Rowdy Hardy is at it again.  The left-handed control specialist who spent 2008 in the Naturals rotation is of course, hard at work in Surprise, AZ getting ready for the 2009 season.  Hardy, thought by many to be part of the Naturals bullpen this year, is in need of your vote on minorleaguebaseball.com.

Rowdy is involved in the bracket-style Moniker Madness tournament to determine the best name in all of minor league baseball.  This is the 3rd year Hardy has been in the tourney, getting as far as the final four last year.  Currently, he’s in the round of 16 going up against Smelin Perez for the right to advance.

So head to the Moniker Madness bracket and vote for Natural Rowdy Hardy.

—

RHP Julio Pimentel who was with NW Arkansas last season has opted against surgery after suffering an elbow injury during a March 13th Spring Training game.  Pimentel, who was expected to return to NWA to start ’09, will rest and hope that the ligament damage and bone fracture will heal on its own. 

The earliest possible return date for Pimentel would be early May.