Update on Stefan Welsh report

There has been no official response from Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey on a story that 40/29tv.com first told you about on Thursday. Sources tell me that senior guard Stefan Welsh was suspended by Pelphrey for the rest of the summer, and is not on the UA campus.
The university has confirmed that Welsh is not enrolled in summer school and not on campus, but remains a member of the Hog basketball team.
We are following this story and will keep you updated.

UA Basketball Guard Welsh Suspended Indefinitely

40/29 Sports Director Mark Lericos confirmed through multiple sources Thursday afternoon Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey has suspended guard Stefan Welsh indefinitely from the team. The reason for Welsh’s suspension is not confirmed at this time.

When contacted for a response, the University of Arkansas confirmed Welsh is not on campus this summer but is a still of the Razorback Basketball team.

While Welsh’s future with the team is still uncertain, the potential loss of the senior-to-be would be disastrous to Arkansas’ sagging Academic Progress Rate (APR). Last season, Welsh played 29.5 minutes per game while averaging 11.4 points and 2.9 rebounds.

World Football League Schedule for July 11th

World Youth Football League – Arkansas Jr War Cats vs Texas Jr Bulldogs Kick off 4pm

World Football League – Arkansas War Cats vs Oklahoma City Gunners Kick Off 7pm

Henry Won’t Return to Hoop Hogs for 2009-2010 Season

Sophomore-to-be Jason Henry has officially been removed from the Arkansas men’s basketball team. Sunday evening, the U of A sent out an official statement regarding Henry’s dismissal.

Head coach John Pelphrey states in the release, “Jason Henry will no longer be a member of the Razorback basketball team… it is in the best interest of our basketball program to move forward with student-athletes who have a long-term commitment to the University of Arkansas and the Razorback program on and off the court.”

In his one season with Arkansas, Henry played in 23 games, including a pair of starts. In that span, he averaged 8 points per game along with 4.4 rebounds.

Former Hog Eric Hinske Traded to Yankees

NEW YORK — Former AL Rookie of the Year Eric Hinske was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday for a pair of minor leaguers.

Pittsburgh will receive right-hander Casey Erickson and outfielder Eric Fryer for the utilityman. In addition, the Pirates will give the Yankees cash.

The 31-year-old Hinske hit .255 in 106 at-bats this season with nine doubles, one homer and 11 RBIs, playing right field, first base and third base. He was 8-for-24 as a pinch-hitter and said to be unhappy with a lack of playing time.

Through June 29 last year, he had 13 home runs en route to a 20-home run season with the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays. He won the rookie award with Toronto in 2002, when he hit .279 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs, and was a member of Boston’s World Series championship team in 2007.

The 23-year-old Erickson was 3-3 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts and 18 relief appearances at Class A Charleston this season. Fryer, also 23, hit .250 with 11 doubles, two homers, 24 RBIs and 11 steals for Class A Tampa after leading the South Atlantic League with a .335 average last year for West Virginia. He was obtained by the Yankees in February for left-hander Chase Wright.

To fill Hinske’s roster spot, Pittsburgh said it will purchase the contract of 28-year-old outfielder Garrett Jones from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit .307 with 18 doubles, 12 homers, 48 RBIs and 14 steals.

The Pirates had also agreed in principle to a trade sending outfielder Nyjer Morgan and reliever Sean Burnett to the Washington Nationals in exchange for outfielder Lastings Milledge and reliever Joel Hanrahan, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on its Web site Tuesday.

Petrino Kicks Battle Off UA Football Team

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas linebacker Khiry Battle has been dismissed from the team after a weekend arrest on a charge of driving under the influence

Coach Bobby Petrino announced Battle’s dismissal Monday, saying only that he’d violated team rules. The 20-year-old Battle was arrested early Sunday on a charge of misdemeanor DUI.

Police say Battle failed a field sobriety test and refused to take a breath alcohol test, leading to a charge of violating the state’s implied consent law.

On May 6, Battle was arrested after an incident in which a background check revealed he had an arrest warrant for failure to appear for a careless driving ticket. Battle played in 10 games last season as a freshman and made five tackles.

Hogs-Georgia gets primetime slot

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas’ Southeastern Conference football opener against Georgia on Sept. 19, 2009, will be aired by ESPN or ESPN2 it was announced by ESPN on Wednesday. The game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville will kick off at 6:45 p.m. CT.

The network for the match up will be selected following the conclusion of games on Sept. 12. Arkansas has appeared on ESPN 25 times and on ESPN2 on 19 occasions. This year’s game between Arkansas and Georgia will be the first between the two schools at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium since 2004.

Tickets for the conference opener are available as part of the 2009 Razorback Football Fayetteville season ticket package. A limited number of bench seats and club seats are available for season purchase. Season tickets are available by logging on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com or by calling the ticket office at 1-800-982-HOGS.

Andy Wilkins takes a swing at Team USA

FAYETTEVILLE – After a fantastic postseason run, University of Arkansas sophomore first baseman Andy Wilkins was invited to the USA Baseball National Team (Collegiate) Trials in Cary, N.C.

Wilkins departed for North Carolina shortly after returning to Fayetteville with the Razorback baseball team and participated in his first game on Monday as a member of the Blue team, going 2-5 at the plate with a run scored and RBI.

Wilkins picked up his first hit in the top of the sixth inning with one out. He would advance to second on a fielding error and score on a three-run home run. In the ninth, Wilkins stepped to the plate with runners on the corners and one out and after a double steal scored one run, Wilkins singled up the middle to score a second insurance run in the Blue Team’s 8-5 victory.

The invitation for Wilkins to try out for Team USA puts on hold his plans to return to the prestigious Cape Cod League where he was slated to be the starting first baseman for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. If Wilkins is selected to play on Team USA, a decision that could come by the end of the week, he will remain with the club for the rest of the summer. If he does not play for Team USA he will return to the Cape Cod League.

Should Wilkins make the Team USA roster he would be the second Razorback in three years to play with the squad. Former Razorback and first round Major League Baseball Draft pick Logan Forsythe played for Team USA in the summer of 2007 and the experience helped him tremendously.

Vance Wilson activated by Naturals

Catcher, Vance Wilson has been activated from the 7-day disabled list and will join the Naturals on their current road trip in Springfield, MO and Tulsa, OK.

Wilson, who lives in Springdale with his family just minutes from Arvest Ballpark, signed a Minor League contract in the off-season with the Kansas City Royals. At 36-years old, he brings 8 years of Major League experience with him to the Naturals roster. He made his big league debut on April 24, 1999 at Wrigley Field as a member of the New York Mets.

Wilson spent all or part of the 1999-2004 seasons with the Mets before being traded. He then spent the next two seasons (2005-06) with the Detroit Tigers, contributing to their 2006 American League Championship team. For his career, Wilson has played in 403 games, posting a .250 batting average in 953 M.L. at-bats. His numbers also include 25 homeruns and 129 runs batted in.

Originally drafted in the 44th round of the 1993 draft out of Mesa (Ariz.) Junior College, Wilson has not played since 2007 when he appeared in 3 games for Toledo, Detroit’s Triple-A affiliate. He missed the majority of 2007, all of 2008, and the first part of this season as he recovered from right elbow problems and subsequent surgeries. His rehab this summer has been split between Springdale, and the Royals’ spring training complex in Surprise, AZ as he works toward his goal of a return to the Major Leagues.

A proud resident of the Northwest Arkansas region, Wilson is active in many local charities, including his own Wilson’s 3 Foundation, which primarily benefits the Children’s House.

He is expected to be in uniform, wearing #13, for tonight’s game against the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field.

Diamond Hogs announce baseball camps

Wouldn’t it be nice to go camping with the National Champs?! Regardless, it will be with a College World Series team. Here are some details:

June 30-July 2
All Skills Camp and July 13-14 pitcher catcher camp — all info at www.arkansasrazorbacks.com – just click on baseball page and camp info is on your right. or call 575-3655 or email kjmoore@uark.edu thanks!