ISLE FILE
Sardinha agrees to terms with Rockies
Advertiser Staff
Add one more Sardinha to the pro baseball list.
Pepperdine infielder Duke Sardinha, a 1998 Kamehameha Schools graduate, said he has agreed to terms with the Colorado Rockies, who picked him in the 19th round in last week's Major League first-year player draft.
He leaves today for Los Angeles, where he will meet with a Rockies scout to sign for his undisclosed bonus. He then reports to Casper, Wyo., the Rockies advanced-rookie club in the Pioneer League. The season opens Monday in Provo, Utah.
Last year, he declined a $100,000 signing bonus by the Rockies, who picked him in the 41st round. He returned for his red-shirt junior season at Pepperdine. He said his bonus this time isn't as much.
"It wasn't what I expected before the draft," he said. "But I just want to start playing."
He joins his brothers who also are in pro ball. Older brother Dane is a catcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization at double-A Chattanooga (Tenn.), which made him a second round selection out of Pepperdine in the 2000 draft. He also is a Kamehameha graduate.
Younger brother Bronson is a shortstop at single-A Greensboro (N.C.) of the South Atlantic League. He was the 34th overall pick in last year's draft, signing out of Kamehameha.
Duke said for now the Rockies will use him at third base before breaking him in as a catcher, a position he is learning now. He said because of his body frame (5-feet-11, 200 pounds) scouts told him his future was as a catcher.
Despite settling for a lower bonus, Duke said the extra season at Pepperdine did help him become a better player, "even though it doesn't reflect in the bonus."
BOXING
• Hawai'i juniors at nationals: Kevin Kahoohanohano, Rance Okano, Jeffrey Pelen Jr., Travis Teixeira, and Justin Lawelawe will represent Hawai'i at the 2002 U.S. National Junior Olympic Championships today through June 23 at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich.
VOLLEYBALL
• Scott advances: Punahou graduate Sean Scott won two qualification matches with partner Todd Rogers yesterday in Berlin to earn a berth in the 32-team main draw for the 2002 men's FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour season opening event.
Rogers and Scott join Scott Davenport and Carl Henkel as the two teams representing the United States in this weekend's international pro beach event.
• USA women fall: The U.S. Women's National Team dropped its second straight match to Russia yesterday, falling 25-18, 25-23, 25-19 in Moscow. Team USA also lost in three games Wednesday.
The team play twice more this weekend in Tula.
Former Rainbow Wahine Heather Bown and Therese Crawford each had four kills for the U.S.
YACHTING
• Olympic qualifier: The 2002 49er World Championship, an Olympic Qualifying Yacht event, will be held today through June 22 at Kane'ohe Bay.
The event, which is one of several qualifying events for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, is hosted by the Kane'ohe Yacht Club, with more than 80 sailors from 19 countries competing.
