Cruz Controls Emotions

Pitcher Juan Cruz is the youngest player on the Eugene Emeralds roster, but he’s growing up in a hurry.

Cruz, 18, a native of the Dominican Republic, signed with the Chicago Cubs in July 1997 when he was 16. He had just taken up pitching.

But Cruz needed to learn another important lesson before his pitching came around.

“I would get angry and show it,” Cruz said of last summer’s stint with Mesa of the Arizona Rookie League. “I’d start yelling. Last year there was a lot of pressure on me and I got angry a lot, and coaches would get on me about that. They told me I couldn’t be like that, so that’s why I’m a lot more calm.”

Cruz is 1-0 this season, but would be 3-0 if his relievers had held leads.

His fastball has been clocked at 94 mph. Cruz, 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, said he plans to gain speed on his fastball by increasing his weight.

Trying on old Sox

Two days before making his major league debut with the Seattle Mariners, former Everett pitcher Gil Meche revisited Memorial Stadium.

Meche threw in the Everett bullpen last Sunday in preparation for Tuesday’s start against Anaheim.

“This brings back some memories,” Meche said. “When I heard I was coming here, I was excited to see Spyder (trainer Spyder Webb, formerly with The Spokane Indians) and some of the guys on the coaching staff. I had a good time here.”

Meche allowed two runs on four hits against Anaheim, striking out five in 5 innings. Meche played for Everett in 1997, one year after Seattle selected him in the first round of the amateur draft.

RBIs come in bushels

Boise third baseman Robb Quinlan stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth inning last Tuesday, having already collected four runs batted in against Yakima.

Quinlan’s grand slam, his first home run of the season, put him one short of the league record for RBIs in a game. Brian McCall of Tri-City had nine during a game in 1962.

Quinlan’s spot at third base opened up after the Anaheim Angels promoted Kevin Ticen to Class A Cedar Rapids (Iowa) of the Midwest League.

In other roster moves, pitcher Ed Hurtado was released, pitcher Sean Brummett was moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen, and catcher Dominick Lombardi quit the team.

Home is where the hits are

Outfielder Shane Allen began his Yakima career 0 for 40, including a 0-for-14 start to his 1999 season.

Allen broke the ice with three hits during last week’s series at Boise. Allen’s home town is Glenns Ferry, Idaho, about 80 miles from Boise.

Make each one count

Portland outfielder Greg Catalanotte is hitting less than .230, but close to 1.000 when it comes to effectiveness.

Catalanotte has hit five home runs, three of which have been game-winning hits. Two of the decisive homers came in extra innings.