FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                     Media Contact: Jon Versteeg
June 19, 2008                                                                                          860-309-9293 cell

                                                                                jversteeg@jackhammerbaseball.com

 

JACKHAMMERS SIGN FORMER WHITE SOCK CARUSO

REPLACES JUAN DIAZ, WHO WILL HEAD TO MEXICO

 

JOLIET, IL-The Joliet JackHammers have signed IF Mike Caruso to a 2008 contract. Caruso, who spent two years with the White Sox in 1998 and 1999 and finished third in the race for American League Rookie of the Year in 1998, will take the spot of DH Juan Diaz, who will be leaving to join Nuevo Laredo of the Mexican League.

 

“Caruso played for me last year,” said JackHammers Manager Wally Backman. “He can do a little bit of everything with the bat and can play all infield positions.”

Caruso was originally drafted in the second round of the 1996 draft by San Francisco. He was traded to the White Sox along with Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, Brian Manning and Lorenzo Barcelo on July 31, 1997 for Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin and Roberto Hernandez. In his rookie season in 1998, Caruso batted .306 with five home runs and 55 RBI. He batted .250 with two home runs and 35 RBI in 1999 with the Sox before spending parts of the next three seasons in the minor leagues. Caruso logged 12 games with Kansas City in 2002. After the 1998 season, the Baseball Writers Association of America placed him behind only Ben Grieve and Rolando Arrojo of Tampa Bay in the voting for rookie of the year.

 

Last season Caruso hit .362 with three home runs and 31 RBI in just 46 games for the South Georgia Peanuts of the South Coast League.

Diaz will report to Nuevo Laredo of the Mexican League. He departs the JackHammers with a .372 batting average, which placed him second in the Northern League behind Doc Brooks’ .397 average. He was tied for the team lead with five home runs and logged 29 RBI, which was also second in the Northern League.

 

Loose Gravel: The JackHammers also placed LHP Craig Pfautz on the Disabled List retroactive to June 15 and signed RHP Nick O’Brien from Sonoma State University in California. O’Brien was 4-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 23 games for the Division II School.

 

The JackHammers currently have partial-season seats, mini-plan packages, group outings and individual tickets on sale.  To invest in tickets, or for more information, please contact the JackHammers Ticket Department TODAY at 815.726.2255 (BALL), stop by the Silver Cross Field Box Office during normal business hours or visit the JackHammers website at www.jackhammerbaseball.com.

 

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