3 Former Gnats Invited to Mets ST

LHP Mike Antonini, RHP Tobi Stoner and catcher Josh Thole have all been invited by the New York Mets to Major League Spring Training and will report to Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Friday with the other pitchers and catchers. The trio become the first former Sand Gnats to be invited to Major League Spring Training since Savannah signed a Player Development Contract with the Mets prior to the 2007 season.

Stoner, who was the Gnats Opening Day starter in 2007, is coming off a long season that saw him pitch for High-A St. Lucie, Double-A Binghamton, the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League and the Indios de Mayaguez of the Puerto Rican Winter League. The 24-year-old was used in a starting capacity in all stops along the way except for Peoria, where he came exclusively out of the bullpen.

Most recently, the Landstuhl, Germany native pitched the Indios into the Puerto Rican Winter League playoffs with six scoreless innings of work. For Mayaguez, Stoner was 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA in five outings (four starts).

Thole, the Sand Gnats everyday first baseman in ’07, was moved to catcher after he left Savannah and has flourished ever since. A native of Breese, Ill., Thole was a mid-season and post-season All-Star selection for the St. Lucie Mets in 2008. He led the club in hitting with a .300 average, which also placed him tied for fifth in the league overall.

After his successful season in St. Lucie, Thole also participated in the Arizona Fall League where he continued his stellar play. For Peoria, he hit .319 in 19 games with two home runs and 17 RBI. At one point during the short AFL season, Thole rode a nine-game hitting streak and was hitting over .400.

Antonini is the most recent member of the Gnats to be invited to Major League camp as he was Savannah’s Opening Day hurler in 2008. The southpaw from Drexel Hill, Penn. rocketed through the minor league system in ’08, advancing all the way to Double-A Binghamton. After going 4-4 with a 2.71 ERA for the Gnats, he flourished in St. Lucie, posting a perfect 4-0 record and 1.84 ERA in seven starts.

His play in Florida earned him a second promotion, this time to Double-A where he went 1-3 with a 3.74 ERA. The season wasn’t over for Antonini as he too would partake in winter baseball, winding up in the Puerto Rican Winter League with the Leones de Ponce.

For Ponce, the 23-year-old made nine appearances (eight starts) and was 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA. He allowed more than two runs in a start only twice and pitched no fewer than four innings in any start.

The Sand Gnats will host the Third Annual Sand Gnats Chili Bowl Cook-Off from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 28 at Historic Grayson Stadium. Tickets are $5 at the gate and $7 in advance with proceeds from the event benefiting America’s Second Harvest. There will be a $500 prize for first place and a $250 prize for second place. Judges for the event include Uncle Bubba, Bobby Deen and WJCL’s Frank Sulkowski. For more information or an entry form, call 912.351.9150 or visit www.sandgnats.com.

Savannah opens its 25th season of South Atlantic League baseball on April 9 versus the Augusta GreenJackets. The first game of the year is a Thirsty Thursday contest, which will be followed by postgame fireworks. Season tickets and mini plans are on sale now. For a complete schedule and more information, visit www.sandgnats.com or call 912.351.9150. Listen live to all 140 Sand Gnats games in 2009 on STAR AM 1400, your home for Sand Gnats baseball.