//**************************************************************************** // This JavaScript will load content data into the ID "pageContent" // // Inputs: // pageContent - ID from the TAG to put content into // (If name changed in src HTML, change // below also) // initContent() - function which initializes the object. // (Add to BODY's OnLoad) // changeContent() - function which changes the content // (Add to appropriate OnClick, OnChange // OnMouseOver, etc, events) // Outputs: // Content added to tag identified above in pageContent //**************************************************************************** myContent = new Object(); myContent.current = ""; myContent.contentID = ""; // // Create a seperate entry for each Article // myContent.MemphisOnline050508 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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May 5, 2008
\ \'Birds rescued by catcher\'s bunt
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Anderson sets up Jimenez\'s winning run
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Marlon W. Morgan
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\ Redbirds 4-3, Sky Sox 3-2

\ When a catcher comes to the plate with the winning run on first base with no outs, normally you\'d expect him to try to drive the ball to right field for a hit, or possibly win the game with one swing of the bat.

\ The Redbirds newest catcher, Bryan Anderson, certainly has that capability. But fortunately for him, lately he\'s been relying on a skill he learned during his youth -- bunting.

\ Anderson\'s perfectly executed bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday put D\'Angelo Jimenez in scoring position and allowed David Freese to hit a single that scored Jimenez, giving the Redbirds a 3-2 win over Colorado Springs in front of 6,895 at AutoZone Park.

\ The Redbirds also won the completion of Friday night\'s suspended game, which was played Sunday, on Nick Stavinoha\'s two-run single in the seventh that led to a 4-3 win.

\ For the second day in a row, Anderson laid down a sacrifice bunt that led to the winning run. His bunt in the eighth inning Saturday put Freese in scoring position for Brian Barden\'s winning hit.

\ \"I grew up learning how to bunt when I was young,\" Anderson said. \"I haven\'t really done it in the minor leagues so far. I don\'t want to jinx myself. But it\'s good. I was just trying to move over the runner.\"

\ The Redbirds are riding their first three-game winning streak of the season, with all three being late inning, come-from-behind wins. Like Anderson, Stavinoha was at the heart of both wins Sunday.

\ His winning hit in the first game came with him fighting off a slider from Colorado Springs pitcher Matt Daley, who had just entered the game. Stavinoha got too far out in front of the pitch, blooping it to left field.

\ Fortunately, the ball bounced just in front of left fielder Seth Smith, allowing Joe Mather and Colby Rasmus to score.

\\"We got real lucky there; the ball falls and we got a couple of runs,\" Stavinoha said. \"That\'s not how you draw it up, but it\'s baseball and that\'s how it goes sometimes.\"

\ In the second game, Stavinoha struggled mightily in his at-bat against Sky Sox reliever Steven Register.

\ He eventually struck out, but when the ball got past catcher Edwin Bellorin, an alert Stavinoha beat the throw to first base.

\ Rico Washington made the Sky Sox pay when he belted his first homer of the season, a tying two-run shot to right field.

\ \"That\'s all I was thinking about was putting the ball in play and trying to find a hole somewhere where we could get guys on base so we could score some runs,\" Washington said. \"I saw the ball and didn\'t try to do too much and wound up hitting a home run.\"

\ Jimenez was able to draw a walk. which set the stages for Anderson and Freese, who lined the winning hit into right-center field.

\ After losing 14 of 15 games in which the Redbirds trailed after six innings, they\'ve now won three such encounters.

\ \"That\'s a nice way to come back,\" manager Chris Maloney said. \"It\'s a whale of a job.\"

\ The three straight wins over Colorado Springs give them a series win as they head into the finale of the four-game set tonight. It\'s the Redbirds\' second series win of the season and their first since they took three of four at Round Rock April 19-22.

\ It\'s just the kind of momentum builder the Redbirds have been looking for. Their two wins Sunday not only improved their record to 14-17, but it pulled them to within 21/2 games of American Northern Division leader Omaha in the Pacific Coast League.

\ \"Every win, we hope to build off of and keep it rolling,\" Washington said. \"I think lately, the intensity has been down at the start of the game and we finally start picking it up at the end of the game.\"

\ \"We\'ve got to be ready to play from the first pitch of the game to the last pitch. Lately, we\'ve been getting the job done. We\'ve been playing good baseball.\"

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'; myContent.SVAcorn050208 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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May 2nd, 2008
\ Simi grad Anderson promoted to Triple-A
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\ After posting a .388 average in his first 80 atbats of the season with the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League, Simi Valley High graduate Bryan Anderson has been promoted to the Pacific Coast League\'s Memphis Redbirds, a Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

\ Prior to his promotion earlier this week, Anderson, a lefthanded hitting catcher, ranked fourth in the Texas League in batting average and 10th in onbase percentage (.412).

\ Anderson\'s first game with Memphis was Tuesday against the Salt Lake Bees. He went 0-for-3 with a walk.

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'; myContent.NewsLeader043008 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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April 30, 2008
\ Anderson promoted to Memphis
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Springfield catcher gets call from Triple-A; starting job goes to Brandon Yarbrough.
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Kary Booher
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\ The Springfield Cardinals lost one of their best bats on Tuesday when, in a somewhat surprising move, catcher Bryan Anderson was dispatched to Triple-A Memphis.

\ The decision comes with the season not yet a full-blown month old. It also follows an offseason in which St. Louis Cardinals minor league personnel made clear that Anderson, who didn\'t turn 21 until Dec. 16, needed more seasoning behind the plate before earning a ticket to Memphis.

\ \"They want to challenge him for the next level,\" Springfield manager Pop Warner said. \"He\'s proven he can handle this level with no problem.\"

\ Anderson, rated by Baseball America at No. 3 among St. Louis prospects this season, was hitting .388 (31-for-80) with two home runs, five doubles and 14 RBIs. He also had a .412 on-base percentage and .525 slugging percentage.

\ It followed a season in which Anderson hit .298, was a Texas League full-season all-star selection, played in Major League Baseball\'s Futures Game last July and also played for Team USA as it won the World Cup in beating Cuba and Chinese Taipei.

\ However, the organization signed 32-year-old big-league journeyman catcher Mark Johnson to handle the everyday role at Memphis.

\ Last season, just two years since becoming a fourth-round draft pick from from Simi Valley (Calif.) High School, Anderson committed a league-high 15 passed balls and wore down through the season\'s second half.

\ However, a roster spot was created Tuesday, just days after Memphis placed backup catcher Gabe Johnson on the disabled list and sent Matt Pagnozzi to Springfield, where Pagnozzi will serve as the backup to Brandon Yarbrough.

\ Dann Bilardello, who serves as St. Louis\' catching coordinator in the minor leagues, said expectations for Anderson will remain the same.

\ Anderson has been charged with two passed balls and two errors in the 19 games in which he has played.

\ \"It\'s much of the same as I expected last year: Better control of the game in the sense of game-calling and getting to know his pitchers,\" Bilardello said. \"Let\'s see what he can do. He made a real tremendous jump last year, going from (Low-A) Quad Cities to Double-A and he handled it great.\"

\ Warner said Anderson\'s upbeat attitude about returning to the Texas League was a key factor for an early season promotion. Warner said he was not surprised, though, by the promotion.

\ \"I give Andy credit,\" Warner said. \"When we decided to bring him back here, he didn\'t complain. I\'m sure he wasn\'t happy about it, and he shouldn\'t have been. That showed the competitive nature of the guy, and he went about his business and earned a promotion.\"

\ For Springfield, the focus now shifts to his 23-year-old backup. Yarbrough is a fifth-round pick in 2003 from Richmond Senior High School in Rockingham, N.C.

\ Like Anderson a left-handed hitter, Yarbrough has hit .280 (14-for-50) with two doubles and eight RBIs in 13 games. He hit .278 with 17 doubles, 11 triples and five home runs and drove in 60 runs last year in the High-A Florida State League, a circuit known as a tough hitters\' league.

\ Pagnozzi is the nephew of former St. Louis catcher Tom Pagnozzi and played 28 games for Springfield in two of the past three seasons.

\ \"Yardi gets a chance to step it up, and Pags will get his at-bats and his time behind the plate, too,\" Warner said. \"It\'s a good situation for Brandon. He\'s earned himself a chance to play everyday and he\'s capable of doing a heck of a job. Hopefully he takes it and runs with it. He\'s pretty solid all around.\"

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'; myContent.OCRegister042408 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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April 24, 2008
\ Shortstop Orloff paces UC Irvine
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Big West notebook: He is hitting .331 with a team-high 45 hits. Orloff also has struck out just nine times in 136 at-bats.
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JANIS CARR
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\ UC Irvine shortstop Ben Orloff cooled off slightly in two games against Kansas State this week after batting .583 in four games last week.

\ Orloff went 3 for 9 against in a split against the Wildcats, but still is hitting .331 with a team-high 45 hits. He has struck out just nine times in 136 at-bats and is second on the team with 16 stolen bases.

\ A week earlier, Orloff was on a torrid pace with two doubles, five walks and three stolen bases.

\ Sophomore outfielder Francis Larson\'s recent efforts also were thwarted by Kansas State. He saw his 12-game hitting streak end in the first game, going hitless in three at-bats.

\ Larson, who hit .412 a week earlier, is batting .336 with 44 hits.

\ Both Orloff and Larson will be looking to get back on track when the No. 7 Anteaters (25-18) travel to New Mexico for three nonconference games this weekend.

\ GORGEN HONORED AGAIN

\ Right-hander Scott Gorgen (7-2, 2.18 ERA) picked up two national honors for his 14-strikeout performance against UC Riverside last week.

\ He was named to College Baseball Foundation\'s \"National All-Star Lineup\" and West Region Player of the Week by CollegeBaseballInsider.com. Gorgen anchors the Anteaters\' pitching staff, which ranks second in the nation with a 2.80 ERA.

\ BROWN BACK IN FORM

\ Gary Brown came into Cal State Fullerton with every intention of cracking the starting lineup.

\ He worked hard on his fundamentals in the fall, and harder in the weight room to bulk up his 6-foot, 180-pound frame. By January, he was ready to make a run a starting role. Infield or outfield – it didn\'t matter. Brown could play either.

\ More to the point, Brown could hit a baseball and proved it once the season began, going 2 for 5 with two RBIs in his first start against TCU.

\ \"I\'ve always been able to find a way into the lineup, but I made sure I worked hard to deserve it,\" Brown said earlier this season. \"You can only expect what you put into something.\"

\ A week later, he hit his first collegiate home run against Stanford, going 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs in that game.

\ Less than a month later, though, Brown found himself on the bench, watching others play second base. He sat out five games.

\ \"I think early on, the game was going a little fast for him and that\'s not unusual for a freshman coming in,\" Titans coach Dave Serrano said. \"We tried to calm him down a little bit and I think he\'s starting to feel more comfortable.\"

\ Brown has been back in the lineup for weeks, proving once again his resume is no fluke. A 12th-round draft choice out of Diamond Bar High, Brown is batting .268 with three home runs and four doubles.

\ He blasted a home run and tripled against No. 6 Arizona State on Tuesday, then scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Brown is expected to be in there this weekend when the No. 15 Titans (24-14, 9-3) play host to UC Davis (25-13, 6-3) for a three-game Big West series at Goodwin Field.

\ \"Gary Brown is going to be a very special player in this program and we\'re starting to see little bits and pieces of it now,\" Serrano said. \"It\'s happening before our eyes.\"

\ NOT FAR BEHIND

\ Long Beach State (23-15, 5-4) ranks one spot behind Irvine nationally with an ERA of 3.10. The 49ers are led by Andrew Liebel (4-2, 2.04), while their bullpen is a combined 18-1 when leading after six innings.Closers Bryan Shaw (0.52) and Nick Vincent (0.96) both enter the weekend series against Pacific (8-28, 2-10) with ERAs less than one.

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'; myContent.OurSportsCentral041408 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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04/14/08
\ Anderson\'s Blast in 10th Gives Cards Win
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\ Bryan Anderson\'s two-run homer in the tenth inning gave the Springfield Cardinals a much-needed 3-2 victory over the Midland RockHounds on Monday night at Citibank Ballpark in Midland.

\ Tied 1-1 in the tenth and with Tyler Greene aboard at first base, Anderson ripped a Kristian Bell (1-1) offering over the wall in right-center field, despite the fact that the wind was blowing in from right. Anderson\'s first homer of the year put the Cards in front 3-1. The Cards\' catcher finished with three hits, driving in all three Springfield runs on Monday night.

\ With closer Luke Gregerson on the disabled list, Matt Scherer came out of the pen to shut the door in the last of the tenth. Scherer immediately gave up a home run to John Zeringue though, pulling Midland to within a run at 3-2. After striking out the next two hitters, Scherer gave up a single to Cliff Pennington. With the tying run aboard, Justin Sellers popped to left fielder Shane Robinson to end it, giving Scherer his first save of the year and only the second of his career.

\ A classic pitcher\'s duel took place through the first seven innings, as starters PJ Walters and Ryan Webb dominated. Walters fired seven shut-out innings, allowing just four hits. Webb was equally impressive, allowing just four hits.

\ Walters actually departed with a 1-0 lead, as Springfield broke the scoreless tie in the eighth. Anderson\'s RBI single plated Tyler Greene from third, giving the Cards the one-run lead.

\ Zack Zuercher got the first two outs of the eighth inning, before turning it over to Fernando Salas, who retired the lone man he faced in the eighth.

\ Springfield couldn\'t hold their lead in the ninth though, as Salas (1-0), the eventual winning pitcher, served up a home run to Jesus Guzman to open the ninth inning, tying the game at 1-1.

\ The Cards (2-9) and RockHounds (9-2) will fire up the rubber game of the three-game series on Tuesday night at 6:30pm. Springfield will go with Jaime Garcia (1-1), while Midland counters with Vincent Mazzaro (1-0).

\ After the completion of the six-game road trip, the Cards return to Hammons Field on Thursday, April 17th, as they face the Tulsa Drillers in a four-game home stand. 2,500 fans ages 21 and over will receive a FREE Cardinals\' Jersey T-Shirt on Thursday thanks to Wil Fischer and Bud Light. Help us celebrate 1982, the year the Cards won their ninth World Championship and the year Bud Light was born! Gates open at 6:10pm and game time is 7:10pm.

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April 6, 2008
\ Warriors\' Forgerson Tosses 1-hitter Through 6.1 Innings in Game 2 to Pace Defense
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Hendrix Limits Millsaps to Nine Hits in Sunday Twinbill Split
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Millsaps College
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\ Jeff Forgerson\
\ JACKSON – Junior Daniel Ward went a combined 4-for-8 from the plate with a pair of home runs and his team-leading 19th double of the year to pace the Hendrix offense and freshman teammate Jeff Forgerson tossed 6.1 innings of 1-hit ball in the series finale as the visiting Warriors managed a split on Sunday afternoon at Millsaps\' Twenty Field.

\ Hendrix (13-23, 2-10 SCAC) picked up just its second win on the road this season (2-13) as they limited Millsaps to nine hits in a scheduled 7/9 inning doubleheader. The Warriors out-hit the Majors in both contests, cranking out 24 total on the day, including 15 hits in the finale behind three apiece from Eric Mathis and Erik Grafton.

\ Ward, the league\'s third-best hitter with a .425 average, waisted little time helping Hendrix get on the scoreboard in Game 1, taking the second pitch he saw from Millsaps starting pitcher Travis Bogue and driving it deep over the left centerfield wall for a 1-0 lead.

\ The Warriors struck again in the third to increase the lead to 2-0 before the Majors took their first lead of the game after plating three runs in the inning. A leadoff double from senior Derrik Boland followed by an RBI-single from junior Billy Murphy gave Millsaps its first run, as they rallied for two more on a two-out, two-RBI single from Hunter Abrams.

\ A 3-2 cushion is all Bogue would need the rest of the way to earn the win for Millsaps, surrendering just three hits over the final four innings and picking up four of his seven strikeouts during that span, to improve his season record to 6-3 on the year.

\ The Majors added solo-shots from freshman Jeremy Aliff and Russ Boyd – both to left – in the fifth to make the final margin 5-2. The homer for Aliff was his first in a Millsaps uniform, while Boyd parked his third of the year and fourth of his career.

\ Down 3-0 in the series after the Game 1 loss, Hendrix rallied behind its freshman ace pitcher Forgerson (1-1, 3.68 ERA) in the series finale and used 15 hits from the offense to hold on for an 8-5 win despite five errors.

\ Forgerson tossed the first 6.1 innings of 1-hit ball for Hendrix to give them an edge on the scoreboard, surrendering his lone hit of the game to Quinn Salmon just before he was pulled for Dave Keine. In a highly unusual way of coming within eight outs of throwing a no-hitter, Forgerson and the Warriors only led 5-3 on the scoreboard through six innings after a combination of walks, wild pitches, passed balls and throwing errors allowed Millsaps to cross the plate without recording a hit.

\ After trailing since the second inning, the Majors finally drew even with a pair of runs in the seventh to knot the game at 5-5, using a sac fly from Murphy and an RBI-single from Salmon sandwiched in between three walks given up from Hendrix.

\ The Warriors settled in offensively over the final two innings and tacked on three runs off five hits to retake an 8-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, before getting out of a bases loaded jam with no outs for the victory.

\ Millsaps put the first three runners of the inning on base by way of a hit-by-pitch, single and walk but couldn\'t find a way to cross the plate when it mattered most, going down in order the following three batters to Warriors\' reliever Wheeler Gnat.

\ Gnat and Keine tossed the final 2.2 innings for Hendrix and allowed only two hits and no runs, as Gnat picked up his third save of the year and Keine grabbed the win. Millsaps junior Drew Maddox was hit with the loss after giving up three runs in 3.1 innings of work, relieving starter Brandon Ingram to start the sixth.

\ The Majors will play their last game of a 12-game homestand and home-finale on Tuesday, April 8, welcoming American Southwest Conference foe Louisiana College to town for a 4 p.m. non-conference affair.

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April 5, 2008
\ Ben Orloff Delivers Walk-Off Hit As UC Irvine Defeats CS Fullerton, 3-2
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Ollie Linton becomes UCI\'s all-time leader in stolen bases
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CSTV
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\ IRVINE, Calif. --- Shortstop Ben Orloff drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th to push UC Irvine to a 3-2 win over Cal State Fullerton Saturday at Anteater Ballpark. The win evened the conference series as the Anteaters climbed to 20-4 overall and 3-2 in the Big West.

\ Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the 12th, Anteater Sean Madigan hit a single to left to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to second on the bunt by catcher Aaron Lowenstein. Ollie Linton followed with a hit up the middle to score Madigan, tying the game. Linton stole second and was waved home on Orloff\'s single through the right side. Titan outfielder Jeff Newman came up with it cleanly but catcher Matt Powell was unable to hold on to the ball as Linton scored the winning run to give UCI its first extra-inning victory this season.

\ The Anteaters led 1-0 for most of the game, riding the arm of pitcher Bryce Stowell, who held the Titans scoreless and yielded just four hits in seven innings. Stowell tied a season-high seven strikeouts and walked four before handing the ball off to reliever Tom Calahan in the eighth. Calahan and Christian Bergman combined for a shutout inning.

\ In the Titan ninth, Newman greeted closer Eric Pettis with a single to left and advanced to second on the sacrifice bunt. Pinch hitter Jon Wilhite drew a walk and Powell singled to load the bases. Fellhauer struck out on a pitch in the dirt that got away from Lowenstein, allowing Newman to score and tie the game at 1-1.

\ The Titans took the lead in the top of the 12th on an RBI single from Corey Jones and put runners on first and second with two outs but Pettis struck out Newman to end the inning.

\ Linton, who was 3 for 5 with the game-tying RBI, became UCI\'s career leader in stolen bases with his 52nd nabbed bag, which he collected in the first inning. Ryan Fisher\'s drove in Jeff Cusick to break a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth. Pettis picked up the win to improve to 2-0 after striking out three and giving up two runs on five hits.

\ Titan starter Daniel Renken struck out four and allowed one run on four hits in 5.1 innings. Adam Jorgenson fell to 1-1 after giving up two runs in 3.1 innings.

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'; myContent.SanLuisObispo032808 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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Fri, Mar. 28, 2008
\ Cal Poly short on depth for opener
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Pitchers Matt Leonard and Frankie Reed out for season with injuries as the Mustangs host conference-leading UC Irvine today
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By Erick Smith
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\
\ The Cal Poly baseball team begins the Big West Conference portion of its schedule knowing it\’s without two key pitchers.

\ Matt Leonard (elbow) and Frankie Reed (arm) have both been shut down for the season, leaving the Mustangs in a precarious position as they begin conference play tonight by hosting UC Irvine at 6 p. m. in Baggett Stadium. Leonard’s season was scrapped before it began, while the plan of keeping Reed out early has turned into a season-long decision.

\ Their absence leaves the Mustangs with only 10 available pitchers, meaning the ball is being spread out to the entire staff.

\ \“We don’t have the depth in our bullpen, especially with the loss of Leonard and Reed,\” Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee said. \“They were two valuable pitchers last year, so you are taking nine or 10 innings out of your staff every week by not having those two around.\”

\ The loss of Leonard, a sophomore southpaw who was expected to be in the starting rotation, and Reed, a lefty reliever, has put some added work on starters Eric Massing-ham and Steven Fischback (3-1, 3.82 ERA).

\ Massingham assumed a prominent roll in Cal Poly\’s starting rotation last season and this year has been the Mustangs\’ Friday-night guy. The role puts him up against each opponent\’s ace and in the case of tonight\’s game against the Anteaters, he will square off against Scott Gorgen, one of the top pitchers in the Big West.

\ \“There is a lot of pressure knowing you might not get a lot of run support because you are going up against a good pitcher,\” Massingham said. \“But, I love being out there for the big games.\”

\ Last year, the Mustangs got the best of Gorgen in a 5-4 win at Irvine.

\ \“I feel pretty confident, he\’s the same pitcher as last year,\” Massingham said. \“We were able to beat him on Friday night, I just feel that the same thing can happen as last year. He was rolling, and we put a stop to it and that\’s all it took.\”

\ This time around, Gorgen is riding a wave of success after beating Hawaii on March 14. He improved to 4-1 with the one-hitter, allowing one walk and striking out nine over eight innings.

\ \“He\’s a good one,\” Lee said of Gorgen. \“He has one of the best change-ups in the country.\”

\ Gorgen boasts a 0.72 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings of work this season. He has walked just 12 hitters and given up three extra-base hits —all doubles.

\ Massingham, meanwhile, is 1-2 through five starts, has a 5.34 ERA over 32 innings and 23 strikeouts.

\ Despite the numbers disparity, Lee is confident in what Massingham brings to the mound.

\ \“He brings a presence on Friday nights, and he has the right mindset to go up against other Friday night pitchers,\” he said.

\ Massingham will need that confident mindset tonight as UC Irvine (16-2) sits atop the conference standings. The Anteaters also are ranked No. 9 in the nation, according to Baseball America

\ Aside from pitching, another factor that would help the Mustangs (8-10) get off to a good conference start is if the bats continue to stay hot.

\ Led by Luke Yoder, Logan Schafer and Brent Morel, the Mustangs are hitting .311 as a team and averaging better than seven runs per game.

\ \“Our offense has been a pleasant surprise,\” Lee said. “We have had a number of players contribute, and we\’ll need some of our players to stay hot and have a few others get hot to add more capability to our offense.

\ \“We\’ve done really well against some of the best pitchers in the country and that speaks well of our offense.”

\ The hot-hitting Mustangs will have a good idea of where they stand in the Big West after this weekend\’s series.

\ The Anteaters pitching staff is holding opponents to a .224 batting average and has a team ERA of 1.86. The highest ERA among UC Irvine\’s four starters belongs to Daniel Bibona (2.33).

\ Oh and with the bat, UC Irvine has two players hitting over .400, and as a team the Anteaters are hitting .319 and averaging just less than seven runs per game.

\ \“I\’m pretty excited,\” Massingham said about starting Big West play. \“It\’s a fresh start and we\’ll go from there.

\ \“We have a lot of confidence and realize there is a lot of pressure on conference (play) if we are going to make regionals.\”

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03/18/2008
\ Simi Valley High product Weaver matures before Angels\' eyes
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By Bill Plunkett
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\ Maybe it\'s the way the uniform hangs off him - as if he were the kid who showed up late on Little League sign-up day.

\ Maybe it\'s the way he occasionally channels uber-slacker Jeff Spicoli from \"Fast Times at Ridgemont High.\" Or maybe it\'s just the fact that he came into the big leagues as someone\'s little brother.

\ But this is not one of the first words that come to mind when you see Jered Weaver without a baseball in his hand.

\ Mature.

\ On the verge of starting the first Opening Day he will spend on an active major-league roster, though, that is a word that comes up often in describing Weaver\'s strengths as a pitcher.

\ \"Oh yeah, when he\'s in the clubhouse, it\'s joking and having a good time. We\'re all like little kids in here,\" Angels reliever Scot Shields said of Weaver, a Simi Valley High product. \"But when it\'s his turn (to pitch), it\'s definitely a different person. It\'s all business. His mound presence is like a veteran guy. Always has been.\"

\ Angels manager Mike Scioscia sees the same split personality.

\ \"Oh, he\'s a free spirit and that\'s beautiful because he\'s fearless,\" Scioscia said. \"He understands the game. He keeps it in context. He gives everything he has and understands some days he\'s going to get beat but most of the time he\'s going to win.

\ \"He is a free spirit and he\'s loose but he has a focus that is very important to his game - when he\'s preparing for a game, when he\'s pitching.\"

\ Weaver showed that he is \"mature beyond his years\" during his 11-2 run as a 23-year-old rookie in 2006, Scioscia said. He tied the American League record (Whitey Ford, 1950) by going 9-0 to start his career.

\ But it was immaturity that set Weaver back a year ago.

\ Coming off the first 200-inning season of his life (combined between the majors and minors), Weaver took it easy last winter - too easy. He reported to spring training with a sore shoulder, was unable to start his throwing program on schedule and opened the season on the disabled list. It wasn\'t until deep into the season that he began to regain arm strength. He paid for it with a loss of velocity that didn\'t begin to return until he took seriously an in-season workout regimen.

\ Lesson learned, Weaver said he committed to an off-season workout program this past winter.

\ \"I was pretty disappointed in myself last year. I wanted to do whatever it took to get where I needed to be,\" he said. \"There\'s nothing holding me back (this spring). I don\'t have to compensate for having a sore shoulder. I\'m throwing a little freer and easier than last year. I had to change my mechanics a bit to throw through the tendinitis.\"

\ The difference has been obvious from the first day of camp. Weaver has been possibly the sharpest of any Angels pitcher this spring. Through his five scoreless innings Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, Weaver has retired 47 of the 53 batters he has faced, allowing just five hits and a walk.

\ \"I\'m starting to figure things out,\" Weaver said of being a more mature pitcher.

\ Added Scioscia: \"You\'re always growing. You\'re always growing in experience. You know your stuff when you come to the big leagues, but you have to go through that experience to find out what adjustments have to be made. As those adjustments have come, he\'s stayed ahead of them and done very well. But he hasn\'t altered his game dramatically. What he\'s been able to do is maybe change some pitch sequences, maybe some situations that come up as he faces a hitter a couple times.

\ \"You can\'t make adjustments until you see what\'s out there. That\'s the process he\'s been going through the last couple years and will continue to go through.\"

\ One of the next steps in that process will be to pitch deeper into games on a consistent basis. Dealing with his shoulder issues, Weaver pitched into the seventh inning just eight times in 28 starts last season. In 47 major-league starts, he has pitched past the seventh inning just threetimes.

\ \"In college, I was used to getting a strikeout when I needed it,\" Weaver said. \"Obviously, my pitch counts were a little higher last year than I wanted. I\'m trying to hit my spots earlier. You\'re bummed out when you look up in the fifth inning and your pitch count is 80. They didn\'t let me go much past 100 last year. Hopefully, that will change this year.\"

\ Scioscia does expect that to change - with added maturity.

\ \"He didn\'t have a lot of minor-league innings, so he\'s still building stamina,\" he said. \"Coming out of last spring, his stuff kept improving as the year went on and he pitched more effectively as the year went on. As his health improves, I really think his pitch location and command will improve to the point of being more pitch efficient. He\'s going to be a guy who\'s going to pitch deep into games, no doubt.\"

\ Though Scioscia remains non-committal about his Opening Day starter, Weaver is on track to get that assignment in Minnesota on March 31.

\ \"What I think he\'s done is he\'s matured to know what he needs to do to get ready for a season and on the mound he\'s refined his stuff,\" Scioscia said.

\ \"We\'re going to see where we are at the end of camp. But, Weave is certainly a guy we\'re going to look at closely.\"

\
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'; myContent.NewUniversity021808 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
\
February 18, 2008
\ Orloff and Linton Ready to Roll
\
By Umar Hussain
\
\
\ When asked about the leadership on this year\’s UC Irvine baseball squad, which lost five top-notch seniors from last years historic post-season run, Assistant Coach Pat Shine responded with no hesitation, \“The leadership on this team is among the best I\’ve ever seen from a group of players.\”

\ Two names that stick out among that bunch are juniors Ben Orloff and Ollie Linton. Both Orloff and Linton are coming off unexpectedly outstanding seasons. Both hit over .320 at the plate, and Orloff even did so while leading the nation in sacrifice bunts at .52 per game. This season the Anteaters may have the best two top of the line-up players of any team in the nation in Linton and Orloff.

\ No one saw these two providing the strength at the top of the line-up last season, which allowed the power bats behind them to score them in on a plethora of occasions last year.

\ However, it should have come as no surprise. As a sophomore, Orloff was tied for 34th in the nation in the \“toughest to strikeout\” category and he was given the Hustle-Attitude-Mentality Award in 2006, as well.

\ Both players were exceptional on the defensive side. Orloff gave every pitcher tremendous confidence whenever the ball was hit his way. He was even named the Best Defensive Player on the Anteater squad in 2006.

\ Linton, on the other hand, flashed his leather in center field under the national spotlight. He made several game-saving grabs against Texas in the regional playoffs, but the most memorable had to be the full-extension diving catch against Wichita State—an effort that nearly caused a horrific collision with former outfielder Matt Morris.

\ \“We couldn’t even hear each other because of the crowd noise, but neither of us wanted that ball to drop; luckily we barely missed each other,\” said Linton.

\ As both players established themselves on defense early on, their offensive games came together in 2007. Linton, who Coach Mike Gillespie calls one of the premier center fielders in the nation, has provided a bat and legs built for speed, and needless to say looks, that has many comparing him to Los Angeles Dodger center fielder Juan Pierre.

\ Orloff has some major league comparisons of his own. Scott Boras, one of the top baseball agents, has called Ben Orloff the next David Eckstein, who is the X-Factor and a former World Series MVP.

\ As successful as they were, this year both are humble about their abilities, and instead choose to focus on helping the fresh, younger players in the line-up.

\ \“We just stuck within ourselves. We played our game, didn\’t let the emotions get the best of us. We have to continue doing the same thing this year with the new guys. We’ve got to lead by example. They have to learn by watching us like we did with the guys before us. Once they step their feet in and get them wet, we will be doing that this year as well,\” Linton said.

\ Beside senior Aaron Lowenstein, Orloff and Linton are the most experienced bats in the lineup. The rest of the lineup is comprised of players with far less experience and raw talent. As a result, many scouts and analysts have written off the Anteaters. They are predicted to finish fourth in the Big West. With the loss of Coach Dave Serrano the team is going through a lot of adjustments with the new coaching staff and the loss of much of the key players on offense.

\ \“Losing Coach [Serrano] did play a big part. However, the new coaching staff is great. But the coaches aren\’t the ones playing and getting the hits. It’s us, the players. I think we learned a lot from last year with this, and we can carry that into this season,\” Orloff said.

\ Both take it upon themselves to show the new guys that they can be a successful team once they develop solid defense to back their stellar pitching. With more at-bats, the hits and runs will come. The Anteaters pride themselves on their work ethic, and their poster boys of work ethic, Orloff and Linton, should set great examples for the rest.

\ Players with the dedication, wisdom and talent like these should receive better fan support than their less-impressive counterparts around the nation.

\ However, they are not too disappointed with the mediocre crowds at Anteater stadium. They recognize that this program does not have the rich history that other programs, like Cal State Fullerton, may have.

\ However, why would any baseball or UCI fan not want to come watch players that SportCenter fell in love with at the College World Series last year in Omaha? Linton leads a pre-game ritual for the players that is called \“The Company.\” It is a small skit that is prepared by Linton and features many characters from all over pop-culture and sports. SportsCenter focused on Linton’s creation numerous times, and has admired his unique pre-game relaxation technique.

\ The fans in Omaha and all over the nation fell in love with the Anteater spirit and passion, and they packed the stadiums to watch the unselfish and exciting Anteaters play.

\ \“It\’s real cool to feel energy in the packed house. It definitely helps us,\” Orloff said.

\ With the success that Orloff and Linton are having and will have, there is added reason for Anteaters to come out and support their fellow classmates.

\ These two fellows are destined for great things. Why not watch great leaders with great talent in the making?

\ \“The best way to prepare for something down the road is to prepare for today,\” Orloff and Linton both agreed.

\ With mentalities like that, Anteater Ballpark should be packed to witness their fruition.

\
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'; myContent.MLB020808 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
\
02/08/2008
\ Anderson looking to complete game
\
Catcher wants to refine his defensive skills to reach Majors
\
By Matthew Leach
\
\ Bryan Anderson\
\ ST. LOUIS -- Bryan Anderson\'s bat has carried him through the lower levels of the Cardinals\' Minor League system -- and quickly, at that. But now that the big leagues are in sight for the left-handed-hitting catcher, he knows he needs to refine his complete game.

\ That would be true anywhere, but it\'s doubly true in the Cardinals organization, which values defense at the catching position above all else. Good-hit, no-field backstops don\'t stick in St. Louis. Which is not to say that Anderson is truly \"no-field,\" but he\'s got a ways to go -- especially when the gold standard, Yadier Molina, is blocking his path.

\ \"I\'d like to improve,\" Anderson said recently. \"I love catching. I\'m still 21, I just turned 21. I get better every year, and I work really hard.\"

\ For Anderson, drafted in 2005, it\'s been something of an academic question up to this point. Whether he was a polished defender or not, he was too far away from the Majors for the question really to be relevant.

\ Now that he\'s enjoyed a successful season at Double-A Springfield, though, it\'s a much more real consideration. Anderson hit .298/.350/.388 (average/on-base/slugging) in 2007 despite being the youngest player in the Texas League.

\ But there\'s little doubt that the conversation about him has changed, particularly in light of the new four-year contract signed by Molina in January.

\ \"I know what I\'ve got to improve on,\" Anderson said. \"I\'ve got to improve blocking, footwork, and I think a big thing for me is staying in shape the whole season. It gets hot, and I\'m not a 210-220 [-pound] guy, so it\'s important for me to stay healthy and stay fit.\"

\ However much Anderson refines his defense, his upward march may slow down a little bit. It\'s possible that he won\'t be moved up to Triple-A Memphis at the start of the year. In the Cardinals\' view, Molina\'s contract gives them the luxury of time with Anderson.

\ \"I don\'t think that\'s any message at all to Mr. Anderson,\" general manager John Mozeliak said when Molina signed. \"If, ultimately, he ends up having to somewhat mentor behind Yadi, like Yadi did with [Mike] Matheny, that\'s not a bad thing.

\ It seems like [we\'ve been] somewhat accelerating Anderson right now.\"

\ One possibility that has been raised is the option of a position switch, but that\'s not the Cardinals\' preference. For now, Anderson will continue to catch, since a catcher who can hit is such a precious commodity. Anderson would prefer to catch, but if someone tells him to pick up an infield or outfield glove, he won\'t hesitate.

\ \"The goal is to make the big leagues,\" he said. \"If that\'s playing second base or the outfield or whatever, that\'s the goal. So that\'s pretty much my stance on that.\"

\
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'; myContent.Draysbay020108 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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Feb 01, 2008
\ Rays Top 30 Prospects:
\
#16 Nick Barnese
\
By Kevin Gengler
\
\
\ Barnese probably wouldn\'t have been found high on very many draft boards entering his senior season. But after sitting out his junior year due a team-imposed suspension, Barnese impressed scouts at a pre-season showcase and carried that into his season, which included tossing a no-hitter for his Simi Valley HS team.\ He pitched well enough for the Rays to tab him with their 3rd selection, 95th overall (oddly enough, he was rated the 95th best draft prospect by BaseballAmerica before the draft). He signed within a month and reported to rookie-level Princeton in early July. He made 8 starts for the baby Rays, but his workload was closely monitored, tallying just 36 total innings. He posted a respectable 3.22 ERA, but he great control for a HS draftee, striking out 37 and walking only 4 in those 36 innings.

\ Another promising numbers was his groundball-flyball ratio, which was a rather extreme 2.17. He also allowed just one gopher ball. This means two things: One, he generally keeps the ball down in the zone. Two, those numbers back up the scouting reports on Barnese.

\ His biggest strength is a fastball that sits in the low-90s with good late life, which causes weaker contact, and in turn, more groundballs. His slender, 6\' 2\" 170 lb. frame bodes well for future velocity gains while still maintaining the life. He\'s very competitive on the mound and has confidence throwing his fastball on either side of the plate.

\ The area where he needs to improve is his off-speed stuff. Since he\'s a high school draftee with just 36 innings under his belt, it\'s not a huge concern right now, but he\'s not going to be able to get by on just the fastball as he moves up in the system. Right now, he throws a curveball and a change-up, but both grade out as no better than fringe-average. The low arm angle might inhibit development of the curveball, and he may have to scrap it for a slider, since I\'m not a huge fan of tinkering with arm angles.

\ Right now his advanced fastball and command make him arguably the top Rays prospect who played short-season ball in 2007. How far along his off-speed pitches are in the spring will probably dictate whether or not Barnese will get a crack at the SAL League as a 19-year old. But going from recent history, I think it\'s more likely he spends the year in Hudson Valley((Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Jeremy Hellickson, and Alex Cobb all were Renegades in their 2nd pro season).\
\
'; myContent.SiouxFalls010308 = '\ \ \ \ \ \
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01/03/08
\ Canaries Re-Sign Casey Gordon
\
American Association (AA) Sioux Falls Canaries
\
\
\ SIOUX FALLS, SD (January 3, 2008) - The Sioux Falls Canaries have signed middle infielder Casey Gordon to a new contract for the 2008 baseball season. The team acquired Gordon in a late season trade with the St. Joe Blacksnakes. Gordon played the final 18 games of 2007 with the Canaries, hitting .296 with two home runs and 11 RBI.

\ \"Casey is a great fit for our club both offensively and defensively,\" said Canaries Manager Steve Shirley. \"He can help you with his bat, and he can turn the double play from either side of second base.\"

\ In 66 games at shortstop and 17 at second base, Gordon turned a total of 58 double plays. Only four middle infielders turned more double plays than Gordon in the American Association last year.

\ The Sioux Falls Canaries will open the 2008 American Association season on May 8 with a visit to the defending champion Fort Worth Cats. The Canaries home opener is on Tuesday, May 13 against the Pensacola Pelicans. To purchase a season ticket package, Canaries mini-plan, or perch pack, call the Canaries office at 333-0179.

\
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'; myContent.MinorLeagueNews121707 = '\\\ \ \ \
\
December 17, 2007
\ Lovullo Shuffles Back to Buffalo Bisons
\
Pitching Coach Scott Radinsky will return to the team for the 2008 season
\
by Dan Hickling
\
\
\ MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - BUFFALO, NY -- The Buffalo Bisons today announced that Manager Torey Lovullo, Pitching Coach Scott Radinsky and Hitting Coach Dave Myers will all return to the team for the 2008 season. Athletic Trainer Jeff Desjardins will also remain with the Bisons, keeping intact the team\’s coaching staff from the 2007 season.

\ \“Having our entire staff return from a winning team is very unique at the Minor League level,\” said Mike Buczkowski, Vice President/General Manager of the Buffalo Bisons. \“We are fortunate to have Torey and the staff back as we look forward to another winning season in 2008.\”

\ Radinsky, 39, is back for his second season with the team. Last year, his Bisons\’ pitching staff finished 2nd in the International League in complete games (8) and 6th in shutouts (10). Radinsky helped groom young pitchers such as Sean Smith and Aaron Laffey as the team was hit hard by injuries to Adam Miller and Brian Slocum.

\ Radinsky spent the 2006 season as the pitching coach at Akron. His Aeros staff won a league-best 87 games and finished 5th with a 3.74ERA. Radinsky pitched professionally for 15 seasons from 1986-2002, including parts of 11 years at the Major League level. He had a career record of 42-25 with a 3.44ERA, 52 saves and 358 strikeouts in 557 games with the White Sox, Dodgers, Cardinals and Indians. He also pitched in 16 games with the Bisons in 2001 and went 0-1 with a 4.11ERA.

\
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