Ex-tiger Wilson thriving in Peoria
There may be another Dan Uggla working his way through major league baseball’s development system.
Jacob Wilson, who finished his University of Memphis career in last year’s Conference USA title game, is off to a torrid start in the St. Louis Cardinals’ minor league system and displaying some of former Tiger and current Atlanta Brave Uggla’s power in the process. Wilson, playing for Class A Peoria, is hitting .277 with 12 homers and 57 runs batted in. Last month, he earned a spot on the Midwest League All-Star game roster.
Earlier this week, his reputation took another step forward against Cedar Rapids. Facing Minnesota Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who was making a rehab start following a midseason bout with back spasms, Wilson blasted a solo homer, one of two hits Pelfrey allowed in six innings. Pelfrey, a sevenyear big league veteran, is expected to return to the Twins on Saturday.
Peoria manager Dann Bilardello called Wilson “a clutch hitter” and someone he enjoys seeing at the plate with runners in scoring position.
Wilson, a third baseman at the U of M, has moved to second base in his brief pro baseball career. The former Bartlett High standout was the C-USA Player of the Year in 2012.
“His home run and RBI numbers have been real good so far,” said U of M coach Daron Schoenrock. “And I’ve seen where he’s been named to the Cardinals Top 20 (minor league) prospects list.”
Wilson was a 10thround pick of the Cardinals in last summer’s draft after hitting a league-leading 16 home runs with 62 RBI in the regular season.
SECOND TIME’S THE CHARM
The second Football by Fuente Women’s Clinic will be held July 18 at the Murphy Athletic Complex on the U of M’s Park Avenue Campus.
Women can register at FootballByFuente. com or beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the night of the clinic. At last year’s inaugural clinic, the coaching staff taught attendees about, among other t hings, strategy and terminology. There also was a player panel discussion and a fashion show that included practice and game-day equipment.
The cost is $100, which includes hor d’oevres and gift bags.
TIGER-WIMBLEDON CONNECTION
Kaia Kanepi’s march to women’s quarterfinals at Wimbledon this week was fueled, in part, by a former U of M tennis player. Marten Tamla, who played for the Tigers’ men’s teams from 2002 to ’05, has been coaching Kanepi since April. Kanepi, from Estonia, reached the quarters by upsetting world No. 7 Angelique Kerber and home-crowd favorite Laura Robson before falling to Sabine Lisicki.
Kanepi’s success has been immediate since she began working with Tamla. She won the Brussels Open in May, her fourth career title, before her strong showing at Wimbledon.
Tamla, who was coached by both Phil Chamberlain and current Tiger coach Paul Goebel at Memphis, began working with his country’s national tennis federation after returning to his native Estonia one year after graduating from Memphis.