Minor leaguers pursue dreams

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Pro baseball players with ties to Hawai'i continue to chase their dream of making it to the major leagues.

Two Hawai'i players were on the same field Thursday in Greenville, S.C. Keoni DeRenne of the Greenville Braves takes a cut. Catching for Chattanooga is Dane Sardinha. Bart Boatwright • Greenville News

For the second consecutive year, Baseball America has named former Waipahu High pitcher Jerome Williams the San Francisco Giants' top prospect. The publication also ranked him 19th in its top 100 prospects in all of baseball.

"I'm happy right now," said Williams, the 39th overall selection in 1999. "If I do get the chance, I'll try my best."

At 20 years old, Williams is one of the youngest players in triple-A. He is assigned with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. His manager is former Kalani High star and former big leaguer Lenn Sakata, who also resides here in the offseason.

Williams isn't the only one climbing steadily.

The double-A Southern League has five players with ties to Hawai'i. The Greenville Braves played host to the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds) this weekend. That's where former Iolani School shortstop Keoni DeRenne of the Braves played against former Kamehameha Schools catcher Dane Sardinha of the Lookouts. The 1997 high school graduates are playing against each other for the first time since they played in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

"We've known each other since we were two or three years old," DeRenne said. "We've always been good friends."

Sardinha, a second-round pick in the 2000 draft by Cincinnati, signed a major league contract in lieu of a bonus. He is on the 40-man roster and his clock has started as far as options are concerned. The Reds must place him on the 25-man roster by the start of next season or risk losing him through waivers. But he could be recalled anytime.

"If someone gets hurt, they might send me up," Sardinha said. "But I don't think it would be this year. They have other catchers."

Reports say Sardinha's defense is major-league ready. But his hitting needs work. He batted .235 with nine home runs and 55 RBI at high-A Mudville of the California League last season, his first pro season. But he drew just 12 walks to 97 strikeouts.

"Basically, I just have to keep my weight back," he explained of his batting approach. "I was hitting off my front foot. That's what got me into trouble."

Others DeRenne and Sardinha will get a chance to play against are Jacksonville Suns (Dodgers) outfielder Shane Victorino (St. Anthony), Huntsville Stars (Brewers) infielder Keith Lu'uloa (Moloka'i) and Mobile Bay Bears (Padres) outfielder Darren Blakely (University of Hawai'i).

For Victorino, this was a big jump. After batting .283 with 47 steals at low-A Wilmington (South Atlantic), he said earlier in the spring that he thought he would be assigned to Vero Beach of the high-A of the Florida State League.

Also in double-A is former Rainbow pitcher Dusty Bergman at Arkansas (Angels) of the Texas League.

Meanwhile, the highest draft pick out of a Hawai'i high school, Bronson Sardinha (Kamehameha), has been assigned to Greensboro (N.C.) of the low-A South Atlantic League. Sardinha, the 34th overall pick last June by the New York Yankees, was ranked the 10th-best prospect in his organization by Baseball America. He turned 19 yesterday.

Former Punahou all-state pitcher Justin Wayne, the highest pick with Hawai'i ties as the fifth overall selection by the Montreal Expos in the 2000 draft out of Stanford, returned to double-A Harrisburg of the Eastern League. He was ranked sixth in the Expos' top 10 prospects by Baseball America.

Hawai'i also is well-represented in the low-A South Atlantic League, where there are four players. Joining Bronson Sardinha are Asheville Tourists (Rockies) catcher Mike Tejada (born and resides here, but played high school and college on the mainland), Hickory Crawdads (Pirates) shortstop Brandon Chaves (UH-Hilo/Hilo High), and Lexington Legends (Astros) pitcher James (Patrick) McNair (UH).

The low-A Midwest League also has four players with ties to Hawai'i. Pitcher Kahi Ka'anoi (Kamehameha) is at Burlington (Royals), shortstop Kaulana Kuhaulua (Wai'anae) is at Quad City (Twins), shortstop Rex Rundgren (Mid-Pacific) is at Kane County (Marlins) and infielder Jandin Thornton-Murray (St. Louis) is with Lansing (Cubs).

Earning promotions to high-A leagues were former UH pitcher Jeff Coleman (Athletics) at Visalia of the California League; former UH-Hilo pitcher Thomas Ford (Orioles) at Frederick of the Carolina League; and former St. Louis School first baseman Chad Santos (Royals) at Wilmington of the Carolina League.

Former St. Louis all-state pitcher Brandon League, a second-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays last June, is in extended spring training and will be assigned later. He is ranked seventh among the Blue Jays' top 10 prospects.

There are others in extended spring training. The Cleveland Indians will assign infielders Rodney (Bruddah) Choy Foo (Kailua) and Bryce Uegawachi (Kaiser/Hawai'i Pacific) later. The Oakland Athletics also held back outfielder Brian Rooke (UH-Hilo). The Milwaukee Brewers did the same with pitcher Hubert Pruett (Kamehameha).

At triple-A former UH pitchers Jay Spurgeon and Mark Johnson are at Rochester (Orioles) and Indianapolis (Brewers), respectively, of the International League. They are joined by former UH-Hilo and Kaua'i High pitcher Tyler Yates (Mets) at Norfolk.

With Williams in the PCL is pitcher Brandon Villafuerte at Portland (Padres), who was born on the Big Island, but played high school on the Mainland.

The Hawai'i list, though, got trimmed during spring training. Pitchers Onan Masaoka (Waiakea) was released by the Chicago White Sox, Hawkeye Wayne (Iolani) was released by the Seattle Mariners and Corey Miller (UH) was released by the Athletics.

Also released were outfielders Jason Ross (UH) by the Braves and Allen Mundon (Kapa'a) by the Red Sox.