Green Bay

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

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.

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

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

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!