TOLBERT MAKES OPENING DAY ROSTER

Matt Tolbert (Dans 01-Ole'Miss) is on the opening day roster as a backup infielder for the Minnesota Twins. Matt batted .293 with 24 doubles and 7 triples in 121 games for Rochester last season. He is the 3rd players from the 2001 Danville Dans team to play at the Major League level, joining Jon Papelbon (Boston) and Erik Stults (Dodgers). The Dans were coached in 2001 by Bill Ferrari.

KIMMEY SPEARHEADS WIN FOR BAYLOR

In midweek action this week, Brooks Kimmey (Dans 08) helped spearhead a 14 hit attack for #20 Baylor as they defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Kimmey was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI.

A Jr. transfer from Temple JC, he played last summer for the Clarinda A's of the MINK League and was named the league's 9th best prospect by Baseball America, 3rd among catchers. He led the team with a .382 average.

Brooks is a pre-med major, and the son of Kathy & Charlie Kimmey.

MOORE NAMED BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Purdue outfielder, Jon Moore (Dans 2006) who was named, by the Big Ten, Co-Player of the week for his performance in a 4 game sweep over Western Illinois.

Jon posted a .667 batting average with a slugging percentage of .867. The junior tallied mutliple hits in each contest and scored at least one run in every game. On Sunday, Moore went 3-for-3 with 2 runs and a double before finishing the weekend by hitting 3-for-5 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and a run in the nichtcap to complete the series.

WORTH MOVES UP IN TIGERS' SYSTEM

Selected by the Tigers last year out of Pepperdine in the 2nd round of the annual June draft, Danny Worth (Dans 05')was assigned to high Single-A Lakeland where he started at shortstop. He made his Double-A debut with the Erie SeaWolves late in the season and helped the club win it's first Eastern League Southern Division championship since 2001.

"I was intimidated on the flight to Erie," Worth said. "I was nervous going to Double-A my 1st summer. No pressure, right? But when I got there, the guys were great and Matt Walbeck (former manager) was a great manager who made me fit in." Worth did not disappoint. He went 6-for-14 with four RBIs in Erie's last five regular-season games and played in all for of the first-round plyaoff games against Akron.

Baseball America rates Worth, who is 6 feet 1 inch and 80 pounds, No. 8 on its pre-season list of the Tiegers' top 30 prospects. Worth is known as a smooth, solid, though not flashy, infielder. He has an above-average arm and above-average range, but the strengths of his defense are outstanding footwork and a quick release. During the offseason, Worth played in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league where he hit .292.

Worth spent three weeks this spring with the Tigers in their major league camp. "There are expecations on everyone, not just the top guys," Worth said in an interview with reporter, Ron Leonardi. "Everyone still has to work hard and try to get to the next level and beat the one they're currently at."

BOWEN NAMED NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Mississippi State sophomore right-hander Ricky Bowen (Dans 07’) made his SEC start a memorable one last Sunday. The Jasper, Ala., native delivered a complete-game, two-hit shutout of fifth-ranked Mississippi in the final game of the SEC season-opening weekend series between the Bulldogs and Ole’ Miss. Bowen came within an out of nailing down a no-hitter.

For his exploits, he has been honored as the SEC Pitcher of the Week and Collegiate Baseball newspaper’s Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week.

Bowen retired the first 14 UM batters and faced one batter over the minimum with 10 strikeouts through eight innings. He finished the 9th with an MSU staff season-high 11 strikeouts.

Bowen is one of 36 Dans Alumni from Mississippi State. In 2008, MSU will be represented on the Dans by: Michael Busby (IF/RHP), Forrest Moore (1B/RHP), and Paxton Pace (P/IF).

NAPPIE CONTINUES HOT HAND

Jason Nappi, 2007 Danville Dan, continues to hit at a blistering pace for his Mississippi State Bulldogs, sporting a .519 batting average through seven games. One of Nappi's 3 home runs includes a grand slam, to give his team the lead and eventual win, against UAB (University of Alabama Birmingham). Jason's current stats include 11 runs, 14 hits, 3 doubles and 9 RBI's.

DANS GRIFFIN CONTINUES TO RACK UP HONORS

All-American closer for San Diego, AJ Griffin, Danville Dan 2007, has been tabbed as the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Griffin, a 6-5 right-hander from El Cajon, recorded three saves this past week in helping USD close out wins over No. 10 Long Beach State, Cal Poly and No. 24 Fresno State. Griffin allowed no earned runs and recorded 11 strikeouts for the week. He picked up his first save in the win over No. 10 Long Beach State, then he picked up back-to-back saves in the double-header against Cal Poly and No. 24 Fresno State. Against Fresno State, Griffin tossed two complete innings and struck out five of the six batters he faced. In the save against LBSU, he tossed 1.2 innings and struck out three batters while not allowing a run to cross the plate. In the win over Cal Poly, Griffin didn't give up a single hit in 1.0 innings of work.

DANS IN PRO BALL

Thirty-six (36) Dans finished the 07’ season playing professional ball at all levels in the systems listed below. As soon as the regular season begins and assignments are made, we will begin 08’ updates.
* indicates Major League Baseball or MLB alumni. ** players invited to MLB spring training camp. All others – minor league.

Chris Michalak (Dans 1992-Notre Dame) Washington *
Jon Knott (Dans 1999- Miss State) Orioles (Twins 08) *
Randy Ruiz (Dans 1999-Believue) Twins **
Shane Youman (Dans 2000-LSU) Pirates (Phillies 08) *
Jon Armitage (Dans 2000-Georgia) Texas Heat (Independent)
Jon Papelbon (Dans 2001-Miss. State) Boston Red Sox *
Eric Stults (Dans 2001-Bethel) Los Angeles Dodgers *
Matt Tolbert (Dans 2001-Ole’ Miss) Twins **
Anthony Cupps (Dans 2002-Ole Miss) Arizona
J.C. Holt (Dans 2002-Ole’ Miss) Braves
Van Pope (Dans 2003-Ole’Miss) Braves
Steve Spurgeon (Dans 2003-Pacific) White Sox
Matt Daley (Dans 2003-Bucknell) Rockies
Jeremy Jirschele (Dans 2003-Univ of Wisconsin-Oshkosh) Royals
Korey Feiner (2003-Univ of Wisconsin-Oshkosh) Twins
Ty Davis (Dans 2004-Vanderbilt) Arizona
Jeffrey Rea (Dans 2004-Miss State) Cubs
Brian Cartie (Dans 2004-McNeese State-Baylor) St. Louis
Paul Coleman (Dans 2004-Pepperdine) Dodgers
Steve Hammond (Dans 2004-Sac City) Brewers
Matt Czimskey (Dans 2004-Baylor) Brewers
Chris Coghlan (Dans 2004-Ole’Miss) Marlins **
Jordan Abruzzo (Dans 2004-San Diego) Mets
Nate Bowman (Dans 2004-San Diego)– Angels
Josh Johnson (Dans 2004-Miss State) Tampa Bay
Danny Worth (Dans 2005-Pepperdine) Detroit **
Jordan Powell (Dans 2005-DACC-Southern IL) Astros
Justin Snyder (Dans 2005-San Diego) Yankees
Mitch Moreland (Dans 2005-Miss State) Rangers
Dan Sattler (Dans 2005-Purdue) Texas
Wes Roemer (Dans 2005-Cal State Fullerton ) Arizona **
Dusty Napoleon (Dans 2005-Univ of Iowa) Oakland
David Dinelli (Dans 2006-Sierra) Astros
Wynn Diggs (Dans 2006-Miss State) San Angelo Colts (Independent)
Jason Anderson (Dans 1998/1999-Illinois) Phillies
Darryl Hall (Dans 2001/2002-Ole’ Miss) Pensacola Pelicans (Independent)