Sports Briefs: Estrada gets elusive victory, Sigman signs with Royals
Sigman signs with Kansas City
In a span of only a few months, former Glendale Community College pitcher Jackson Sigman has seen his baseball future progress rather quickly.
Sigman signed with the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday only months after finishing up his collegiate career with the University of West Virginia.
As of Friday, Sigman had not been designated for a specific level within the Royals organization although he’s certainly moved up over the last few months.
Sigman was part of a West Virginia resurgence as the school finished 36-26 and advanced to the NCAA regional playoffs for the first time since 1996 before being eliminated June 4.
Sigman was an effective reliever for the Mountaineers and posted a 6-4 record, a 4.94 earned-run average with 73 strikeouts versus 23 walks in 36 appearances and 58 1/3 innings pitched.
Undrafted, Sigman began his professional careen June 20 with the independent Gateway Grizzlies of Sauget, Ill. The Grizzlies are members of the Frontier League.
Sigman pitched in 19 games and over 27 1/3 innings tallied 31 strikeouts and 14 walks with a 5.60 ERA and no decisions.
Sigman spent his freshman season at GCC in 2014 before transferring to West Virginia.
Vaquero gets back into Major League Baseball win column
It took more than two months, but Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada, a former Glendale Community College player, finally earned a victory. It came against the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Estrada pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out six and scattering five hits, in a 4-0 home win. Estrada, a right-hander, walked three en route to notching his first win since May 27 following a 110-pitch effort.
Estrada had gone 0-5 with 7.39 ERA in 12 starts since his last victory.
Estrada (5-7) lowered his earned-run average to 4.85. He’s struck out 140 and walked 56 in 135 1/3 innings.
Carew to be honored at Oakmont
Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew will be honored at the inaugural Fred Clair Celebrity Golf Classic tournament and dinner to be held at Glendale’s Oakmont Country Club on Aug. 14.
Carew, one of the more popular players in Los Angeles Angels’ history, was named the recipient of the “Celebration of Life Award” due to his efforts fighting and overcoming heart disease.
The seven-time batting champ has championed several causes and recently partnered with the American Heart Association in their anti-heart disease campaign, Heart of 29.
Carew is more than an advocate, however, as he survived a massive heart attack while golfing in 2015. Carew made headlines when he received a heart transplant from former football player Konrad Reuland, who suffered a brain aneurysm.
The golf tournament and dinner will benefit the City of Hope. The tournament is set for a shotgun start at 11 a.m. with cocktails following at 4:30 p.m. and dinner starting at 5:30.
Confirmed athletes include former players Eddie Murray; Shawn Green, Orel Hershiser, Mickey Hatcher, Maury Wills, Reggie Smith, Bill Russell, Steve Yeager, Wes Parker, Ron Fairly, Jimmy and Jim Campanis, Joey Amaliftano, Kurt Bevacqua, former Carew Angel teammates Doug DeCinces and Rick Burleson; Matt Young, Glendon Rusch, Ken Landreaux, Derrel Thomas, Tommy Davis, Al Ferrara, Jay Johnstone, Tim Leary, Greg Dobbs, former Heisman Trophy winner Mike Garrett, former UCLA basketball coach Jim Harrick and Olympic swimmer John Naber.
For more information, check out https://www.cityofhope.org/giving/corporate-and-foundation-giving/volunteer-fundraising-groups/national-insurance-industry-council/national-insurance-industry-council-events/niic-west-coast-golf.
Passarella offers summer camp
Glendale resident Tony Passarella will offer a 10-week basketball/fitness camp that will be held Thursdays through Aug. 24.
The camp, geared for ages 5-10, will be held at Pacific Park Community Center’s gymnasium, 501 S. Pacific Ave., Glendale.
The cost is $100 per person. The sessions will run from 4 to 4:50 p.m. (ages 5-7) and 5 to 5:50 (ages 7-10).
For more information, contact Passarella at (818) 548-4098 or at coachtonyshoops@gmail.com.
Stories released online daily
Looking for info on your favorite team and can’t wait until Wednesday or Saturday morning? Check out glendalenewspress.com for online stories and photos, which are posted a few hours after the conclusion of each game.
Sports stringers being sought
The Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun newspapers are looking for freelance writers.
Writers will cover teams from the Burbank, Glendale, La Crescenta and La Cañada Flintridge areas.
Individuals should have a knowledge of various sports, some writing experience and have writing samples.
Interested writers can email Jeff Tully at jeff.tully@latimes.com or call (818) 637-3245.