MLB misc.

First, a note about the Braves Willie Harris and being a role model, and the tutoring program that the Braves fron office is involved with:

Harris has been equally proficient hitting second and eighth, batting .500 in the second spot and .438 in the eighth place in the order.

"I like hitting, period -- one, two, eight, seven -- it doesn't matter," he said. "Just whenever they put you in there, wherever they put you in there, just go out and try and do the best job you can."

Harris had a similar message to the 25 fifth-grade students of D.H. Stanton Elementary School who were honored before Thursday's game as part of the Braves' "Tomahawk Tutors" program.

"It's special to be a role model," said Harris, the second player to make the Majors from Cairo, Ga., the first being Jackie Robinson. "It's very important, because those kids look at everything. They see everything you do. I'm going to tell them, 'Whatever you do in life -- play baseball, go to school to be a doctor, whatever you decide to do -- just do the best you can at it and everything will work out.'"

The Braves joined D.H. Stanton Elementary school for a long-term partnership in 2005. The Braves Tomahawk Tutors program consists of 44 Braves front-office employees who spend time each week at D.H. Stanton Elementary mentoring and tutoring fifth-grade students.

Here's the article: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070510&content_id=1956557&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl.

Next, an article about Craig Monroe and his mom, Marilyn (not THAT Marilyn Monroe!). Here's a quote from him about his mom and being able to be successful in the Majors:

"She would never push," he said, "but she set the bar. When you have a parent that was good in sports, that's what you hear, how good they were. And to be honest, it's just God-given ability, good genes. But at the same time, that's something that I wanted to do. It was something that I made my mind that I wanted to be. I heard it so many times, 'You're going to be this,' and, 'You're going to be that.' Well, I listened, but I didn't hear. I wanted to make it happen for myself."

Here's the article: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070508&content_id=1952520&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det.

Next, a new entry in Cubs minor leaguer Donnie Veal's player journal: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070511&content_id=242288&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp.

Lastly, an article about Rockies relief pitchers LaTroy Hawkins and Zach McClellan helping some kid volunteers to paint rooms at a homeless shelter: http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070511&content_id=1958344&vkey=mlbpa_news&fext=.jsp.