SOUTHERN BASES JACKSONVILLE SUNS LEFTY CLAYTON KERSHAW IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE BEST PITCHING PROSPECT IN THE MINOR LEAGUES.

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1 SOUTHERN BASES Volume XIV, Issue 1 April 4, 2008 An Official Publication of the Southern League THE NEXT BIG THING? JACKSONVILLE SUNS LEFTY CLAYTON KERSHAW IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE BEST PITCHING PROSPECT IN THE MINOR LEAGUES.

2 SOUTHERN LEAGUE PROSPECT SAMPLER Clayton Kershaw, LHP Jacksonville Suns The seventh overall pick in the 2006 draft, Kershaw overmatched hitters with a mid-90s fastball and devastating curve last year - his first full season as a professional. Playing the entire 2007 season at just 19 years of age, Kershaw ranked second among all full-season minor leaguers with a ratio of strikeouts per nine innings and fifth with a.201 batting average against. After going 7-5 with a 2.77 ERA and 134 strikeouts in just 97 innings with Class-A Great Lakes, Kershaw jumped up two levels to the Southern League in early August. In just his third Double-A start, Kershaw allowed only two hits in six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts en route to Southern League Pitcher of the Week honors. Kershaw, who turned 20 on March 19, was arguably the best pitcher in spring training for the Dodgers. He posted a 0.90 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 10 innings before being assigned to Jacksonville. Cameron Maybin, OF Carolina Mudcats Like the players for whom he was traded - Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis - did five years ago, Maybin may require only a short time in the Southern League before proving he belongs in the majors. In fact, he only logged six games in Double A last year before being called up to the majors in mid-august. Maybin, who turns 21 on the release date of this newsletter, was acquired by the Florida Marlins in a six-player blockbuster deal with the Detroit Tigers in December. Cabrera and Willis both played for the Mudcats in 2003 before helping the Marlins win the World Series later that year. Cabrera hit.365 in 69 games and Willis was 4-0 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts before getting the call. Expectations are lofty for Maybin, who was the 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft. The Marlins center fielder of the future has hit.309 with a.487 slugging percentage and 52 stolen bases in 192 career minor league games. Jake McGee, LHP Montgomery Biscuits Wade Davis, RHP Montgomery Biscuits 1 McGee enters 2008 equipped with not only Double-A experience but also a Southern League Championship Series victory on his resume. Following a 2007 campaign in which he ranked fourth in the minor leagues with 175 strikeouts, McGee emerged a 2-1 winner in Game Two of the league championship series with six impressive innings. The Biscuits went on to capture a second straight title. With an explosive fastball and a nasty slider, McGee fanned 145 batters in the advanced Class-A Florida State League last year before making his Double-A debut on August 9 - three days after his 21st birthday. In his second start as a Biscuit, he allowed just one hit in 6 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to beat division-rival Jacksonville and earn Southern League Pitcher of the Week honors. Overall in 2007, McGee ranked third among all full-season minor leaguers with a ratio of strikeouts per nine innings and eighth with a.207 batting average against. SOUTHERN BASES Like McGee, Davis received a Southern League championship ring on Opening Night after being a vital part of the team s staff down the stretch in Davis played the entire second half of last season with Montgomery, going 7-3 with a 3.15 ERA and better than a strikeout per inning. His victory over the Suns on August 31 clinched a playoff berth for the Biscuits. Davis was named Tampa Bay s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2007after leading the organization with a 2.50 ERA and ranking second with 169 strikeouts. A third-round pick in 2004, Davis pitched a seven-inning no-hitter for Vero Beach of the Florida State League on May 4, one of his career-high 10 victories in While not armed with the same velocity as McGee, Davis can crank his fastball up to the mid-90s and complement it with a good curveball. An intense competitor, Davis consistently challenges hitters and seldom allows solid contact. He gave up only 22 extrabase hits (3 HR) in 80 innings with Montgomery last year.

3 SOUTHERN LEAGUE PROSPECT SAMPLER Jordan Schafer, OF Mississippi Braves Exuding confidence and talent both offensively and defensively, Schafer is considered the long-term answer in center field for the Atlanta Braves following the offseason departure of Andruw Jones. Schafer led the minor leagues with 176 hits in 2007, with his ascension from Class A to advanced Class A bridged by an 18-game hitting streak. Schafer continued to impress in the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League, batting.324 with 10 steals in 26 games. Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox also became a fan in spring training, during which Schafer hit.316. He looks great, Cox told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. He s real smooth, does everything well and he knows how to play. He really knows the game, knows situations. Entering his first Double-A season at age 21, Schafer will join an outfield that includes 2007 league All-Star Carl Loadenthal. Matt LaPorta, OF Huntsville Stars Arguably the best hitter available in the 2007 draft, LaPorta was selected seventh overall by the Milwaukee Brewers. After hitting.402 with 20 home runs as a senior at Florida, LaPorta wasted little time proving he could hit professionally as well. The hulking righthanded hitter belted a home run in his first atbat for short-season Helena on July 30 and was promoted to Class-A West Virginia a week later. In just 88 at-bats in the Midwest League, LaPorta connected for 10 home runs to yield a gaudy.750 slugging percentage. LaPorta added six more home runs and slugged.500 in the Arizona Fall League. LaPorta, who hit.353 this spring, appears major league-ready with the bat. A first baseman in college, the 23-year-old has been shifted to the outfield as a pro with the presence of Prince Fielder in Milwaukee. Once he can prove competent in right field, LaPorta could join an already potent Brewers offense. Tyler Colvin, OF Tennessee Smokies Chris Volstad, RHP Carolina Mudcats Chosen 13th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2006 draft, Colvin employed an aggressive hitting style that paid dividends in his first full professional season last year. In a campaign split between advanced Class A and Double A, Colvin batted.299 with 56 extra-base hits, including 16 homers, and added three doubles in the SL playoffs. A native of Augusta, GA and product of Clemson, Colvin has had a penchant for hitting in the clutch since turning pro. In 228 career at-bats with runners in scoring position, he has produced 71 hits - good for a.311 average - and 102 RBI. The 22-year-old also went 4-for-9 (.444) in those situations during a six-game stint with Team USA last fall. Colvin took a liking to Smokies Park last year, as evidenced by his.324 average in 28 games there. A smooth defender with a strong throwing arm, the 6-3, 190-pound Colvin has yet to commit an error in any Southern League ballpark. Volstad provided a glimpse of his vast talent to Mudcats fans last year. The 16th player chosen in the 2005 draft, Volstad went 4-2 with a 3.16 ERA in seven starts with Carolina - and that includes a rough outing in which he allowed nine earned runs in four innings. Volstad was particularly impressive at Five County Stadium, where he sported a 1.75 ERA in four starts. Standing at 6-7, Volstad is an intimidating presence on the mound. Although he allowed 193 hits - tied for 12th most in the minors last year - over two levels, Volstad showed improvement as the season progressed. In a six-start stretch from July 23- August 24, the native of Palm Beach Gardens, FL allowed only 25 hits in 40 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old Volstad carried the momentum of his strong finish to 2007 into spring training. Capped by four scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on March 29, Volstad tied for the team lead with three victories to go with a 3.68 ERA in training camp. SOUTHERN BASES 2

4 SOUTHERN LEAGUE NOTES RHP Carlos Torres, who claimed last year s final Southern League Pitcher of the Week award, is back to defend his crown. Torres allowed just six hits and struck out a whopping 18 batters in his final 9 2/3 innings of The left side of Birmingham s infield has a 2006 feel to it as 3B Micah Schnurstein and SS Robert Valido have returned to the club. Schnurstein spent all of 2006 with the Barons before leading the advanced Class-A Carolina League in home runs (25) and extra-base hits (65) in Valido, who played in 45 games with the Barons in 2006, struggled in the first half of 2007 with Birmingham and spent the second half with Schnurstein in Winston-Salem. With Southern League President Don Mincher on hand, the Barons pitched a one-hitter to post a 3-0 victory in their opener. RHP Lucas Harrell worked the first five innings, allowing a fourth-inning single. The Mudcats enter 2008 with a staff stacked with talented righthanders. In addition to Chris Volstad, who was the Marlins first-round choice in 2005, Carolina boasts 2006 first-rounder Brett Sinkbeil, 2005 firstround pick Jacob Marceaux and 2005 supplement firstround choice Ryan Tucker. Sinkbeil went 6-4 with a 3.42 ERA in 14 starts with Class-A Jupiter last season before impressing in Hawaii with three wins, a save and a 1.64 ERA in eight appearances. Marceaux made 30 appearances out of the bullpen and Tucker posted a 3.71 ERA in 24 starts for Jupiter in The talent isn t limited to the mound, however, as 1B Gaby Sanchez begins the season in Carolina a year after ranking second in the Florida State League in both runs (89) and doubles (40). Thanks to a homer by OF Cameron Maybin and a two-run double by SS Manuel Mayorson, Matt Raleigh won his managerial debut on April 3. RHP Burke Badenhop allowed just an unearned run in 6 1/3 innings. OF Danny Dorn has returned to Chattanooga after making a solid first impression in the Southern League last year. The 23-year-old Dorn batted.311 with eight homers and 21 RBI in just 26 games with the Lookouts in 2007 after spending the first four months of the season in the Florida State League. He hit safely in each of his final six games of 2007, helping the Lookouts conclude the season riding a six-game winning streak. Dorn won the Pioneer League batting title with a.354 average in Beginning a second straight season in Chattanooga, OF Cody Strait homered in an 11-1 exhibition win against Chattanooga State on April 2. RHP Johnny Cueto, who went 6-3 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts for the Lookouts last year, dominated in winning his major league debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 3. Cueto carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before allowing a home run to Justin Upton, who also starred in the Southern League in The 22-year-old Cueto allowed just the one run and hit in seven innings with 10 strikeouts, including six of eight batters in one stretch. Including his first major league start, Cueto has struck out 9.49 batters per nine innings pitched since the start of the 2006 season. The Stars 2008 roster features 3B Mat Gamel, who is coming off an All-Star campaign in the Hawaii Winter Baseball League. Gamel batted.333 and led the circuit in hits (40), runs (25), total bases (73) and slugging percentage (.608). He also paced the league with eight home runs in 33 games after connecting just nine times in 128 games with Brevard County of the Florida State League last summer. Under the tutelage of former major league third baseman Don Money, Gamel will be focusing on his defense in Huntsville after leading all minor league third basemen with 53 errors in In the regular-season debut of their new logo, the Stars posted an 8-2 victory over the Mississippi Braves on April 3. The new logo was especially fitting for the exploits of OF Matt LaPorta, who launched a fourth-inning grand slam in his first Double A game. LaPorta is used to making a splash in his debut for a new club. He homered in his first professional at-bat last July, had two hits and an RBI in his first South Atlantic League game a week later and cranked a two-run homer in his first Arizona Fall League game two months after that. 3 SOUTHERN BASES Los Angeles Dodgers reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year RHP James McDonald rejoins the Suns after dominating with the club in In 10 Double-A starts last year, McDonald went 7-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings. He did not allow more than two earned runs in any start and limited the opposition to a.218 batting average.... Following in the footsteps of 2007 Southern League All- Star Chin-Lung Hu, SS Ivan DeJesus, Jr. gives the Suns another slickfielding shortstop. Hu set a Southern League record with a.981 fielding percentage in 2006 and dazzled again with the glove before being promoted to Triple A last July. DeJesus, who led the South Atlantic League in double plays turned in 2006, is the son of a shortstop who played in the major leagues from Jacksonville won for the eighth time in their last nine openers with a 6-3 triumph against West Tenn on April 3. Although McDonald allowed three runs - two earned - in three innings, the bullpen combined for six hitless frames. RHP Yhency Brazoban, who was making his first Southern League appearance since 2004, struck out the side in the ninth for the save.

5 SOUTHERN LEAGUE NOTES Jackson, Mississippi native 3B Van Pope returns for a second straight season with the Braves, looking to build on the momentum he established during the final three months of After hitting just.150 through the first two months of last year, Pope batted a respectable.272 with five of his six home runs the rest of the way.... The Braves have a returning midseason All-Star in both the outfield and the infield. OF Carl Loadenthal, who also was voted as the league s best hustler in 2007, and SS Diory Hernandez were among the nine players selected to represent the hometown Braves in last year s midsummer classic. Loadenthal finished last season second in the league with 40 stolen bases and fourth with 143 hits. Hernandez was fifth in the league with a.307 average, seven percentage points ahead of Loadenthal. The Braves home opener is scheduled for April 9, and the first 5,000 fans that night will receive a free 2008 magnetic schedule. The first 2,500 fans arriving the next night will receive a free league calendar. Two of the last three Southern League Most Valuable Players - and last year s Most Outstanding Pitcher - have worn a Biscuits uniform. Montgomery will look to continue the trend with a 2008 crop that includes last year s postseason hero OF Sergio Pedroza and Southern League Championship Series MVP OF Chris Nowak. Pedroza s ninth-inning, three-run homer in Game Five of the championship series vaulted the Biscuits to their second straight title. Nowak collected 11 hits, including three home runs and a single to trigger the final-inning rally, in the series. 2B Rusty Ryal returns to the BayBears after concluding last season with a flourish. In his penultimate game of 2007, Ryal hit a pair of RBI doubles and a three-run homer in Mobile s 12-3 victory at Mississippi on September 1. In his final seven games last year, Ryal hit three home runs and collected 11 RBI.... RHP Brooks Brown, a supplemental first-round pick in the 2006 draft, begins his second stint in Mobile after going 4-4 with a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts with the club last year. Beginning with a dazzling performance on August 12, when he allowed just two hits and struck out 11 batters in seven innings, Brown posted a 1.44 ERA in his final four starts of Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith will throw out the first pitch for Mobile s second game of the season on Friday, April 4. Smith, who won 13 Gold Gloves as a shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals, participated in the Step Up to the Your Library program, appearing at Baker High School. Brett Butler, who managed the team in 2007 before suffering a mild stroke, also will be on hand. Before hosting the Chattanooga Lookouts on April 3, the 15 returning players and two returning members of the coaching staff were presented with 2007 Southern League Championship rings. The largest Opening Day crowd in Riverwalk Stadium s history (7,251) were there to witness the ceremony. Although LHP Jake McGee pitched six strong innings after receiving his ring, the Biscuits were dealt a 4-1 setback.... The first 3,000 fans arriving on April 4 will receive replica championship rings. RHP Jeff Samardzija returns to Tennessee in 2008, much to the delight of the Smokies faithful. An All- American wide receiver at Notre Dame before signing a long-term deal with the Chicago Cubs, Samardzija frequently was swarmed by autograph seekers in his first tour of duty with Tennessee last year. Also a crowd pleaser on the mound, Samardzija won his first three Double-A starts with the Smokies and was 2-1 with a 1.86 ERA at Smokies Park in He also started Tennessee s lone home playoff game, allowing two earned runs in six innings of an eventual 11-6 triumph.... 3B Kyle Reynolds also is back after a successful half season in Tennessee in Capped by 12 RBI in his final seven games, Reynolds drove in 35 runs in as many games with the Smokies last year. OF Tyler Colvin was the only Smokie to get a hit in the 2008 season opener, a 3-0 loss at Birmingham on April 3. Tennessee had scored nine times in an exhibition victory over Walters State in the third annual Rocky Mountain Showdown earlier in the week. Reynolds and OF Ryan Harvey, a first-round pick in 2003, each clubbed a three-run homer in the triumph. West Tenn has fielded an Opening Day roster that includes 13 players who wore the Diamond Jaxx uniform last year. RHP Doug Fister, who tied for the team lead with seven wins last year, will return to headline West Tenn s rotation. 1B Marshall Hubbard also is back after ranking fourth in the Southern League with 78 RBI and 51 extra-base hits last year. The club also has a pitcher with a full year of major league experience in RHP Brandon Morrow. The fifth overall selection in the 2006 draft following a standout collegiate career at California, Morrow spent last season as a setup man in the Seattle Mariners bullpen. Morrow had just 16 innings of professional experience before going 3-4 with a 4.12 ERA and better than a strikeout per inning as a major league rookie last year. The Diamond Jaxx began the 2008 campaign with a 6-3 loss at Jacksonville, marking their sixth consecutive defeat dating to last season. The club earned a split of its 10-game season series against the Suns last year thanks to a nail-biting triumph in the final meeting on April 25. Despite establishing a season high in runs in that contest, the Diamond Jaxx had to hold on after allowing five runs in the ninth inning. SOUTHERN BASES 4

6 GET YOUR SL MEDIA GUIDES HERE! Expand your Southern League knowledge! The 2008 Southern League Media Guide has been unveiled and can be ordered from the souvenir stand under the General Info drop-down menu on the league s official web site: Pictured at left, the 2008 media guide contains valuable information for each of our 10 clubs, schedules, league records, features about league events such as the Rickwood Classic and the All-Star Game and much more! TRIVIA QUESTION The Jacksonville Suns won seven consecutive games on Opening Day before falling to the Tennessee Smokies in last year s season opener. Which team holds the league s longest active Opening Day winning streak? ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Writer, Managing Editor and Graphic Designer Joe Barbieri Editor Lori Webb Action Photo Credits Jay Metz (Cover) Southern Bases would like to thank the following people for their assistance: Nikolaus Johnson (Carolina Mudcats), Brian Massey (Huntsville Stars), Brad Rodriguez (Jacksonville Suns) and Brian Byrd and Nicholas Skinner (Mississippi Braves). Copyright 2008, The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of Southern Bases, in whole or part without the expressed written consent of the Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Inc., is strictly prohibited. TRIVIA ANSWER Order your copy today! The Huntsville Stars, who have won their last three Opening Day games - all against the Mississippi Braves. SOUTHERN BASES 5