Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘Wizards’

The San Diego Padres have called up former Fort Wayne Wizards infielder, Lance Zawadzki. The move was made possible when the Padres placed Evereth Cabrera on the disabled list and moved another former Wizard, Matt Antonelli to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man roster.

In 17 games with Triple-A Portland, Zawadzki is hitting .162 on the season with 8 runs on 11 hits.He was with the Padres in Spring Training this year, appearing in 18 games were he hit .308 with 8 hits and 5 RBI over 26 at-bats.

With the Wizards in 2008, he appeared in 119 games, hitting .273 with 66 runs, 7 dingers, 58 RBI and 54 walks. He also swiped a career high 28 bases.

Zawadski is not in the starting lineup tonight, but I’ll keep a watch  and recap his debut when/if he makes it.

Related BBIFW Lance Zawadzki Posts:

• Pauley to M’s, Padres Invite Several Former Wizards/TinCaps
• Latos, Zawadzki and Luebke Honored by Baseball America
• Baseball America’s Top Padres Prospects
• Fort Wayne Wizards 2008 Postseason Awards

As the month of March came to a close, Cardinals’ Manager Tony LaRussa told former Fort Wayne Wizard, David Freese that he will be their s primary and Opening Day third baseman. The news came as the Cardinals were preparing to face the Mets in a Spring Trianing Game and following a tumultuous year tha had many questioning if Freese would be able to overcome some misteps that included an auto accident, heel injury, DUI and a disappointing 2009 campaign.

He entered an employee-assistance program and has not had a drink since.

“It hasn’t been the easiest road,” he said. “I think mentally it’s made me tougher, from everything that’s happened. I just came in here focused. I had a lot of baggage walking in this year, but I’m real happy with the support I’ve had from everybody from top to bottom. I grinded it out and earned the job.”

Cardinals’ hitting coach, Mark McGwire, has indicated that putting Freese lower in the lineup could “be a transformative presence” in the team’s lineup.

He could add “depth and that run producer that comes after the middle of our order,” McGwire said. It has helped Freese that in the last week or so of camp he’s relaxed, and he has not been pushing to make every throw a highlight or every swing a home run.

Related BBIFW David Freese Posts:

David Freese’s MLB Debut

David Freese Again the Favorite at Third

Former Wizards Likely to Debut in 2009 – Part I

Freese for Edmonds: Former Wizards Infielder Traded to Cardinals

Former Wizard, Kennard Jones has signed with the Newark Bears for the 2010 season.

“Kennard is an established professional who has put up good numbers in this league,” said General Manager R.C. Reuteman. “He has both speed and defensive ability which will solidify our outfield in the upcoming season.”

Jones, the son-in-law of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, begins his eighth season of professional baseball; his third stint in the Atlantic League. The Cleveland native started the 2009 season in York and put together a.271 average with 85 hits, 46 runs scored and 21 RBIs for the Revolution. He was traded to the Bears prior to the season’s end.

The 28 year-old was selected by the Padres in the 3rd Round (85th overall) out of Indiana U in the 2002 amateur entry draft. He made it as far as Triple-A Portland in 2005 and 2006.

Also of note, Jones and his wife Anisha were featured on an episode of the WE TV series “Platinum Weddings” that was originally broadcast in January. (hat tip to Paul’s Random Stuff)

Related Kennard Jones Posts:

Half Way There: A Mid-Season Look at Estranged Friars

Kennard Jones Resigns with York Revolution

York Revolution Trying Out “Short” Fort Wayne Native

Random notes and signings involving Fort Wayne players and other local ties:

Former Wizard, David Pauley has signed a minor league deal with the Mariners. The 26-year-old spent 2009 in the Orioles system, posting a 4.37 ERA in 152.1 Triple-A innings. (h/t MLBTradeRumors)

The Padres have invited a slew of former WizCaps to spring training, including; Simon Castro, Ernesto Freiri, Mat Latos, Jackson Quezada, Wynn Pelzer, Wade LeBlanc, Steve Garrison, Cory Luebke, Mitch Canham, James Darnell, Lance Zawadzki, Matt Antonelli, Kyle Blanks, Luis Durango, Chad Huffman, and Will Venable. I don’t think this is an all inclusive list. You’ll also note that Michael Ekstrom and Greg Burke are on the list. Neither are with San Diego any longer. Ekstrom was snatched by the Rays off waivers and Burke has been placed on unconditional waivers and will likely be claimed or become a free agent.

Here’s an interesting one. The Oakland A’s acquired Kevin Kousmanoff and former Fort Wayne Wizard Eric Sogard for former Padre Scott Hairston and Aaron Cunningham.

Sogard is seen as a Todd Walker type hitter that lacks range defensively but is gap-hitter with great contact rates.

Sogard, a former second round pick out of Arizona State, hit .253 with two home runs and 15 RBI in 22 games with the Wizards in 2007. He should fit in well with Oakland becuase he does not strike out a lot. In 2008, with Lake Elsinore, Sogard struck out just 62 times in 536 at-bats.  Last season, Sogard hit .293 with Double-A San Antonio and wiffed just 47 times in 457 at–bats.

Sogard, a second baseman, was idling on the Padres’ depth chart behind another former Wizard, Matt Antonelli, who held the position at Triple-A Portland. Somewhat ironically, Kevin Kousmanoff was originally acquired by San Diego in a 2006 trade for former Padres second baseman Josh Barfield.

The trade should also see former Wizard Chase Headley return to third base. As Friar Forecast points out:

With Chase Headley on the roster, the Padres had two third baseman, but were forcing one (Headley) to masquerade as a left-fielder.  Not surprisingly, Headley’s fielding was a major liability and zapped much of his value.  In the minors, Headley was considered an average fielding third baseman, and in the majors Headley has shown to be no worse than an average hitter.  In replacing Kouz with Headley at third, the Padres essentially break even.

According to Anthony Witrado of the Journal Sentinel, the Milwakee Brewers have claimed (hat tipe to MLBTradeRumors) former Fort Wayne Wizard, George Kottaras from the Boston Red Sox off release waivers. Brewers GM, Doug Melvin has indcated that the Kottaras claim was to add depth to the catching corps and give them more depth come spring.

Related BBIFW George Kottaras Posts:

• Kottaras Shooting for BoSox Spot
• With Varitek, Ross and Cash Out, is Kottaras In?
• George Kottaras’ MLB Debut
• Kottaras Added to Red Sox 40-Man Roster
• Wizards Where R They? – George Kottaras
• Half Way There: A Mid-Season Look at Estranged Friars

After playing more than a decade in Minor League Baseball without so much as a cup of coffee in the Majors, former Fort Wayne Wizard Todd Donovan, is calling an end to his baseball playing career. Donovan’s extra innings will now ba as a scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In his scouting role, he’ll be monitoring the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays on the major league level, and Pawtucket, Rochester, New Britain and New Hampshire as part of his minor league assignment.

Donovan played in more than 800 professional games, collecting 800+ hits and a whopping 346 stolen bases. In 2005, the aggressive and speedy Donovan swiped 62 bags while with the Jacksonville Suns of the (AA) Southern League.

The eighth round selection (number 292 overall) of the San Diego Padres in the 1999 Amateur Draft, Donavoan appeared in 53 games with Fort Wayne in 2000. He hit .284 with 58 hits, 12 doubles and runs batted in. He also walked 25 times in 204 at-bats and compiled a .370 on base percentage. He swiped 18 bases and was caught stealing 9 times.

Related Posts:

• Todd Donovan Signs with Blue Jays
• Former Wizards Likely to Debut in 2009 – Part III
• Fort Fragments (Wizards): Donovan, Hunter, Condrey, Pierzynski, Soria, Perez

Former Fort Wayne Wizard, Ernesto Frieri becamse the 87th former Fort Wayne Wizare/TinCap to make his Major League Baseball debut last night when he entered the eight in place of San Diego Padres starter, Luke Gregerson.

He faced the minimum for the inning by striking out the Diamondbacks’ Gerardo Parra and then getting Chris Young to line out to third baseman and fellow former Wizard, Chase Headley. He then struck out Stephen Drew to end the inning and his outing.

Frieri appeared in one game with the Wizarads in 2006. He returned in 2007, where he appeared in 40 games, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.64 ERA and striking out 65 while walking 23 over 64.2 innings piched.

Photograph (Daryl Jones #28 and Ernesto Frieri #19) by Chad Gramling taken at Memorial Stadium during the 2007 season. Autographs are authentic and obtained in person.

Former Wizards pitcher, Cesar Ramos made his Major League Debut today, pitching in relief for the San Diego Padres. He entered the game in the ninth inning with the Padres down 5-3. He gave up a single to the Diamondback’s Justin Uptin off a hit that he tipped to second baseman Edgar Gonzalez.

He then got Miguel Montero to fly out to Padres left fielder, Luis Durango, who made his Major League debut the night before. Mark Reynolds then struck out swinging before Gerardo Parra singled Uptin to third. Brandon Allen then flied out to Durango to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the ninth, the Padres scored two to send the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth, Durango singled and stole second before being driven home on an Evereth Cabrera single to right.

With Fort Wayne in 2005, Ramos went 3-2 with a 4.19 earned run average. He struck out 32 and walked seven over 38.2 innings pitched.

Not only did Durango score the winning run and swiped his first of what will surely be many stolen bases during his first career start, he also went 3-4 with two runs.

An interesting note, the game featured a atotal of six former Wizards (Chase Headley, Drew Macias, Durango, Nick Hundley, Will Venable and Ramos). Wonder if that is a record?

Former Fort Wayne Wizard Luis Durango debuted with the Sand Diego Padres last night, making him the 85th former Fort Wayne Wizard/TinCap to ascend to the Major Leagues.

The speedy Durango enter the game in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter for pitcher, Luke Gregerson. Durango attempted to bunt for a hit (as we saw him do many times on Fort Wayne), but was out at first.