Page 4SP www.sunnewspapers.net The Sun /Sunday, June 8,2014 All stats through Friday's games ALUMNI OF THE WEEK Keven Kiermaier OF, Tampa Bay Rays Kiermaier has ... made an impact I with the Rays i since being called up to the majors in May. In his last four games, the outfielder is 6 for 11 with a home run, and RBI and a stolen base. PITCHER OF THE WEEK BLAKE SNELL The left-hander showed why he is one of the top prospects in the Rays organization in his second start for the Stone Crabs, giving up just four hits over six scoreless innings in a win over the Tampa Yankees. HITTER OF THE WEEK TOMMY COYLE The second baseman had his 13-game hitting streakend on Thursday, and he went 7 for 29 over the past week. Hit a home run, drove in two runs and stole four bases in seven games since last Saturday. PROSPECT WATCH RYAN STANEK RHP, Class-A Bowling Green Has been impressive in five starts for the Hot Rods, going 2-2 while compiling a 2.63 ERA. He was named a Midwest League All-Star this week. QUOTE OF THE WEEK "I've flown out to the warning track so many times. I'm just glad to see finally see one make it. ... He hung me a slider and I put a good swing on it. To get rewarded with a home run finally, that was nice. I would have taken a double or a triple, but a home run is better!' Outfielder Marty Gantt on hitting his first home run of the season on Tuesday. THEWEEKAHEAD Today: at Bradenton, 5:00 p.m. Monday: vs. Bradenton, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday: at Fort Myers, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: at Fort Myers, 6:30 p.m. Thursday: at Fort Myers, 6:30 p.m. Friday: OFF Saturday: Florida State League All-Star Game The Stone Crabs have a short week with the All-Star break beginning on Thursday. They start with two games against the familiar Bradenton Marauders, who they went 3-3 against in six May meetings. They'll follow that series with three games at Fort Myers, which they haven't visited since April 9-10. Charlotte has faced the Miracle six times this season, winning once. The Stone Crabs will be off from Friday to Monday, but first baseman Patrick Leonard, shortstop Leonardo Reginatto and catcher Justin O'Conner- as well as the team's coaching staff- will compete in the All-Star game on Sunday in Bradenton. HITTER TO WATCH Adam Brett Walker, Miracle: The designated hitter leads the Florida State League with 13 home runs, and he's tied for the league-lead with 48 RBIs this season. PITCHER TO WATCH Jose Berrios, Miracle: The right- wander ranks among the best pitchers in the FSL this season, going 5-2 with a 2.24 ERA and a a near-league-high 74 strikeouts over 10 starts. SUN FILE PHOTO BY JENNIFER BRUNO Charlotte Stone Crabs manager Jared Sandberg was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 16th round in 1996. Sandberg and some of the Stone Crabs share their draft day memories below. Draft day dreams Sandberg, Stone Crabs reminisce on being selected By JOSH VITALE Rays?" Wichita State first baseman SPORTS WRTER "I was shocked," the Charlotte Casey Gillaspie, had the honor of PORT CHARLOTTE At first Stone Crabs manager said. "But being the Rays' 28th first-round Jared Sandberg thought one of his then it kind of came to reality selection in franchise history on friends was playing a joke on him. when, the next day, (Kirsch, the Thursday night. It was June, 1996. Sandberg had Rays' longtime northwest scout) Six of those 28 players are received a call from a man named called back, then the next day, members of the 2014 Stone Crabs. Paul Kirsch, who told him the called back. 'OK, so I'm drafted by Outfielders Josh Sale and Kes Tampa Bay Devil Rays had drafted the Devil Rays.' It was obviously a Carter, catcher Justin O'Conner, him in the 16th round of the MLB great honor." third baseman Tyler Goeddel and draft. More than 1,200 high school pitchers Jeff Ames and Blake Snell But that was two years before and college players received that were all drafted in the first round Tampa Bay played it's first major same honor over the last three between 2010 and 2011. league season. So Sandberg's first days in the 2014 MLB First-Year Here are their memories from reaction was, "Who are the Devil Player Draft. One of those players, draft day: JOSH SALE, OF JUSTIN O'CONNER, C TYLER GOEDDEL, 3B BORN: July 5,1991 BORN: May 31,1992 BORN: Oct. 20,1992 BIRTHPLACE: Seattle BIRTHPLACE: Muncie, Ind. BIRTHPLACE: Hillsborough, Calif. SCHOOL: Bishop Blanchet High School SCHOOL: Cowan High School SCHOOL: St. Francis High School HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'0", 215 HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'0", 190 Height/Weight: 6'4, 186 BATS/THROWS: L/ R BATS/THROWS: R/R BATS/THROWS: R, R SELECTED: No. 17 overall in the first round of the SELECTED: No. 31 overall in the first round of the SELECTED: No. 41 overall in the first round of the 2010 draft 2010 draft 2011 draft "I was sitting there with my family inside my "It was an unreal experience. I had a bunch of "It was definitely a memorable day. It was just uncle's house, surrounded by nothing but family family and friends over my house, playing some me and my family, actually; we didn't have any and a significant other, at the time. Just sitting cornhole and just hanging out. I got the call from draft party or anything. I wasn't sure when I was there anticipating, waiting. I my agent and he told me what going to go, obviously. My had my phone far away from was going on and everything, agent found out right before me at the time, and when the and then we went back inside they announced it on TV and 17th pick came around, the Rays and watched on TV and saw called my dad, and he got really decided to pick me. I ended that they called my name. excited. He said I was going to up giving everybody a hug, Everybody went crazy. It was an go with the next pick, and when everybody kind of went crazy awesome experience. Unreal. I saw my name on the screen, it there, and I bolted out the door "I was getting a lot of was just it was an amazing and ran up the street, down the congratulations and everything, moment. Definitely one of, if street, then back into the house. That's just howl but I didn't really have my phone on me. I was just not the most memorable moments of my life so far. got my excitement out, I guess. enjoying the company of my family and all that. It was a great moment. "We were grilling up some steaks, I believe; kind "It was pretty cool, (getting your name called). "My phone was probably vibrating for the next of a little family cookout. Dad was sitting there I've watched it on YouTube a few times after that. five minutes straight, just with texts and voicemails nervous as all get out. l'd never seen him so nervous It's hard to describe, because I had worked my and missed calls. It was pretty wild. I got a lot of in my life. It was a good time, just surrounded by whole life just to get to that point, and just to have support from my friends and family, and my coaches. family and friends. And once my name got called it in reality, it's unreal." I got on the phone with the Rays right away, and I think I received I think my phone actually they were excited to have me. It was just a magical malfunctioned with with how many texts and emails moment, for sure." I got from all my friends and stuff." JEFF AMES, RHP BLAKE SNELL, LHP KES CARTER, OF BORN: Jan. 31,1999 BORN: Dec. 4,1992 BORN: March 3,1990 BIRTH PLACE: Vancouver,Wash. BIRTHPLACE: Seattle,Wash. BIRTHPLACE: Memphis,Tenn. SCHOOL: Lower Columbia Community College SCHOOL: Shorewood High School SCHOOL: Western Kentucky HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 4, 225 HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 4, 180 HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 2, 205 BATS/TH ROWS: R/R BATS/THROWS: [IL BATS/THROWS: [L SELECTED: No. 42 overall in the first round of the SELECTED: No. 52 overall in the first round of the SELECTED: No. 56 overall in the first round of the 2011 draft 2011 draft 2011 draft "I was over at my dad's house and we were I1 just remember being at my dad's baseball facility. "On draft day, I didn't really want to get too high or watching it on TV. It was an awesome feeling to We had pizza and just a bunch of my friends. We were too low, because there's three days of the draft. I really get the call and being told when I was going to get just sitting on the couch; playing ping-pong, too, for just wanted to keep a level head. I really didn't have too picked up. It's kind of one of those things that you a little bit .. SolI was just sitting there with friends many people over. I had my parents and my brothers ca n't really explain with words. and family. We would hear a pick, then we would go and a few close friends, but other than that, I just really "I was incontactwithmy and do somethingI thought Iwas wanted to sajut leve headed S agent, so my agent was in going to go to Arizona at like 42 or and just keep an open mind that, contact with them. He would 43 something in the 40s. Then 'I'm going to get drafted, I'm going S call me and tell me what their that pick went by. to have a chance to play:So it really Thoughts were. Once he told me "Then, finally, the 52nd pick didn't matter how high or how (I was getting picked), it was came, and Sandberg walked out low I went. awesome. After I got picked, and selected me. That was pretty "I ended up getting a call (from the the scout that drafted me called cool. Then I got real excited after Rays), and it was words really me. That was awesome. It was a that. I went and bought a Tampa can't explain what goes through great experience, hat directly after that. I was excited. That was pretty your head when that happens. It's like all the years "Everybody screamed and freaked out. It was much it ...!past paid off and you finally get a chance to come play pretty intense, so it was awesome. It was cool "I really had no clue that Tampa was going to professional baseball.lIt's just a really exciting day. because I found out before everybody. So I knew select me, because I didn't talk to one Tampa person "Everybody was all jacked up and stuff. Like I before, so I'm just sitting there like,'Oh, here it at all. But I always noticed Tampa scouts coming in, said, I didn't have a huge draft party or anything comes.'But everyone else didn't know, so it was andI always noticed (Rays'northwest scout Paul just a few close friends but it was really exciting. pretty cool!' Kirsch) was at every game. But he never talked to me!' We had a good time that day. I'll always remember that day and how it all went down!' REMEMBERING DON ZIMMER Don Zimmer, who died Wednesday at 83, was remembered by the New York Times as"the stubby, Popeye- muscled baseball lifer with the unforgettable jowls whose passion for the game endured through 66 years!' That includes his time as a senior advisor for the Tampa Bay Rays, as the Times' Richard Goldstein recalled: When Tampa Bay was trailing the Yankees, 7-0, in the sixth inning of their final game of the 2011 regular season, needing a victory for a wild-card playoff spot, Zimmer left the Rays'bench to head home. Halfway there, he realized that he had not said goodbye to the players, so he turned his car around and got back to Tropicana Field in time to see the Rays rally for an 8-7 victory to overtake the Red Sox for a playoff berth. Zimmer was still in the clubhouse at 2 a.m., when the celebration finally wound down. "I'm 80 years old, and l thought was playing," he told The Charlotte Sun of Port Charlotte, Fla. "This matches everything. It's crazy, it's beautiful, it's baseball." TWITPIC OF THE WEEK So sad by the loss of a baseball legend tonight. I had many laughs and baseball talks with Don Zimmer. #legend #Zim pic.twitter.com/ oxxna6dqFT Manager Jared Sandberg (@jlsofoly) TWEET(S) OF THE WEEK Might not be a baseball traditionI enjoy as V much as New York New York after Yankee games...glad we won tonight, it's better after a win!! -- Catcher Maxx Tissenbaum (@8_Maxx) Good luck to all my boys at #fau in the upcoming draft #owlnation - Pitcher Ryan Garton (@Gartainianl2) Rest in paradise #DonZimmer Legends never die! Thanks for spreading your knowledge in the game for as long as you did! Pitcher Blake Snell (@snellzillal1) GETTING TO KNOW ... MARCUS JENSEN Best batter ever faced: "(Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect) Jaff Decker. I definitely owe him one. I hope I get to face him again. We were in the (high school) playoffs, and I got a triple, and the guy after me hits a laser to the right fielder, who catches it. I get two outs, I get Jaff Decker, I believe it was 2-1,1 throw him a high, inside fastball and he just crushes it. We were in the Peoria (Ill.) Sports Complex. He was *probably the most intimidating hitter I've every faced, and that was even in *high school. *Favorite TV show: "I'm kind of a *Castle fan. Castle or Arrow. I'm kind of into the big D.C. Comics and stuff like *that. It's a little nerdy but, you know, we've all got what we like." *Favorite pregame meal: "No. I *don't think that much into it. I just eat. I just try to put on some pounds. l'mi skinniy, so I try to put oni weight. *Why he choose Will Smith's *"Gettin' Jiggy With It" as your *walk-up song: "I had it last year in *(Bowling Green), and I've always liked *Will Smith. He' always been a positive guy, just in general, in terms of how he goes about things. I try to be - *that's something I work towards, is *trying to be a positive guy. Have a question you would like to ask a Stone Crab? Sendyour questions to ]vitale@sun-herald.com Page 4 SP www.sunnewspapers.net The Sun /Sunday, June 8, 2014