Dukes' Hamilton given PCL honor
May 2, 2000
Albuquerque outfielder
Josh Hamilton was named the Pacific Coast League player of the month for April.
The 19-year-old, drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, batted .385 for the month, with four home runs and 18 RBIs.
Baseball America recently tabbed Hamilton the No. 1 prospect in all of professional baseball, and he certainly lived up to it as the 2000 season debuted.
"His stroke at the plate is so smooth, and his power has improved even since last season,"
Baseball America wrote in its latest issue. "It's just a matter of time before he gets the call up to the Big Show."
Todd Hollandsworth's job seems secure in left field for the Dodgers for now. He's hitting .357, one of the top averages on the team. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Hamilton could play center if he gets called up...
NEWS AND NOTES: Los Angeles, the team that Albuquerque feeds, is 14-12 as of May 1, one game behind the upstart San Diego Padres in the NL West ...
The top of the Dodgers' pitching rotation has been solid, with Ramon Martinez (4-0, 2.51 ERA) and Darren Dreifort (4-0, 2.67 ERA) leading the way. But from there, starters have struggled. Hideo Nomo owns a 1-4 record with a 7.94 ERA (and that's down quite a bit from after his first two dreadful starts). Chan Ho Park is 1-2 with a 6.84 ERA. No. 5 starter Ismael Valdes will miss four weeks with a strained back, which could open the door for Andrew Zarzour to move up from Albuquerque. Zarzour is expected to get back into the Dukes' rotation in a couple days after being sidelined with a concussion...
Trevor Hoffman has been a dominant closer for the Big Club thus far. Despite elbow trouble, he's yet to give up an earned run in 8.1 innings ... Kazuhiro Sasaki has been stellar as a set-up man for Hoffman, sporting a 2-1 record with a 3.38 ERA thus far ...
There are grumblings that back-up catcher Paul Lo Duca wants out of LA. He believes he's an everyday player now but feels he'll be stuck behind LA's starter, Mike Piazza, for awhile. Right now, both are batting just over .300 for the season. Lo Duca is a little more productive in the RBI department...
Pitcher Butch Henry, who was traded by LA to Tampa Bay in the off-season (the player that was competing for No. 5 starter's job with Zarzour late last season) is 1-0 with a 6.08 ERA in six starts with the Devi Rays. Good for him...