Staff shake-up to start homestand
July 21, 2005 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Quad Cities River Bandits News Release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced more player movement in their system Thursday, sending the Swing of the Quad Cities one familiar face and one new face for the second time in the last four days. Michael Gross will return to the Swing pitching staff from New Jersey, bringing with him 2005 draftee Cory Meacham. Quad Cities also activated 2005 supplemental first-round pick Mark McCormick, who has been with the team since Monday and is scheduled to start tonight against Fort Wayne.
To make room for the three additions, pitchers Brian Miller and Quinton Robertson were reassigned to New Jersey of the Short Season-A New York-Penn League, while righthander Wayne Lundgren was released.
McCormick, the 43rd overall pick in June's draft, will be on the mound tonight in his Midwest League debut. The 21-year-old out of Baylor joined the Swing after striking out ten and allowing only one hit in six scoreless innings with New Jersey.
Fellow 2005 draftee Cory Meacham (35th round) also comes to Quad Cities, having excelled in the New York-Penn League. After two appearances with Johnson City of the Rookie-Advanced Appalachian League, the 20-year-old was promoted to New Jersey on June 26, where he registered a 1.98 ERA and held opponents to a .136 batting average. The righthander out of Alabama Southern Community College hurled two no-hitters in his high school career, also in Alabama.
Gross, 23, rounds out the shake-up, returning to the Swing after spending the better part of the season's first two months in the Quad Cities. After being reassigned on May 27, the righty out of North Carolina hurled 16.2 innings for New Jersey, fanning 17 and walking only one with a 2.70 ERA to earn his return trip to the Midwest League.
Robertson heads to New Jersey despite posting a 3.05 ERA as a reliever, but his year so far was marked by an 8.53 ERA as a starter and two ejections. Making the trip with him will be Miller, whose ERA rose to 6.00 through 14 games after allowing two home runs in 1.1 innings on Tuesday night. Lundgren, an Australian hurler, was released by the organization, getting roughed up with the Swing to the tune of an 8.76 ERA in 10 appearances.
UP NEXT: The Swing begin both an eight-game homestand and a four-game series Thursday night, sending rookie RHP Mark McCormick to the mound against RHP Clayton Hamilton (9-6, 3.05) of the Fort Wayne Wizards. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00, and pre-game coverage on WKBF AM-1270 will begin at 6:45.
UPCOMING HOMESTAND: The Swing begin an eight-game homestand on Thursday, July 21. The homestand will include a fireworks show on Friday, July 22, a Johan Santana bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, July 23, and several other promotions throughout Tickets are available for all Swing games by calling (563) 328-2000.
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