June 15, 2004

Little Rock, AR - Arkansas third baseman Dallas McPherson has had quite a month already and it's only half over. McPherson is hitting .360 with nine homers and 26 RBI in 13 games so far in June. The current Texas League Batter of the Week has whacked eight homers in his last six games, including two in each game of a June 10 doubleheader against San Antonio.

McPherson leads Minor League Baseball with 67 RBI, one more than his former teammate, Rancho Cucamonga's Michael Napoli. McPherson also is tops in Double-A with 20 HR, 43 extra-base hits and a .695 slugging percentage.

Since May 15, McPherson has hit 17 homers and has driven in 47 runs. He's also got at least one hit in 26 of his last 31 games, and is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak. However, don't expect him to go walking around bragging about it or with his chest puffed out. Instead McPherson, who bats fourth, opts to talk about his teammates.

"I've made a couple of minor changes such as where my weight is distributed early in my stance," said the 24-year-old native of Greensboro, N.C. "But, most of the credit should go to the guys in front of me and behind me for getting on base." A second round pick by the Anaheim Angels in 2001 out of The Citadel, McPherson was named a Topps Class A and California League All-Star last year when he hit .308 with 18 homers and 59 RBI in 77 games for Rancho Cucamonga. The Angels promoted him to Arkansas during the season, and in 28 games McPherson hit .314 with five HR and 27 runs batted in.

McPherson, 24, wasn't aware that he leads the Minors in runs batted in, or that Napoli, his teammate with Cedar Rapids in 2002 and with Rancho Cucamonga last season, is second. McPherson said he's talked with Napoli this season, but not recently. When asked if he or Napoli would lead Minor League Baseball in RBI this season, McPherson didn't hesitate.

"I think he will because he's such a good hitter," said McPherson from his Round Rock, Texas hotel room.

Anaheim called up Arkansas 1B Casey Kotchman last month. The fact that the Angels chose to promote a player from Double-A to the Majors, skipping Triple-A, didn't go unnoticed by McPherson.

"The most encouraging thing is that he's the first guy out of our draft class to make it to the Majors. It lets us know that we're not that far away and closer than we think."

The left-handed hitting McPherson will be the starting third baseman for the East Division in the Texas League All-Star Game on Monday, June 21 at Midland's First American Bank Ballpark.

Fans in the Texas League better go see McPherson while they can. His June might just get even better, with a promotion. Whether that promotion would be to Triple-A Salt Lake or to Anaheim remains to be seen.