Fenton H.S. Alum Dan Fyvie will join Sliders’ Pitching Staff While Former St. Clement H.S. GridIron, Diamond Star Dennis Jones to Compete for OF Spot

YPSILANTI, MI, January 30, 2009 – Two familiar faces from southeast Michigan will be playing baseball for the Midwest Sliders of Ypsilanti this upcoming Frontier League season. Dan Fyvie, a veteran RHP of six Minor League campaigns, and Dennis Jones, a fleet outfielder who spent two years at Macomb Community College before completing his collegiate career at Michigan State University, have signed contracts with the Sliders.

The announcement was made by Rob Hilliard, president & director of team personnel, for the independent professional ball club.

Fyvie, who gained AllState honors at Fenton H.S., was selected by the Oakland A’s in the 33rd round of MLB’s 2001 amateur draft. The 6’1/205 lb. hurler who now resides in Howell, spent five years in the A’s organization and a sixth with the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Detroit Tigers affiliate, after pitching briefly for the Frontier League’s Kalamazoo Kings. Overall, Fyvie compiled a career Minor League record of 118 with 14 saves while pitching to an ERA of 3.64. In 192.2 IP, he allowed just 182 hits while walking 75 and striking out 172 batters.

Now fully recovered from three knee surgeries in the span of two baseball seasons, Fyvie, who gives pitching lessons to youngsters in the offseason, is giving it one more shot. “My velocity is around 90 again and I have good control with my breaking pitch. Hopefully, a scout or two will be convinced I still have a decent up side.”

Added Hilliard: “We believe in Dan’s abilities. I know my son, David, does. He faced Fyvie in an earlyseason exhibition game back in 2001 when he played at Clarkston H.S. It was tough enough hitting against Dan on a good (weather) day without adding a windchill factor of 25 degrees to the mix.”

For Dennis Jones, signing a contract with the Sliders represents an opportunity at a pro career which appeared to be lost when a junior year full of promise with the MSU Spartans turned into a senior year of disappointment.

As a junior, Jones started all 51 games for Michigan State, leading the team with 36 RBI and ranking third with a .322 BA. He smacked 12 doubles, scored 33 runs and stole a teamhigh 15 bases. One of the club’s top clutch hitters, he led the Spartans with 15 twoout RBI and a .383 average with runners in scoring position. Reflecting his speed, Jones had 10 bunt singles. While at Macomb Community College, the former St. Clement H.S. AllState football standout hit .345 in 2005 and .383 in 2006 when was named to the AllMCCAA team and NJCAA Region 12 AllTournament team – all of which made his .241 BA in 2008 somewhat perplexing.

Whether it was the pressure of following his junior season with a second campaign aimed at securing his selection in MLB’s June draft or simply trying to repeat the tremendous clutch performance of the previous campaign while under a brighter spotlight, Jones struggled at the plate. To his credit, he didn’t let that affect the other aspects of his game as he stole 10 bases in 10 attempts and fielded 89 of 90 chances in the outfield without an error.

“Last year is water under the bridge,” said Jones. I’m really looking forward to competing at the pro level and helping the Sliders win ball games.” Skipper Eric Coleman likes the Warren, MI, native’s ability to cover ground in the outfield, run the bases and bunt. “He definitely fits in well with the type of ball we want to play,” said Coleman, who turned Jonnie Knoble and Zack Pace loose on the basebaths this past season, with Knoble nabbing 26 stolen bases in 30 attempts and Pace stealing 26 bags in 38 attempts.

“We’re really pleased to be able to add local talent to our ball club, said Hilliard,” noting that Fyvie and Jones would likely attract their own neighborhood cheering sections to Oestrike Stadium this summer.

###