Miner news: Half-dozen former Mat-Su Miners enter September on MLB rosters

PALMER — A half-dozen former Mat-Su Miners entered September on Major League Baseball rosters.

Craig Counsell, a member of the 1991 Miners, is the veteran of the group, playing in his 14th season. Counsell, a MLB playoff MVP, is hitting .246 with the Milwaukee Brewers, as of Wednesday. Journeyman infielder Geoff Blum (1992) is also a longtime Major Leaguer.

Marc Rzepczynski (2005) and John Hester (2004-5) have most recently been promoted to "The Show."

About seven former Miners are at the Triple-A level, anxiously waiting on that call. A few (Eric Bruntlett, Mike Cervanek and Brandon Duckworth) have already spent time in the Majors.

- Jeremiah Bartz

Miners in the Majors

• Craig Counsell (1991), in his 14th season of MLB, is hitting .246 with Milwaukee.

• Jed Lowrie (2003) is in his third season with the Boston Red Sox. Lowrie is batting .288 with 11 RBI.

• Geoff Blum (1992) is in his third season with the Houston Astros. Blum is hitting .21 with 17 RBI.

• Jason Frasor (1997) is 3-4 with a 4.19 ERA for the Toronto Blue Jays.

• John Hester (2004, 5) is in his second season with the Arizona

Diamondbacks. The catcher is batting .200 with five RBI.

• Marc Rzepczynski (2005) is in his second season with the Toronto Blue Jays. Rzepczynski is 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA.

Miners in AAA

• Eric Bruntlett (1998) is hitting .265 for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the NY Yankees affiliate in the Triple-A International League. Bruntlett played for the MLB Philadeliphia Phillies last season.

• Mike Cervenak (1997) is hitting .249 for the Buffalo Bisons (NY Mets)of the Triple-A International League.

• Brandon Duckworth (1996) is 5-4 with a 3.32 ERA for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia) of the Triple-A International League.

• David Johnston (2003) is 2-2 with a 4.43 ERA for the Nashville

Sounds, (Milwaukee) of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Johnson has made 46 appearances out of the bullpen.

• Matt McBride (2005) is hitting .269 for the Columbus Clippers

(Cleveland) of the Triple-A International League. The outfielder played 96 games at Double-A Akron.

• Michael Taylor (2005) is hitting .272 with 78 RBI for the Sacremento River Cats (Oakland) of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

• Matt Young (2003) is hitting .300 for the Gwinnett Braves (Atlanta)of the Triple-A International League.

Former Miners in Double-A

• Cole Armstrong (2002), Birmingham Barons, Chicago White Sox

affiliate, Double-A Southern League.

• Ryan Edell (2004) Midland Rockhounds, Double-A Texas League

• Chris Malone (2004) Tulsa Drillers (Colorado), Double-A Texas League.

• Chris McMurray (2007), Carolina Mudcats (Cincinnati), Double-A

Southern League.

• Daniel Turpen (2006), Portland Sea Dogs (Boston), Double-A Eastern League.

• Daniel Stange (2004), Mobile Bay Bears (Arizona), Double-A Southern League.

Recently signed

• Shane Brown (2009), Staten Island Yankees (NY Yankees), Class- A SS NY-Penn League.

• Ryan Cole (2009), Tri-City ValleyCats (Houston), Class-A SS NY-Penn League.

• Owen Dew (2009), Lake County Captains (Cleveland), Class-A Midwest League.

• Steve Domecus (2008), Ogden Raptors (LA), Rookie- Pioneer League.

• Jeremy Erben (2008), Missoula Osprey (Arizona), Rookie-Pioneer League.

• Nate Garcia (2007), Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa) Class-A SS

NY-Penn League.

• Kevin Rodland (2008), Spokane Indians (Texas), Class-A SS Northwest League.

• Gunnar Terhune (2007), AZL Padres (San Diego), Arizona Rookie League.