July 28, 2004
Notre Dame has sent 39 players on to professional baseball during the 10-year tenure of head coach Paul Mainieri, with the program’s 17 active pro players including nine who have joined the pro ranks during the last three years.
The former Notre Dame players currently playing on various levels of pro baseball include current major leaguers Craig Counsell (Milwaukee Brewers) and Brad Lidge (Houston Astros), plus four others currently on triple-A rosters (Chris Michalak, Christian Parker, Aaron Heilman and Brant Ust). Several of the former ND players have turned in impressive 2004 professional seasons – led by Matt Macri’s hot start as a league all-star with the Tri-City Dust Devils (the Northwest League all-star game is slated for Aug. 3 in Spokane, Wash.).
Macri led Notre Dame in virtually every category during his 2004 All-America season and he’s up to the same tricks with the Dust Devils, as the Northwest League leader in slugging pct. (.652), doubles (12) and extra-base hits (22). The third baseman also ranks 2nd in the league in RBI (32), on-base pct. (.449), “OBS” (1.101 combined on-base and slugging) and triples (4), plus 3rd in batting avg. (.364) and 4th in hits (48).
Here’s a helpful website link for tracking minor-league players: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/Stats/playerfind.html.
Notre Dame 2004 Pro Baseball Update (July 28, 2004; check back later in the summer for additional updates and photos; also see team website addresses listed below along with each player’s data):
Brad Lidge
|
 |
Brad Lidge (RHP; Houston Astros) – has assumed closer role with Astros while continuing impressive three-year start to his major league career … owns 2.41 ERA in ’04 while converting 10 of 12 save opportunities in 48 appearances, plus a 2-5 record … his other ’04 stats include 88 strikeouts, 19 walks and 33 hits allowed (.170 opp. batting avg.) in 56 IP, with a 4.0 K-to-BB ratio and 9-inning averages of 14.1 Ks, 3.1 BB and 5.3 H (also 4 hit batters, 1 balk, 2 wild pitches, 35 groundouts, 16 holds, 18 games closed, 6 HR allowed, 0-of-4 opp. stolen bases, 0.93 walks/hits per IP, .314 opp. slug pct., .257 opp. on-base, 15.3 pitches per IP) … his MLB career stats in three seasons with the Astros are as follows: 3.31, 9-8, 132 GP/1 GS, 11 SV (18 opp.), 149.2 IP, 105 H, 12 HR, 11 HB, 197 Ks, 70 BB, .199 opp. avg., 7-of-17 opp. SB, 108 GO, 1.17 W/H per IP, 44 HOLD, 2.43 K/BB, 4.2 BB/9 IP, 11.9 K/9 IP, 6.3 H/9 IP, 2 BK, 6 WP, .328 SLUG, .304 OB.
Craig Counsell
|
|
Craig Counsell (IF; Milwaukee Brewers) – in the midst of his 10th Major League season while playing for his home-state team (after earlier stints with Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks) … was batting .254 (75-for-295) in 87 games played, with 43 runs scored, 2 home runs, 4 triples (15th in the National League), 11 doubles and 15 RBI … his other ’04 stats include 41 walks, 54 Ks, 10-of-13 SBs, .349 on-base, .339 slugging, 2 sac. flies, 5 sac. bunts, 3 HBP, 4 GDP and a .982 fielding pct. (4 Es) while playing mostly shortstop … his career stats in 746 games are as follows: .265 (615-for-2,322), 332 R, 18 HR, 19 3B, 104 2B, 203 RBI, 292 BB, 322 Ks, 42-of-66 SBs, .349 OB, .349 slug., 18 SAC, 35 SF, 17 HBP, 43 GDP, .985 fielding and 39 Es.
Aaron Heilman.
|
|
Aaron Heilman (RHP; Mets triple-A Norfolk Tides, International League) – hoping to make a return to the big-league level after pitching with the Mets in the final month of the 2003 season … workhorse for Norfolk staff, ranking 3rd in International League with 96 strikeouts … overcame rough start to ’04 season, currently owning 4.60 ERA (just above the team’s 4.13 staff ERA) and 5-8 record in 20 starts … his other ’04 stats include 46 walks, 124 hits and a .271 opp. batting avg. in 117.1 IP (with 9-inning averages of 7.4 Ks, 3.5 BB and 9.5 H), plus 15 HR allowed, 9 HB, 3 WP (he has hit 3-for-14/.214, with a run, 2 RBI and 4 Ks) … the Tides stand 4th in the league’s southern division at 47-53 … team website: www.norfolktides.com.
Chris Michalak
|
|
Chris Michalak (LHP; Marlins triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, Pacific Coast League) – 13th-year pro player who has been member of several organizations (including big-league stints with Diamondbacks, Rangers and Blue Jays) as primarily a lefthanded relief ace … opened ’04 season in other triple-A league (International), with Indianapolis Indians (a Brewers affiliate) … his stats with Indianapolis were as follows: 5.18, 2-6, 37 GP, 14 GF, SV, 48.2 IP, 65 H (.308 opp. avg.), 3 HR, 10 HB, 18 BB, 29 Ks, 2 WP, 2 BK (0-for-2 batting, BB, K) … now playing in PCL with Isotopes: 7.71, 5 GP, 1 GF, 9.1 IP, 15 H, .366, 3 HR, HB, 3 BB, 5 HB, WP, BK (team has 5.53 staff ERA and is 3rd in central division with 55-49 record) … team website: www.albuquerquebaseball.com.
Brant Ust
|
|
Brant Ust (IF; Tigers triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, International League) – batting .264 with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in 78 GP (75-for-284, 37 R, 2 3B, 12 2B, SAC, 4 SF, 3 HB, 9 BB, 68 Ks, 2-5 SB, GDP, .394 slig, .290 OB) … has made starts all over the field (37 at 3B, 18 at 2B, 11 in OF, 9 at SS, 3 at 1B) with 13 Es … team leads western division with 57-48 record (.277 team batting avg.) … his teammates include former LSU College World Series hero Warren Morris … team website: www.mudhens.com.
Christian Parker
|
|
Christian Parker (RHP; Expos triple-A Edmonton Trappers, Pacific Coast League) – has returned to the organization that drafted him in 1996 (he later played several years in Yankees organization) … currently on the DL, with his ’04 stats limited to 29 innings (8.07, 1-3, 8 GP/7 GS, 46 H/.393, 4 HR, 2 SAC, 3 SF, 13 BB, 17 Ks, 3 WP, BK (3-for-6 batting, 3 R, HR, 3 RBI, K) … team stood 3rd in northern division with 53-49 record (4.63 staff ERA) … his teammates include former UCLA ace Josh Karp … team website: trappersbaseball.com.
Steve Stanley
|
|
Steve Stanley (OF; A’s double-A Midland Rockhounds, Texas League) – recently returned to Midland, where he was a Texas League all-star in 2003 … had played during first half of 2004 in triple-A with Sacramento River Cats in Pacific Coast League (.227, 74 GP, 50-for-220, 42 R, 3 HR, 2 3B, 4 2B, 24 RBI, 8 SAC, 3 SF, 33 BB, 30 Ks, 9-11 SB, 2 GDP, .305 slug., .324 OB, 65 starts in OF, 4 Es, team .278 batting avg., team 1st in southern division at 61-43) … made immediate impact in first game back in Midland (June 28), batting 4-for-4 from leadoff spot while starting in center field (2 R, 2 RBI, SB, 6-4 win over El Paso) … his former ND teammate Danny Tamayo pitches in the Texas League with the Wichita Wranglers (both players were ’03 Texas League all-stars) while the league includes two familiar fields for ND baseball fans (San Antonio’s Wolff Stadium and Round Rock’s Dell Diamond) … his Midland teammates include former Nebraska ace Shane Komine and former Pittsburgh 1B Brant Colamarino … team website: www.midlandrockhounds.org.
Danny Tamayo (RHP; Royals double-A Wichita Wranglers, Texas League) – joined his classmate Heilman in battling back from slow start to ’04 season, now owning 5.01 ERA and 7-6 record with Wichita (17 GS, 93.1 IP, 118 H/.318, 11 HR, 7 HB, 29 BB, 75 Ks, 5 WP, 4.43 staff ERA, team owns 58-44 overall record and leads eastern division with 21-12 second-half record) … also made three ’04 starts with Wilmington (Del.) Blue Hens in Carolina League (9.53, 0-1, 11.1 IP, 16 H/.364, HR, 2 HB, 5 BB, 10 Ks, WP) … team website: www.wichitawranglers.com.
Brian Stavisky
|
|
Brian Stavisky (OF/1B; A’s advanced-A Modesto A’s, California League) – enjoying strong season, ranking 2nd in league with 29 doubles, 4th with 73 runs and 5th with .334 batting avg. and 43 extra-base hits … his other ’04 stats include 118 hits in 353 ABs, 92 GP, 37 BB, 56 Ks, 4-of-7 SB, 5 GDP, .406 OB, .524 slug. and .930 “OBS” … has made 56 starts in OF, 27 at 1B … team owns 63-38 overall record and leads league in 2nd half (19-11), plus league-best .305 overall team batting avg. … his teammates include former Florida State pitcher Matt Lynch (Stavisky’s 1st-inning HR vs. Lynch sparked ND’s Super Regional series win at FSU in ’02), plus former Stanford standout Jed Morris, former Texas 3B Omar Quintanilla and former Arizona State OF Andre Ethier … team website: modestoathletics.com.
Paul O’Toole
|
|
Paul O’Toole (C/OF/1B; double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, Southern League) – batting .231 with 3 HR and 14 RBI in 46 GP (31-for-134, 16 R, 8 2B, 3 SAC, 2 SF, HBP, 11 BB, 32 Ks, 4-6 SBs, 2 GDP, .358 slug., .291 OB, 33 starts at C, 6 at OF, 1 at 1B, 3 Es) … his teammates include former Rutgers ace Bobby Brownlie, former Purdue standout pitcher Chadd Blasko and former St. John’s IF Mike Dzurilla … Sammy Sosa played two games with the Jaxx during a ’04 rehab. assignment … team website: www.diamondjaxx.com.
J.P. Gagne
|
|
J.P. Gagne (Rockies single-A Tri-City Dust Devils, Northwest League) – currently playing alongside his former ND teammate Matt Macri … owns a 3.91 ERA and 3-1 record in 13 appearances with Tri-City (2 GF, 25.1 IP, 25 H/.248, HR, 10 BB, 23 Ks, 4 WP) … also has made 10 appearances in ’04 with Asheville Tourists of South Atlantic League (14.21, 0-3, 10 GP, 12.2 IP, 29 H/.433, 5 HR, 4 BB, 9 Ks, WP) … team website: dustdevilsbaseball.com.
Ryan Kalita (Cubs single-A Boise Hawks, Northwest League) – pitching in same league as his ND classmate J.P. Gagne, with 7.20 ERA in 3 GP (1-0, GF, 4 IP, 4 H/.250, 3 Ks, WP) … earlier made 12 relief appearances with Lansing Lugnuts in Midwest League (3.96, 0-2, 6 GF, SV, 18.2 IP, 19 H/.253, 5 BB, 13 Ks, WP) … his teammates in Boise include former FSU catcher Tony Richie … team stands 4th in league’s eastern division with 19-20 record … team website: www.boisehawks.com.
Matt Macri (Rockies single-A Tri-City Dust Devils, Northwest League) – rode momentum from All-America season at Notre Dame by compiling league all-star season (game is set for Aug. 3 in Spokane) … currently playing alongside his former ND teammate J.P. Gagne … leads league with .652 slugging pct., 12 doubles and 22 extra-base hits while ranking 2nd in RBI (32), on-base pct. (.449), “OBS” (1.101) and triples (4), 3rd in batting avg. (.364) and 4th in hits (48) … his other ’04 stats include 35 GP, 26 R, 6 HR, 2 SF, 5 HBP, 17 BB, 35 Ks, 4-9 SB, 3 GDP, 33 starts at 3B and 6 Es … the Dust Devils, based in Pasco, Wash., own a .273 team batting avg. (35 HR) and lead the league’s eastern division with a 22-17 record … team website: dustdevilsbaseball.com.
Chris Niesel (Indians single-A Lake County Captains, South Atlantic League) – recently promoted from Mahoning Valley Scrappers, sliding west across state to Eastake, Ohio, as member of Lake County Captains … his start with Scrappers included 2.30 ERA and 2-0 record in 5 GP/4 GS (27.1 IP, 13 H/.137, 2 HR, HB, 4 BB, 20 Ks, WP) … gave up 9 hits in 20 ABs in first start with Lake County (11.25, 4 IP, HR, BB, 6 Ks) … Captains are 51-51 overall and 5th in league 2nd-half standings (14-17) … former ND baseball student manager Katie Furman (’02) is director of community relatons for the Lake County Captains … team website: www.captainsbaseball.com.
Steve Sollmann (Brewers single-A Helena Brewers, Pioneer League) – batting .290 with 20 RBI in 32 GP (40-for-138, 29 R, 3B, 6 2B, 5 SAC, 5 HBP, 31 BB, 19 Ks, 5-8 SB, 3 GDP, .348 slug., .437 OB, .785 OBS, 37 starts at 2B, 7 Es) … Helena has a .285 team batting avg. and is 2nd in the league’s northern division (21-17) … his teammates include former West Virginia OF Jake Serfass and former Rice pitcher Josh Baker … team website: www.helenabrewers.net
Javi Sanchez (Twins single-A Elizabethton Twins, Appalachian League) – batting .257 in 22 GP (19-for-74, 7 R, 3B, 4 2B, 7 RBI, 4 HBP, 9 BB, 10 Ks, HDP, .338 slug., .368 OB, 706 OBS, 19 starts at C, 1 E) … team owns record of 20-13 … team website: www.elizabethtontwins.com
Tim Kalita (LHP) – currently on disabled list after pitching in recent seasons with Tigers triple-A Toledo Mud Hens and double-A Erie Sea Wolves.