diego. Rochester alum Brent Dlugach was invited to spring training by Detroit, but will probably be the starting SS in Double-A Erie .

Welcome

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With spring training starting up in the majors and college baseball season underway I am getting excited for the opening of the 2007 season in the Northwoods League. I hope to be one of your main sources for news about the Northwoods League teams and alumni. Check back often as I will be adding news and articles on a daily basis. This will be a big year in the Northwoods League with expansion to Green Bay and Battle Creek , former Milwaukee Brewer Jim Gantner named as manager of the Wisconsin Woodchucks , a few games airing on ESPNU , and surely more current and former players being drafted and hopefully more alumni reaching the majors.