The Trolley Dodger

In the midst of an article on MiLB.com on prospects who have made the leap to the bigs, is this tidbit on Cory Wade:

Cory Wade, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

CALLED UP: Recalled from Double-A Jacksonville on April 24 when infielder Blake DeWitt was sent down.

DEBUT: April 24 in a 6-4 loss to Arizona. The last of four pitchers, he tossed one hitless inning, striking out one and hitting shortstop Stephen Drew with a pitch.

NOTES: Originally a 10th-round pick in 2004 out of Kentucky Wesleyan, Wade put himself on the Dodgers’ map in 2007 when he posted a 2.45 ERA at Class A Advanced Inland Empire and a 1.36 ERA at Jacksonville, striking out 100 in 99 innings while walking just 28 and limiting hitters to below a .200 average. His strong Arizona Fall League showing earned him a spot on the 40-man roster and made it easier to call him up from the Suns bullpen when an extra reliever was needed.

51s Roster, also available as a PDF. If you’re in Vegas this Friday, you might try to get to the game for Russell Martin Bobblehead Night.

Russell Martin Bobblehead Night will be presented on Friday, April 4 at Cashman Field. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a “Martin Bobblehead” in a 51s uniform. The 51s will host the Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, at 7:05 p.m.

Suns Roster

“2008 Jacksonville Suns Roster Announced”

The 2008 Suns are fielding two top pitching prospects who each saw time in Jacksonville in 2007: right-hander James McDonald and left-hander Clayton Kershaw. McDonald, a 2002 draft selection, is considered to have the best curveball in the Dodgers minor league system. He posted 64 strikeouts in just 52 innings and carried a 1.71 ERA for the Suns in 2007 and will start for the Suns on Opening Day. Kershaw, a first round pick in the 2006 draft, is considered to have the best fastball in the Dodgers organization, along with a drop-off-the table curveball. He finished the season in Jacksonville after posting stellar numbers at Single-A Great Lakes last year, his first full professional season. The 20-year-old Kershaw has been projected as a starter for the Dodgers as early as this season.[...]

Loons Roster

“Loons’ Opening Day Roster Set”

The Great Lakes Loons, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Dodgers, have released the opening day roster for the second season of Loons baseball. The roster is highlighted by nine players who played for the Loons in 2007 returning to action at Dow Diamond and six players ranking in Baseball America’s Top 30 prospect list.

Check out today’s stat line from Baseball America for Lucas May, currently catching for the 66ers:

ORG LVL PLAYER             AB  R  H  BI
LAD HiA May, Lucas C  .... 4   1  1  1  .378 - HR (7);
22-year-old former SS now C tied for minors HR lead

Nice! And here’s Jonathan Meloan, pitching for the Suns:

ORG LVL PITCHER                IP  H  R  ER  BB  SO  ERA  
LAD AA  Meloan, Jonathan  .... 2.0  1  0   0   0   4  0.79 - W (3-1)

Looking forward to seeing these guys working their way onward and upward.

And of course, as the Big League roster gets set, so do the others in the hierarchy. Here are links to the roster info on the minor league teams, although not all have been updated completely yet — probably after the weekend.

AAA: Las Vegas 51s roster

AA: Jacksonville Suns roster

A (High): Inland Empire 66ers (not posted yet)

A (Low): Great Lake Loons press release

Rookie: Ogden Raptors roster (not updated)

Rookie: GCL Dodgers (not updated)

With all the movement of Dodger minor league teams and spring training facilities, you might wonder if the Jacksonville Suns might wind up become the Palm Desert Suns in the next couple of years. According to this article in the Jacksonville Times-Union, however, there’s nothing to worry about for now.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said the franchise is “very happy” with its team in Jacksonville and fully expects the Suns to remain a Dodgers affiliate long past the organization’s expected transition to Glendale, Ariz., takes place after 2008.

“It’s a great facility, a great place to play,” Colletti said. “I don’t see that changing at all. We’re expecting to be there for awhile.”

The Dodgers’ ties to Jacksonville go as far back as 1907, when they held spring training on the First Coast until 1909. After returning from 1919 to 1920, then once more in 1922, pro baseball in Jacksonville went through several affiliations until rejoining the Dodgers in 2001.