2009                          2009

January 13, 2009

2009 Milton Baseball Coaches Named

Coach Ray, Varsity Head Coach, is pleased to announce the members of the Milton Coaching Staff for the 2009 Season. Please welcome the 2009 Milton Coaches:

    Glenn Mize- Varsity Assistant
    Jeff Heusing- Varsity Pitching Coach

    Kevin Rice- Varsity Assistant - JV Head Coach
    Jeff Andrise- JV Assistant Coach

    Nathan Marsh- 9th Grade Head Coach
    Ken Ray- 9th Grade Assistant Coach

January 22, 2009

Coach Ray Presents at the Annual Georgia Dugout Club Coaches Clinic

January 22, 2009 - Milton Baseball is pleased to announce that Milton's own Coach Ray was a featured Speaker at the Annual Georgia Dugout Club Coaches Clinic that was held in Atlanta on January 15, 16 and 17.

Coach Ray and the Milton Assistant Coaches attended the three-day program to enhance their coaching skills and listen to presentations on the latest concepts being introduced to High School baseball.

For further info on the Georgia Dugout Club click on this link.

February 18, 2009

2009 Milton Baseball Teams Announced

 Coach Ray and his Coaching Staff would like to announce that the players for the 2009 Varsity, JV and Freshman Teams have been announced. The players for each team can be found on their respective team rosters.

February 21, 2009

Thank You for Time at Field Work Day

To Milton Baseball Players and Families, Thank you to all the Players and Parents that helped out with Field Day today. We appreciate your help in keeping our field one the best in the entire State of Georgia.

Field Operations Team

February 23, 2009

Milton Alum Opens Career at UGA with Home Run

February 23, 2009 - Chase Davidson, Milton 2008, had his first collegiate hit (a double) and his first Home Run over the weekend for the University of Georgia vs. Youngstown State at Foley Field in Athens.
 

February 28, 2009

Thank You Marty!!!

February 28, 2009 - Milton Baseball wants to thank Marty Maughn for the countless hours spent overseeing our concessions. The Concessions portion of our fundraising efforts requires considerable time that is not evident to most of us. We were very lucky to have Marty do such a great job for the baseball program over the past year.

Scott Slappey President Milton Dugout Club

March 4, 2009

Varsity Eagles to Play 1st Home Game on Saturday

March 4, 2009 - The Milton Eagles will play their first 2009 Home Game this Saturday March 7 at 1 PM at Milton Park against the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets.

Throwing out the first pitch will be Christian Jaggi, a 9 year old 4th grade student at Vickery Creek Elementary. Christian was chosen by the North Metro Miracle League which is the Official Charity of Milton Baseball.
 

March 6, 2009

Milton HS Nights at Milton's Restaurant

As an additional Fundraiser for Milton Baseball, Wally Maughn has negotiated at Milton HS nights at Milton's Restaurant for Monday's March 23, April 13 and 27. With a strong parents showing a percentage of the proceeds that night will be donated to Milton Baseball.

Please mark your calendars and plan to join your fellow parents for a night of relaxing fun and camaraderie.

March 8, 2009

Milton Alum Henderson Excels at East Carolina

March 8, 2009 - From East Caolina University Website:

LeClair's Jersey No. 23 Awarded To Henderson

Henderson Becomes The Seventh Pirate To Wear The Honorary Jersey Senior first basemen Brandon Henderson will wear East Carolina's honorary No. 23 jersey during the 2009 season according to an announcement made by Head Coach Billy Godwin during the program's annual "Meet the Pirates" fan session, which was held inside the Murphy Center Saturday afternoon.
 

The No. 23 jersey, which was the number worn by the late ECU Head Coach Keith LeClair throughout his coaching and playing career, became an honorary number for the Pirate baseball program in 2003.

Henderson, one of four captains for the Pirates in 2009, set career-highs in almost every offensive category including batting average (.347), home runs (11), RBI (52), runs (52), hits (85), double's (18) and slugging percentage (.555) a year ago. The left-handed fielding first basemen started all 61 games played and led the Pirates with 503 put outs, which ranks sixth on ECU's single-season charts.
 

In last year's NCAA Regional, the Alpharetta, Ga. native batted .368 (7-for-19) with two home runs, five RBI and collected 15 total bases (fourth most in regional play) on his way to NCAA All-Regional honors. As a three-year letter winner, Henderson has started 138-of-162 games played boasting a .310 career average with 21 home runs, 99 RBIs, 94 runs scored and has roped 33 doubles.

"Brandon has worked very hard in our program and has become a tremendous player," said Godwin. "He is focused and determined to help our club reach our goal of playing in Omaha. Not only is Brandon a good player, but he is a great ambassador for our program both on and off the field and he exemplifies everything that Coach LeClair was about."

The number is awarded annually to a deserving player who best displays the hustle, determination and desire that made LeClair a great coach and player. ...

LeClair's courageous battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, has garnered support and admiration throughout the ECU community. ...

March 12, 2009

There's no quit in Scales

You been in the big leagues? ''No.''

How long are you going to play? ''Don't know.''

''It's fine,'' he said, ''because there's going to come a day when nobody's going to care.''

If Scales has become an expert at anything during his 10 years in professional baseball, it's the ability to push that day into the distance, one week, one month, one season at a time.

At 31, he is easily the oldest player in Cubs camp who has yet to play a day in the majors (not counting 35-year-old Ken Kadokura, who pitched 13 seasons in Japan's major leagues). But the versatile infielder from the University of Michigan has inched closer to that elusive goal, producing the best season of his career in 2008, when he hit .320 with 94 runs, 15 home runs and a .415 on-base percentage for the Iowa Cubs.

''When I got drafted,'' said Scales, who was selected in the 14th round by the San Diego Padres in 1999, ''I said if I wasn't in the big leagues by 30, I quit. Well, I'm 31.'' |

And showing no signs of quitting.

Why? Why keep coming back, keep toiling in obscurity on minor-league meal money for minor-league distinction?

Same as anybody: ''I love playing the game,'' he said.

That and the growing certainty that he's good enough to do it in the majors and help a team win.

''I see guys that do the role that I'm doing, and I feel that I can do that, too,'' said Scales, who would fill a utility role for the Cubs. ''Now, talk is cheap. I've got to put up or shut up. And I know that.''

He has been close enough the last few years that he can smell what he hasn't tasted -- not that he'll allow himself to think too much about the day that will happen.

''I can't,'' he said. ''I'm not good enough to where I can look into the future. The end goal's always right in front of you, but I can't worry about that.''

Too much of it is out of his control, too much is about timing and roster numbers and some unforeseen opportunity such as somebody getting hurt or struggling.

Scales is getting a chance to play across the infield in camp, including some starts at third base, where the Cubs are in big need of a backup. With the first deep cuts expected by this weekend, he's batting .316 with a chance to stick around for another week. Or two, maybe three. But he likely will open at Class AAA again and hope a need arises in Chicago this summer.

The Cubs valued him enough to want him back this year, and they consider him not only a versatile talent, but also a good chemistry guy whom they've seen work harder at his game than most.

''He's the kind of guy you pull for,'' general manager Jim Hendry said. ''A couple of years ago, [Micah] Hoffpauir wouldn't have been given a chance, either. You never know.''

So Scales comes back and does it all again the next day.

''I'll be here tomorrow. That's all I know,'' he said. ''Hopefully, I can get a chance to play tomorrow and do well again tomorrow and just keep going toward the season, wherever that may be.''

Varsity Eagles to Play 1st Home Game on Saturday March 4, 2009 - The Milton Eagles will play their first 2009 Season Home Game this Saturday March 7 at 1 PM at Milton Park against the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets.

Throwing out the first pitch will be Christian Jaggi, a 9 year old 4th grade student at Vickery Creek Elementary. Christian was chosen by the North Metro Miracle League which is the Official Charity of Milton Baseball.

Click here to view Full Size Photo

For additional information about the North Metro Miracle League please visit their website at http://www.nmml.net/home.html

March 30, 2009

Maughn Signs with SHC Baseball

The Spring Hill College Department of Athletics today announced the signing of pitcher James Maughn of Alpharetta, Ga., to an Athletic Grant in Aid.
 

Maughn, a 5'10", 180-pound, right-hander, is currently a senior at 5-A Milton High School where he has been a 2-year varsity player. This season he has served as both a starter and a closer with an ERA of less than 2.00 and is averaging one strikeout per inning.

Along with his prep career, Maughn has played American Legion Baseball, appeared in the Blue-Grey Showcase and played with several 5-Tool Southeastern Showcase teams.

His father, Wally Maughn, said, "James is very excited about committing to Spring Hill and relieved to have finally made the decision, as are we. His decision to attend Spring Hill was based largely on the warm reception the Spring Hill coaches and players showed him when he came for his tryout last Fall. James felt Spring Hill was the best fit for him academically and athletically."

Maughn will major in History and Political Science and plans on attending Law School upon graduation.

For more information on the Spring Hill Badgers please click on Spring Hill Badgers.

March 31, 2009

Mannion Signs with Owls

Coach Joey Ray proudly announces that Milton rightfielder Casey Mannion inked a letter of intent to play baseball for the Kennesaw State Owls.
 

Mannion was an “All Region 6” performer in 2008 and selected as a member of the Georgia Top 100 Underclassman. Casey joins former Milton standout Bucky Smith, currently a sophomore infielder for the Owls.

"This recruiting class, under the direction of recruiting coordinator Ryan Coe, is clearly the strongest class we've had since becoming Division I," said Head Coach Mike Sansing. "Coach Coe has taken a strong hold in our state and recruited not only great players, but excellent student-athletes with outstanding families. Coach Coe and pitching coach Kevin Erminio have addressed our recruiting needs and filled them with great talent."

 Sansing on Mannion: "Casey is a strong left-handed hitter which fits our park well. He has an above average arm and runs well. Casey has the rare commodity of power and speed in the outfield." The Owls are members of the Atlantic Sun conference.

For more information on the Kennesaw State Owls please click on  Kennesaw State Owls

April 1, 2009

Dexter Fowler Makes 25 Man Rockies Roster

April 1, 2009 - The Colorado Rockies announced this week that they have placed Milton Alum Dexter Fowler on the "25 Man" 2009 Active Roster.

Dexter's Bio from the Colorado Rockies Website reads as follows:

Biography: Selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 14th round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. ... Fowler was named a first-team HS All-American by both Baseball America and USA Today in 2004 ... the outfielder batted .457 with 14 homers and 23 stolen bases for Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga. ... tabbed as 10th best HS position player entering Draft by Baseball America. We at the Milton Nation, all wish Dexter the best as Colorado leaves Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona for their season opener on Monday against the Diamondbacks.

April 24, 2009

Senior Night and Youth Baseball Night - April 24

April 14, 2009 - Athletic Director Jamie Dixon; Head Coach Joey Ray; Assistant Coaches Glenn Mize, Jeff Heusing, & Kevin Rice; AND the Milton Baseball Boosters are DELIGHTED to announce that  Friday - April 24th - is SENIOR NIGHT and YOUTH BASEBALL NIGHT!

On this very special evening, Milton Baseball will honor their Varsity Seniors beginning at 6:00 PM at Milton Park.

A varsity game with the currently second ranked Kell Longhorns will begin at 7 PM. The Longhorns are currently in second-place in Region 6AAAAA.  We will need your strong support to WIN!

We would SINCERELY APPRECIATE ALL Milton fans arriving at the game PRIOR to 6:15 PM to honor these fine young men:

   # 1 – Danny Gillespie – Outfielder, Pitcher
   # 3 – Thomas Kappel – Infielder, Outfielder
   # 7 – Michael Johnson – Outfielder, First Baseman
   # 13 – Alex Walters – Outfielder, Pitcher, Infielder
   # 15 – James Maughn – Pitcher (Starting Rotation)
   # 21 - John Crockett – Outfielder, Catcher
   # 22 – Casey Mannion – Outfielder, Pitcher
   # 27 – Parker Philpot – Outfielder, Infielder
   # 00 - Stephen Lajewski – Team Trainer for Four
               Great Seasons

Please come and support OUR Seniors - who have dedicated themselves to the Milton Baseball program for four years - on their big night.

Be LOUD and PROUD for these young men!
 

April 27, 2009

Gillespie Signs with LaGrange

Danny Gillespie will attend and play baseball for the LaGrange College Panthers, LaGrange GA.
 

Danny Gillespie , 6'1" 175 Outfielder, Pitcher for Milton 5-A Baseball program has decided to attend LaGrange College and play baseball for Panthers coach Kevin Howard next year. Coach Ryan Grice scouted Danny at the 2008 fall Young Harris Showcase and invited Danny to visit LaGrange. Danny was impressed with the excellent baseball facilities, competitive schedule and a coaching staff that is very experienced and supportive.

Subsequent positive visits and discussions with Head Coach Howard and faculty led Danny to make his decision to attend LaGrange. Danny is very excited to continue his baseball career and play for the Panthers. Milton will be well represented as Curt Ellison - 2007 Milton graduate is also currently playing for LaGrange. LaGrange is part of the Greater South Athletic Conference.

Along with the 3 years Milton program, Dannys attributes his growth and success to Eric Ruben - Windward Baseball Program, Wills Park Program, East Cobb and Denny Pritchett.

Danny will major in Pre Veterinary Science.

For more information on the LaGrange Panthers Baseball, please click on Panthers Baseball.
 

May 12, 2009

Milton Baseball Summer Camp - June 1st - 3rd and  June 15th-17th

Milton Baseball is again pleased to announce that it will be holding two Summer Baseball Camps in the month of June.

The two Sessions are are follows:

1. Rising 9th Graders --- Camp Completed
     June 1st - 3rd from 10:00 am to 1 pm at the Milton High School Field

2. Rising 6th – 8th Graders
     June 15th-17th from 10:00am to 1pm at the Milton High School Field

For Session 2, we welcome all Rising 6th to 8th graders to Milton Park for a Summer Camp focusing on fielding and hitting fundamentals that will help prepare you for high school baseball.

Please click on this link to download the Summer Camp Brochure and Registration Form in PDF format.

--- Coach Ray rayj1@fultonschools.org

                        2008                           2008

January 8, 2008

Player Handbook

The 2008 Milton Baseball Player Handbook updated by Coach Ray is available for downloading. Every player should read over the document to prepare for the 2008 Season 2008 Milton Baseball Handbook

January 14, 2008

Congratulations Chase

The entire Milton Baseball Family would like to congratulate Chase Davidson who will be signing his National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Georgia. Congratulations to Chase and his family on this wonderful accomplishment. Chase is a fine young man and we want to wish him the best.

To read more about Chase please visit:
Four More Baseball Prospects Sign With Georgia GeorgiaDogs.com—Official Athletic Site of the University of Georgia
 

New Spring Prices: 4 passes $110; 2 passes $70; 1 pass $55 This is a great way to support the baseball program as well as gain admittance to ALL Milton High School sports.

Contact Cindy Maynard at: scorpiomaynard@aol.com

Click here to download the Super Eagle Passes Form
 

Both Eddie Prasch (left) (Milton Short Stop) and Dexter Fowler (Milton Center Fielder) were drafted directly out of high school by the Pittsburg Pirates and Colorado Rockies organizations. Eddie had already been offered a spot on the Georgia Tech Yellow jackets and Dexter on the Miami Hurricanes.

February 24, 2008

Reserved Parking Spot Auction

If you have attended a Milton Baseball game, you know how difficult it is to secure a parking spot, much less a close one! With the lacrosse teams also using the parking lot, it often requires "curb" jumping across the street from the complex or parking at the main school lot and hiking back to the field.

With this in mind, the Milton Dugout Club has secured the rights, during the baseball game evenings, to the closest three (non handicap) spaces. (SEE PICTURE BELOW.) Just think - you can arrive one minute before first pitch, grab a burger and drink from our concession stand, and then be in your lifetime or annual seatback and enjoy the game.

We are auctioning off these spaces for each of the three team games - Varsity, JV and Freshman. Bidding starts at $100 for each of the Varsity spots and $50 for each of the JV / Freshman spots. Send your bid to miltonbaseball@gmail.com stating your bid amount and what team you are bidding for Varsity/JV/Freshman.

The highest bidders will be posted on the web site. Bidding closes for Freshman at midnight Wednesday February 27th. Bidding for the Varsity and JV spots close at midnight Thursday February 28th. As they say in Chicago, VOTE EARLY and VOTE OFTEN!!! As always, we appreciate the great support the families have provided the program and believe this fundraisers brings great value to the winning bidders.

(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

The 19 players on the team have played at Hopewell, Web Bridge and Wills Park on various travel teams including the Milton American and National League Milton feeder teams.

Please wish them well as they kickoff their high school baseball careers and face Milton's historical across the town rival the Hornets of Roswell High School on opening day. SPRING UPDATE ---- Super Eagle Pass

Bobby Scales - Chicago Cubs (Class of 1995)
Chris Walker- Chicago Cubs (Class of 1998)
Mike James - Boston Red Sox (Class of 2000)
Patrick Green - Kansas City Royals (Class of 2001)
Richie Daigle - San Diego Padres (Class of 2001)
Dexter Fowler Colorado Rockies (Class of 2004)
Eddie Prasch  - Pittsburgh Pirates (Class of  2004)

returned this weekend for their Spring Training sessions in Florida and Arizona. You can track the progress of these players through out the season at www.mlb.com or www.milb.com

The picture above is Bobby Scales in left field last Spring at the Red Sox's Spring training. Bobby, an Alpharetta resident, recently taught this fall and winter as a substitute teacher at Milton during the off season.

Bobby played for the University of Michigan before being drafted.
 

(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

The 2008 Varsity Roster includes 10 returning seniors, 9 juniors, 5 sophomores and 1 freshman. This is the first year at Milton for Head Coach Joey Ray who most recently was an Assistant Coach at North Gwinnett High School. The Eagles are looking forward to a competitive season playing in GHSA Region 6 which has produced the last four AAAAA State Champions (Walton, Lassiter, Chattahoochee and Milton).

(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

JV Head Coach Jeff Dozier returns for his fifth season at Milton and will coach the sixteen 10th grade JV players on this years squad.

(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

If you did not receive an email last Friday, please email your correct email address to miltonbaseball@yahoo.com

There are two separate lists for each team  ... one for the players and one for the parents. Less than half the JV players didn't have their own email addresses.

Important and often timely messages such as rainouts will be sent from both the Coaches and Dugout Club officers, so we want to ensure that we are reaching everyone in the program.

Note: This picture from the Miracle League Website taken
 several years ago, shows current Milton JV Player
Ryan Lane volunteering when he played at Wills Park.

The 8th Grade Feeder Teams will volunteer from 10 -12, the Varsity Team will volunteer from 12-1:30 and the JV will volunteer from 1:30 -3 at the Miracle League Fields at North Park. Working with children served by the Miracle League program has been a personally rewarding experience for many Milton Baseball players over the years.

A native of Georgia, Dexter Fowler is ranked 50th
 in MiLB.com's Top Prospects for 2008. (M. Spencer Green/AP)

You can read Dexter's Journal at : http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080401&content_id=378696&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

Dexter was described by www.milb.com as: "One of the most exciting players in Colorado's farm system, Dexter Fowler has hit .284 with 14 home runs and 81 stolen bases in 226 games over his first three pro seasons. His 2007 season ended in June when he broke his hand while making a diving catch, but he returned to action after the regular season and was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect Team." Dexter is looking to answer readers questions about baseball in his blog. You can email Dexter at dfowler.milb@gmail.com I'm sure that Dexter would appreciate hearing from his friends back in Alpharetta.

April 25, 2008

Coach Ray would appreciate ALL Milton fans arriving at the game PRIOR to 6:30 PM to honor these fine young men:

   #1 - Chris Coale - Outfielder / Pitcher
   #4 - Hunter Vaught - Pitcher (Closer)
   #8 - Lance Martin - Outfielder
   #10 - Kyle Hardy - Catcher
   #11 - Pat Maynard - Pitcher
   #18 - Jake Steuer - Outfielder
   #23 - Matt Cosner - Pitcher
   #25 - Chase Davidson - Pitcher / First Base
   #26 - Jason Wilson - Pitcher

April 25, 2008

May 9, 2008

June 5, 2008

CONGRATULATIONS TO CHASE DAVIDSON and
CHRIS HICKS !!!
 

Chase Davidson, Milton Class of 2008, was selected number 88 in the 3rd Round of the MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. Chase was a Pitcher and First baseman at Milton. In his senior year at Milton,  Davidson had a .429 batting average, 11 home runs, 1.071 slugging percentage, and .538 on base percentage as well as going 5-2 as a starting pitcher.

Chris Hicks, Milton Class of 2005 and a Junior at Georgia Tech, was selected number 422 in the 14th Round of the MLB Draft also by the Houston Astros. Chris had distinguished himself this year at Tech as a Closer. The junior reliever finished his third year at Georgia Tech with the fifth-best single season mark in school history with nine saves. He appeared in 27 games during the 2008 season, 17 of which were scoreless outings. Hicks had been drafted once before, in the 35th round following his senior year of high school.
 
(Photo Courtesy of Ramblin Wreck Baseball -  http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/geot-m-basebl-body.html)

For additional info on Chase and Chris please click on http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2008/index.jsp

and then click on the link for "DRAFT TRACKER"

June 21, 2008

Tournament Game Schedules have been posted to the this Website on Saturday morning. We were able to accomodate the majority of the special requests submitted by the Coaches.

The Coaches of each team have been added to a Tournament Email Group and to a Calling Post Group to facilitate communications with all the Coaches.

June 29, 2008

I would also like to give a special thank you to Gordon Fiddyment for his countless hours in putting the schedule together, Wally Maughn for his efforts in promoting and managing many aspects of the tournament, Marty Maughn for doing an outstanding job on the concessions, Greg Kappel for his efforts in managing parts of the tournament, Kevin O'Sullivan for doing a tremendous job with the website and keeping everyone up to date with his communications. and to all of our coaches for their hard work over the last few weeks.

Thanks again to everyone who spent so much of your time and vacation helping our program run a first class event.

Don't forget about the Red and Silver Ball, its just around the corner! Have a great Summer. See you in a few weeks at the On Deck Meeting.

 --- Coach Ray

July 17, 2008

Click here to read the US Olympic Committee's announcement of the team.

Click here to read the Colorado Rockies announcement.

August 11, 2008

The attached photo was published on the White House website  http://www.whitehouse.gov   by White House photographer Eric Draper

The pictures rotate with every visitor and Dexter's Photo with the President can be directly accessed with this URL

White House Website - President Bush and Dexter Fowler
 

September 3, 2008

Dexter recently also played on a bigger stage, in the Futures Game during All-Star weekend and for the Bronze Medal-winning U.S. Olympic team in Beijing.

Fowler's presence could lead the Rockies to trade starting center fielder Willy Taveras, the Majors' leader in stolen bases, this winter.

For additional information, please click on this link which will take you to the Colorado Rockies Website.

The entire Milton Baseball family wishes Dexter the best in his new Major League career.

--- Coach Ray

September 10, 2008

Barbara and Dan Philpot deserve huge thanks for their efforts over the last few months to help make this event such a huge success. There were also many of you who stepped in on Saturday to help and I would like to thank you as well.

I would also like to give a special “Thank You” to those who were so generous by bidding on items at the auction and for those of you who donated money for our Athletic trainer Robin Kleimon. It is such a blessing to have so many hard working people to help make Milton Baseball a first class program.

--- Coach Ray

November 25, 2008