3B COREY KOSKIE has been hot lately, recording his second career multi-homer game with a solo home run in the fifth inning, his ninth of the current season, and a two-run shot in the seventh, as his red-hot Twins posted a 7-5 triumph over the Chicago White Sox on 2 July 2001. After starting the season hitting .307 for April, he dropped to .200 for May, but regained his form in mid-June and was batting .346 (18-for-52) with 14 RBI in his last 14 games. "It's just one of those things where I hit the ball well and they went out of the ballpark," he said. "I guess I saw the ball pretty well and I got the ball up and got it out."

On CANADA DAY, 1 July 2001, RF VLADIMIR GUERRERO hit his first career grand slam as the MONTREAL EXPOS completed their first three-game sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates in over four years with a 9-3 victory. The blow, which came in the bottom of the third, enabled Guerrero to overcome being the active player with the most career home runs without a grand slam, being his 155th, for the native of the Dominican Republic. "They were needling the dickens out of him on one of our bus rides coming up with the bases loaded and all he got was a double," EXPOS manager JEFF TORBORG said."So when he got this one he was pointing to the dugout. He's a special player. It's amazing that you are down 3-0 and with one swing of the bat you're up 4-3." Guerrero was then named as theNational League Player of the Week for the period of 24 June through 1 July, his fifth time to be the recipient of this honor, for batting .455 with two home runs and 13 RBI.

IF LUIS SOJO rarely gets into action anymore, however, when he does he usually hurts the next day. But, he always seems to do something to help his New York Yankees win. He made a couple of great plays on 2 July 2001, and his two-run single snapped a seventh-inning tie as the Yankees went on to trounce the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7-1. In what will probably be his final season, Sojo is planning to retire at season's end, unless the Bronx Bombers re-sign him for one more year, he will return to Venezuela, play winter ball, take a few years off, perhaps work for the Yankees in his homeland and eventually coach and / or manage. There's a mental approach to coming off the bench, Joe Torre said, and Sojo never seems to be unprepared. "He gets in-between hops, he's always in the right spot," said Mike Mussina. "He knows how to play the game right, he knows where to be, and he's got great hands. You don't find many players in this business who can come in once in awhile to perform that way." After the game, in the clubhouse, LEE MAZZILLI, the Yankees first-base coach, walked over to Sojo and patted him on the back. "Nice game," he said, "now take two weeks off !"

The grand slam by OF BRAD WILKERSON, against the Rochester Red Wings, marked the second straight year that he had hit a grand slam at JetForm Park on CANADA DAY. In 2000, he cranked one during a 9-4 Ottawa win over the Toledo Mud Hens. The grand slam was the first this year for the Lynx. Ottawa has never gone through a season without at least one grand slam and since entering the I.L. in 1993 have a total of 19 to this point.

When the SkyChiefs recently needed an emergency catcher they turned to C CASEY MARTINEZ, son of BLUE JAYS manager BUCK MARTINEZ. Casey was a back-up catcher at Class A Charleston, but was called up to Syracuse when they were forced into playing both of their catchers, IZZY MOLINA and JOE LAWRENCE, because of injuries and call-ups. One would catch and the other would be the DH. Martinez was brought in to mainly serve as the bullpen / emergency catcher and made the most of his playing opportunities as manager OMAR MALAVE had sent the young prospect to the plate for four pinch-hitting chances where Casey had gone 3-for-4 with an RBI before his return to the DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS on 12 July 2001.

It was a once in a lifetime day for IF / OF GEOFF BLUM as he became only the fifth member of the MONTREAL EXPOS ever to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game, as his teammates racked up 15 hits in downing the Florida Marlins, 9-6, at Olympic Stadium on Thursday 5 July 2001. "It's kind of nice to know that there are only a few guys who have done that," he said, who also finished with 4 RBI on the day. "I don't even think I've done it on PlayStation, so it's kind of a first for me." C RANDY KNORR singled in the third off Chuck Smith, then Blum, batting left-handed, knocked an 0-and-2 pitch off the top of the rightfield wall to make the score 6-1. "It snuck over, that's the way the game was going today," Blum stated. Then, batting right-handed against the lefty Jesus Sanchez, he smacked a two-run homer, his fifth on the current season, in the fifth inning, to make it 9-2. The last hitter for the EXPOS to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game was IF JOSE VIDRO, almost exactly one year before, on 3 July 2000 in Atlanta.

On 8 July 2001, 1B FERNANDO SEGUIGNOL belted a three-run blast in the eighth inning, in the OTTAWA LYNX eventual 12-6 win over the Louisville RiverBats, to establish a minor league season high for home runs in consecutive games, with six. He was then named as the player of the week in the INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE for the week of July 1 to 8, becoming the first Lynx player chosen to receive the award this season. His six-game homer streak was eventuallly snapped on Monday, 9 July, in the afternoon, in a 1-0 loss for the Lynx at Louisville. Going into the game he was batting .286 with 12 HR and 24 RBI. He had really been on a tear in July, hitting .377 (29-for-77) with 7 home runs and 27 runs batted in. Recently, due to the severe heel injury to OF ROB DUCEY (see below) , he was called up to the EXPOS on 22 July 2001.

The Milwaukee Brewers have named Hank Aaron, Rollie Fingers, PAUL MOLITOR and Robin Yount as their first members of the team's WALK OF FAME at the new Miller Park. All four former players attended an induction ceremony before the game with the Minnesota Twins on 12 July 2001. "Hank, Rollie, Paul and Robin meant so much to fans of the Brewers that it is fitting for them to be the first honorees," Brewers President & CEO Wendy Selig-Prieb said. The Walk of Fame surrounds Miller Park on a plaza outside the stadium with the names of the first four inductees featured near the main entrance to the stadium, behind home plate. The first 30,000 fans also received special baseball cards featuring the four former Brewers.

Both LARRY WALKER, for his fifth time, and PAUL QUANTRILL, for his first time, were chosen to play in the 72nd All-Star Game at Safeco Field in Seattle. They join such other Canadian All-Stars as RYAN DEMPSTER, JASON DICKSON, JEFF HEATH, JOHN HILLER, FERGUSON JENKINS, OSCAR JUDD, TERRY PUHL, CLAUDE RAYMOND, GEORGE SELKIRK, and JEFF ZIMMERMAN.

IAN MacDONALD, the long-time baseball columnist for the MONTREAL GAZETTE, and President of the Baseball Writers Association of America, was one of the three official scorers for the 72nd All-Star Game played at Safeco Field in Seattle, on 10 July 2001.

C JEFF REED retired in early July from the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, of the International League, as a twenty-one year veteran. The illinois native departed his baseball career to spend more time with his family back in Elizabethton, Tennessee. He had spent his final season appearing in just 31 games and finished with a .235 AVG after signing with the Phillies as a free agent on 24 May 2001. He began his career when he was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the June 1980 free-agent draft, and during his MLB career he appeared in 1234 big league games with the Twins, EXPOS, Reds, Giants, Rockies and Cubs, compiling a .250 AVG.

To commemorate 100 years of professional baseball in the Charlotte area, the Knights named their Charlotte All-Century Team on 4 July 2001. The pitchers are EARLY WYNN and Curt Schilling; outfielders Manny Ramirez, Tony Oliva and Brian Daubach; infielders Harmon Killebrew, Eddie Murray, Jim Thome and Cal Ripken Jr.; catcher Rick Dempsey, and Calvin Griffith was selected as manager.

OF CHRIS LATHAM does not consider himself to be a home run hitter. His 13 so far this season for the SYRACUSE SKY CHIEFS earned him a spot in the International League All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Indiana, on 11 July 2001. Then he was asked to join their home run hitting derby for which he initially balked not wanting to embarass himself. However, he hit four in the first round advancing to the final where he hit a further five to claim the title. Following this he was promoted to the BLUE JAYS replacing BRIAN SIMMONS who was sent out to Syracuse in order for him to get more playing time.

In going 4-1 in the round robin, the ONTARIO BLUE JAYS won the Great Black Swamp Tournament played in Bowling Green, Ohio, downing the Great Lakes Lightning in the semi-final and the Michigan Bulls in the final. Leaside LHP DREW TAYLOR, the son of former MLB pitcher RON TAYLOR, picked up the win against the Bulls and again showed increased velocity and has NCAA Universities such as Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati and Kansas State courting him.

SCOTT McGUIGAN hit a bottom-of-the-seventh, walk-off, grand slam as the Team Ontario 18s rallied to defeat the Long Island Tigers 18s by a 4-2 count in the semi-final of the Welland tourney, and then knocked off the Kalamazoo Maroons 17s in a 20-6 thrashing, thanks to a pair of home runs by DH P.J. McDONALD of Burlington.

On Sunday 15 July 2001, IF / OF CHRIS STYNES had a great day, but just don't ask him to do it again, hitting two home runs in the same game for the first time in his career, leading his Boston Red Sox to an 8-5 victory over the MONTREAL EXPOS before a Boston-friendly crowd of 32965 at OLYMPIC STADIUM. "It's the first time I did it, so don't count on another one," said Stynes of his banner day. "It was a little strange, you know. Normally, you don't have too many people here. To have so many rooting for us, it felt kind of nice." Stynes hit a solo shot in the second adding a two-run homer in the seventh, his fifth and sixth homers on the season, finishing the day with four hits, three runs scored and a career-high four RBI.

"Don't ask me about the fans. I don't know what to say. I'd rather play Boston everyday if that's the only way we're going to get fans. It was crazy," said JOSE VIDRO on all the Red Sox fans at Olympic Stadium on Sunday 15 July 2001.

"When you wear a white uniform, you expect the fans will be in your favor," INF GEOFF BLUM said. "And, when you wear grey, you expect them to be against you.The majority of the fans here were rooting for the Red Sox. It's disappointing that we draw 5000 most games and then 32000 showed up for Boston. In your home park you expect, and you want, these people to be cheering for you."

In a tribute to the contributions of the Negro Leagues to baseball, the BLUE JAYS and Mets donned uniforms on Sunday 15 July 2001 representing teams from their respective areas. The Jays wore replicas of the uniforms worn by the 1929 Chatham All-Stars, who, while not an official Negro Leagues team, were an outstanding professional barnstorming team that did play many of the Negro Leagues teams and all-white barnstormers from across the United States. FERGUSON JENKINS SR, the late father of Chatham-born Hall of Fame member FERGUSON JENKINS JR, played with this team from 1935-1937.

1B TODD BETTS, playing this season for the most successful Tacoma Rainiers, the Seattle Mariners club in the Triple-AAA Pacific Coast League, was chosen to participate in the recent AAA-All Star Game in Indianapolis, based on his statistics to that point, consisting of a .320 average with10 home runs, 50 RBI and 110 hits.

SkyChiefs RHP BRANDON LYON took a perfect game into the sixth inning but had to settle for a two-hit complete-game win as his Syracuse squad cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Buffalo Bisons in the first game of a doubleheader. Lyon, who went the distance for the first time in his career in a win over the Columbus Clippers on 17 June, retired the first 15 batters he faced, including four in a row on strikeouts between the second and third. Unfortunately for Lyon, the first batter due up was C ALEX ANDREOPOLOUS, who on 5 July ruined a perfect game for Rick Bauer of the Rochester Red Wings with a leadoff double in the sixth inning of that game, and proceeded to lace a leadoff single to right field and eventually came around to score on an error, as Buffalo scored twice in the frame. Despite the disappointment, Lyon was able to end the inning without giving up any more runs and sealed the victory with a scoreless seventh. A 14th round pick of the TORONTO BLUE JAYS in 1999, the 21-year-old native of Salt Lake City, Utah, is 4-3 since his promotion from the Class-AA TENNESSEE SMOKIES, where he posted a 5-0 mark. Then, was named as the International League Pitcher of the Week for the period of 9-15 July, having previously been awarded this honor on 18 June and on 24 April while still in the Southern League. Remarkably, he has struck out 89 batters with only 17 walks in 116 innings between the two leagues with a 3.34 ERA in 18 starts.

"We have a physician on hand in case he has a heart attack or something." --CARLOS DELGADO on the ultra-intense BRAD FULLMER after his return to playing first-base on 16 July 2001 for the first time since mid-1999.

1B JUSTIN MORNEAU, on 17 July 2001, drove in five runs as his Fort Myers Miracle teammates outlasted the host Daytona Cubs, 9-7, in Florida State League action. In the 15-inning match, Morneau, a third-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 1999, delivered a sacrifice fly in the top of the first innning, doubled home a pair of runs in the ninth and gave the Miracle a two-run advantage in the top of the 15th with an RBI groundout. These RBI totals mark the most the 20-year-old has registered since 21 July 2000, when he plated five runs for the Gulf Coast League Twins playing with their Rookie level team, one game after exploding for 10 RBI on 20 July 2000 in the first game of a double-header the evening before. To this point, he has 15 home runs with 53 runs batted in to go with his .356 average prompting one National League scout to state, " That's a special bat. He has power to all fields. His power is easy and effortless and he's going to hit for average. His swing is controlled." Twins outfielder Jason Maxwell, returning after a rehab assignment in Florida, said, "Morneau is the truth. I'm calling it right now. When I was there he wasn't getting a lot of hits, but he can hit. He was lining out to everybody. He's tall (6' 5") but will have the build of COREY KOSKIE."

The Boston Red Sox signed veteran RHP KEN HILL on 17 July 2001 and have him with their Triple-AAA team at Pawtucket. A National League All-Star in 1994 while with the MONTREAL EXPOS, when he posted a 16-5 mark with a 3.23 ERA, the down on his luck of late hurler has a lifetime 117-109 record. Since 1988 he has appeared with the Cardinals, EXPOS, Indians, Rangers, Angels, White Sox and Devil Rays. He threw two scoreless innings, allowing a pair of hits and a walk, in his debut with the PawSox on 26 July 2001.

SYRACUSE SKYCHIEFS Manager OMAR MALAVE recorded his 600th managerial win on 18 July 2001 versus the OTTAWA LYNX. He had 599 wins as a full-time manager and 1 win as an interim manager. He is the 33rd manager in Syracuse franchise history and has never had a losing season in 9 years as a skipper in the BLUE JAYS organization, with five teams advancing to the post-season. During his 9-year playing career he battted .258 and played with the CHIEFS in 1989.

SS MIKE HARDGE led an unbelievable 29-hit attack on 19 July 2001 by going 5-for-6 with four RBI and five runs scored as his Amarillo Dillas exploded for 26 runs to totally embarass San Angelo, 26-12, in a Texas-Louisiana Association contest, in which he missed hitting for the cycle by a triple, producing four singles and his 13th double of the season in helping his squad, setting the minor league season high for both runs and hits in a single game.

In only the 10th relief appearance of his career, RANDY JOHNSON struck out 16 players on 19 July 2001 in the final seven innings of a game that had been suspended due to a malfunction in the lights at Qualcomm Stadium, breaking a long-standing MLB record of 15 Ks in relief, which had been held by Walter Johnson, of the original Washington Senators in the American League, who had himself beaten the old record held by Rube Marquard, of the New York Giants, who had pitched the final eight innings of a nine-inning game on 13 May 1911, striking out 14. 'RJ' came within four outs of combining with Curt Schilling on a no-hitter as their Arizona Diamonbacks defeated the hometown San Diego Padres 3-0 on Thursday. "By no means do I try to go out and strike people out," said Johnson, now 10th on the all-time career list in that category. "It's probably one of the hardest things to do, especially against major league hitters. But I got in a groove and my catcher called a great game." He also struck out seven straight batters from the start of the sixth to the eighth inning.

On 21 July 2001 the Memphis Redbirds honored one of their all-time fanfavourites by issuing a 24" x 14" poster, entitled "THE FLIP". Local fans had loved to see STUBBY CLAPP take to the field, ala Ozzie Smith, duplicating his famous backward flip, as he arrived at his position in the infield at the beautiful new Autozone Park.

On Sunday, 22 July 2001, ROB DUCEY had to be assisted off the field in the bottom of the first inning after falling awkwardly, from jamming his knee up against the padding on the outfield wall, and in so doing ruptured his Achilles tendon, in an unsuccessful attempt to catch a home run off the bat of Brian Jordan, as the MONTREAL EXPOS went down to defeat at the hands of the Braves by an 8-2 count. "I felt a pop on the way up, and I knew if I landed on it, it would not be a good experience. Obviously, I will make every effort to return, I understand age-wise that it may be difficult. I don't want to be a finished player," Ducey stated. The recovery time for such injuries is generally in the range of six to eight months.

Salt Lake Stingers IF / OF JOSE FERNANDEZ drove in a season-high six runs, including three in the ninth to break a 5-5 deadlock, with his bases-clearing double, as his squad outlasted the CALGARY CANNONS, 8-5, in Pacific Coast League action on 22 July 2001. In going 3-for-4, he had given his team the early lead with a two-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI single in the fifth.

Also, on Sunday, 22 July 2001, RHP CHRIS BAKER posted his seventh straight win after yielding only one run over eight solid innings as his TENNESSEE SMOKIES defeated the Huntsville Stars, 4-3. Smokies closer, JARROD KINGERY came in with a 4-1 lead and managed to get away with his 21st save of the current season, setting a new franchise record, as the previous record had been held by both BOB FILE and LUIS AQUINO, at 20. Baker, now 12-4, who had won five consecutive starts, took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before giving up a one-out single, striking out nine batters, including the side in the fifth.

OF CLIFF FLOYD, who just competed in his first All-Star Game, was named as the National League Player of the Week for the period of 16-22 July 2001. He batted .462 , going 12-for-26, with 6 home runs, 12 runs batted in, 10 runs scored, and three doubles for a slugging percentage of 1.269 and an on-base percentage of .562. He received a specially engraved timepiece from the Bulova Company.

In an attempt to prop up their sagging offense and wildcard hopes the San Francisco Giants acquired 1B ANDRES GALARRAGA on Tuesday, 24 July 2001 from the Texas Rangers for three minor leaguers. Having played his entire 15-year career in the National League he had signed with the American League club as a free-agent in December 2000. "To be platooning with a team that is in last place was really uncomfortable for me and also for the organization. I think the best thing happened. I'm happy to be traded, especially to a team in the race for the playoffs. It helps a lot to return to the National League. I know the pitchers. I know the other teams. I'm not really surprised as I've been waiting for the news since after Caminitti got released," Galarraga recounted. He became just the second player in MLB history to drive in 100 runs in his first season back after missing an entire year, due to a year-long battle with non Hodgkins Lymphoma, in winning the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2000.

TOMAS PEREZ hit home runs from each side of the plate as his Philadelphia Phillies downed the MONTREAL EXPOS, 10-2, on 24 July 2001, becoming just the second Phillies hitter to do so. The other being Steve Jeltz against the Pitttsburgh Pirates on 8 June 1989. In the third, batting left-handed, he homered to right-center, off TONY ARMAS JR, then, batting right-handed against JOEY EISCHEN, homered to left in the eighth.

The New York Mets sold the contract of RHP DOUG LINTON to the LG Twins of the Korea Professional Baseball League on 24 July 2001.

TIM RAINES JR was moved up to the Rochester Red Wings of the International League, on 24 July 2001. He was with the Class-A Frederick Keys as this 2001 season got underway, where he batted .250 with 3 home runs and 13 runs batted in before his promotion up to the AA Bowie Bay Sox, where he compiled a .291 AVG over 65 games hitting 4 homers with 30 RBI and 29 stolen bases. Since his arrival with the Orioles AAA club he is currently hitting at a .353 pace with 1 HR and 5 runs batted in over 13 games. Hopefully, he will shortly merit a September callup.

The HARRISBURG SENATORS announced on 25 July 2001 that their team's athletic trainer, DAVE COHEN, has been named as the top trainer throughout minor league baseball for this 2001 campaign. Cohen, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, has been the full-time trainer for the Senators over the last two seasons. "It is an honor to be recognized by your peers," he said. "The EXPOS, the field staff here, the front office staff, the fans, they all played a big part in this for me." The athletic trainers throughout the minor leagues are asked to vote for the top trainer in each league. Afterwards, when this is determined, the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society then names their minor league athletic trainer of the year. RUSS MILLER, president of the PBATS, and the medical director / head trainer of the Detroit Tigers, made the official announcement. Dave Cohen will receive his award at the annual baseball Winter Meetings, which will be held in Boston in December. He began working with the Expos organization in 1997 and spent his first two seasons with the DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS, split his time between HARRISBURG and the JUPITER HAMMERHEADS in 1999, before moving up to the SENATORS in 2000 and 2001.

On 25 July 2001 RHP CARL PAVANO threw six scoreless innings and OF PHIL DOWNING drove home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh as the JUPITER HAMMERHEADS took the first game of a doubleheader, over the Vero Beach Dodgers, 1-0. Pavano, recovering from elbow inflammation, yielded only two hits and one walk while striking out seven, but did not figure in the decision. In two outings, in the Florida State League, the 25-year-old is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA. Previously he had allowed a pair of runs and five hits over five innings on
14 July for the win.

As this month comes to a close, 3B COREY KOSKIE continues on a hot streak. He hit his 16th home run on 26 July 2001, his eighth of the month, extending his current hitting streak to five games, and totalling up his 65th run batted in.

OF GERONIMO BERROA, 36, was signed to a Triple-AAA contract and assigned to the OTTAWA LYNX on Friday 27 July 2001. He had been playing with the Campese Pirates of the Mexican League appearing in 49 games batting .280 with 35 RBI. In 779 ML games he has 101 HR and 382 RBI while playing for the Braves, Reds, Marlins, Orioles, Indians, Tigers and BLUE JAYS.

1B JUSTIN MORNEAU and OF B.J. Garbe both collected four hits and six runs batted in in the Fort Myers Miracle's 19-7 crushing of the DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS on 31 July 2001. Morneau, who finished 4-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two walks, hit a three-run homer in the third frame, singled home a run in the fourth and laced a two-run single in the seventh. He finished July batting .304, with 4 home runs, 32 RBI on only 135 at-bats, 18 runs scored, 64 total bases with a slugging percentage of .474. On the year he's at 16 HR, 85 RBI, 68 runs and 205 total bases. Be sure to vote for him as the BASEBALL AMERICA MVP OF THE YEAR, and you may just win a nice prize, too.

OTTAWA LYNX OF DAN McKINLEY completed a most impressive month of July, one of the best months for any player in franchise history. The 25-year-old hit .395 for the month (30-for-76) and owned an on-base percentage of .440 with a season batting average of .285. Heading into action at month's end he is the active Ottawa leader in that category. Currently he had a nine-game hit streak, which equaled a season team high and he is also the active leader on the 2001 squad with 21 multi-hit games.

The Buffalo Bisons will retire uniform number 30 of their former slugger JEFF MANTO on 17 August 2001 when they will host the SYRACUSE SKYCHIEFS at 7:35pm at Dunn Tire Park. If you wish to send a message of congratulations you may do so at JeffManto@Bisons.com and the Bisons will ensure that he gets these notes of thanks and best wishes.