Here Are The Latest Happenings With Everyone In The International League

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – International League News & Notes, March 22, 2007

BUFFALO BISONS

MILLER TIME IN BUFFALO?: On Tuesday, the Cleveland Indians re-assigned RHP Adam Miller to minor league camp. The Tribe’s #1 prospect by

Baseball America is projected to start the year at the front of the Bisons rotation. In 2006, Miller went 15-6 with a 2.75 ERA with the Double-A Akron

Aeros. He finished first in the League in wins, second in ERA and third with 157 strikeouts and was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year. He

made one spot start for the Herd on August 21, 2006 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and allowed three runs in a 4.2-inning no-decision.

NOT ALONE IN THE ROTATION: Along with Miller, most of the Bisons rotation seems to be set for the 2007 season. RHP Brian Slocum was

optioned to the Herd on Tuesday. Slocum was 6-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 27 games (15 starts) for Buffalo in 2006. He was also third on the team with 91

strikeouts. Last week, LHP Jason Stanford was re-assigned to minor league camp. He went 6-6 with a 4.01 ERA in 22 starts for the Bisons last year.

Finally RHP Jake Dittler could be back after leading the Herd with 24 starts in 2006.

TIES IN BASEBALL?: The Bisons are 1-0-2 so far in exhibition play this Spring. The lone win came on Monday as the Herd defeated Richmond 14-7.

Standing out so far has been outfielder Brad Snyder (.300, 3-10, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB) and infielder Rodney Choy Foo (.500, 3-6, 2 3B, HR, 5 RBI,

2 BB). Outfielder Jonathan Van Every has driven in a run in each game (4 total) and infielder Jake Gautreau has three doubles in two games.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS

PITCHING STAFF TAKING SHAPE: The Charlotte Knights’ pitching staff is slowly starting to come together as Spring Training begins to wind down.

The Chicago White Sox continue in their organizational search for a number five starter. During their search one thing has become clear, the organization

is loaded with pitching talent. This bodes well for the Knights. 2004 6th round pick Adam Russell was considered a long shot to even start at Charlotte,

but he is moving himself into a position to possibly begin the season with the White Sox. Russell is a 6’8” right hander who pitches from a variety of arm

angles. He has reached 97 mph with his fastball this spring and he also throws a slider, curveball and changeup. John Danks has shown why he was

previously the number one prospect in the Texas Rangers organization. The 21-year-old from Austin, Texas has demonstrated great control this spring.

In 12.2 innings of work, he has allowed only one walk and struck out ten. Danks has also acknowledged that he would benefit from more seasoning in

Triple-A.

ROAMING THE OUTFIELD WILL BE…: The Knights outfield also expects to be filled with top tier players. Ryan Sweeney and Jerry Owens are

two of the White Sox top prospects and players who excelled last year at Charlotte. Both will return to the Knights to start the 2007 season. Sweeney has

tinkered with his swing this spring which has played a part in him hitting just .222 in Cactus League play. The White Sox coaching staff feels as though

Sweeney is probably a year away before he is ready for the big leagues. They also don’t want to force Sweeney into becoming a power hitter. He has hit

only 23 home runs in four Minor League seasons.

CHARLOTTE BOUND: Last week the White Sox optioned INF Andy Gonzalez, LHP Heath Phillips, LHP Paulino Reynoso, and INF Casey

Rogowski to Charlotte. More roster moves are expected by the end of this week

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS

COMINGS AND GOINGS: The Clippers roster has started to take shape as key players were sent to Columbus from the Nationals. On Wednesday the

Nationals purchased the contracts of infielder Ronnie Belliard and Robert Fick from Columbus. The Nats also optioned left-handed pitcher Billy

Traber and outrighted outfielder Michael Restovich and infielder Bernie Castro to Columbus. Traber is a 6'5" southpaw who was 4-3 with the

Nationals last season. He was with the Indians in 2003. Restovich is a big 28-year-old outfielder who has five seasons of big league service with the

Twins, Rockies, Pirates and Cubs. Castro, who can also play the outfield, is 27-years-old and has Major League experience with the Orioles and

Nationals.

PITCHING HELP: In need of pitching depth down the road, the Nationals signed right-hander Pedro Astacio to a non-guaranteed Minor League deal on

Tuesday and assigned him to Columbus. Astacio was 5-5 with a 5.98 ERA in 17 starts with the Nationals last season. Astacio has pitched 16 big-league

seasons with eight teams, including the Dodgers, Mets and Rockies. He owns a lifetime 129-124 record with a 4.67 ERA.

WHOS ON FIRST: The Nationals announced two moves last Sunday, optioning first baseman Larry Broadway to Columbus and re-assigning first

baseman/outfielder Dmitri Young from their minor league camp to the big-league level. Broadway was given the first crack to replace the injured Nick

Johnson at first base. Johnson is expected to go on the disabled list because he is still recovering from a broken leg. Broadway went 7-21 (.333) this

spring, but six of his hits went for singles. The 26-year-old's lack of power is the reason he was sent down. Broadway hit 15 home runs with 77 RBI and

hit .288 in 123 games with New Orleans last season.

DURHAM BULLS

TICKETED FOR DURHAM: While 41 players are still in camp with Tampa Bay, several players have been optioned to Durham. The latest to join the

Bulls is Joel Guzman. Guzman, who last year was involved in a deadline deal with the Dodgers for shortstop Julio Lugo, is expected to play third base

for Durham. He finished last season with the Bulls.

ON THE HILL: Four pitchers have been sent to Durham that likely will be in the Bulls rotation. RHP Jason Hammel started most of last year with the

Bulls, and was part of the team’s first Triple-A 9-inning no-hitter on July 16. The other trio, Jeff Niemann, Mitch Talbot and Andrew Sonnanstine all

helped lead Double-A Montgomery to the Southern League Championship.

MORE ON THE MOUND: Edwin Jackson and J.P. Howell, who both pitched for Durham a year ago, are still battling for Tampa Bay’s number five

spot in the rotation. Of the two, only Howell has options remaining. If Jackson does not win a starting job, he’s likely to end up in the Rays bullpen.

STILL IN THE RUNNING: A few non-roster invitees who signed Minor League deals in the off-season could end up on Tampa Bay’s Major League

roster. Al Reyes, who led St Louis in appearances two years ago and pitched for Durham in 2004, has allowed just one run in five appearances, covering

six innings so far. Reyes has walked one and struck out four, giving up four hits. Gary Glover, who last year pitched in Japan, worked three hitless

innings on Tuesday against Cleveland. He’s now 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA in six appearances, covering 10.1 innings. Meanwhile, outfielder Dustan Mohr is

still hoping to win a reserve spot with Tampa Bay. So far he’s 3-26 in spring training.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

HOW ARE THE BIG LEAGUERS DOING?: Pittsburgh owns an 8-13-1 record through 22 Spring Training games. C Ronny Paulino (12 games, .500

BA, 17-34, 3 HR, 10 RBI) leads the Pirates offensively, while RHP Ian Snell (5 appearances, 2-0 record, 1.69 ERA, 16.0 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 18 K) has been

the club’s most effective pitcher. Paulino played for Indianapolis in 2005 and 2006, while Snell was in the Tribe’s pitching rotation during the 2005

campaign.

TALKING TRIPLE-A EXHIBITIONS: Indianapolis is 0-4-1 through five Spring Training affairs. The Indians have dropped decisions to Pawtucket,

Rochester, Louisville and Norfolk. OF Adam Boeve, OF Rajai Davis and INF Chris Truby, who all played at the Triple-A level last season, registered

two hits apiece in the Tribe’s last tilt on Tuesday.

BACK TO MINOR LEAGUE CAMP: The Pittsburgh Pirates have re-assigned 17 players to minor league camp in the past two weeks – OF Chris

Aguila, INF Brian Bixler, RHP Kip Bouknight, OF Vic Buttler, RHP Jesse Chavez, INF Mike Edwards, INF Eddy Garabito, INF Nick Green,

C Steve Lerud, RHP Serguey Linares, RHP Brad Lincoln, C Carlos Maldonado, RHP Franquelis Osoria, C David Parrish, RHP Allan Simpson,

LHP Michael Tejera and INF Neil Walker.

OPTIONED TO INDY: The Pittsburgh Pirates have optioned four players to Indianapolis in the past two weeks – RHP Bryan Bullington, OF Rajai

Davis, RHP Brian Rogers and RHP John Van Benschoten. Davis, Rogers and Van Benschoten all played for the Indians in 2006, while Bullington sat

out the season after shoulder surgery.

LOUISVILLE BATS

SPRING SEASON: In five games played so far this spring, the Bats are 2-3 with wins versus Rochester and Indianapolis. Louisville plays eight more

games (and three intrasquad games) before heading north to the Derby City with their final Spring Training game at Norfolk April 1. The Bats open the

2007 season with the two-time defending International League Champion Toledo Mud Hens on April 5.

ROSTER SHAPING: With just 10 days left in Spring Training, the Bats roster is taking shape with players being sent to minor league camp. Pitchers

Brad Salmon, Brian Shackelford and Phil Dumatrait and first baseman Joey Votto have been optioned to Louisville. Other players reassigned to

minor league camp who will probably be with the Bats are pitchers Homer Bailey, Tom Shearn, Michael Gosling and Jason Kershner and infielder

Paul Janish.

NEW RADIO FLAGSHIP: Jim Kelch and Matt Andrews are back for their fifth season together, broadcasting Louisville Bats games on the team's new

flagship station, WKRD-AM 790. Louisville signed a five-year agreement to partner with the Clear Channel station, with all 144 regular season games,

and any potential post-season games, to be aired on Louisville's Real Sports Radio leader.

NORFOLK TIDES

LOCAL PRODUCT IMPRESSING THIS SPRING: Jason Dubois, who attended Cox High School in Virginia Beach, has had a very impressive spring

with the Orioles. Through March 21, the VCU product is hitting .379 (11-29) with a home run and five RBI. His lone home run of the spring was a tworun

shot on March 11 off of Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka.

VOICE OF NORFOLK ADMIRALS TO JOIN TIDES BOOTH: The Norfolk Tides announced this week that Pete Michaud will be joining the Tides’

broadcast team for the 2007 season. Michaud will be working alongside Bob Socci to call the action on ESPN Radio 1310. Michaud served as the

broadcaster for the Hampton Roads Admirals during their 11-year stint in the ECHL and has handled their play-by-play duties for each of their 7 seasons

in the American Hockey League. He began his baseball broadcasting career as the play-by-play voice of the Springfield Cardinals during the 1992 and

1993 seasons. After his time in the Midwest League, he served as the broadcaster for the Vero Beach Dodgers of the Florida State League in 1995 and

1996, and he followed that up with a season of play-by-play broadcasting for the Iowa Cubs in 1998. Prior to his work with the Admirals, Michaud spent

five seasons as a play-by-play broadcaster for both the Old Dominion men’s and women’s basketball programs. He has also worked as a weekend sports

anchor for WAVY and WVEC in Norfolk, and for radio stations WNIS and WTAR. “We are extremely happy to welcome Pete to the Tides

organization” said Tides President Ken Young. “We are very familiar with his broadcasting talents, and are excited to have him as a part of our radio

team this season.”

O’S MAKE MORE MOVES: The Orioles made several moves this past week which should help shape Norfolk’s roster this season. On March 18, the

O’s optioned OF Jeff Fiorentino and RHP Jim Hoey to Triple-A Norfolk and reassigned RHP Cory Doyne, C Ryan Hubele, OF Roger Cedeno, RHP

Victor Moreno and RHP Francis Beltran to minor league camp. Cedeno carries the most Major League experience of the group, having played in

1,100 Major League games since 1995 with a career average of .273. He has also registered 213 stolen bases in his big league career.

OTTAWA LYNX

WE WANT A BATTER: The Lynx have won five of their eight preseason games this spring. Their 5-2-1 record is good for the best record among

Phillies affiliates. Leading the hit parade are Greg Jacobs, Chris Roberson, and 2003 Lynx MVP Pedro Swann, with 6 hits apiece. Jacobs also has the

team lead in home runs (2) and runs batted in (6) on the strength of his two-homer, five-RBI game against Syracuse.

WE WANT A PITCHER: On the mound, Justin Miller leads the club with 8 strikeouts, just ahead of Brian Mazone’s 7 K’s. Talley Haines has not

allowed a run in three appearances (5.1 IP).

TRANSACTION ACTION: The Phillies have moved 18 players from Major League camp to Minor League camp: Lou Collier, who played with the

Lynx in 2002, joins catchers Tim Gradoville, Jason Hill, Jason Jaramillo and Lou Marson; fellow outfielders Greg Golson and Chris Roberson,

infielders Randall Simon, Danny Sandoval and Andrew Beattie, and pitchers Brian Sanches, Ryan Cameron, Kane Davis, Jim Crowell, John

Ennis, Jeff Farnsworth, Brian Mazone and Anderson Garcia, who came to the Lynx late last season.

PAWTUCKET RED SOX

SNEAK PREVIEW: The Pawtucket Red Sox went into last season anxious to unveil several young arms who many believed had bright futures in Boston.

Those futures came sooner rather than later for many as LHP Abe Alvarez, LHP Craig Breslow, RHP Manny Delcarmen, RHP Craig Hansen,

LHP Jon Lester, RHP Cla Meredith, and RHP Jermaine Van Buren all left Pawtucket for the Major Leagues (at least for a while) early on in the 2006

season. Now, however, the PawSox go into this season anticipating the arrival of a half dozen or more position prospects, many of whom should infuse

the PawSox line-up come April 5 in Charlotte. Those include catcher George Kottaras, San Diego’s #2 prospect last year who was acquired late in the

season for LHP David Wells, 1B Luis Jimenez and 3B Chad Spann - two cornerstones from last season’s Eastern League Champion Portland club, and

the exciting outfield of David Murphy, Brandon Moss, and (potentially) #1 Red Sox prospect Jacoby Ellsbury, who hit .303 with 41 SB last year

combined between Class-A and Double-A. Add in some familiar names like returning slugger Jeff Bailey, nine-year Major Leaguer Joe McEwing, and

former IL players such as SS Ed Rogers (Ottawa), INF/OF Bobby Scales (SWB), INF/OF Alex Prieto (Rochester), OF Eric Crozier (Buffalo &

Syracuse), and Tike Redman (Toledo) and the line-up becomes even more intriguing. On the pitching staff, several of the aforementioned hurlers may

indeed be back in Pawtucket to begin the year. Leading the way could be southpaw starter Jon Lester, the feel-good story of the spring as he comes back

from off-season cancer treatment for anaplastic large cell lymphoma that was diagnosed last August. Fellow lefty Abe Alvarez also should be back as

will LHP Kason Gabbard and RHP David Pauley, who both spent time in Pawtucket and Boston last year, and RHP Devern Hansack who impressed

in Portland and Boston last season. The bullpen will probably feature Hansen and Breslow, RI native Barry Hertzler, and former Portland closer

Edgar Martinez with a few veterans mixed in for good measure.

RICE ON THE MENU: The Pawtucket Red Sox, in conjunction with the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, are pleased to announce that

Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice will serve as the featured speaker at the Chamber’s Annual Pawtucket Red Sox “Welcome Home” Luncheon

that will be held on Wednesday, April 4 at 12:00 Noon at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, RI. The entire 2007 PawSox team will be in attendance at

the luncheon, which is open to the public, just one day before they open the season with a game in Charlotte on April 5. Jim Rice is currently a special

organizational instructor for the Boston Red Sox marking his 35th season with the club. An 8-time American League All-Star, he played his entire 16-

year Major League career with Boston and is 3rd on the all-time club list in HR (382), RBI (1,451), hits (2,452), and at-bats (8,225), and is 4th in games

(2,089) and runs scored (1,249). Rice won the 1974 International League Triple Crown when he hit .337 with 25 HR and 93 RBI for the PawSox. His

career PawSox batting average of .340 still stands as the highest in franchise history. In 1978 he was the AL MVP as he led the majors with 46 HR,

139 RBI, 15 triples, 406 total bases, 213 hits, and a .600 slugging percentage (while batting .315).

RICHMOND BRAVES

MAKING THE CASE: Several 2006 Richmond Braves are making things tough on Atlanta manager Bobby Cox in a good way. Tony Pena, who has

spent the past two seasons in Richmond and is out of options (if he does not make the opening day Atlanta roster he must clear waivers before Atlanta

could send him down), is hitting .324 and playing highlight film defense while battling for a utility infield spot. Martin Prado, scrapping with another

former R-Brave, Kelly Johnson, for the second base job is hitting .394. RHP Kevin Barry, a non-roster invitee, has not allowed a run in three outings

over four innings and has four strikeouts. Carlos Mendez, already re-assigned to Richmond’s roster, made the most of his invite, hitting .444 (4-9).

TAKING SHAPE: Atlanta has made two rounds of cuts, sending five players to Richmond: RHP Joey Devine, OF Gregor Blanco, C/1B Carlos

Mendez, RHP Anthony Lerew, and RHP Jose Ascanio. The Braves also assigned RHP Kevin Barry, LHP Matt Harrison, and C Clint Sammons to

minor league camp. Barry and Harrison are expected to break with Richmond.

CUBAN REVOLUTION: The Atlanta organization currently has six former Cuban defectors under contract. C Brayan Pena hit over .300 the past two

years in Richmond. He is expected to open 2007 as Brian McCann’s back-up in Atlanta. Three more Cubans who played at Double-A Mississippi last

season may open 2007 in Richmond. INF Yunel Escobar won the Arizona Fall League batting title in 2006 and is hitting over .400 in spring training,

but in a crowded Braves infield is expected to start in Richmond. LHP Francisley Bueno had 84 K in 80.1 innings at Mississippi and a 1.27 ERA in the

Dominican Winter League. 1B/OF Barbaro Canizares hit .301 and was a Southern League All Star last year. Bueno, Canizares, and Escobar were

teammates for Havana Industriales in the Cuban Serie Nacional and led Industriales to the 2003 championship.

ROCHESTER RED WINGS

STAR POWER: The 2007 season promises in Rochester promises many former greats returning to town for autograph appearances:

Boog Powell (May 30) Former Red Wings first baseman and 1970 AL MVP with Baltimore.

Bobby Grich (June 4) The 1971 Minor League Player of the Year is one of the all-time legends ever to don a Red Wings uniform.

Jim Kaat (June 21) Former Twins Pitcher with 283 career wins (27th all-time) and a record 16 Gold Gloves.

Chris Chambliss (July 31) Former NY Yankee first baseman was ’71 AL R.O.Y. and 2 time World Series Champ with NY Yankees (’77 & ’78).

Dennis Eckersley (Aug. 26) 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee who made his mark as a closer for the Oakland A’s.

ARMED AND DANGEROUS: After finishing just one game short of the Governors’ Cup Championship in 2006, the 2007 Wings look to get out of the

gate quickly with a powerful starting rotation: 2006 USA TODAY Player of the Year RHP Matt Garza (14-4, 1.99 ERA at 3 Minor League levels),

LHP Glen Perkins (0-0, 1.59 ERA in 4 games for Twins), RHP Kevin Slowey (lone Red Wings appearance came in Game 2 of ’06 Governors’ Cup

Finals - W, 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO), RHP Scott Baker (5-4, 2.67 ERA in 12 starts for the Red Wings; 5-8, 6.37 in 16 starts for the Twins),

and RHP Jeremy Cummings (threw CG No-Hitter against Red Wings as member of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre).

TABLE SETTING: 1-2 hitters Denard Span, 23, and Alexi Casilla, 22, should provide Red Wings fans with lots of excitement atop the 2007 lineup.

Next in line to play center field in Minnesota, Span will look to fine tune his game in Rochester as the everyday leadoff man. Casilla, who made his

Major League debut on 9/1/06, should be the everyday second baseman and will surely look to return to Minnesota at some point this summer.

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES

LET THERE BE SOD!: Snow be damned. After a few weather delays, the much anticipated laying of the new natural grass surface began today when

representatives from The Motz Group and Tuckahoe Sod Farm (NJ), along with PNC Field groundskeepers began rolling out the infield sod. The infield

including the area between the foul lines and dugouts will be completed by Friday afternoon. Work on the outfield will begin next week. The sod rolls

which measure 48” wide were “thick cut” to 1 ¼” for added weight which will allow the field to be played on almost immediately.

HORNE NAMED GROUNDSKEEPER: The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees have hired one of the nation’s premier groundskeepers to tend to its new

playing field. Steve Horne, 43, brings with him almost 20 years of turf management experience and a host of awards. He is a graduate of the University

of Mississippi with a degree in Sport Management and began his career in sports as the Equipment Manager for Duke University’s 27 sports programs.

Following his stay at Duke he served as the Head Groundskeeper for the Ole Miss baseball team. In just his 2nd season, he was named the NCAA

Groundskeeper of the Year. After seven seasons at Ole Miss, he left to take a similar position with the Birmingham Barons; Double-A affiliate of the

Chicago White Sox. In 1997 he was named the Minor League Baseball Grounds Professional of the Year. In 1998 he advanced to Triple-A with the

Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League. The Memphis facility is widely regarded as one of the premier playing surfaces in Minor League

Baseball. Horne was twice honored by the PCL as its top groundskeeper (2001 and 2004) and in 2004 he once again was named the Minor League

Baseball SportsTurf Manager of the Year. Since 1992 Horne has worked with Chicago White Sox Head Groundskeeper Roger Bossard designing and

building fields across the country, including many Major League Parks. The pair has worked with the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee

Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and a host of Minor League teams.

HUGHES SENT DOWN: It looks like top pitching prospect Phil Hughes will indeed start the season at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Hughes, 20, was sent to

minor league camp after going 0-0 with a 7.31 ERA in three spring starts. He is the Yankees #1 prospect and the #4 prospect in all of Minor League

Baseball according to Baseball America.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS

STILL BATTLING: Non-roster invitees still battling for a spot on the Jays this season include outfielder Jeff Duncan (.320, 2 3B in 25 AB) and catcher

Sal Fasano (.063 in 16 AB). Outfielder Matt Stairs (.400, 4 RBI in 20 AB) is also a non-roster invitee but is expected to make the team. Non-roster

pitchers still in camp include Geremi Gonzalez (0-0, 4.50, 1 BB, 6 K in 6.0 IP) and Brian Wolfe (0-0, 0.00, 1 BB, 5 K in 5.0 IP). Josh Towers (1-0,

4.61, 2 BB, 13 K in 13.2 IP) and Victor Zambrano are battling for the fifth spot in the rotation but both could also make the squad as members of the

bullpen.

MAJOR LEAGUE LINEUP: Eight of the nine position players in the Chiefs starting lineup for Wednesday’s game versus the Durham Bulls boast

previous Major League experience. Here’s how the lineup looked: 2B Russ Adams, C Curtis Thigpen, LF Adam Lind, CF Chad Mottola, 1B Kevin

Barker, RF Mike Vento, DH John-Ford Griffin, 3B John Hattig, SS Ray Olmedo. Only Thigpen has not played in a Major League game.

HOCKEY RECORD: After losing their first two games of the spring the Chiefs have battled back and currently have a record of 3-3-1.

TOLEDO MUD HENS

DO YOU RECOGNIZE ME?: As the 2007 Toledo Mud Hens team takes shape, there should be plenty of familiar names around the International

League. The following players appeared with other International League teams in 2006: RHP Ron Chiavacci (4-4 with an ERA of 4.71 in 17 games with

Indianapolis), LHP Vic Darensbourg (1-5 with an ERA of 3.92 in 33 games with Buffalo), LHP Felix Heredia (appeared in eight games with Buffalo),

C Dane Sardinha (.175 in 71 games for Louisville), OF Brandon Watson (.270 in 42 games for Louisville).

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: After serving 12 years as Pitching Coach for the Toledo Mud Hens, Jeff Jones earned a well-deserved promotion to the

Detroit Tigers as Bullpen Coach for the 2007 season. Jones will be entering his 19th season in the Detroit organization. The new Pitching Coach for

Toledo will be Britt Burns. The 47-year-old is entering his sixth season within the Detroit organization and has spent the last three years as Pitching

Coach for Class-A Lakeland. Burns was the Pitching Coach for Toledo in 2002 when Jeff Jones was promoted to Detroit in April of that year. Burns, a

Texas native, went 70-60 with the Chicago White Sox from 1978-1985 including an 18-win season in 1985. Burns was named the Sporting News

American League Rookie of the Year in 1978 at the age of 19.

RING IN THE NEW SEASON: On Saturday, April 14, the returning players and field staff will receive their Championship rings in a pre-game on-field

ceremony. Scheduled to get rings are: Larry Parrish (Manager), Leon Durham (Hitting Coach), Matt Rankin (Athletic Trainer), David Espinosa,

Jack Hannahan, Mike Hessman, Kevin Hooper, Chris Maples, Mike Rabelo, Ryan Raburn, Ramon Santiago, Chris Shelton, Lance Davis, Chad

Durbin, Corey Hamman, Jason Karnuth, Preston Larrison, Zach Miner, Bobby Seay, Jordan Tata, and Dustan Mohr (now with Durham ).