Beal joins three other ex-Jaguars in majors

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks, San Francisco Giants outfielder Fred Lewis and Chicago White Sox reliever Dewon Day are not the only ex-Jaguars who played in the major leagues this season. Former pitcher Damien Beal on Friday worked third base as an umpire at U.S. Cellular Field as the Chicago White Sox hosted the Boston Red Sox.

“Making it to the big leagues as an umpire, let alone as a minority, is really huge. It’s tough,” Cador said.

Beal, the nephew of SU volunteer coach Calvin Beal, never pitched for the Jaguars but did catch Cador’s eye during intrasquad games.

“He called a lot of the intrasquad, and I said, ‘This guy has some ability,’” Cador said. “I saw something in him and made a recommendation.”

Signees, newcomers

Southern has brought in 17 signees and newcomers this semester. They are:

• Freshman 3B Dominik Almanzar, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-Northside honorable mention from Class 3A state champion Dunwoody High in Georgia;
  Junior 2B Romey Bracey of Kankakee Community College after playing at Louisburg College;
  
• Freshman 2B/SS Demario Ellis, a Pasadena (Calif.) Star News All-Area second-teamer from Pasadena High;
  
• C/1B Frazier Hall, an All-District 7-1A first-teamer as a catcher (2007) and infielder (2006) and an All-District 8-2A first-teamer as a designated hitter (2008);
  
• Freshman RHP Joseph Hughes of Murphy High in Mobile, Ala.;
  
• Sophomore OF Ryan Lambert of Chesapeake College and a two-time first-team All-Bayside Conference player at Parkside High in Maryland;
  
• Freshman OF Anthony Langston, an All-Western Conference National Division first-teamer at Middleton High in Tampa, Fla.;
  
• Freshman LHP Darren McKnight, an All-District 23-5A second-team first baseman and a former teammate of SU catcher Michael Thomas, at Thurgood Marshall High in Missouri City, Texas;
  
• Sophomore RHP Seth Monaghan from Spring Hill College and from Mandeville;
  
• Freshman RHP Jeremy Morrison of Teurlings Catholic in Lafayette;
  
• Junior SS Mike Olivar of Cosumnes River College;
  
• Junior C/1B Jordan Palmer, who hit .309 with seven homers and 28 RBIs at Delaware Tech Community College;
  
• Sophomore LHP Chase Richard, who did not play in 2006 or ’07 at Louisiana-Lafayette after helping Central Private to a state title in 2005;
  
• Junior 3B Anthony Savage, who hit .263 with 22 RBIs, 22 runs and nine doubles at American River College;
  
• Junior RHP Jamie Spear, who pitched just two innings last season, his second at Kennesaw State, after redshirting at Troy;
  
• Freshman RHP Kyle Wahl, an honorable mention Pasco County Tribune at Wesley Chapel (Fla.) High;
  
• Freshman IF/OF Stephen Womack, an All-District 23-5A outfielder at Elkins High in Missouri City, Texas.
  “Olivar is a big-time shortstop,” Cador said. “This was a good class.”

Summer ball
Five veterans spent the summer with the IMG Baseball Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Junior OF Brad McDavid led the Green Team with a .371 average, 22 RBIs, 21 runs, four homers and nine doubles, while senior RHP Christopher Donaby was 1-2 with a save, a complete game and a 3.56 ERA in eight appearances.

Junior 1B Calvin Anderson led the Red Team with a .375 average, 27 RBIs, five homers and two triples while adding 17 runs and seven doubles. Thomas, a sophomore catcher, was .358 with 15 runs, 11 RBIs and a team-high nine doubles. Sophomore right-hander Jarrett Malloy had a 0.55 ERA in 11 appearances, going a team-best 5-0 with one save.

Junior OF Juan Mujica hit a league-best .359 with three triples, 13 doubles, 39 runs and 18 RBIs for his Clark Griffith League team in Maryland and Virginia. He also led the league in stolen bases, with 23 in 25 attempts.  Meanwhile, senior OF Torey Brown, senior RHP Cody Elliott, senior 3B Theo Ycoy and senior RHP Marcus Moore all played in the South Louisiana Collegiate League.