Average Utah baseball fans who attend tonight's Triple-A All-Star Game at Franklin Quest Field probably won't recognized many of the players' names.
Oh, most will be familiar with Salt Lake Buzzmen Brian Raabe and Todd Walker and a few others from the Pacific Coast League that have previously been through. But the stars from the other two Triple-A leagues - the American Association and the International League - aren't exactly household names along the Wasatch Front.Then again, it's safe to say fans in Richmond, Va. - where the AAA all-stars played in 1992 - had probably never heard of back-up National League catcher Mike Piazza of the Albuquerque Dukes.
Piazza, of course, is now a perennial major league all-star for the Los Angeles Dodgers who was the National League's hero Tuesday night. The list of Triple-A all-stars - who were fairly anonymous when they played in their minor-league mid-summer classics - that have since gone on to major-league stardom is impressive. Piazza is joined by the likes of Sandy Alomar Jr., Kenny Lofton, Todd Zeile, Jim Thome, Ryan Klesko, Tim Salmon, Chipper Jones, Ramon Martinez, Ed Sprague, Juan Gonzalez and Jeff Conine, just to name a few.
"Several of the players in this game will excel and have great careers at the next level - we just don't know who they'll be right now," said Buzz manager Phil Roof, who will manage the American League affiliates' stars tonight. "Fans who come to the game and keep a close eye on the players will be able to remember five years down the line when they saw a famous baseball player when he wasn't rich and famous."
So who from tonight's game will be a "Piazza" or a "Salmon" in a few years?
One may be Billy McMillon, a 24-year-old left-handed hitting outfielder for the Charlotte Knights, the AAA affiliate of the Florida Marlins. McMillon leads the International League in hitting (.351), hits (101), doubles (27) and slugging percentage (.608) and is second in RBI with 56. He has 15 homers on the year.
Another top prospect is Brandt Brown, a first baseman for the Iowa Cubs, whose name is already familiar to those who watch WGN much. Brown, another left-handed hitting 24-year-old, had a successful stint in Chicago when Mark Grace was injured not too long ago.
Then, of course, there's Walker - the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization, whom Buzz fans get to see on a regular basis. Chances are pretty good this left-handed hitting 24-year-old will have a long, productive career in the bigs.
And there are plenty more candidates for future superstardom - like 21-year-old Albuquerque Dukes shortstop Wilton Guerrero, the youngest position player in the game or Calgary Cannons catcher Angelo Encarnacion, who's hitting .351.
The list could go on and on.
"It's going to be a lot of fun," said Roof. "There are some great players here and, talent wise, the teams are pretty evenly matched. When we take the field, both teams are going to want to win badly even though it's just an exhibition game."
Game time is set for 7:30.
ALL-STAR BRIEFS: The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and locally on KTVX (Ch. 4) . . . Raabe (shortstop) and Walker (third base) will both start for the American League and will hit in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions in the batting order, where they usually hit for the Buzz. Roof said he will likely keep the eight position player starters in for five innings before giving the subs a chance to see some action . . . The National League leads the Triple-A All-Star Game series 5-3, but the American League blanked the N.L. 9-0 last season.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1996 Triple-A All-Star Game starting lineups
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Jermaine Allensworth CF
Calgary Cannons-PCL
Chris Martin SS
Ottawa Lynx-IL
Billy McMillon RF
Charlotte Knights-IL
Jason Thompson 1B
Las Vegas Stars-PCL
Dmitri Young DH
Louisville Redbirds-AA
Ray Montgomery LF
Tucson Toros-PCL
Neifi Perez 2B
Colo. Springs Sky Sox-PCL
Angelo Encarnacion C
Calgary Cannons-PCL
Wilton Guerrero 3B
Alb. Dukes-PCL
Starting pitcher: Mike Fhyrie
Norfolk Tides-IL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jeff Abbott LF
Nashville Sounds-AA
Brian Raabe SS
Salt Lake Buzz-PCL
Todd Walker 2B
Salt Lake Buzz-PCL
Phil Hiatt 3B
Toledo Mud Hens-IL
Greg Pirkl 1B
Tacoma Rainers-PCL
Brian Giles RF
Buffalo Bisons-AA
James Bonnici DH
Tacoma Rainers-PCL
Rudy Pemberton CF
Pawtucket Red Sox-IL
Kelly Stinnett C
New Orleans Zephyrs-AA
Starting pitcher: Scott Ruffcorn
Nashville Sounds-AA