The University of Mississippi Athletics
Five Former Rebels Dot Major League Rosters
8/1/2002 | Baseball
Aug. 1, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - Five former Ole Miss baseball players are currently on Major League rosters, with three on first-place clubs, as the season heads into the stretch drive.
Outfielder David Dellucci is trying to help the Arizona Diamondbacks to a second consecutive World Series title, while outfielder Bobby Kielty has helped fuel the Minnesota Twins, a team speculated for contraction last season, to a 14-game lead in the American League Central Division, entering Thursday's game with the Chicago White Sox.
Ole Miss also has three pitchers in the majors as right-hander Matt Duff was called up this past Tuesday from Double A New Haven by the National League Central Division-leading St. Louis Cardinals.
Right-hander Ryan Bukvich had his contract purchased from Triple A Omaha on July 12 by Kansas City, and 12-year veteran southpaw Jeff Fassero is currently a member of the Chicago Cubs.
Dellucci, an All-America performer for the Rebels in 1995, has appeared in 57 games for Arizona, who holds a five-game lead over Los Angeles in the National League West entering Thursday's game at Montreal. He is hitting .283 with six home runs and 17 RBIs. Dellucci has also recorded five doubles and one triple to produce a .504 slugging percentage.
Kielty played one year at Ole Miss in 1998 before signing a free agent deal with the Twins following a MVP season in the Cape Cod League. After spending two-plus seasons in the minors, he made his Major League debut last summer, and is batting .327 with eight homers and 35 runs batted in during his first full season in Minneapolis.
Since being promoted from New Haven on Tuesday, Duff has appeared in two games for St. Louis and has worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He worked a perfect ninth inning in the Cardinals' 5-0 win at Florida Tuesday night, and followed with another 1 2/3 scoreless innings in Wednesday's 8-5 loss to the Marlins. Duff, who played two seasons at Ole Miss in 1996-1997, was 10-1 with four saves and a 1.06 ERA in 43 appearances at New Haven. He had also struck out 84 while walking 17 in 59 2/3 innings.
Bukvich, who pitched at Ole Miss during the 1998 and 1999 seasons, has made 10 relief appearances for Kansas City and has yet to record a decision. He has been unscored upon in seven of his 10 outings, and has a 6.52 ERA in 9 2/3 innings.
Fassero has worked in 48 games for the Cubs in 2002, and is 4-6 with a 6.05 ERA. He has also struck out 32 in 41 2/3 innings. Fassero, who pitched at Ole Miss during the 1984 season, made his Major League debut with the Montreal Expos in 1991. He has compiled a 108-101 record in 534 appearances during his career, which also includes stops in Seattle, Texas and Boston.
