Only time will tell, but two minor leaguers are hoping their experience in Hawaii Winter Baseball expedites their progress.

Mike Stodolka was the fourth overall player drafted in 2000 by the Kansas City Royals, while Joba Chamberlain was the 41st overall pick in June by the New York Yankees. Both are here to pick up more experience, but under different circumstances.

The four-team league begins today with 3 p.m. games at Les Murakami Stadium and Hans L'Orange Park.

For the first six years of his pro career, the left-handed Stodolka was working through the ranks as a pitcher. After 492 2/3 innings through rookie ball to Double A, going 20-39 with a 4.93 earned run average, an elbow injury set him on a different track in his career. This past season at High Desert of the High-A California League, Stodolka shelved pitching for hitting. And for someone who hadn't batted since high school, he did relatively fine, batting .284 with 33 doubles, 11 home runs and 67 RBIs in 115 games. He also had a .396 on-base percentage with the help of 78 walks.

"This past season was the first time I picked up a bat since high school, so it's been almost five, six years since I've seen live pitching," said Stodolka, assigned to the West Oahu CaneFires as a first baseman. "It was awesome. The speed of the game was a lot quicker for me. The pitches were better, the pitchers were better. On defense, all aspects of the game was quick for me, but I had some good coaches. They helped push me along kind of gently."

Stodolka said the organization asked if he wanted give up pitching for hitting. The Royals probably remembered that Stodolka was a pretty good hitter at Centennial High in Corona, Calif., where he hit 35 home runs combined in his junior and senior years.

"I guess Kansas City had some reports that I could hit a little bit from my high school days," he said. "They asked me if I wanted to give it a shot."

What helped Stodolka make the switch was that he wasn't pleased with the progress he was making since having Tommy John surgery in 2003.

"I wasn't coming around as fast as I or Kansas City would've liked," he said.

As for Chamberlain, he didn't sign with the Yankees until after most of the minor leagues' seasons were over. Except for two innings against Pittsburgh Pirates rookies in instructional ball earlier in September, Chamberlain will basically make his pro debut with the CaneFires.

"I'd be in instructional league and then just go on home," said Chamberlain about his options if it wasn't for HWB.

Chamberlain, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound right-hander, starred at Nebraska, going 16-7 with an ERA of 3.28 in two seasons. He registered 232 strikeouts to 67 walks in 208 innings for the Cornhuskers. He was the Yankees' second pick of the June draft, taken in the supplemental first round. Southern California's Ian Kennedy, also assigned to the CaneFires, was the Yankees' first pick.

Both players want to take advantage of the experience that comes with playing daily against other prospects. In instructional league, Chamberlain said he would not get many innings.

"That's the advantage of coming out here," Chamberlain said. "There's nothing like throwing against somebody. You can throw as many bullpens as you want, but throwing against somebody makes you better."

For one-time pitcher Stodolka, he'll only get better with more plate appearances.

"The most important thing is getting at-bats, getting experience," Stodolka said. "The opportunity to get out here to play against guys of this caliber will only help with my progression."

But there's a little more than just gaining experience.

"It's an honor and privilege to have your team select you to play here," Chamberlain said. "There's some great guys here who have done some special things."

NOTES

Another player with Hawai'i ties has joined the league. Infielder Duke Sardinha (Kamehameha 1998) has been assigned to the Waikiki BeachBoys. Sardinha played for the Colorado Rockies High-A club at Modesto. He batted .235 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs and 45 RBIs.

Rodney Choy Foo (Kailua 2000) was re-assigned from the Honolulu Sharks to North Shore Honu.

Fullcast, a human resource solutions company in Japan, is the official sponsor of HWB. Fullcast also is title sponsor of the stadium in Sendai used by the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Japan baseball Hall of Famer Wally Yonamine will throw out one of the ceremonial first pitches at Les Murakami Stadium today.

Pregame ceremonies at both Murakami and Hans L'Orange Park will start at 2:20 p.m.

Because players provided to the league are from two nations, the U.S. and Japanese national anthems will be played before games during the season.

Waikiki BeachBoys vs. Honolulu Sharks 3 p.m. at Les Murakami StadiumNorth Shore Honu vs. West Oahu CaneFires 3 p.m. at Hans L'Orange Park

HAWAII WINTER LEAGUE

SEASON: TODAY TO NOV. 22

WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium, Hans L'Orange Park (Waipahu)

TEAMS: Honolulu Sharks, Waikiki BeachBoys, North Shore Honu, West Oahu CaneFires

TICKETS: $6 reserve, $5 general at Murakami; $5 reserve, $4 general at Hans L'Orange

PARKING: $3 at Murakami; free at Hans L'Orange

HAWAII WINTER LEAGUE

GAMES: 40 FOR EACH TEAM

PLAYERS: 120 minor-league prospects from Japan and Major League teams such as the Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers

ALUMNI: Ichiro Suzuki, Jason Giambi, Todd Helton participated in the first Hawaii Winter Baseball league, which lasted from 1993 to 1997

SALARIES: PAID BY THE TEAM THAT OWNS PLAYER'S RIGHTS

WEB SITE: hawaiiwinter baseball.com

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.