Around the Midwest League

Font Size:

By Steve Batterson | Wednesday, July 12, 2006 1:18 AM CDT | () comments

Nick Loomis/QUAD-CITY TIMES Fort Wayne shortstop Matt Bush tries to prevent the ball from going into center field.

Back in action

Matt Bush returned to the Midwest League a little more than two weeks ago with a healthy body and equally important, a healthy attitude.

The overall first pick of baseball’s 2004 draft is back at shortstop for Fort Wayne, the same team he played for a year ago, but during a visit to the

Quad-Cities last week, Bush insisted that 2006 will be different.

“My deal now is that I’m going out and playing ball and not getting caught up in everything around me,’’ Bush said. “If I mess up and have an error, I’m not letting it get into my head and become two errors.

“I’m dealing with what comes at me, then moving on because that is the only way I can get to where I want to get.’’

That wasn’t the approach Bush employed a year ago, when he labored throughout the 2005 season with the Wizards. In 126 games, Bush hit .221 and committed a league-leading 36 errors.

A broken left ankle kept Bush off the field during the first half of 2006, providing him with time to reassess his approach and objectives.

“It forced me to step back, take a look at things and think about where I’m at and what I need to do to take that next step,’’ Bush said.

Part of the solution involved looking in a mirror, where Bush decided that it was time to mature a bit and not let outside critics influence his actions.

“It was time to stop letting every little thing bother me,’’ he said. “Now, I just come out and play.’’

Bush currently is hitting .258 for the Wizards.

By the

numbers

11

Of baseball’s 15 minor leagues, attendance is up in 11 of them, with 21.7 million fans passing through the turnstiles by the end of June. The Midwest League is not among leagues with increased attendance compared with 2005 numbers.

Around the league

Beloit: Snappers pitcher Ryan Mullins was named Midwest League pitcher of the week. Mullins earned his first win since April 25 in a complete-game shutout of South Bend.

Clinton: Offensive problems continue to plague the Lumber-Kings, who have scored two or fewer runs five times during an eight-game losing streak.

Lansing: Pitcher Edward Rodriguez recorded a save against Clinton in his return to action for the Lugnuts after serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s substance abuse policy.

West Michigan: Mark “The Bird’’ Fidrych made a rare public appearance Monday, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the 70s Night game against Cedar Rapids.

Wisconsin: The Timber Rattlers haven’t won on the road since winning the first game of a doubleheader at Quad-Cities on June 15. Wisconsin has gone 0-12 away from home since.

Fort Wayne: Catcher Nick Hundley was promoted Friday by the Padres to high-A Lake Elisnore. Jose Lobaton was sent down from the California League team to replace him on the roster.

Swing’s Jay earns honor

Jon Jay’s quick start with the Swing of the Quad-Cities hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Jay was named Monday as the Midwest League’s player of the week — the first Swing player to be recognized this season — after he hit .387 with two doubles, one triple and one homer during the week. Jay drove in 10 runs while hitting safely in each of the seven games he played.

The outfielder, a second-round pick of the Cardinals in the June draft following a college career at Miami (Fla.), had a pair of three-hit games during the week.

Balfour back at it

Currently working a rehab stint in Dayton, former Quad-City River Bandits pitcher Grant Balfour liked what he saw in Monday’s one-inning effort against the Swing and is scheduled to work one inning for the Dragons tonight.

“I’ve thrown in the bullpen but not in a game. It felt good to be back out there,’’ Balfour told the Dayton Daily News after striking out one batter and coaxing a pair of popouts in a 1-2-3 seventh inning against Quad-Cities.

Balfour had not pitched in a professional game since late in the 2005 season, and he is working his way back from shoulder and elbow surgery.

Touching them all

West Michigan’s Mike Hollimon became the second Whitecap this year to hit for the cycle when he bounced a single over the head of the Cedar Rapids third baseman in an 11-8 win over the Kernels on Saturday.

The Whitecaps’ Mike Hernandez became just the second player in the franchise’s 11-year history to hit for the cycle when he accomplished that in a June 8 game.

Fizzled fireworks

High winds forced an early ending to Lansing’s Fourth of July fireworks display.

Fans saw only the first few minutes of what was supposed to be a 15-minute display after a game at the Lugnuts’ downtown stadium before winds kicked up and brought things to a quick conclusion.

“If the wind is ever over 15 miles per hour, it’s not our call,’’ Lansing general manager Jeff Calhoun told the Lansing State Journal, explaining that the fire marshal has been given the final say on when pyrotechnics can be displayed at the stadium, which sits on city block.

This week

Swing of the Quad-Cities

Today-Friday

Opponent: Beloit Snappers

When: Today-Friday,

7 p.m.

Where: John O’Donnell Stadium

FYI: Thursday, Pepsi Kids Camp Night, Quad-City Homebuilders Association Night and Pluckers-97 Rock half-price beverage night; Friday, postgame fireworks sponsored by KWQC-TV, WLLR-FM and i-wireless

Saturday-Tuesday

Opponent: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.; Monday-Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Fox Cities Stadium, Grand Chute, Wis.

Clinton LumberKings

Today-Friday

Opponent: Cedar Rapids Kernels

When: Today-Friday,

7 p.m.

Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Saturday-Tuesday

Opponent: Dayton Dragons

When: Saturday, 6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.; Monday-Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Where: Fifth Third Field, Dayton, Ohio

Just ask

Have a question pertaining to the Midwest League? Mail it to Steve Batterson, Quad-City Times, P.O. Box 3828, Davenport, Iowa, 52801 or e-mail it to

sbatterson@qctimes.com.