Pickler Enjoys Rapid Rise Through Brewers’ System

Cypress College baseball Coach Scott Pickler recalls the telephone call from his son, Jeff, about three weeks ago.

“I made an error last night, and I won’t be in the lineup tonight,” Jeff told his father.

Scott immediately began offering some words of encouragement, but his son quickly cut him short.

“That’s because I’ve been called up to triple A,” he said, laughing. It was a fun phone call to make, Jeff said.

“I don’t think either one of us thought I’d get to triple A this quickly,” he said.

It has been a rapid rise, but it appears Pickler was more than ready.

A 24-year-old second baseman, Pickler is batting .319 with three doubles, seven runs batted in and eight stolen bases after 18 games with the Milwaukee Brewers’ triple-A team in Indianapolis.

Pickler was drafted in the 11th round by the Brewers in 1998, and was playing in double A before the 1999 season ended.

He batted .364 for Ogden, Utah, in the Class-A Pioneer League two years ago. Last season, Pickler was batting .338 in 80 games with Stockton in the Class-A California League when he was moved up to double-A Huntsville, Ala., where he batted .279 in 51 games.

Pickler returned to Huntsville at the start of this season, and was batting .303--eighth in the Southern League--before his recent promotion.

“I was eligible for the draft three times and wasn’t picked until after my senior year at Tennessee,” Pickler said. “I guess that’s what makes it a little surprising that I’d be in triple A in my second full season in pro ball. But I didn’t go into it with any timetable. I just wanted to progress every year.”

Pickler played at Foothill High, then at Cypress for one season before transferring to Tennessee.

“I never felt as though I was being snubbed by the professional scouts,” Pickler said. “I probably wasn’t ready to play pro ball until after my senior year in college.

“The pro scouts are always looking for those guys they think have all the tools--the guys who can run, throw, hit for power and hit for average. I don’t have all those tools. The best thing I probably have going for me is that I have hit fairly consistently.”

Pickler is happy to be playing for Indianapolis for several reasons.

For one, the Indians’ stadium, Victory Field, was rated the best minor league ballpark in America by Baseball America.

“The stadium is only four or five years old, and I’ve been told that our clubhouse and the playing surface is about as close as you can get to the ones in the major leagues,” Pickler said. “I just know everything is first class.”

Indianapolis also is having a winning season. The Indians are in a tight race for first with Louisville in the International League’s West Division.

“It’s great to be in a pennant race,” Pickler said. “This is the first time I’ve been on a winning team since I started pro ball. Winning sometimes gets lost in minor league baseball, but there’s no substitute for it as far as I’m concerned. The fans here are great, and I’ve really received a good reception from the other players on the team. That’s been nice.”

Scott Pickler said six of his former players have spent at least some time in the major leagues, and he hopes his son will be the seventh.

“He might not have all the tools the pros like to see in a player, but he is a real student of the game and has a great work ethic,” Scott said. “If work ethic gets you there, he certainly will have a chance.”

OJEDA GETS A TASTE

Shortstop Augie Ojeda, who played at Cypress College before transferring to Tennessee, made his first appearance in the major leagues this season with the Chicago Cubs.

Ojeda was called up from the triple-A Iowa Cubs in the International League on May 31 when shortstop Ricky Gutierrez was sidelined with a separated shoulder. Ojeda spent about three weeks in the majors, sharing time at shortstop with Jeff Huson. He returned to Iowa when Gutierrez came off the disabled list.

Ojeda played in 13 games for Chicago, going 10 for 43 at the plate (.233) with one home run.

Ojeda, who also played in the 1996 Olympics, is batting .258 for Iowa with four home runs and 21 RBIs. He has stolen 11 bases.

JOHNSON’S FIRST VICTORY

Former Cal State Fullerton pitcher Adam Johnson, the No. 2 player selected overall in the June draft, has started his professional career with a 1-2 record for the Minnesota Twins’ Class-A team in Fort Myers, Fla.

Johnson picked up his first professional victory Friday, giving up four hits and one run in five innings in Fort Myers’ 5-3 victory over Daytona in the Florida State League. Johnson, who struck out six, has 17 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.

In his first start, Johnson gave up three runs on three hits and three walks in the first inning. While he struck out the side in the inning, he didn’t return for the second inning.

He has made four appearances, one in relief, and has a 5.91 earned-run average.

HEART OF A LION

Ryan Dambach, who graduated from Vanguard in May, learned the value of perseverance last week when he was signed by the Class-A Zion Pioneerzz of the Western League as a utility player.

Dambach has a degree in exercise sports science and hopes to be a baseball coach someday. He was not selected in last month’s major league free-agent draft, but he was undeterred and sent resumes to minor league teams around the country.

After tryouts with several teams, he was offered a job with the Pioneerzz. Dambach is expected to be in uniform tonight when Zion hosts the Chico Heat in St. George, Utah.

“I’m very excited,” said Dambach, who attended El Toro High. “I still can’t believe it. To put a professional uniform on for even one day will be a dream come true.”

At Vanguard, Dambach had a career batting average of .250 and was considered a good defensive outfielder.

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Staff writer Paul McLeod contributed to this report.