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+----- Thread: FORMER JAG TIM LAND AGREES TO DEAL WITH TORONTO (/thread-14834.html)
- SwampHound - 07-15-2004 07:47 PM
LAND BECOMES FOURTH PLAYER FROM 2004 SQUAD TO JOIN PRO RANKS
MOBILE, Ala.- Former University of South Alabama catcher Tim Land has agreed to a free-agent minor league baseball contract with the Toronto Blue Jays organization.
Land received a call from a Toronto representative on Wednesday and will fly to Virginia on Thursday to begin his professional career with the Blue Jays' rookie league squad Pulaski, a member of the Appalachian League.
"I'm glad to be getting a chance," said Land. "It's always been a dream of mine to play pro ball. I'm excited about the opportunity."
Land led the Sun Belt Conference in potential base stealers caught the last two seasons. After gunning down 20 his first year with the Jags, Land threw out 29 this past season. The durable player caught 113 of USA's 116 games the last two seasons. The two-time Johnny Bench Award nominee, named for the nation's most outstanding catcher, committed just nine errors in 943 chances during his career, leading the Jags to back-to-back Sun Belt regular season titles.
Land had his most productive offensive season in 2003 when he hit .314 with nine home runs and 42 RBI. He added seven more round-trippers in 2004.
The Cantonment, Fla., native and former Pensacola Junior College standout is the second Jag to join Toronto's minor league ranks this season. Teammate Adam Lind was a third-round selection in last month's draft. Second baseman Josh Touchstone signed a pre-draft deal with Tampa Bay and outfielder Kevin Williams was a 30th-round pick by Arizona.
<a href='http://www.southalabama.edu/athletics/pressrelease/2004/07/release08bbLand.html' target='_blank'>LINK</a>