An old cliché of baseball is that you will see something new every time you go to the ballpark. Sunday night at Spring Mobile Ballpark nearly every one in attendance saw something they had never seen before: an inside the park grand slam by Jeremy Moore in the first inning (video can be found here http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=17261271).

In franchise history, the Bees have hit 73 grand slams, and just 11 inside the park home runs, but never both on the same swing.

The round tripper was the talk of the stadium for the rest of the game, overshadowing an extremely impressive 12 strikeout performance by Bees pitcher Jerome Williams. The feat is estimated to have happened about 40 times in Major League Baseball since 1950, making it the rarest of rare events. When asked, many of the assorted baseball scouts in attendance said they had never seen it happen before in their many years of watching baseball for a living.

After the game Williams, a professional baseball player for the last 12 years, was asked if he had ever seen such a thing.

“I’ve never seen that before,” Williams said.

“You have now,” Moore was quick to point out.

Kraig Williams

Bees fans are likely to remember the name Freddy Sandoval, although it’s been a while since he put on a black and yellow uniform. During the 2008 season Sandoval was a standout forSaltLake, hitting .335 with a team-leading 88 RBI. That performance earned him the distinction of Angels’ Minor League Player of the Year as he led the Bees to a division title and a playoff berth.

Things have not been easy for Sandoval since that magical season. Wrist surgery sidelined him for over four months of the 2009 season, limiting him to just 67 games forSaltLake. The 2010 campaign was even worse as a torn UCL in his elbow sidelined him for the entire season. The bad luck continued to start this season, as a torn oblique has kept him rehabbing in extended spring training for the first four months of the season.

Freddy reports that he is fully healthy now and ready to get back in the groove of playing every day. Not one of his injury setbacks has taken away his positive attitude. In fact, all the adversity has made him even more thankful for the position he is in.

“(Coming back to Salt Lake) is like the coolest thing that has happened to me in the last three years,” said Sandoval. “I’m just so excited to be here and be a part of this team. I’m excited to meet all the new players on the team. Just being here is like a brand new experience for me. I’m happy and thrilled and looking forward to playing every day again.”

Kraig Williams

Being named an All-Star at any level of baseball is special honor for anybody from the little leagues to the major leagues. For Gil Velazquez and Jeff Baisley being elected as a representative for the Pacific Coast League in this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game is an honor they both cherish.

“It feels good, it is gratifying,” said Baisley.

For Velazquez the award has extra meaning, being his first professional All-Star Game at any level.

“Being named an All-Star feel good,” said Velazquez. “I’ve been playing pro ball for 14 years and this is my first All-Star as a pro player. I’m really excited.”

Both players are in their first year with Salt Lake, but are excited to represent their new hometown and  the local fans that have so quickly embraced them, at the Triple-A All-Star game at Spring Mobile Ballpark on July 13. Baisley will also be representing the Bees and Salt Lake City in the Triple-A Home Run Derby on July 11.

Representing the home team in the All-Star Game gives both players a lot of satisfaction knowing that the crowd will be behind them, but it also gives the players a little extra rest during a season when there are so few days off.

“It’s nice not having to travel any further than we normally do,” Baisley said.

There won’t be along flight and a stay in a hotel for Velazquez and Baisley. It will just be a quick drive they have made dozens of times already from their homes to Spring Mobile Ballpark for this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game.

Kraig Williams

Bees first baseman, Efren Navarro is hitting an astonishing .550 in the month of July so far. Now, some might say hitting over .500 through four games is nothing to write home about. With that said, yes anyone can have a few hot games but no one in the PCL is hitting as hot as Navarro of late.

In his last 10 games, Navarro is hitting .512 and more than a third of his hits have gone for extra bases. Not only is Navarro currently third in the PCL with his 27 doubles, he has recently added the long ball to his bag of tools. Going deep in back-to-back games against division leaders Reno help the Bees to earn a series split on the road.

Now, if leading the PCL in average for all players in their last 10 games isn’t enough, take a look at his numbers last month.

Quietly, the first baseman hit .404 in June. Good enough for second best behind PCL All-Star Collin Cowgill. His 11 doubles in June was tied for third with All-Star Brian Barden and just behind All-Stars David Cooper and Jonny Giavotella. In fact, Efren’s 11 two-baggers accounted for one-forth of the team’s 44 month total.

Going into tonight’s game Navarro is hitting .334 and looks to continue helping the Bees get back in the race for the division. Even if his bat cools down a bit, his .999 fielding percentage will always be there to help out. It’s not everyday your hottest hitter is also leading the league in fielding.

Nate Gray