elrockinMT Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Thought Sox fans might be interested in this story from Great Falls, MT, on the Pioneer Leagure Great Falls White Sox. Interesting to note that Carlos Lee's brother was drafted by the Sox and is in Great Falls. I didn't know that... Sox arrive in town Eight of team's top picks will play in Great Falls By SCOTT MANSCH -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Snyder once shared a clubhouse with big-league sluggers like Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva and Bob Allison, so he knows good hitting when he sees it. Snyder, the Chicago White director of minor-league instruction, thinks Great Falls fans will be able to enjoy the development of some sluggers when the Pioneer League season begins next week. "We're going to have some guys here who can juice the ball a little bit," said Snyder. "The organization is after pure power; that's one of the things we were lacking. I think several of the kids coming here can provide some of that. It will be interesting to see what they can do." The first wave of White Sox arrived in town Tuesday, a full week before the Pioneer League opener June 17 at Legion Park against the Billings Mustangs. Snyder, who will be in town for several weeks, confirmed that many of the organization's brightest young prospects are ticketed to play in Great Falls. Among them are eight of the team's top selections from the recent draft. Several are still unsigned, including first-round draft pick Brian Anderson. Snyder said the Sox hope Anderson, the University of Arizona slugger selected with the 15th overall selection, will be in Great Falls by next week. Anderson, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder, batted .366 with 14 homers and 62 RBI this spring at Arizona. In 145 career games for the Wildcats, he hit .342 with 130 RBI. Also slated to play for Great Falls from the 2003 draft are catcher-outfielder Ryan Sweeney (second round), outfielder Clinton King (third round), right-handed pitcher Matt Nachreiner (fifth round), outfielder Chris Kelly (sixth round), right-handed pitcher John Russ (eighth round), outfielder David Cook (ninth round) and left-handed pitcher Frasier Dizard (10th round). King hit .349 with 23 homers and 77 RBI at Southern Mississippi, while Kelly batted .337 with 15 homers and 55 RBI at Pepperdine. Cook hit .345-15-61 at Miami, Ohio. Second-year professionals Bo Ivy and Seth Morris are also outfielders assigned to the Great Falls roster, which means manager Chris Cron may well start the season with a logjam of flychasers. The Great Falls roster also includes first baseman Brandon Bounds, a 6-5, 195-pound 2002 draftee who slugged nine homers last summer in Bristol (Va.); Tim Huson, a 6-2, 200 2001 draftee who jacked four last in Bristol, and Micah Schnurstein, a seventh-rounder from the 2002 draft who starred last year in the Arizona Rookie League. Snyder said third baseman Carlos H. Lee, whose brother Carlos N. Lee is a starting outfielder for the Chicago White Sox, is also ticketed to play in Great Falls this summer. "It's a tentative roster," said Snyder, who played briefly in the major leagues with the Minnesota Twins in the early 1960s and managed the Seattle Mariners in 1988. He was a bench coach with the San Diego Padres in 1991-92 and has been with the Sox ever since. "Sometimes you have injuries and have to fill slots in other clubs. ... Most of our higher draft picks will be here." Snyder said he's been impressed with the Legion Park renovation project currently under way. "It's nice and spacious," he said. Of course, so is the playing field inself. "That's right," Snyder said. "We'll see how these young kids perform. We don't teach jerk-and-pull, we teach stay through the middle. We like to see gap power, and if it's gap power that reaches the fences, that's even better. "I'm looking forward to seeing this bunch of guys hit. I'm scheduled to be only through the 22nd (the completion of Great Falls White Sox' first homestand), but I might make that first road trip with them, too. I'm as excited as you are." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Wow I would have thought that Sweeney and Anderson would have started at a higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSOX45 Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Wow I would have thought that Sweeney and Anderson would have started at a higher level. Didn't they do this to Wyatt Allen last year? They started him off in low A ball and eventually moved him up to high-A. I even think he got to play in Charlotte for awhile....anyone know what I'm talking about CWSOX45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted June 11, 2003 Author Share Posted June 11, 2003 Have to do some checking on Wyatt. I do know that the Pioneer League has always had a good reputation. It is a mix of high school age and college players. I have to suffer through Cincinnati Reds ball here, but will be going to some games when the Great Falls Pale Hose come to town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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