Yankees News and Notes
Week of July 26
The Yankees will leave next week for the 2004 Connie Mack Southeast regionals in their quest to return to Farmington, New Mexico and the prestigious Connie Mack World Series for a 7th straight year.  This region is considered one of the toughest in the country, with the Florida Bombers, Coral Springs Pokers, and Memphis Tigers among those aiming to stop the Yankee streak.  For the first time in over 20 years, the regionals will be held somewhere other than Memphis.  This years regional will be played at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, giving the Pokers and Bombers "home field" advantage.  The winner advances to the most prestigious summer World Series in America, where as many as 10,000 people attend each game.

This years quest will be tough, not only because of the change of venue, but even more so based on the recent play of the Yankees.  The offensive woes have plagued the team all year, and recent pitching lapses down in the rotation have been a cause of concern.  Starters Eddie Burns, Tim Ladd, and Miers Quigley have been outstanding of late, as have Trey Sheffield and Kyle Harrison, but the remainder of the staff has struggled with control and big innings.  Offensively, the Yanks just haven't been able to put together many big innings all season, as different players have struggled from time to time all the way through the lineup.  Without the ability to put together a string of hits, and without the power of previous teams, the runs have been hard to find.  Hopefully, the Yanks will put it together and get hot at the right time.  Wish us luck!  We will attempt to update the website during the tournament with scores and highlights.



Walton grad and North Carolina signee Luke Putkonen will undergo Tommy John surgery next week.  Putkonen has been plagued since early spring with a fluke type injury that can only be remedied with the surgery.  Putkonen had bone chips from his early youth that have lodged in the ligament, causing pain and discomfort.  Unfortunately, they can't be removed, so the only way to correct is with Tommy John.  With Luke's easy delivery and great arm, we expect him to be better than ever and a force in the ACC after his recovery.


Jon Mark Owings had his biggest pro outing last week.  After struggling a little early on, Jon Mark bounced back last week with a monster game, going 4 for 4 with 2 home runs.  


Chris Nelson has started his pro career in Casper, Wyoming.  As of late last week, he was hitting around .300. 


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