EVENTS
Sportsman of the Year
Heisman Trophy
Swimsuit 2001
CENTERS
Fantasy Central
Inside Game
Video Plus
Statitudes
Your Turn
Message Boards
Email Newsletters
Golf Guide
Cities
CNNSI.com GROUP
Sports Illustrated
Life of Reilly
SI Women
SI for Kids
Press Room
TBS/TNT Sports
CNN Languages
COMMERCE
SI Customer Service
SI Media Kits
Get into College
Sports Memorabilia
TeamStore
|
 |
Futures Game: World Team Bios
The following are player profiles for the World Team for the 2001 Futures Game, which will be played Sunday in Seattle. Statistics are through July 1:
C Mike Rivera, Tigers (Puerto Rico)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- A career .276 hitter, Rivera is in the middle of his best season while playing for Class Erie. The 24-year-old native of Puerto Rico, who hit 13 homers and knocked in 63 runs at three levels last season, was hitting .309 with 27 homers and 75 RBI in 70 games through July 1 while leading Erie to the best record in Class AA. Rivera led the Eastern League in both homers and slugging percentage (.678) at the end of June. After hitting just .193 in 39 games for Class AA Jacksonville last season, he homered in his first two games this season, the first of seven times he has gone deep in consecutive contests. His .309 average ranked sixth-best in the league at the end of June. Signed as a free agent out of Troy (AL) State in the winter of 1997, Rivera led the rookie-level Gulf Coast League with 10 homers that summer. He also earned Class A Florida State League honors in 1999 when he hit 14 homers and knocked in 72 runs in 104 games before a late-season promotion to Class AA.
C Humberto Cota, Pirates (Mexico)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- The 22-year-old Cota has more than held his own in his first season at Class AAA. A native of Mexico, he hit .284 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 60 games for Nashville through July 1. Cota hit in nine of his first 12 games but was batting just .228 in April. The 6-foot, 175-pounder then hit .250 in May and .361 in June. A rookie-level Appalachian League All-Star (.310, 15 HR, 61 RBI) while a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' organization, Cota was acquired by the Pirates with catcher Joe Oliver for outfielder Jose Guillen in 1999.
SS Alfredo Amezaga, Angels (Mexico)
13th round pick in 1999 -- In his first season as a shortstop, the athletic Amezaga has played his way to the top of the Angels' prospect charts with a tremendous first half. The 23-year-old native of Mexico, who was drafted in the 13th round of the 1999 draft out of St. Petersburg (FL) Community College, batted .279 with four homers and 44 RBI for Class A Lake Elsinore last season. He stole 73 bases -- fifth among minor leaguers -- while posting an impressive .374 on-base percentage out of the leadoff spot. Amezaga stole a minor league-high 27 bases in August. The owner of a .382 career on-base percentage thanks to a terrific walk-strikeout ration (113 BB, 154 SO), has 23 steals for Class AA Arkansas this season while hitting .314 through the end of June.
SS Angel Berroa, Royals (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- During the offseason, the Athletics looked to improve themselves in the American League by acquiring outfielder Johnny Damon from the Kansas City Royals. With Oakland looking in from the outside of the playoff chase and the newly acquired Angel Berroa thriving in the middle of the infield for Class AA Wichita, Kansas City may have the last laugh in this deal. An aggressive hitter with power, speed and a terrific arm, Berroa was compared to current Oakland shortstop Miguel Tejada as he progressed through the farm system. The 20-year-old hit .277 with 10 homers and 63 RBI for Class A Visalia last season, then batted .317 with six homers, 25 RBI and 10 steals over two months in Class A Wilmington this spring, earning a promotion to Wichita. An Arizona League All-Star in 1999 and the fifth-youngest hitter to appear in the Class AA Texas League this season, Berroa hit .237 with three homers and 13 RBI for Wichita through July 1. He was 1-for-28 over his first nine games but hit .323 (21-for-65) in his next 17 contests.
SS Felipe Lopez, Blue Jays (Puerto Rico)
First round pick in 1998 (8th overall) -- Appearing on the World Team for the second straight season, Lopez has shot up through the Toronto farm system since being selected with the eighth overall pick in the 1998 draft. The 6-foot, 175-pound shortstop, who earned SportsTicker All-Teen honors for his play as the Southern League's second-youngest player last season, batted .257 with nine homers and 41 RBI while spending the entire year in Class AA. Lopez started this season back in Tennessee but was promoted to Class AAA Syracuse in late April. Since then, the 21-year-old has batted .285 with 28 extra-base hits and 23 RBI in 63 games.
SS Miguel Cabrera, Marlins (Venezuela)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1999 -- The Florida Marlins organization is packed with young hitting prospects and the 18-year-old Cabrera may be among the best. The third-youngest player to begin 2001 in a full-season league, the Venezuelan has more than held his own while playing for Kane County in the Class A Midwest League. The 6-2, 185-pound Cabrera, who was signed by the Marlins for $1.9 million in July 1999 -- a new record for players from Venezuela -- batted .295 with five homers and 51 RBI in 68 games through July 1. Cabrera also has scored 39 runs for the league's most potent offensive attack. He strung together a career-high nine-game hitting streak earlier this season and hit safely in 51 of his first 67 games for Kane County.
SS Wilson Betemit, Braves (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1996 -- The most talented positional player in Atlanta's farm system, Betemit has made the transition to full-season minor league ball an easy one by putting up impressive numbers as the Class A Carolina League's second-youngest hitter. A 19-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, Betemit hit .331 with five homers and 37 RBI while playing against much older and more experienced competition in the short-season Class A New York-Penn League last summer. Most impressively, he drew 30 walks against just 27 strikeouts, showing remarkable patience for a young hitter. The 6-2, 195-pound Betemit batted .278 with six homers and 41 RBI in the season's first three months. He hit five homers and drove in 21 runs in June after going deep just once and collecting 20 RBI over the season's first two months. Betemit signed with the Braves in July 1996, four months before his 16th birthday -- an act for which Atlanta was banned from scouting and signing other Dominican players for six months.
1B Luis Garcia, Red Sox (Mexico)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1996 -- Garcia had a tremendous first half for Class A Sarasota and was promoted to Class AA Trenton in the last week of June. A 22-year-old native of Mexico, he ranked fourth in the organization with a .303 average and second in both home runs (15) and RBI (51) through July 1. Garcia hit .260 with 20 homers and 77 RBI in 128 games in the Class A South Atlantic League last season. This year, he was hitting .303 with 12 homers and 44 RBI in 65 games with Sarasota before being promoted. He batted .302 (13-for-43) in his first 12 games with Trenton.
1B Carlos Pena, Rangers (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1998 -- One of the top hitting prospects in a Rangers' organization loaded with future big league hitters, the 23-year-old Pena has spent this season getting himself acclimated to Class AAA. The 10th overall selection in the 1998 draft, he made impressive strides with the bat last season and earned a nod on the SportsTicker All-Prospect Team after hitting .299 with 28 homers and 105 RBI for Class AA Tulsa. He walked nearly as many times (101) as he struck out (108), especially impressive for a power hitter. In addition, the 6-2, 210-pounder added 44 points to his batting average and increased his on-base percentage by 49 points. Pena reached safely in 45 consecutive games during one stretch, led the Texas League in runs (117), was second in RBI and tied for third in home runs. After batting just .159 vs. lefties in 1999, Pena posted a .304 mark against southpaws last year. This season, the Northeastern University product hit safely in his first eight games. Through July 1, he was hitting .233 with 11 homers and 32 RBI.
OF Alex Escobar, Mets (Venezuela)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1995 -- In his first season at Class AAA, Escobar has held his own and appeared in 11 games for the big league club. A member of the World Team in last summer's Futures Game, he was hitting .274 with nine homers and 31 RBI through July 1. A 22-year-old native of Venezuela who missed virtually the entire 1999 season with various injuries, Escobar hit .288 with 16 homers and 67 RBI in 122 games for Class AA Binghamton last year. A true five-tool talent, Escobar skipped a level, heading straight to the Eastern League even after his lost season of 1999 and still earned All-Star honors for the Mets. The 6-1, 180-pound Escobar, who hit .216 in 37 at-bats with the Mets earlier this season, has excellent speed which has translated to 94 stolen bases in 108 career attempts.
OF Bill Ortega, Cardinals (Cuba)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- A career .290 hitter, Ortega has come back from a wrist injury and performed well in his first season at Class AAA. A 25-year-old Cuban defector, he reportedly was making just $6 a month while playing in Cuba before he signed with the Cardinals in March 1997. This season, Ortega was batting .278 with four homers and 34 RBI in 76 games through July 1. The 6-4, 205-pound Ortega had his 2000 season end on July 18, when he collided with an umpire while rounding first base. His .325 average, 12 homers and 62 RBI still were enough to get Ortega a spot on the Texas League All-Star team, despite missing the final six weeks of the season.
OF Wily Mo Pena, Reds (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1998 -- Acquired by the Cincinnati Reds for Drew Henson and Michael Coleman, Pena has put together an impressive season as among the youngest players in full-season baseball. The 19-year-old Dominican Republic native, who struggled through an injury-shortened campaign in Class A last year, hit .272 with 15 homers and 72 RBI in his first 80 games with Class A Dayton through July 1. His 103 strikeouts ranked fifth among all minor leaguers. The second-youngest player in this year's game (Miguel Cabrera of the Marlins is the youngest), Pena ranked third in the Midwest League in homers and tied for first in RBI. The Yankees originally signed Pena to a $3.7 million major league contract after a heralded spring training camp tour in 1998. After a summer stint in 1999 in which he garnered SportsTicker All-Teen team honors, Pena had his sophomore season cut short by a knee injury.
OF Juan Rivera, Yankees (Venezuela)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1996 -- In his sixth season in the Yankees' organization and first full year in Class AA, the 22-year-old Rivera was putting together a fine season with Norwich before earning a promotion to Class AAA Columbus last week. The 6-2, 170-pound Rivera hit safely in 19 games from April 15-May 4, the Eastern League's second-longest streak this season, and left Norwich as the team leader in all three Triple Crown categories (.320, 14 HR, 58 RBI). He spent most of the 2000 campaign in a second tour with Class A Tampa and hit .276 with 14 homers and 69 RBI in 115 games before a late-season promotion to the Navigators. A Gulf Coast League All-Star in 1997 when he led the circuit in both home runs (12) and RBI (45), Rivera is an above-average defender in right field and has a plus throwing arm.
OF Wilken Ruan, Expos (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1996 -- The fastest player in the Expos' organization, Ruan flourished this season in advanced Class A Jupiter after spending the past two seasons in his second tour of duty in the Class-A South Atlantic League. The 21-year-old Ruan, who was moved to Class AA Harrisburg last week, was among the Florida State League leaders with 25 stolen bases. The 6-foot, 170-pounder is a career .276 hitter over four-plus minor league seasons. Ruan finished second in the South Atlantic League in steals (64) and hits (165) and tied for fourth in triples (10) last season. He posted hitting streaks of 13 and 23 games, the latter being the league's longest last year, and led Cape Fear with 20 infield hits.
RHP Danys Baez, Indians (Cuba)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1999 -- After defecting from Cuba in the fall of 1999 and signing a four-year, $14.5 million major league deal with the Indians, Baez has started to show why he one day should be a featured arm out of the Cleveland bullpen. The Indians reportedly signed Baez after seeing him -- via videotape only -- in the 1999 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg. After defecting, he established a temporary residence in Costa Rica, where his workouts sparked a bidding war. The Indians won and gave Baez the most money ever to an amateur player. Last season, his first in the United States, Baez overcame a rough start and ended up pitching a lot better than his 6-11 record and 4.02 ERA between Class A and Class AA may indicate. A reliever in Cuba, Baez was slow to adapt to a starting role and was moved back to the bullpen this season. He spent most of this season in Class AAA Buffalo (2-0, 3.20 ERA) and tossed five scoreless innings in three outings with the big club. A 6-4, 225-pound righthander, Baez relies on a mid-90s fastball and plus curveball. He lacks an effective third pitch and should benefit from the move back to the bullpen, where a third pitch is not as necessary as it would be for a starter.
RHP Grant Balfour, Twins (Australia)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- Signed in January 1997 out of Australia, Balfour has thrived in a relief role this season with Class AA New Britain. Over his first 28 appearances, the 23-year-old righthander was 2-1 with a 1.35 ERA. The 6-2, 170-pound Balfour, who saved six games for Class A Fort Myers last season, already had doubled that total through July 1. He did not allow a run in his first nine appearances and yielded just one run in 22 innings over 12 outings by the end of May. Last season, Balfour won five straight games at one point and did not allow an earned run over his final seven outings. A member of the Australian Olympic team last fall, he has limited opponents to a .144 average this year. Balfour has been even tougher in pressure situations, affording hitters just an .033 average (1-for-33) with runners on base and two outs and an .079 average (3-for-38) with runners in scoring position.
RHP Juan Cruz, Cubs (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- Few pitchers in the minor leagues made bigger strides than Juan Cruz last season. Cruz, who entered the year with a 7-10 mark and 5.99 ERA over two very hittable seasons in short-season ball, pitched well between two Class A levels and has continued that success at Class AA this season. The second-youngest pitcher to appear in the Southern League this year, Cruz went 7-1 with a 3.16 ERA in his first 15 starts. He has allowed as many as four earned runs just twice in his first 15 games and has not given up more than three earned runs in any of his last eight outings. Cruz, whom many have compared to Pedro Martinez because of a wiry frame (6-2, 155 pounds), mid-90s fastball and quick arm action, has piled up three double-digit strikeout games so far and fanned 95 batters -- third-best in the league -- through his first 79 2/3 innings.
LHP Carlos Hernandez, Astros (Venezuela)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- With an organization so deep in pitching, Hernandez has done everything possible to make a name for himself, most notably by increasing his velocity over the past few seasons. At just 5-10 and 145 pounds, the 21-year-old has recorded 308 career strikeouts while issuing just 135 walks. After spending 1997 in the Venezuelan Summer League and going 2-0 with a 1.33 in the Dominican Summer League the following season, Hernandez made his debut with Martinsville of the advanced rookie-level Appalachian League in 1999. He was 5-1 with a league-leading 1.79 ERA in 13 games, striking out 82 and walking just 23 in 55 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .184 batting average. Last year, the native of Venezuela made 22 starts for Class A Michigan, going 6-6 with a 3.82 ERA over 110 2/3 innings. Hernandez earned a spot on the Class AA Round Rock roster for the 2001 season and was 8-3 with a 4.19 ERA through July 1, striking out 111 and walking 49 in 88 innings.
LHP Alex Herrera, Indians (Venezuela)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- A 21-year-old native of Venezuela, Herrera has been as dominant as any reliever in the game this season. The 5-11, 175-pound lefthander has allowed just five runs -- three earned -- in 54 1/3 innings for Class A Kinston. Herrera pitched at three different levels last year and compiled a 4-4 record with a 2.91 ERA. He spent most of his time with Class A Columbus and struck out 41 in 42 innings. This season, Herrera allowed just one earned run over 19 1/3 innings in April. In June, he did not allow an earned run in 17 1/3 innings, struck out 25 and walked just three. Overall, Herrera was 4-0 with a 0.50 ERA in his first 25 outings, allowing 32 hits while striking out 76.
LHP Juan Pena, Athletics (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1995 -- In his sixth season in the Oakland organization, Pena is showing the A's they may have a solid lefthander on the farm. A 6-3, 190-pounder, he is 7-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 17 Class AA starts this season. A 22-year-old lefthander, Pena was a hard-luck 6-9 with a 3.86 ERA in the California League last season. He struck out 177 -- tied for fifth-best in Class A -- in 154 innings, but he also issued an alarming 75 walks. This year, Pena fanned 66 in his first 86 1/3 innings. After averaging nearly 4.5 walks per nine innings last season, he has averaged fewer than three this year. Pena, who struggled with a 4.22 ERA in June after a 2.39 ERA in May, does not throw very hard. His fastball rarely touches 90 miles per hour and he relies on his command more than velocity to get hitters out.
RHP Joel Pineiro, Mariners (Puerto Rico)
12th round pick in 1999 -- If he were a member of most major league organizations, the 22-year-old Pineiro most likely would be in the big leagues. But in suddenly pitching-rich Seattle, he is still awaiting an opportunity in Class AAA. A 12th-round pick in the 1997 draft, he is 6-3 with a 3.62 ERA in 18 games, including 10 starts, for Tacoma this season. Pineiro, who made his big league debut at the age of 21 and pitched in eight games for Seattle last season, is 5-2 as a starter and 1-1 in eight appearances out of the bullpen. Last season for Tacoma, Pineiro was 7-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 10 outings to earn a late-season promotion to the big leagues.
RHP Ricardo Rodriguez, Dodgers (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1996 -- Los Angeles skipped Rodriguez over the low Class A level, and the 22-year-old righthander has responded by leading the Florida State League with 10 wins. The 6-3, 195-pound Rodriguez won the pitching Triple Crown (10 wins, 1.88 ERA, 129 strikeouts) in the rookie-level Pioneer League last summer while leading the circuit with 95 2/3 innings pitched. Rodriguez, who limited batters to a microscopic .192 average, hurled five or more innings in 14 of his 15 outings and averaged 12.14 strikeouts per nine innings. He capped the season by winning his only playoff start, fanning 10 in 6 2/3 innings. In addition to leading the league in wins and innings pitched this season, Rodriguez ranks second with 98 strikeouts. A competitive hurler who combines know-how with good stuff, he spent three years in the Dominican Summer League before making his professional debut last summer at 21, an advanced age for the Pioneer League.
RHP Jae Seo, Mets (South Korea)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1998 -- One of the organization's most highly regarded pitching prospects when he signed with the Mets back in 1998, Seo has returned this season after missing nearly two full years with elbow problems and has been very impressive at both Class A and Class AA. A 24-year-old native of South Korea who made just three appearances in 1999 before being shut down with elbow problems, underwent "Tommy John" surgery and missed all of the 2000 campaign. After six outings in the Class A Florida State League earlier this season (2-3, 3.55 ERA), Seo was promoted to Class AA Binghamton and is 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA in 10 outings. The 6-1, 215-pound Seo is a remarkably polished hurler with uncommonly impressive command for someone who has missed so much time. He has walked just nine in his first 52 1/3 innings this season and has averaged fewer than two walks per nine innings in his brief career.
RHP Seong Song, Red Sox (South Korea)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1999 -- The Red Sox have made a habit of signing pitchers from the Far East and the 21-year-old Song may be the best of the lot. After a standout debut in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1999, he had a tremendous sophomore campaign as the short season Class-A New York-Penn League's strikeout king and has not missed a beat this year in his first full season of pro ball. The 6-1, 190-pound righthander was 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA in 13 starts last season, striking out 93 in 72 2/3 innings. Song has pitched in tough luck this season as his 3-2 record and 2.04 ERA -- fifth-best in the league -- indicate. Last week, he was promoted to advanced Class A Sarasota after striking out 79 and issuing 18 walks in 75 innings for Augusta.
RHP Jose Valverde, Diamondbacks (Dominican Republic)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 1997 -- Valverde entered this season with a 3-10 mark over his first three years. This year has been different as the 21-year-old righthander has exploded by striking out nearly two batters per inning (36 1/3 IP, 65 SO) and ranks among the top 10 in the minor leagues, fanning 16.10 batters per nine innings. Like many young hard-throwers, Valverde struggles with his control. He has issued 22 walks this season and has averaged a strikeout every other inning as a pro. The 6-4, 220-pound righthander, who complements a mid-90s fastball with a nasty slider, has averaged morethan a strikeout per inning at each level he has pitched but still lacks the command to be a legitimate closer candidate in Arizona.
LHP Erik Bedard, Orioles (Canada)
6th round pick in 1999 -- Unknown to most around baseball despite a 9-4 mark with a 3.57 ERA for Class A Delmarva last season, Bedard spent the first half of the 2001 campaign proving he belonged alongside the Baltimore Orioles' top pitching prospects. The 22-year-old lefthander, who was selected in the sixth round of the 1999 draft out of Norwalk (CT) Community College, began last season in Delmarva's bullpen and made three spot starts over the first six weeks before being moved into the rotation due to injuries. He threw a shutout -- fanning 14 without a walk -- in his third start and went on to strike out 131 in 111 innings. This season for advanced Class A Frederick, Bedard was 8-2 in his first 12 starts. Along the way, he compiled four double-digit strikeout games over a span of six starts and had a 2.37 ERA on June 10, when he was shut down because of an arm injury.
|
|
|
