PRESS RELEASE 

***For Immediate Release *** 

June 17, 2009

 

South Edmonton Elite Baseball Association

Peter DeVries Tournament Host a Developmental Machine

For the sixth time in eight years, the Edmonton Cardinals have had a current or former player selected in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft.

            Steven Inch, 18, a six-foot-four right-handed pitcher who attends the Vauxhall Baseball Academy in southern Alberta and recently participated in Baseball Canada’s junior team developmental camp in the Dominican Republic, was selected in the sixth round, 197th overall, by the Philadelphia Phillies last week.

            Inch, who posted a 7-1 record with a 1.20 earned-run average and 49 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings with the Cardinals last season, was one of three Edmonton-area players drafted this year. The others were third baseman Adam Nelubowich of Stony Plain (14th round by the Seattle Mariners) and pitcher Burke Seifrit of Spruce Grove (50th round by the Toronto Blue Jays).

            Other former Cardinals chosen in previous MLB drafts include shortstop David Cooper (44th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008), pitcher Rylan Ostrosky (48th round by the Texas Rangers in 2006, and 27th round by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2005), pitcher Brad Cuthbertson (49th round by the Blue Jays in 2006, and sixth round by the San Francisco Giants in 2005), pitcher Rob Hogue (18th round by the Blue Jays in 2005), and pitcher Aric Van Gaalen (30th round by the Seattle Mariners in 2005, 37th round by the Blue Jays in 2003, and 16th round by the Jays in 2002).

            All but Ostrosky, who was a starting pitcher for NCAA Division I Wright State in Ohio during the past season, and Hogue have played professionally in baseball’s minor leagues.

            The Cardinals have also helped develop several players for college ball in the United States and Canada. Besides Ostrosky, the following players were attending school and playing baseball in the U.S. during the past season: pitcher Blair Cowley (Tennessee’s Tusculum College, NCAA Division II), pitcher Craig Rubis (Massachusetts’s Suffolk University, NCAA Division III), catcher Mitch Grossell (University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, NAIA), infielder Jarvis Greiner (California’s Biola University, NAIA), reliever Andrew Grafton (North Dakota’s Dickinson State University, NAIA, and the Dakota Conference reliever of the year), pitcher Sheldon Jones (Oklahoma Baptist University,   NAIA), infielder Michael Cala (California’s De Anza College), Colby Community College (Kansas) outfielders Drew Zeigler and Boston Langley plus catcher Brendan Dawidowski,, pitcher Ben Runyon of Johnston County Community College in Kansas, and pitcher Tom Grimm (California’s Saddleback Community College).

            In addition, pitcher Drew Boyer has previously played at the NCAA Division I and junior college levels, and infielder Nicole Luchanski is playing NCAA Division I women’s softball with Oregon State University.

            There are also five ex-Cardinals in the Canadian College Baseball Conference – pitcher Chris Shaw plus infielders Matt Rude and Evan Olsen with the Vancouver Island University Mariners, first baseman Barry Rigler with the Prairie Baseball Academy in Lethbridge, and pitcher/third baseman Justin Ganser with the U of Calgary Dinos.            

           With such a rich history, the Cardinals will likely be showcasing future major league draft picks or U.S. college players this weekend when the sixth annual Peter deVries Invitational Tournament is held at John Fry Park (9700-28 Ave.) and Goldstick Park (3901-103rd Avenue). The midget AAA tournament’s round-robin action begins at 7 p.m. Thursday with a game at each field. Two more games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, with four games going at each park at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday. The semi-finals will be played at John Fry at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sunday, with the final starting at 3 p.m.

          Participating teams include the Edmonton Cardinals #1 and #2, Spruce Grove White Sox, Sherwood Park A’s, Calgary Cubs, Red Deer Braves and two Calgary Babe Ruth teams (the Longhorns and Reds).

The complete schedule should be included with this press release. Results and complete tournament information will be available at http://www.seeba.ca/

Gerry Dawidowski,   SEEBA President

Phone: 780-938-1127

Email: gsbd@telusplanet.net