June 16, 2008

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Former Lee (Tenn.) University baseball All-American Lance Zawadzki was waiting to make history this afternoon (June 16), while his ex-Flame teammate, Michael Valadez, has been called up to the Triple-A Buffalo Bison. However, the June 16 game was rained-out and no make-up date has been announced.

Zawadzki will be among five players from the San Diego Padres' Class A Fort Wayne Wizards called up for the annual Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown N.Y against the Chicago Cubs.

The exhibition contest will be the final in a long-standing series of games which began way back in 1939, according to a release from the Hall of Fame. The game, slated for a 2 p.m. (EDT) start, is scheduled for national TV on Chicago's WGN station.

The event will feature the Chicago Cubs against the Padres. Many of the regulars on both rosters will play only two or three innings. Of course, that is where Zawadzki and his teammates will come in. The Fort Wayne team is currently on a three-day Midwest League All-Star break. The Padres will fly the group into the New York area for today's game.

Zawadzki, who was a fourth-round draft pick in 2007, is in the midst of his second season with the Padres organization. He has battled some injuries but has appeared in 56 games with Fort Wayne. He's currently hitting .252 with nine doubles, three triples and two homers.

Valadez got the called up from the Buffalo team when Cleveland Indians All-Star catcher Victor Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list. The Indians turned right around and called up C Yamid Haad from the Bison, creating the catching spot for the talented Valadez.

Valadez has been sharing catching duties in the Indians' Class A South Atlantic League this season. He got off to a slow start for the Lake County Captains (Eastlake, Ohio), but has heated up in June. In the last three games for the Captains, Valadez had five hits in 12 times at the plate. He had three hits and three RBIs in a June 9 game against Delaware and also hit his first home run of the year in the same contest.