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This Week in Baseball -

Headlines:

Welcome to this edition of This Week in Baseball. We've spent a lot of time in our headlines section discussing the contenders. This week, as a preliminary to next week's draft extravaganza, we're going to take a hard look at the bottom-feeders. Just as important to a team to recognize the secret to their success is discovering what has happened to cause a bad team to struggle. In the last few years, no teams have struggled more than the two bottom teams in the Piedmont Gold Division, Charlotte and Chapel Hill.

The Royals are among the more storied of franchises in NCBL history. They have had plenty of success over the years but have been on a streak of futility in recent years that threatens to undermine all the credibility they once enjoyed. Charlotte hasn't had a winning season since they went 86-76 in 2095 and has only appeared once (2093) in the postseason since they won the State Championship in 2079. Team leader 2B Alex Willis is starting to put things together a bit but there are no other all-star caliber hitters on the roster. His frustration has gotten the best of him at times this season and he has openly challenged team management to "either fix this thing or send me somewhere where I can make a difference". Looking at the pitching staff, SP Robert Miller is getting no help from the rest of the starters as his record of 7-4 dissapears in the putrid 5-19 combined record from the other front line guys. Looking objectively at Charlotte, they need immediate help in the 2-5 slot in the rotation as well as upgrades in LF, 1B, and RF just to become respectable.

In Chapel Hill, the Saints have got to find some offense to complement RF Kevin Bartlett. While they do have some youth in the lineup, there's little reason to believe that most of their offensive starters should be much more than platoon players at best. Pitching may be even worse as none of their starting 5 look to be much more than journeyman quality. When your best starter (SP Mark Adams) has a line that reads 4-5 4.32, there's obviously not a lot of quality starting pitching on the squad. Chapel Hill really needs to find new blood at 1B, 3B, SS, CF, and LF. Without an upgrade the Saints are just not going to go anywhere. Chapel Hill hasn't had a winning season since they were 87-75 on 2094, and haven't been to the postseason since 2092.

The Week in Review:

Signings:

none

Injuries:

RF Mike Morrison, Greenville - out 9 months after heart surgery

C Joseph Ferguson, Charlotte - out 2 weeks with a strained back

CF Freddie Burns, Durham - out 4 months with a herniated disc

Game of the Week:

High Point right fielder Bob Cook put on quite a show at Explorers Ballpark with a big 5-hit day in the 11-9 victory over the Durham Dragons.

In the postgame interview, he said with a smile, "Not a bad day at the plate... 5-6... wish I could do this more often. It would do wonders for my batting average... and my salary, too."

B. Cook hit a solo-shot off J. Evans in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 6th, hit an RBI double in the 8th, hit a three-run double in the 9th and struck out in the 10th.

Cook has a .362 average and a .452 on-base percentage for the year. He has picked up 77 hits, 12 home runs and driven in 48 runs.

Players of the Week:

Josh Harris is respected by most Greenville Mallards fans for his no-frills style of play. The 26-year-old center fielder went about his business with vigor last week to grab the Appalachian Player of the Week honors.

He compiled a .484 average (15-31) with 5 home runs, 10 RBIs and 9 runs scored.

So far this season Harris has put up a .321 batting average with 71 hits, 15 home runs and 39 RBIs.

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There's nothing like being in the prime of your baseball career -- and playing like it. Just ask Brendan West, the Gastonia first baseman, who swung a sweet bat all week to not only aid his team, but also pick up the Piedmont Player of the Week honors.

West piled up 10 hits in 17 at-bats, 3 home runs and 7 RBIs while hitting .588.

West is swinging at a .338 pace on the year with 11 home runs, 35 RBIs and 18 runs scored. He has played in 49 games.

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A veritable toddler to the Appalachian, José Saldaña just sewed up the Rookie of the Month trophy for May.

Over the past month the 24-year-old second baseman for Asheville hit .236 with 21 hits, no home runs and 13 RBI. He also logged 4 walks and compiled a .266 on-base percentage.

Thus far in 2100 Saldaña is hitting .252 with no home runs, 15 RBIs, 15 runs scored and has compiled a .297 OBP.

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Youngster Dirk Watson emerged as the latest Piedmont Rookie of the Month today. The young man from High Point deserved the honor, batting .424 with 3 home runs and 14 runs batted in. Is the month of May a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Watson enjoy the limelight.

Currently Watson is batting .424 with 39 hits and 3 home runs. He has knocked in 14 runs and scored 17 times.

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Trevor Aldridge has been around the league long enough to appreciate the honor he received today. After going 4-1 in May, the 34-year-old Greenville hurler has been named Appalachian Pitcher of the Month.

He fanned 31 in 35.2 innings, logged an ERA of 1.51 and allowed opponents to hit .208 against him.

To date this season, Aldridge has registered 11 starts, 4-4 won-lost mark, 3.32 ERA, 59.2 IP, 58 strikeouts and 25 walks. Opposing teams have hit .201 against him.

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It was a sensational May for David Davis as he mystified, mesmerized and terrorized opposing batters to capture the Piedmont Pitcher of the Month trophy.

Davis locked down a 4-1 mark in 6 starts last month, striking out 33 while walking 12 in 36.2 innings and posting a 1.47 ERA.

So far this year Davis has compiled a 7-2 record with a 2.92 ERA.

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It was a good month for Fayetteville Patriot's first baseman Ryan Cole, May's Appalachian Batter of the Month.

Cole starred by hitting .333 with a .376 on-base percentage. He totaled 36 hits in 108 at-bats, 10 home runs, 26 RBIs and scored 18 runs.

Cole is hitting .320 this year with 13 home runs, 39 RBIs and 31 runs scored. He has 57 hits in 178 at-bats, 23 walks and a .396 on-base percentage. Cole has played in 49 games.

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The Piedmont Batter of the Month has been picked for May and the honor goes to the Durham Dragon's Bob Erickson.

He compiled a .412 batting average with 42 hits and 7 home runs, along with 21 RBIs and 25 runs scored.

Batting .402 to date, Erickson has 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.

Down on the Farm:

AAA Kinston (Durham) Mark Blevins put together a good May to earn the AAA Appalachian Batter of the Month prize. A virtual unknown, he made the most of his chance to prove to Kinston officials that he belongs on the big league roster.

The Islanders first baseman posted a .366 batting average with 7 home runs, 22 RBIs and 20 runs scored.

For the year Blevins is batting .374 with 12 home runs.

Weekly Power Rankings:

Rank Last Week	Team	Points	Tendency	Record	PCT	AVG	ERA	Pyt.Rec	Diff
1st (2nd)	High Point	129	+	38-18	.679	.291	3.73	39-17	-1
2nd (3rd)	Winston-Salem	115	+	36-20	.643	.282	4.09	34-22	2
3rd (1st)	Fayetteville	112	-	34-22	.607	.267	3.87	32-24	2
4th (4th)	Greensboro	102	o	32-25	.561	.266	3.86	33-24	-1
5th (6th)	Durham	102	+	32-27	.542	.286	4.17	32-27	0
6th (7th)	Raleigh	96	+	29-27	.518	.279	4.63	28-28	1
7th (5th)	Wilmington	96	-	31-26	.544	.261	3.98	32-25	-1
8th (8th)	Cary	89	o	29-28	.509	.252	4.13	29-28	0
9th (9th)	Rocky Mount	87	o	28-29	.491	.265	3.83	26-31	2
10th (14th)	Asheville	81	++	25-31	.446	.256	4.63	25-31	0
11th (13th)	Jacksonville	79	+	24-33	.421	.280	5.33	25-32	-1
12th (10th)	Concord	77	-	25-34	.424	.257	4.55	26-33	-1
13th (16th)	Greenville	71	++	23-33	.411	.241	4.13	27-29	-4
14th (15th)	Chapel Hill	70	+	23-34	.404	.258	5.46	20-37	3
15th (12th)	Gastonia	69	--	23-33	.411	.245	5.34	22-34	1
16th (11th)	Charlotte	68	--	22-34	.393	.240	5.05	23-33	-1

Looking Forward to Next Week:

Draft Day is almost here and with the arrival of the draft comes our special TWiB Draft Spectacular! Our next report will have wall-to-wall coverage of this year's amateur draft, complete with live coverage and commentary as each first round pick is chosen, featuring special analysis from league scouts and coaches. Following the live coverage, we'll have complete team-by-team listings of the players taken. Follow along as your favorite team makes their move to put together a championship team.