Summer Baseball Update

Troy University’s Tyler Ray continues to draw accolades for his play in the Cape Cod Summer League for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks.

The Hoover, Ala., native, who will be a junior for the Trojans in 2011, was named to the Cape Cod League All-Star Game this week. That game will take place on Wednesday, July 28, at historic Fenway Park in Boston.

The Cape Cod League All-Star game will be nationally televised by CBS College Sports at 7 p.m. (ET).

Ray has a 3-2 record so far this summer in six starts with a 1.98 ERA. He has 29 strikeouts in 41 innings of work. He is scheduled to make his next start on Sunday against the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Brooks and Robinson Meet, Briefly

Former Trojan catcher Beau Brooks has been a man on the move of late. The Huntsville native has spent most of the season with the Angels’ Class A affiliate in Rancho Cucamonga. He had one game as an emergency fill-in for the Class AAA Salt Lake Bees before getting sent to play for the Arkansas Travelers in the Class AA Texas League.

When Brooks arrived in Arkansas it just so happened that the Travelers were about to host the Naturals from Northwest Arkansas and their slugging first baseman, Clint Robinson.

Brooks’ dad, Rodney, and Trojans head coach Bobby Pierce made the drive to Little Rock to see the two former Trojans square off. The trip also offered Rodney Brooks a chance to take his son’s truck to Arkansas so that he would have a way to get around.

The two got one chance to play against each other, on July 19, before Brooks got word that he was headed back to Salt Lake City. The Angels’ top catching prospect, Hank Conger, was forced to the disabled list with a sore shoulder, which opened the door for Brooks.

Beau only played three games for the Travelers before heading west again. He will stay in Salt Lake for however long Conger remains on the DL. Brooks was 2-for-8 at the plate in his short stay in Little Rock.

Robinson, meanwhile, continues to swing the bat well for the Naturals, but is hopeful of getting traded to another organization. After earning Texas League Player of the Month honors in June, and league Player of the Week for the first week of July, Robinson was rewarded by having a young, slugging, first base prospect called up from Class A by the Royals.

The move means that Robinson will be relegated to serving in the DH role while also occasionally playing in right field.

All Robinson has done this year ishit .312 with 18 homers and 66 RBI. After having a 21-game hit streak snapped last week, Robinson has embarked on a new streak, which stood at six games entering play on Friday.

Whitley and Sorce Doing Well

Two former Trojan hurlers are doing very well with their respective short-season rookie league teams.

Chase Whitley has continued to blister opposing hitters in the NY-Penn League, posting a 3-1 record in 14 games with a 1.02 ERA for the Staten Island Yankees. Whitley has 23 strikeouts in just 17.2 innings of work and has walked only eight while recording six saves.

Chris Sorce is also posting solid numbers out west, playing for the Everett Aqua Sox in Washington state. Sorce is working as a starting pitcher and has a 3-0 record with a 3.79 ERA in six starts. He has posted 27 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.

Godwin Back In Action

After missing the first half of this season with injuries and then getting released by the Dodgers after coming off the disabled list, Adam Godwin is playing again, now for the independent New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League.

The league has just six teams, with franchises in Brocton, Mass., Pittsfield and Sussex in NY, Quebec and Worcester, NH.

Godwin has played in seven games since joining the team on July 15 and is hitting .321. He has hit safely in four of his last five games and, yes, he has stolen one base.

More Minor League Notes

Coming off a Golden League All-Star appearance, former Trojan Josh Dew is still dominating foes in independent league. In just 28.2 innings this year, Dew has a perfect 4-0 record with 32 strikeouts and a 0.63 ERA. He has allowed just one earned run in his last 20 innings of work.

Steven Felix made his debut in the Arizona Rookie League for the Brewers. Felix, who has returned to playing behind the plate, was held hitless in his first game, but walked, stole a base and scored a run.

Former Trojan Jason Walls is also in the Arizona Rookie League, playing for the Giants. He has appeared in just five games, all in relief, and has a 1-0 record with a 7.50 ERA in just six innings.

Ryan Ditthardt is trying to make everyone understand that he should have been chosen in the 2010 draft. After signing with the Astros as a free agent, Ditthardt has worn out the pitching in the rookie Gulf Coast League.
In 18 games so far, Ditthardt is hitting .346 with three doubles, a homer and five RBI. He has an impressive .875 OPS (on base plus slugging).

Mike Rivera is putting up solid numbers in the Southern League for the Chattanooga Lookouts. Rivera, who spent most of last season with the Milwaukee Brewers and was cut by the New York Yankees at the very end of spring training, is hitting .281 with 15 doubles, two homers and 20 RBI.

Troy fans interested in seeing Rivera play can do so in August when the Lookouts visit Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery for a five game series against the Biscuits. That series is scheduled for the 18th through the 22nd of August.