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July 10, 2009
OXFORD, Ohio - When the Double-A Southern League All-Star Game rosters were announced June 30, they had a red and white feel to them, as three former Miami baseball players were chosen to play in the game, which will be held July 13 in Birmingham, Ala. David Cook, John Ely and Graham Taylor were among 48 players selected to participate in the mid-season showcase, however none of them will actually play in the game.
Cook, who was drafted in the ninth round by the Chicago White Sox in 2003, played 74 games in the outfield for the Birmingham Barons this season before being promoted to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights on July 8. With the promotion, he will be unable to partake in the All-Star Game for a second straight season, as the same situation arose in 2008 after being selected to the showcase event. During his time with the Barons this season, Cook tied for the league lead with 59 RBI, ranked second in the league with 17 home runs and fourth with a .520 slugging percentage. In his first game with the Knights on July 9, the Columbus, Ohio, native registered a single. Cook was scheduled to take part in the Southern League Home Run Derby and bat clean-up in the South Division starting lineup.
Ely, who also plays for the Birmingham Barons, was slated to be the South Division's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, but will be unable to start due to his scheduled start for the Barons just a few days earlier. The 2007 second-round pick by the White Sox has a 7-1 record in 16 starts for the Barons in 2009, with his 3.51 ERA ranking 11th in the league. His 92.1 innings pitched and 79 strikeouts both rank in the league's top-10 with the latter tying for third.
Taylor, a member of the Jacksonville Suns, is the third RedHawk chosen for the All-Star Game, but like Ely, will be unavailable to pitch for the South Division All-Stars. The 2006 10th-round draftee has compiled a 4-6 mark and a 4.38 ERA in 14 starts (72.0 innings pitched) for the Florida Marlins affiliate. Taylor was called up to the Big Leagues by the Marlins in late April and made his debut April 26. The southpaw struggled in his three starts in the Major Leagues, however, going 0-2 with an 8.18 ERA. Taylor was a Single-A Florida State League All-Star in 2008.
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The trio of all-stars isn't the only RedHawks working their way up the minor leagues though, as six other former Miami ballplayers are progressing toward Major League Baseball.
Matt Long, who was drafted in 2005, is now teammates with Ely in Birmingham after being promoted from Advanced-A Winston-Salem May 4. Since joining the Barons, the right-handed hurler is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 12 appearances, all out of the bullpen. Long has recorded 10 punch-outs in 16.2 innings of work.
Another RedHawk at the Triple-A level (with Cook) is Chad Reineke, who has gone 3-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 20 outings for the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League. A 13th-round pick in 2004, Reineke's 70 innings pitched is second on the team, while his 51 strikeouts are third. The Defiance, Ohio, native made three starts for the San Diego Padres in 2008 and went 2-1 before joining the Oakland A's organization.
Keith Weiser, who was taken by the Colorado Rockies in 2006 (third round), was promoted to Double-A Tulsa late in 2008 and has been impressive for the Drillers in 2009. He earned Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors April 20 after tossing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. The left-hander has a 5-8 record and 4.44 ERA in 16 starts. His 95.1 innings pitched are third in the Texas League, while his 59 punch-outs are 10th.
The three other former RedHawks in the minor leagues are Connor Graham, Jordan Petraitis and Tommy Nurre. Graham plays for the Modesto Nuts of the Advanced-A California League where he has a 4-4 mark with a 3.74 ERA, which is tops among starters on the team, and 63 strikeouts. Petraitis, who was drafted this past June, is playing for the Boise Hawks in the Class-A Short Season Northwest League, while Nurre, also a 2009 selection, is with the Billings Mustangs of the Rookie Pioneer League.
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