Hawai'i pros working their way up ranks

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

In one way or another, Hawai'i athletes are feeling the effects of the terrorist attacks on the United State last Tuesday.

Three players with Hawai'i ties played in the majors this season — the New York Mets' Benny Agbayani (Hawai'i Pacific), top; the Houston Astros' Chris Truby (Damien), middle, and the Pittsburgh Pirates' Mike Fetters (Iolani). Advertiser library photos

"At first I was real sketchy about flying," said Kaanoi, The Advertiser's 2000 high school Pitcher of the Year while at Kamehameha. "But now I think things are getting under control. I just want to play."

Added Santos: "It's kind of spooky. They caught a couple of guys in (Florida). That's where we have to stop."

But both are anxious to advance their careers.

Kaanoi, a right-handed pitcher, was a seventh-round selection of the Royals in the 2000 draft. After four starts in the rookie Gulf Coast League, where he went 2-1 with a 0.56 earned run average, he was promoted to Single-A Charleston (W.Va.) of the South Atlantic League, finishing 0-1 with a 4.29 ERA in four starts.

A shoulder injury at the end of his first season required offseason surgery. Kaanoi was on extended spring training and started this season at rookie ball in the Gulf Coast League, where he was 2-5 with a 5.87 ERA in 14 outings, three of them starts. He was then promote to Single-A Spokane (Wash.) of the Northwest League, where he was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts. He welcomed the instructional league invitation.

"I'll get more innings," Kaanoi said. "I didn't get to pitch much because of my shoulder. I can work on a few things, like my off-speed. My curve hasn't been doing too well."

He said his shoulder is about 90-95 percent healed. Still, his fastball reached as high as 94 mph and averaged between 91 and 92 mph, a nice complement to his changeup. He would like to add another pitch, probably a cutter, a pitch that runs into a left-handed hitter.

"I need one more pitch if I want to go any farther," Kaanoi said.

The most noticeable difference between rookie and Class A ball was hitters' discipline, Kaanoi said. The Single-A hitters "wouldn't chase certain pitches."

Santos, a 22nd round pick by the Royals out of St. Louis High in 1999, had issues of his own after his 2000 season — his second in pro ball — in which he struck out 165 times in 132 games in two different Single-A leagues. This past season at Single-A Burlington (Iowa), he batted .252 with 16 home runs and 83 RBIs. More important, he cut down his strikeouts to 101 in 121 games.

Before he left for camp in March, the left-handed-hitting first baseman said he worked on hitting the ball to all fields, instead of pulling every pitch to right. He said more than half his homers went to the opposite field.

"This year, I shortened up my swing," Santos said. "I got a lot of two-strike hits."

He credited Burlington hitting coach Terry Bradshaw for his improvement at the plate.

"I think I'm moving the right way," Santos said. "They're moving me slowly. I've been moving up every year, so it looks pretty good so far."

Instructional league runs Sept. 23-Oct. 21.

How other minor league players with ties to Hawai'i fared in major league organizations.

Notes: Parentheses show Hawai'i high school or Hawai'i tie and/or college. Draft or signing information follows player's last school. ... New York Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani (St. Louis/Hawai'i Pacific), Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Mike Fetters (Iolani) and Houston Astros third baseman Chris Truby (Damien) are the only major leaguers with ties to Hawai'i.

Hawai'i's minor leaguers

• Paul Ah Yat: Pitcher, Giants (Iolani '91, UH '96, 21st round by Pirates). After starting the season at AAA Nashville (Tenn.), he was released and picked up and assigned to A San Jose (Calif.). He was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five appearances (four starts).

• Darren Blakely: Outfielder, Padres (UH '98, Angels 5th round). Began season in Yankees organization at AA Norwich (Conn.) then A Tampa (Fla.) before getting traded to San Diego's organization. He finished at AA Mobile (Ala.), where he hit .300 in 10 games. Invited to Arizona Fall League.

• Dusty Bergman: Pitcher, Angels (UH '99, 6th round). He was 7-13 with 5.11 ERA, making 25 starts in 27 appearances at AA Arkansas.

• Brandon Chaves: Infielder, Pirates (Hilo '97, UH-Hilo '00, 10th round). Batted .199 at A Hickory (N.C.) in 110 games.

• Bruddah Choy Foo: Infielder, Indians (Kailua '00, 26th round). Split time between advanced rookie Burlington (N.C.) and A Columbus (Ga.). Played a combined 19 games. Listed in records as Rodney Choy Foo.

• Jeff Coleman: Pitcher, Athletics (UH '01, 21st round). Started career at rookie Phoenix, picking up six saves with a 1.54 ERA in 11á innings. Promoted to A Visalia (Calif.), where he finished 0-4 with a 6.45 ERA. In 16 appearances, he had four starts.

• Keoni DeRenne: Infielder, Braves (Iolani '97, Arizona '00, 12th round). Batted .238 at AA Greenville (S.C.). In 130 games, he committed 10 errors while playing second base (94 games) and shortstop (31).

• Thomas Ford: Pitcher, Orioles (UH-Hilo '00, undrafted free agent). Split time at low-A Delmarva (Md.) and high-A Frederick (Md.). He fared better at Frederick, posting a 1-1 record and 3.21 ERA in 33 relief appearances.

• Mark Johnson: Pitcher, Tigers (UH '96, 1st round, 19th overall). Compiled a 7-11 record and 4.79 ERA at AAA Toledo (Ohio). He had 24 starts, two of them complete games.

• Kahi Kaanoi: Pitcher, Royals (Kamehameha '99, 7th round). See story. Listed as Jason Kaanoi.

• Scott Karl: Pitcher, Pirates (UH '92, 6th round). Was released earlier in the season after going 4-3 with a 3.83 ERA at AAA Nashville (Tenn.)

• Kaulana Kuhaulua: Infielder, Twins (Wai'anae '98, Long Beach State '01, 12th round). Batted .246 in 20 games at advanced rookie Elizabethton (Tenn.).

• Brandon League: Pitcher, Blue Jays (St. Louis '01, 2nd round). Made nine starts, going 4-4 with a 4.66 ERA at advanced rookie Medicine Hat (Alberta, Canada). Had 38 strikeouts and 11 walks in 38¡ innings.

• Keith Luuloa: Infielder, Astros (Moloka'i '92, Modesto JC '93, Angels 33rd round). Started season at AAA Portland (Ore.) in San Diego's organization before being traded to Houston's and being assigned to AAA New Orleans. Overall, he batted .252 in 100 games, playing all four infield positions and the outfield.

• Miles Luuloa: Infielder, Tigers (Moloka'i '98, Laney JC '99, 37th round). Batted .184 in 84 games at A West Michigan.

• Onan Masaoka: Pitcher, White Sox (Waiakea '95, Dodgers 3rd round). Traded from Dodgers in midseason, starting at AAA Las Vegas (Dodgers), where he was 8-4 with a 5.55 ERA in 73 innings, and ending at AAA Charlotte (S.C.), where he was 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA in 14á innings.

• Mike McCutcheon: Pitcher, Diamondbacks (Moloka'i '95, Modesto JC '96, 23rd round). Was 1-2 with a 10.38 ERA in 12 relief appearances at A Lancaster (Calif.). He was released during the season.

• James McNair: Pitcher, Astros (UH '99, Virginia Commonwealth '01, 43rd round). Was 1-2 with a 5.08 ERA at advanced rookie Martinsville (Va.). Was known as Patrick McNair at UH during '98 and '99 seasons.

• Corey Miller: Pitcher, Athletics (UH '99, undrafted free agent). Was 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 43 relief appearances a A Modesto (Calif.).

• Billy Pieper: Infielder, Royals (Kamehameha '96, UCLA, undrafted free agent). Batted .142 in 106 at-bats.

• Brian Rooke: Outfielder, Athletics (UH-Hilo '01, 31st round). Batted .148 in 47 games, stealing 9 of 13 base at A Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada).

• Jason Ross: Outfielder, Braves (UH '96, 13th round). Started at AAA Richmond (Va.), where he hit .208 in 49 games, before ending up at AA Greenville (S.C.), where he batted .257 with 11 home runs in 63 games.

• Rex Rundgren: Shortstop, Marlins (Mid-Pacific '99, Sacramento City JC '01, 11th round). Batted .251 with 25 RBIs in 55 games at A Utica (N.Y.).

• Chad Santos: First base, Royals (St. Louis '99, 22nd round). See story.

• Bronson Sardinha: Shortstop, Yankees (Kamehameha '01, 1st round supplemental, 34th overall). Batted .303 with four homers, 27 RBIs and 11 stolen bases at rookie Tampa (Fla.). Was named all-star shortstop by Gulf Coast League.

• Dane Sardinha: Catcher, Reds (Kamehameha '97, Pepperdine '00, 2nd round). Batted .235 with nine homers and 55 RBIs in 109 games in his first full pro season at A Mudville (Stockton, Calif.).

• Jay Spurgeon: Pitcher, Orioles (UH '97, 8th round). Was 3-5 with a 4.55 ERA at AAA Rochester (N.Y.) in 15 starts. Was recalled June 24, but optioned back July 1 without making an appearance with the Orioles.

• Mike Tejada: Catcher, Rockies (Kailua-born, BYU '99, 27th round). Batted .204 with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs at A Asheville (N.C.). Attended Kamehameha in eighth grade.

• Jandin Thornton-Murray: Infielder, Cubs (St. Louis '99, 22nd round). Played in 56 games, 30 at shortstop, batted .239 at short-season A Boise (Idaho).

• Bryce Uegawachi: Shortstop, Indians (Kaiser '97, HPU '01, 26th round). Batted .204 at A Mahoning Valley (Niles, Ohio), where he committed nine errors in 55 games.

• Shane Victorino: Outfielder, Dodgers (St. Anthony '99, 6th round). Batted .283, scored 71 runs and stole 47 of 60 bases in 112 games at A Wilmington (N.C.).

• Brandon Villafuerte: Pitcher, Rangers (Big Island-born). Was 5-5 with a 2.83 ERA in 38 relief appearances for AAA Oklahoma. Made six relief appearances with the Rangers between July 27 and Aug. 8.

• Key Voshell: Second base, Phillies (UH '97, Louisville '99). Started season in an independent league before signing with Phillies. Batted .270 in 36 games at A Lakewood (N.J.).

• Hawkeye Wayne: Pitcher, Mariners (Iolani '95, Columbia '99, 11th round). Compiled a 4-2 record with a 4.58 ERA in 59 innings at A Wisconsin. In 30 appearances, five were as a starter.

• Justin Wayne: Pitcher, Expos (Punahou '97, Stanford '00, 1st round, fifth overall). Started the season at A Jupiter (Fla.), going 2-3 with a 3.02 ERA before being promoted to AA Harrisburg (Pa.), where he was 9-2 with a 2.62 ERA. In 14 starts, he had two complete games. Has been invited to the Arizona Fall League.

• Jerome Williams: Pitcher, Giants (Waipahu '99, supplemental 1st, 39th overall). Finished 9-7 with a 3.95 ERA at AA Shreveport (La.). Had 84 strikeouts and 34 walks in 130 innings. Pitched for the U.S. in the All-Star Futures Game in July.

• Tyler Yates: Pitcher, Athletics (Kaua'i '95, UH-Hilo '96-'98, 23rd round). Amassed 17 saves in 56 appearances at AA Midland (Texas), going 4-6 with a 4.31 ERA. Was promoted to AAA Sacramento (Calif.), earning a save in four appearances. He allowed no runs in 5¡ innings.