Friday, April 27, 2001

[ PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL ]

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Yee joins independent-
league team

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Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

Damon Yee, a right-handed pitcher released by the Houston Astros during spring training, has signed to pitch for the Dubois County Dragons (Huntingburg, Ind.) of the independent Frontier League.

Brendan Sagara, also from Hawaii, is the Dragons' pitching coach.

"I was especially happy there would be a Hawaii coach there. Hawaii guys tend to look out for each other, and the trust factor will be there immediately," Yee said.

Yee's coaches at Vanderbilt tried to find a spot for him with the Minnesota, Detroit and Atlanta organizations, but the answer each time was that all rosters are full.

"The advice relayed to me was to go play independent ball and stay in shape," said Yee.

The Punahou graduate was 5-5 with a 4.40 earned run average last year at Auburn, Houston's Class A, short-season team in the New York-Penn League.