FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                     Media Contact: Jon Versteeg
July 29, 2008                                                                                           860-309-9293 cell

                                                                                jversteeg@jackhammerbaseball.com

 

JACKHAMMERS ACTIVATE DIAZ

Brooks and Trolia Named Northern League Player and Pitcher of the Week

 

JOLIET, IL-The Joliet JackHammers are pleased to announce the activation of DH Juan Diaz, who spent the last month playing for Nuevo Laredo of the Mexican League. He will be in uniform tonight as the JackHammers start a three-game series against the Schaumburg Flyers at 6:05 p.m. at Silver Cross Field in Joliet City Center. He hit .273 with six home runs and 22 RBI in 30 games played for Nuevo Laredo and returns to a JackHammers squad where he hit .372 with five home runs and 29 RBI in 30 games played before his departure from the JackHammers on June 19.

 

“When Juan left us in June, this was a day we knew would come,” said JackHammers Manager Wally Backman of Diaz’s return. “His impact in our lineup will be almost immediate.”

 

Diaz is in his second season with the JackHammers. He finished with 28 home runs and 80 RBI in playing all 96 games in 2007.  A 13-year veteran of professional baseball, Diaz spent four games in the Major Leagues with the Boston Red Sox in 2002. To make room for him on the roster, the JackHammers released IF Andy Launier and RHP Carlos Castillo before the game on Tuesday.

 

Brooks and Trolia received player and pitcher of the week honors for the week ending on July 27. Brooks went .444 (8-18) with four home runs and nine RBI in just four games played last week. He hit two home runs and drove in four RBI in the JackHammers 12-4 win on July 24 in Schaumburg.

 

Trolia started two games for the JackHammers this past week and went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA over his two starts. He allowed one earned run over six innings pitched and struck out 11 men to get the victory in a 13-4 Joliet victory in Schaumburg on Tuesday, July 22. Trolia followed up that performance by allowing one run on eight hits in six innings pitched to get a “no-decision” in Fargo-Moorhead on July 27.

 

Loose Gravel: The JackHammers currently have two roster spots available for bidding for the Budweiser Legends game on Saturday, August 9 at Silver Cross Field in Joliet City Center. For more information, heading to ebay.com and type in the category: “Tickets: Experience” and search roster spot.

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