+2000 United States Olympic Baseball team profiles+
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By Josh Goldfine
SportsTicker Contributing Writer
HITTERS
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Marcus Jensen, C (Twins) -- First-round selection of the Giants
in 1990 draft and made major league debut in 1996 for San
Francisco. ... Had best offensive season with Clinton (A) in
1993 (.262, 11 HR, 56 RBI). ... Lifetime minor league batting
average of .251. ... Hit .209 in 52 games for Minnesota this
year and is currently batting .235 for Salt Lake (AAA).
Mike Kinkade, C (Orioles) -- Originally selected by the Brewers
in first round of 1995 draft. ... Started career as third
baseman but was converted to catcher prior to 2000 season. ...
Made major league debut with Mets in 1998. ... League All-Star
in 1995, 1996, and 1997. ... Texas League (AA) MVP in 1997,
where his .385 average ranked third-highest among minor leaguers
in past two decades. ... Traded from Mets to Orioles in Mike
Bordick deal at trading deadline this summer. ... Hitting .358
with 14 homers and 82 RBI while playing mostly for Binghamton
(AA) and Bowie (AA) this season.
Pat Borders, C (Devil Rays) -- Was originally a sixth-round
selection by Blue Jays in 1992 draft. ... Spent 12 seasons in
major leagues, playing for seven teams and compiling a .256
lifetime average. ... Made major league debut with Blue Jays in
1988 and was starting catcher for World Series champions in 1992
and 1993. ... Hitting .276 with 12 homers and 54 RBI for Durham
(AAA) in 2000.
Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B (Twins) -- Fifth-round selection by Twins
in 1995. ... Led Class A Eastern League with .323 average in
1998. ... Spent all of 1999 with Minnesota and played in 118
games, hitting .229 with a pair of homers and 32 RBI. ... Has
posted career highs with 17 homers and 92 RBI while hitting .331
for Salt Lake (AAA) this season.
Brent Abernathy, 2B (Devil Rays) -- Originally selected by Blue
Jays in second round of 1996 draft and dealt to Devil Rays this
summer for Mark Guthrie and Steve Trachsel. ... League All-Star
in 1997 and 1998. ... Member of Howe Sportsdata All-Teen team in
1997, where he hit .309 for Hagerstown in first pro season. ...
Set a Class A Knoxville franchise record with 42 doubles in
1999. ... Hitting .295 with five homers, 46 RBI, and 21 steals
between Syracuse (AAA) and Durham (AAA) this year.
Brent Butler, 2B (Rockies) -- Originally a third-round selection
by the Cardinals in 1996 and traded to Rockies in Darryl Kyle
deal last November. ... Voted MVP of the Rookie Level
Appalachian League in 1996, leading the circuit with 85 hits and
posting a .343 batting average. ... Member of Howe Sportsdata
All-Teen Team in 1997, when he hit .306 with 15 homers and 71
RBI for Peoria (A). ... Hitting .288 with seven homers and 52
RBI with Colorado Springs (AAA) this year.
Adam Everett, SS (Astros) -- Was 12thoverall pick in 1998 draft
by Red Sox and dealt to the Astros in Carl Everett deal this
past offseason. ... Hit 10 home runs and collected 44 RBI with
Trenton (AA) in '99. ... Hitting .244 with five homers and 37
RBI in 117 games with New Orleans (AAA) this year.
Travis Dawkins, SS (Reds) -- Second-round selection by Reds in
1997 who was Rookie level Pioneer League All-Star with Billings
that summer. ... Made Major League debut with Reds last season,
appearing in seven games. ... Midwest League All-Star in 1999,
when he finished season hitting .272 with eight homers and 32
RBI. ... Hit .220 in 14 games with Cincinnati this season and is
now hitting .234 with six home runs and 31 RBI for Chattanooga
(AA).
Mike Coolbaugh, 3B (Yankees) -- Originally a 16th-round pick of
the Blue Jays in 1990. ... Selected by Rangers in Rule V minor
league draft in 1995. ... Now with his fifth major league
organization after being re-signed by Yankees in October 1999.
... Florida State League All-Star with Charlotte (A) in 1996.
... Southern League All-Star with Huntsville (AA) in 1997, WHEN
he hit .308, belted 30 homers and collected 132 RBI. ... Hitting
.264 with 20 home runs and 55 RBI for Columbus (AAA) this year.
Sean Burroughs, 3B (Padres) -- Selected by Padres as ninth
overall pick in 1999 draft. ... Earned organizational Player of
the Year honors and spot on Howe Sportsdata All-Prospect and
All-Teen Teams in 1999, when he hit .359 with eight homers and
80 RBI for Fort Wayne of the Class A Midwest League before being
promoted to Rancho Cucamonga of the Class A California League,
where he went 10-for-23 in six games. Posted a 23-game hitting
streak and reached base by hit or walk in his final 54 games.
... Batting .291 with two homers and 42 RBI for Mobile (AA) this
year.
Shawn Gilbert, OF (Dodgers) -- Originally a 12th-round pick of
the Twins in 1987. ... Now playing with his sixth major league
organization. ... Made Major League debut with the Mets in 1997,
when he had three hits in 22 at-bats. ... Appeared in 15 games
for Dodgers this season and went 3-for-20 with a home run and
three RBI. ... Has spent majority of season at Albuquerque
(AAA), batting .338 with 10 homers and 43 RBI.
Mike Neill, OF (Mariners) -- Originally a second-round pick of
the Athletics in 1991 and acquired by Mariners through free
agency in November of '99. ... Rookie Level All-Star with
Southern Oregon (A) in 1991. ... Twice a Class A California
League All-Star, with Reno in 1992 and Modesto in 1996. ...
Finished first in the Double A Southern League with a .340
average and 129 runs scored for Huntsville in 1997, the most
scored in the league in over two decades. ... Made Major League
debut with Oakland in 1998, collecting four hits in 15 at-bats.
... Hitting .298 with 10 homers and 58 RBI in 107 games with
Tacoma (AAA) this year.
Anthony Sanders, OF (Mariners) -- Originally a seventh-round
draft choice by the Blue Jays in 1992. ... Claimed off waivers
by Mariners from Toronto in spring training. ... Florida State
League All-Star for Class A Dunedin in 1996, when he was tied
for second in league with 17 homers. ... Named to Southern
League All-Star team in 1997, when he hit career-high 26 homers.
... Batting .307 with 19 homers and a career-high 76 RBI for
Tacoma (AAA). ... Belted three homers and drove in five runs in
a game at Calgary (AAA) on August 4.
Brad Wilkerson, OF (Expos) -- Was 33rd overall selection in 1998
draft by Expos. ... Tied Harrisburg (AA) club record with 88
walks in 1998. ... Began 2000 season with Harrisburg and hit
.336 with six home runs , 36 doubles and 44 RBI over 66 games.
... Promoted to Ottawa (AAA) in mid-June and is hitting .258
with nine homers and 31 RBI in 55 games.
Ernie Young, OF (Cardinals) -- Originally a 10th-round pick of
Athletics in 1990. ... Now with fourth major league organization
in his 11th pro season. ... Named to Class A California League
All-Star team while playing for Modesto in 1993, when he
finished season with one home run every 13.09 at-bats, tops in
the league. ... Member of Southern League All-Star team in 1994
while with Huntsville (AA). ... Made major league debut in 1994
for A's and went 2-for-30 in 11 games. ... Hit .294 with 30
homers and 95 RBI in 126 games last season for Tucson (AAA). ...
Has posted career-highs this season with a Pacific Coast
League-leading 35 homers and 98 RBI while batting .263 for
Memphis (AAA).
Pitchers
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Ben Sheets, RHP (Brewers) -- Was 10th overall selection by
Brewers in 1999 draft. ... Made two starts for Ogden of the
Rookie Level Pioneer League before finishing the 1999 season at
Stockton (A). ... Struck out career-high 14 batters and allowed
just one hit over 7 2/3 scoreless innings at Bakersfield on
August 27, 1999 in fifth Class A start. ... Began this year with
Huntsville (AA), going 5-3 with 1.88 ERA in 72 innings spanning
13 starts. ... Was promoted to Indianapolis (AAA) in mid-June
and has gone 3-5 with 2.97 ERA, starting 12 games and tossing 72
2/3 innings.
Jon Rauch, RHP (White Sox) -- Was third-round selection in 1999
draft. ... Went 4-4 for short season Bristol last summer,
fanning 66 batters in 56 2/3 innings. ... Promoted to
Winston-Salem (A) for one start last year, where he tossed six
solid innings but did not get a decision. ... Began this year at
Winston-Salem and went 11-3, 2.86 ERA ... Won nine straight
decisions, including seven straight starts, and pitched a
minor-league best 30 straight innings without a walk this
season.
Roy Oswalt, RHP (Astros) -- Was 23rd-round pick by Astros in
1996 draft. ... Went 13-4 for Class A Michigan in 1999. ...
Started this season at Class A Kissimmee and went 4-3, 2.98 ERA
in eight starts before being promoted to Round Rock (AA). ...
Has gone 11-3, 1.88 ERA in 17 outings for the Express to give
him 15-6 mark with a 2.19 ERA, fourth best among all minor
leaguer hurlers through August 22. ... Recorded a 15-strikeout
performance in his first Texas League game, most in the league
in over a decade.
Kurt Ainsworth, RHP (Giants) -- First-round pick in 1999 draft.
... Went 3-3, 1.61 ERA in 10 starts for Salem-Keizer (A) last
summer, fanning 64 batters in 44 2/3 innings and missing
Northwest League's ERA title by 17 innings. ... Went 2-0, 0.44
ERA in three Class A California League playoff starts in 1999,
allowing seven hits in 20 innings while striking out 27. ... Has
gone 8-9 despite 3.54 ERA in 26 starts for Shreveport (AA) this
season.
C.C. Sabathia, LHP (Indians) -- First-round pick in 1998 draft.
... Went 1-0 in five starts for Rookie Level Burlington in
summer of '98. ... Pitched at three different levels last season
and finished at Class-A Kinston, where he went 3-3 in seven
starts. ... Started this year at Kinston and went 3-2, 3.54 ERA
in 10 outings before being promoted to Double-A Akron in late
May. ... Has gone 3-7 despite 3.81 ERA in 15 starts.
Matt Ginter, RHP (White Sox) -- First-round pick in 1999 draft.
... Made three appearances in Rookie Level Arizona League last
summer and finished season at Burlington (A), where he went 4-2
in nine starts. ... Has spent this entire season at Double-A
Birmingham, going just 11-7 despite a 2.32 ERA, tied for seventh
best among minor league pitchers through August 22.
Shane Heams, RHP (Tigers) -- Originally selected by Mariners in
41st round of 1994 draft. ... Signed with Tigers as free agent
in April 1998. ... Went 6-2, 1.70 for Mariners in Rookie Level
Arizona League in 97...Went 5-4, 2.35 ERA in 51 games for West
Michigan (A) last season, picking up 10 saves and fanning 101
batters in 69 innings. ... Started season at Double-A
Jacksonville and went 6-2, 2.59 ERA in 39 outings and was
recently promoted to Toledo (AAA).
Todd Williams, RHP (Mariners) -- Selected by Dodgers in 54th
round of 1990 draft. ... Now with his fourth organization after
spending time in both Reds and A's systems. ... Has been with
Triple A Tacoma all season, where he is 2-3, 3.11 ERA in 47
outings. ... His 31 saves through August 22 placed fourth among
minor leaguers.
Ryan Franklin, RHP (Mariners) -- Selected by Mariners in 23rd
round of 1992 draft. ... Made big league debut for Seattle last
season, when he pitched in six games. ... Participated in two
no-hitters at Double A Memphis in 1997 and pitched 14
consecutive hitless innings. ... This marks his fourth straight
year pitching for Triple-A Tacoma, where he is 11-4, 3.37 ERA,
tied for second in the league in wins, fourth in ERA, and third
with 133 strikeouts.
Rick Krivda, LHP (Orioles) -- Selected by Orioles in 23rd round
of 1991 draft. ... Now in second tour of duty with Orioles after
spending time with Indians, Reds, and Royals. ... Made major
league debut for Baltimore in 1995, when he went 2-7 in 13
starts. ... Went 14-2, 3.39 ERA for Rochester in 1997. ... Has
spent this entire season at Rochester, where he is 11-8, 3.12
ERA in 25 starts.
Bobby Seay, LHP (Devil Rays) -- Originally selected by White Sox
with 12th pick in 1996 draft but was granted free agency when it
was ruled that the club did not officially tender him a
contract. ... Signed with Devil Rays in November of 1996. ...
Has been with Orlando in the Double-A Southern League all season
and has compiled a 7-7 record with a 4.15 ERA in 22 starts.
Tim Young, LHP (Red Sox) -- Originally selected by Expos in 19th
round of 1996 draft. ... Went 1-0 with 0.31 ERA in 27 games for
Vermont (A) in first pro season, saving 18 games and earning New
York-Penn League All-Star honors. ... Made major league debut
with Expos in 1998. ... Signed with Red Sox as free agent in
February of 1999 and went 4-4 that season for Trenton (AA). ...
Made eight appearances in Boston this year but pitched mostly
for Pawtucket, where he is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA.
Chris George, LHP (Royals) -- Selected by Royals in first round
of 1998 draft. ... Went 9-7, 3.60 ERA for Wilmington last year
as the third-youngest player in the Class A Carolina League. ...
Opened this year at Double A Wichita and went 8-5, 3.14 ERA in
18 starts before being promoted to Omaha. ... Has posted 2-2
mark in seven Triple A outings.
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