Hawaii’s minor leaguers
still chase the dream
By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin
Twenty-three players with Hawaii connections went to spring training and 21 still have jobs in professional baseball.
Scott Karl, who pitched for the University of Hawaii, and Mike Fetters, who prepped at Iolani School, are the only players who began the 1998 season with a major league team.
Karl is a starter for the Milwaukee Brewers and Fetters is a reliever with the Oakland Athletics.
This is the lowest number of Hawaii connected players in the big time since the early 1970's.
One player is at the Triple A level, three in Double A, two with an independent team and the rest start with Single A teams.
Here's a look at where Hawaii's minor league players began the 1998 season.
Benny Agbayani: After three weeks in the New York Mets major league camp, Agbayani (St. Louis, Hawaii Pacific) was assigned to the Norfolk (Va.) Tides in the Triple A International League. He is starting his second season at Norfolk, where he hit .310 in 1997.
Mark Johnson: Traded by the Houston Astros to Florida in the off-season, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-hander from the University of Hawaii earned a promotion. Johnson starts the season with the Portland (Me.) Sea Dogs, the Marlins' Double A Eastern League team.
Onan Masaoka: The 6-foot, 188-pound left-hander (Waiakea High School) has been promoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers Double A team. He begins his fourth pro season with the San Antonio Missions (Texas League). Masaoka was listed as a Top 10 prospect from the 1997 Hawaii Winter Baseball season.
Keith Luuloa: The Molokai High School product had a solid season for the Midland (Texas) Angels in 1997, hitting .273 with 59 RBIs. He returns to the Anaheim Angels' Double A Texas League team and will play second base and shortstop again.
Kyle Kawabata: The right-handed reliever (Kailua High School, Washington State) has been assigned to the Clearwater (Fla.) Phillies in the Class A Florida State League.
Chris Truby: The 6-foot-2, 185-pound third baseman (Damien Memorial High School) starts the season at Kissimmee, Fla., in the Florida State League. He earned a promotion to Kissimmee, the Houston Astros top Class A team, midway through the 1997 season.
Jason Ross: The former Rainbow outfielder begins the season with the Danville 97s, the Atlanta Braves top Class A team (Carolina League).
Bobby Moore: After pitching for Double A Tulsa (Okla.) in 1997, the former Rainbow right-hander has been assigned to the Charlotte (Fla.) Rangers in the Florida State League. Alex Smith, the Rangers assistant director of player development said this year's assignment was not a demotion.
"He's fine. There are no problems. It's just the way it worked out with our rosters," Smith said.
Paul Ah Yat: The former Rainbow left-hander returns to the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats. Ah Yat, a combined 10-2 with two Pittsburgh minor league teams a year ago, finished 1997 at Lynchburg and was the winning pitcher in the Carolina League championship game.
Jeff Martin: The 6-1, 199 pound right-hander (Kailua High School) was 8-10 with 101 strikeouts in 155 innings for Lynchburg a year ago. He returns to the Pittsburgh Pirates top Class A team.
Mike McCutcheon: The starter and long reliever is back with the South Bend (Ind.) Silver Hawks in Class A Midwest League. The Molokai High School graduate was 7-5 with a 3.41 ERA for the Arizona Diamondbacks farm team a year ago.
Andrew McNally: The Cleveland Indians farmhand (UH) begins the season with the Columbus (Ga.) Redstixx in the Class A South Atlantic League.
"He had a good spring. He has deception and a great make up. He will bookend (late inning or closer) our bullpen," Cleveland Director of Minor League Operations Mark Shapiro said.
Kaipo Spenser: After undergoing arm surgery last year, Spenser (St. Anthony, Arizona State) begins his pro career with the Kinston (N.C.) Indians in the Carolina League.
"He's a little rusty but his spring wasn't bad," Shapiro said. "The good thing is he'll be in the starting rotation at Kinston."
Jay Spurgeon: The 6-6, 225-pound right-hander from UH starts his first full pro season with the Baltimore Orioles Class A Delmarva (Md.) Shorebirds in the South Atlantic League.
Ken Morimoto: The speedy infielder (University of Hawaii-Hilo) hopes he has recovered from an injury to his right shoulder. He starts the season with the Vero Beach Dodgers in the Florida State League.
Kelly Phair: The former Rainbow (1992-93) infielder hit .258 and played 121 games at shortstop for Stockton, Calif., last season after signing as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers. He starts 1998 at Stockton in the Class A California League.
Orin Kawahara: The 6-2, 195-pound right-handed reliever is beginning his third season with the Seattle Mariners' organization. His assignment for the coming season was not available yesterday.
Todd Takayoshi: The former Rainbow catcher signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs' double A West Tennessee team but was released March 23 after three weeks and nine at-bats.
He will return to the Reno Chukars of the independent Western League, where in 1997 he was named the Player of the Year. He led the league in batting (.407), hits (137) and runs batted in (88) and tying for most doubles (28).
"He's going to serve more as a player-coach. He wants to get into coaching and we hope to accelerate that," Reno manager Butch Hughes said.
"As far as major league organizations go, I'm pretty much done (as a player)," Takayoshi said.
Robby Robinson: The 6-2, 190-pound right-hander, who pitched for the Rainbows (1994-97), will get his first shot at a professional career with the Reno Chukars.
Matt Apana: The former Rainbow right-hander (Roosevelt High School) was released by the Seattle Mariners March 27. He remains on the mainland, working out in Arizona, in hopes some team has a need he can fill.
Mike Campbell: After missing all of 1997 with an injury to his left foot in Japan with the Yokohama BayStars, Campbell (UH) signed with the Montreal Expos Feb. 3, but was released in mid March.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound right-hander said he is healthy and still feels he can pitch at the major league level.
Bruce Walton (UH) remains active in the game as the Toronto Blue Jays minor league roving pitching instructor.
Two players from Hawaii, pitcher Jim Daspit and infielder Nathan Starkey, were released during the 1997 season by the Oakland Athletics and the California Angels, respectively.
