RED SOX OR ATHLETICS

Some twenty five rookies were added to NABA Palm Beach League teams through open tryouts and the fall league seasonal draft at Santaluces on Sunday, September 25. The Whitecaps, formerly the Boynton Red Sox, selected 19 year old 2nd baseman-pitcher Kenny Rua of Lake Worth. Kenny swung the bat well from both sides of the plate and also threw well in his pitching trial. He was one of only six players drafted by four 18AAA teams. Nineteen others were chosen by 18AA teams, including 15 by manager John Corporal who will enter a new team call the Marz Media Manatees in the fall league which starts on October 23. Cardello's Wise Guy's, who will be moving up from 18AA to 18AAA, selected 18 year old pitcher-first baseman Sean Eginton of Jupiter. The Mets took 19-year old outfielder Brandon Miller with their first round selection. And, the Arrigo Dodgers tapped 20-year old second baseman Mitchell Potok of Ft.Lauderdale to complete the first round. Only two other players were selected by AAA teams in the second round. Infielder-outfielder Jamel Johnson, 18, from Lake Worth was chosen by Cardello's Wise Guy's, and catcher-first baseman Nick Loeb was chosen by the Mets. Johnson has international experience, playing in Venezuela and Albany, NY with a team from the Virgin Islands. Loeb, a 6-3, 215-pounder played three years in the NABA's South Bay Los Angeles league and is currently finishing up the spring season in the South Florida MABL league. 18AA teams came up with some excellent draft picks. With their first round pick, the Genesis Brewers picked up 20-year pitcher-centerfielder Chip Burdett of Port St.Lucie, who was an outstanding pitcher played in the Jupiter Men's League. Los Potros, sponsored this season by Japanese Auto Repair, chose 20-year old pitcher-shortstop Anthony Gutilla of Lake Park. Corporal's Manatees got a two-for-one pick when they selected catcher-third baseman Fred Manriquez, 30, and his brother, 23-year old Paul Manriquez, both of Wellington. Fred played for three years in the NABA's Rockland-Westchester league in New York after playing college ball at Marist College in New York. Paul can pitch, catch, and play the infield corner positions. And, the Redbirds rounded out the second round by choosing 28-year old Lisnardo DeCastro, a power hitting lefthanded first baseman-outfielder with some experience in Independent Pro baseball. The Brewers took an experienced middle infielder, 29-year old Carlos Gonzalez, to start the second round. Gonzalez played for Piper HS in Miami before going on to Miami-Dade Junior College. While other teams passed, the Manatees picked up third baseman-outfielder Thiairro Robinson, 20, of West Palm Beach. The Brewers took the only other pick of the third round when they tabbed Chris Schemitz of Boca Raton. The 27-year old Schemitz recently moved to South Florida from Long Island, NY. The Manatees took eleven more players in supplementary picks to build his new team.... Ovid Battot, 38, 2B-SS, Wellington Roy Saunders, 18, OF, West Palm Beach Kevin Davis, 23, 2B, Greenacres (has played in the league before) Terrance Williams, 21, P_OF, West Palm Beach (Played with NABA PB Twins) Carlos Cuevas, 40, IF-OF, Hialeah Joe D'Ambrosio, 44, IF, Delray Beach (previous league experience with Marlins) Robert Sommers, 20, 1B-3B, Palm Springs Christopher Foster, 20, 2B-OF, Boynton Beach Michael Castillo, 21, OF, Boca Raton George Castillo, 28, OF, Lake Worth Adrian Mata, 26, IF, Lake Worth