Madison, WI – September 8, 2008. The Madison Mallards are excited to announce that former infielder Mike Rohde (Illinois) has been named the Northern League Rookie of the Year while playing for the independent Gary SouthShore RailCats. The first four-year Mallard in franchise history hit .319 with 111 hits and 55 RBIs in 91 games. He also led the league in fielding percentage (.995) among first basemen as he committed only three errors all season. Rohde spent last season with the Schaumburg Flyers but was still classified as a rookie heading into this year. He still holds Mallards career batting records in RBIs (87), hits (175), at-bats (676), and games played (219). Please click for this week’s full Alumni Report.
Other Mallards alumni enjoying successful seasons include:
Trevor Feeney, RHP, Oneonta Tigers (A). Selected in the 31st round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, the former Northern Illinois athlete had a 3.60 ERA in 12 starts for Oneonta this past season. Feeney’s 2-6 record is a bit misleading. In his six losses he only allowed a combined 17 earned runs.
Bubba O’Donnell, RHP, Boise Hawks (A). Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 34th round of last year’s MLB Draft, O’Donnell has thrown extremely well for the Boise Hawks (A), posting a 6-3 record and 3.97 ERA in 45.1 innings in relief. As a Mallard in 2007 he set single-season pitching records in appearances (34) and saves (12) en route to a 2-1 record and 2.94 ERA in 49 innings. O’Donnell was also named to the Northwoods League Mid-Season All-Star Team.
Brett Scarpetta, RHP, Southern Illinois (IND). Scarpetta didn’t lose a game from June 24 to August 30, during which he went 9-0 for the Miners in the independent Frontier League. He finished the season with a 9-3 record and 3.81 ERA in 87.1 innings, including 15 starts. Scarpetta was a late addition to last year’s Mallards squad, and was very effective, posting a 1.00 ERA in seven relief appearances.
Ryan Zink, RHP, Charleston RiverDogs (A). Selected by the New York Yankees in the 17th round of the 2007 MLB Draft, Zink went 3-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 52 innings. He was used predominantly out of the bullpen but did receive four starts on the hill. Zink made one start for the Mallards last season (W, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER), and was a member of the 2004 NWL Championship Team, posting a paltry 2.10 ERA in 81.1 innings. The former University of Illinois-Chicago standout trains in Madison during the off-season.
