ROYALS SELECT FORMER PRO IN FALL LEAGUE DRAFT

In the Fall League draft, held on Sunday, September 20, the 18AAA Royals picked up Mike Zywica, who spent seven seasons in professional baseball, reaching theClass AAA level with both the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox. The 6-4, 200 pounder played the outfield throughout his pro career, batting .262 with 82 home runs and 68 stolen bases. The 35-year old Zywica is a native of Illinois, but now lives in Boynton Beach. He drove in more than 300 runs in his minor league career. Zywica showed some of that pop in Sunday's tryouts, and also popped a few fastballs when he took to the mound. The Royals hope to use him as an outfielder and pitcher and feel he may help to turn their franchise around.

The only other 18AAA team to draft was the Ameriland Leones, who selected NickBruckner of Wellington in the fiirst round. The 19-year old infielder-outfielder played at Wellington High School, which has produced many professional players, some ofwhom have made the major leagues. In addition to high school, Bruckner played onthe Wellington American Legion Travel squad.

The Royals took another player in the second round, selecting 31-year switch hitter Brent Doolan, who played high school and American Legion ball in Ohio before moving to South Florida. Eight 18AA teams tabbed the 19 other players at the September 30 tryouts.

The Braves added some new faces, led by first rounder Michael Wallner of West Palm Beach. Wallner is 20, pitched at Summit Christian and is now at Palm Beach Community College. They also picked up Brandon Fassberg, a 19-year old pitcher-outfielder who attended Arizona State University and PB Community College. Both Wallner and Fassberg are righthanded pitchers. The Braves added a league veteran in outfielder-DH Harris Levitt of West Palm, whose has previous Palm Beach League experience.

The Marlins also took three players, including 39 year old pitcher Ed Wood of Delray Beach. Wood, who also plays first base and the outfielder played at Henry Ford Community College in Michigan, and played several seasons in the Norhtern Michigan Adult League. The Marlins went for 21 year old catcher Michael Mitchell of Wellington, who played for Palm Beach Central HS and on the American Legion Travel team out of Wellington. Mitchell also can play second base and the outfield. Charlie Carter, 25,of Hobe Sound rounded out the Marlins' draft picks. A lefthanded hitter and thrower,Carter plays first baseand the outfield. He played high school ball at Fort Pierce Central High School, moved to Orlando and now is back in South Florida.

The Warriors, who won a previous 18AA championship, selected two new players in 31-year old outfielder Richard Pierce of West Palm Beach and another outfielder in 24-year old Matthew Hoener of Boynton Beach. The Warriors' draftees will be placed on other teams because of the Warriors' out again, in again status. The Dodgers chose a seasoned Adult League player in 49-year Alan Fox, who has played and managed in the Palm Beach League and other leagues. Fox can play the infield, third base primarily, can catch and take the mound on occasion. The Dodgers' other pick is 29-year old infielder-outfielder Tim McManus of Lake Worth. McManus also has Adult League experience, having played in Broward County.

Michael Payne, who is returning to the league after having been with the four time 18AAA champion Twins through their four championship campaigns, has added three new faces to his new team, which may be called the Tigers. The new Tigers are 31-year old Tim Ritchie, who recently moved from New Jersey to Florida. The lefthanded Ritchie spent nine years, most of them as a player-manager in a very successful Adult League in Northern Jersey. He plays first base and outfield and may do some relief pitching. Ritchie was selected twice as manager of the year in the Garden State. Also joining the Tigers are 20 year old outfielder-third baseman Scott Conti of Wellington and 23-year old league veteran Ron Fernandez, a lefty who plays first and the outfield. Conti has some rec league experience, and Fernandez has played with a couple of Palm Beach league teams. Fernandez was hit alongside his left eye with an errant throw at first base in the tryouts and had to be treated by paramedics. He has fully recovered and is excited about his new team.

The Brewers added two rookies to their roster for the fall season. They are Jared Moore, 26 year old shortstop-outfielder from West Palm, 45-year old shorrstop Geoffrey Fisher of Boca Raton, and 19-year old outfielder Thomas McKeen of Wellington. Moore is originally from Jefferson City, Missouri.

The Rangers, who will be managed this season by Eddie Vasquez, who replaces Leo Merced as the field boss took only one player. Roberto Laboy, a infielder and pitcher, spent several seasons in the Palm Beach League and impressed everyone at the tryouts with a live bat and good glove despite the fact that he is now 53 years old. Merced will serve as a coach with the 18AAA Chamos this season.

The Palm Beach Wave, renamed the Rockhounds, will be returning to the 18AAA league after missing the Spring 2009 season, and manager Mike Soulen had a look at former Philadelphia Phillies' farmhand Alex McEnaney of Royal Palm Beach on Sunday. McEnaney is a 23-year old son of former Cincinnati Reds' World Series hero Will McEnaney, who also pitched with the Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals during his six year major league career and played in this league in 2003. Will also played in the Palm Beach League with powerhouse Club Boca, with former major leaguers Rennie Stennett, Mickey Rivers and Jackie Hernandez, as well as the West Palm Beach Tropics of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in the mid 1980's.