JETHAWKS REPORT : Sturdivant a Bit Star-Struck by His Selection

Of the four JetHawks selected to the California League all-star team, none was more improbable than outfielder Marcus Sturdivant.

Outfielder Jose Cruz Jr., second baseman Jason Cook and pitcher Ken Cloude were all obvious picks, with the two hitters batting better than .300 and Cloude leading the league in strikeouts.

Although Sturdivant has had a solid season--.288, 18 doubles, 19 stolen bases, 25 runs batted in--it appeared there were too many slugging outfielders in the league for him to sneak on to the team.

Modesto’s Ben Grieve, who is among the top prospects in organized baseball and has a .362 average, seven home runs and 42 RBIs, did not make the team, which was selected by the league’s managers.

“It really was [a shock],” Sturdivant said. “This is my first all-star game in five years. I’m fired up.

“Whoever voted for me, thank you.”

This year’s all-star game will be a new format, with a team of Cal League stars playing a team of Carolina League all-stars June 18 at Rancho Cucamonga.

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Catcher Dusty Wathan, recovered from a bout of tendinitis, was in the starting lineup Thursday night for the first time since May 21. . . . Carlos Villalobos, who has a jammed left shoulder, is about five days from playing, trainer Rob Nodine said. . . . Clint Gould, who was called up to triple-A Tacoma as an emergency replacement Wednesday, did not pitch that night. He returned to the JetHawks on Thursday. . . . Although the JetHawks entered Thursday night’s game tied with Rancho Cucamonga in the Southern Division, the team that concerns JetHawk Manager Dave Brundage is the High Desert Mavericks. While the Southern Division teams will be fighting each other, High Desert finishes its season with nine games against Northern Division teams. Six of those games are against the league’s two worst teams, the Bakersfield Blaze and the Visalia Oaks.

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Tonight’s Game:

San Bernardino (Dennis Reyes, 4-5, 4.84) at JetHawks (Ken Cloude, 6-2, 3.49), 7:15.