NEWS

September 8, 2007

Read about Josh Hamilton's miraculous recovery from drug addiction through his relationship with Jesus Christ and his mercurial rise to the majors with the Cincinnati Reds, less than a year after his comeback began. Read here

Luke Scott led the Astros in hitting down the stretch last year and was rewarded with a full season with the Astros this year. Read more about Luke's relationship with Christ here . . . ..Ben Zobrist led Tampa Bay in spring training in batting avg. but got off to a slow start in April.  After a brief stint in Triple A Durham, he is finishing out the season with the parent club Devil Rays . . . .J.R. Towles (catcher) and Josh Anderson (outfield) were both called up from Triple A Round Rock to the Houston Astros in September.  J.R. started the season in Single A but was moved up to fill a need at catcher, hit for power and avg, and was rewarded with a promotion to Triple A.  His September call up was inevitable.  Josh was the MVP for Double A Corpus Christi last year.  Read more about Josh Anderson by clicking here . . . . Todd Martin led the NY-Penn league in batting with an all-time club record .360 in addition to leading the league in slugging, homers, and RBI's most of the season until he injured his knee and had to miss the final 3 weeks. . . . . Tug Hulett, jumped all the way from Single A to Triple A in one full year.  He finished wiht a career high 11 homers while playing a stellar second base and hitting .275  in his full season at Oklahoma (Rangers) . . .   Drew Sutton, (Astros) finished an All-Star Season at Double A Corpus Christi. . . . . Former #1 Draft pick Stephen Drew  is finishing his frist full season in the majors starting every day at shortstop . . . .  Jason Tyner  has batted around .300 all season while starting in left field for the Minnesota Twins. . . . . Josh Holden and Cody Strait were leading chapels together for their own team (Sarasota Reds) . . . .

March 4, 2004
Franco defends himself: One day after pointing his finger at former Pirate teammate Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke said he believed Braves first baseman Julio Franco was using steroids. 
     "Julio Franco is 46 years old. I've got to believe he's on it," Van Slyke told host Rick Barry on San Francisco radio station KNBR on Wednesday night. 
     Franco, a devout Christian who actually won't turn 46 years old until August, seemed to be amused by Van Slyke's accusation. 
     "Andy Van Slyke is right," Franco said. "I'm on the best juice there is. I'm juiced up every day, and the name of my juice is Jesus. I'm on His power, His wisdom, His understanding. ... Next time you talk to him, tell him the steroid I'm on is Jesus of Nazareth."

AUGUST 4, 2003

Gary Carter	HALL OF FAMER Former Mets and Expos catcher Gary Carter is now in Baseball's Hall of Fame.
At his induction ceremony at Cooperstown, New York, he said, "I praise the Lord my God for giving me the ability, the desire, the love and the guidance that brought me here today."He also read a Bible passage from Psalm 18. Gary Carter also said he is thankful that his 3 children "have chosen to walk with the Lord."