[ BASEBALL ]
Local players begin Some of Hawaii's minor league baseball players were packed and ready to head in one direction before the numbers at their positions resulted in some last-minute shuffling of rosters and dictated moves elsewhere.
minor league odyssey
Luuloa, Johnson and Williams
are a step away from the majorsBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comSeveral players with Hawaii ties moved up a class, others begin the season where they finished last year and, as happens every spring, some were released.
Darren Blakely, the former Hawaii center fielder, was ticketed for Class-AAA Portland in the Pacific Coast League as late as April 2. Then, roster moves by the parent San Diego Padres left the Beavers with a glut of outfielders and Blakely started the season with the Mobile, Ala., BayBears in the Class-AA Southern League two days later.
Keith Luuloa (Molokai High School), who signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers on March 12, was sent to the Huntsville Stars in the Southern League to begin the season April 3. Three days and two games later, he was on the move.
"Marcus Scutaro, an infielder with the Indianapolis Indians was put on waivers and claimed by the New York Mets. That created a spot for me, so I'm now with Indianapolis," said Luuloa.
He joins former Rainbow right-hander Mark Johnson, who signed as a free agent with the Brewers in February, at Indianapolis, a Class-AAA team in the International League.
Jerome Williams, a right-hander from Waipahu High School, has been promoted by the San Francisco Giants to their Pacific Coast League Class-AAA team in Fresno, Calif., where Lenn Sakata is the manager.
Williams didn't get a decision but pitched five innings of shutout ball in his first start for the Grizzlies.
Jason Ross dearly wanted to return to the Class-AAA level, but that wasn't in the Atlanta Braves' plans.
"I'm finished unless I get another offer. The Braves wanted me to play in Double-A again and, with the money and all, I asked for my release and they gave it to me," said the former UH outfielder.
"Everyone understood. I'm going to try and move on with my life and join the real world. I promised myself I wouldn't be a career minor league player. I've had the opportunity to play pro ball and not everyone gets that."
Ross has contacted UH about completing his degree requirements. He is majoring in food and nutrition and has completed over 100 hours toward his degree.
Outfielder Shane Victorino (St. Anthony) jumped from low-A ball in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization to the Jacksonville Suns in the Class-AA Southern League.
Montreal right-hander Justin Wayne (Punahou, Stanford) is back with the Harrisburg, Pa., Senators in the Class-A Eastern League.
Dusty Bergman (UH), a left-hander in the Anaheim organization, returns to the Angels' Class-AA team, the Arkansas Travelers of the Texas League.
Keoni DeRenne (Iolani, Arizona) begins his second season as an infielder with the Greenville Braves, Atlanta's Class-AA team in the Southern League.
The Kansas City Royals promoted first baseman Chad Santos (St. Louis) from low Class-A to the Wilmington, N.C., Waves in the high Class-A South Atlantic League. Another Royals farmhand, right-hander Jason Kahi Ka'anoi (Kamehameha), went from rookie ball to the low Class-A Midwest League with the Burlington, Iowa, Bees.
Ka'anoi pitched six innings of two-hit ball, striking out five in his first start. He wasn't involved in the decision.
Shortstop Rex Rundgren (Mid-Pacific Institute) advanced from rookie ball last year to the Florida Marlins' low Class-A team in the Midwest League, the Kane County Cougars in Geneva, Ill.
Infielder Kaulana Kuhaulua (Waianae, Long Beach State) made the same jump. He began the season with the Quad City River Bandits, a Minnesota Twins farm team in the Midwest League.
Jandin Thornton-Murray (St. Louis), after three years as an infielder with the Chicago Cubs' short-season teams, also moved up to the Midwest League, starting his first full season with the Lansing, Mich., Lugnuts.
Infielder Bronson Sardinha (Kamehameha) leaves rookie ball to begin the season with the New York Yankees' low Class-A team in the South Atlantic League, the Greensboro, N.C., Bats.
Left-hander Thomas Ford (UH-Hilo) returns to the Frederick Keys, Baltimore's high Class-A team in the Carolina League.
Former Rainbow right-hander Jeff Coleman is back with the Visalia Oaks, one of two high Class-A teams affiliated with the Oakland Athletics in the California League.
Brandon Chaves (UH-Hilo), a shortstop, returns to the SAL with the Hickory, N.C., Crawdads in the Pittsburgh farm system.
Catcher Mike Tejada, who attended Kamehameha through intermediate school, also starts in the SAL with Colorado's team in Asheville, N.C. He was with the Tourists last year.
Six players are in extended spring training and will join a short-season team when those leagues begin play early in June. They are outfielder Brian Rooke (UH-Hilo) with Oakland, right-hander Hubert Pruett (Kamehameha) with Milwaukee, right-hander Brandon League (St. Louis) with Toronto, outfielder Ryan Petersen (UH-Hilo) with Cincinnati and infielders Bryce Uegawachi (Kaiser, Hawaii Pacific) and Rodney Choy Foo (Kailua) with Cleveland.
Bruce Walton, the Blue Jays' minor league pitching coordinator and former UH right-hander, said, "Brandon has thrown the ball well. At this time, we want to control his innings pitched and that is much easier in extended spring. Wow, does he have some kind of arm."
Petersen, who missed the last half of the Vulcans' 2001 season with a broken hand, signed with Cincinnati on Dec. 29.
"Bryce and Rodney should start the season with Mahoning Valley (New York-Penn League)," said Joan Pachinger, an assistant in the Indians' player development office.
Players released included right-handed pitchers Corey Miller (UH) by Oakland and Hawkeye Wayne (Iolani, Columbia) by Seattle, and infielders Key Voshell (UH, Louisville) by Philadelphia and Allen Mundon (Kapaa) by Boston.
Walter Komatsubara, the local scout for the Red Sox, said, "Allen was released early and hopefully he can appeal to the NCAA for reinstatement. He wasn't there (spring training) very long and didn't get much (money). It's my fault for sending him up there too soon."