The Diamondbacks plan to use D’Antona as a pinch-hitter for the remainder of this season. To make room on the 40-man roster, Arizona moved fan-favorite Eric Byrnes from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

So why the promotion in his sixth professional season? Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com that D’Antona’s dominant performance with the AAA Tucson Sidewinders warranted a chance at the big leagues.

In his second year with the Sidewinders D’Antona, 26, was leading the club in batting average (.367), hits (126), on-base percentage (.407), slugging percentage (.612), and doubles (31) at the time of his call up.

D’Antona recently represented the Diamondbacks organization at both the Futures Game in Yankee Stadium and the Triple-A All-Star game in Louisville, KY. D’Antona won the Triple-A Home Run Derby and delivered the go ahead RBI in the Pacific Coast League’s 6-5 victory over the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game.

“There’s a guy that deserves a shot at the big leagues,” Melvin told MLB.com. “You look at his Triple-A numbers and they’re off the charts. Through hard work and great performance, he deserves a shot at the big league level.”

Not every high school quarterback goes on to play college football. And given his diminutive size and desire to attend University of Nebraska, Bobby Maffei knew that well before he first started under center at Trumbull High School.

But when recruiting coaches from Nebraska came to the office of Maffei’s father, Eagles head coach Bob Maffei Jr., to meet Trumbull lineman Anel Montanez, the quarterback found out there was a way he could contribute as a member of the Cornhuskers.

And as a result, Maffei will leave for Lincoln on Wednesday to begin his second year as an undergraduate assistant for the University of Nebraska football team.

“He had a decent high school career, be he knows he’s undersized,” said the Trumbull coach Maffei. “Bobby loves football, he loves coaching, and he wants to be a part of it. He wants to be a college coach, that’s his goal in life.”

But Maffei does more than just fill water buckets and put equipment away. Maffei helps coach the Nebraska receivers, breaks down game film, and basically helps prepare Nebraska to play against its opponents.

“Basically I’m a manager, but I go above and beyond that. I’ll help out with the video interns, I’ll break down tape, tag it on the computers,” Maffei said of the work he does for wide receivers/assistant head coach Ted Gilmore. “I’m just kind of making that experience what I can make of it.”

Maffei probably would not be in the position he is if it wasn’t for Montanez, who is at University of Buffalo. Aaron Stamm, a former Nebraska graduate assistant, became Montanez’s recruiting coach at Buffalo, and got into a conversation with Maffei about Nebraska football.

As the younger Maffei and Stamm got to know each other, the discussion about coaching came up. And when Stamm began talking about the undergraduate program, Maffei was hooked.

Though he is working with the football team, sports management is not Maffei’s major. Instead, he has chosen Spanish education. That way, should it turn out that coaching at the collegiate level is not the route he wants to pursue, he’ll still have a degree to fall back on, and maybe even follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps.

“My dad loves coaching high school football, but he’s always told me to use my brain, that someone your age would have to be the college coach eventually,” Maffei said. “I really want to stay in college, I see how these coaches can turn young men into adults, and I’d love to be around football 24/7.”

And if college coaching helps him get his master’s degree paid for, too, that’s fine by Maffei.

“I’ve always done well in Spanish, and both of my parents being teachers affected me. I’ve been around education my entire life, whether it’s been gym, history, or science [which his mother, Eileen, teaches at Hillcrest Middle School in Trumbull],” Maffei said. “That’s kind of the backup plan. Get your bachelors in education, get your masters in something close to that, just in case college coaching doesn’t work out for me.”

Though Nebraska did not meet expectations on the field in 2007, and head coach Bill Callahan lost his job as a result, it was a blessing in disguise for Maffei.

Gilmore was retained, so there was some continuity for Maffei. And Maffei did not burn his bridge with Callahan, who is now an assistant with the New York Jets and invited Bobby to training camp to attend practices.

Maffei also got a chance to coach some wide receivers this summer at the prestigious Quarterback & Receiver Camp, where he met former Nebraska Outland Trophy winner Rich Glover and Bobby Acosta, who is interning as a coach with the Jets this fall.

“It’s allowed me to meet a whole new coaching staff already, and networking is important in this field,” said Maffei, who also helped Gilmore with the quarterback recruiting this past offseason.

And even while watching the Fairfield County team in the recently-played Hall of Fame Classic, Maffei, standing alongside his father and several high school football coaches, wanted to give his two cents.

“I’m wondering why [Fairfield County] isn’t lining up 3 and 1 formation, throwing to the back side, Like they did with [Bunnell wide receiver Michael] Easley on the scoring drive,” Maffei said. “They throw a slant to him on the back side, and there’s no way a cornerback can cover an athlete like him. So in the back of my mind [tonight], I’ve been coaching.”

Running late for football practice after an interview with a local newspaper, former New Canaan lineman Steve Johnson acquired the nickname “Hollywood” from several teammates in his final season as a Rams.

Although Johnson won’t be traveling to the west coast, track and field fame may be in his future as he heads to the University of Connecticut this fall.

“I’m very excited,” Johnson said. “I’m totally undecided on what I want to do. I know that I want to help people. I’m leaning towards pre-med or pre-kinesiology.”

Academics aside, Johnson also plans to continue in track and shot-put. Setting a record for himself in shot-put of 52-feet, 9-inches in the State Open, Johnson placed second in the state and fifth in New England. Yet, he has always felt that he could improve his game.

“In college I’m going to work on getting mentally focused,” he said. “It’s going to take a majority of the time at UConn so I probably won’t do any club sports.”

Still, Johnson has played a variety of sports throughout his athletic career.

“I played soccer and baseball when I was a kid and I tried lacrosse but didn’t like it,” he said. “When I was in ninth grade I did track and hurdles. I was awful.”

Johnson also did wrestling and played football in high school but found his niche throwing the shot-put.

“What makes a good shot-putter is long arms. If you’re lanky it’s better,” Johnson said. “Sophomore year I didn’t do bad but I wasn’t that good. And then I kept on lifting. Junior year I really came out of my shell and I got sixth in FCIAC. Then I kept on lifting and here I am today.”

Johnson received the coveted Sikorsky Award at the senior athletics picnic this past spring for his accomplishments.

“I felt really honored to get it because it was such a great payoff,” Johnson said. “It’s a really prestigious award.”

Selected to play for the Fairfield County All-Star football team, Johnson dropped out in order to avoid injury before heading off to do Division I track in college.

In the meantime before setting off to school, Johnson works out for about 90 minutes each day in between working at the Waveny Park Pool snack bar and spending time with his friends. He also plans on shot-putting with several athletes from Danbury.

“I’m just trying to be focused on staying close to my friends and trying to make some good memories before I go [to school],” Johnson said.

Team USA softball had just completed its 9-0 win over the Stratford Brakettes on Sunday, and pitcher Rachele Fico was all smiles when she went to hug her high school teammates.

And on top of that, the 17-year-old Masuk prodigy graciously signed a few autographs for some young admirers.

Hard to believe that just a few minutes earlier, Fico had give up five earned runs on four hits and a walk in just one inning of work.

For those who have followed Fico’s near flawless high school career, the performance may have come as a shock. But there’s a big difference between your average CIAC player - or a regular opponent of the Brakettes - than Olympians like Caitlin Mendoza.

And for that matter, the batters Fico faced in the Canada Cup earlier this month as a member of the Florida-based Gold Coast Hurricanes - like Japan, Venezuela, and Chinese Taipei - were not too shabby.

“It’s been so much fun, I’ve had some awesome learning experience facing some of the best teams in the world,” Fico said about her Canada Cup experience. “I’m taking what I do in the game and learning from it and hopefully I’ll grow from it.”

And Fico fortunately has not let her softball growth and advancement go to her head. According to her friends and members of the Brakettes, she’s still the same Rachele Fico who would rather see her team win a game than get personal accolades.

In fact, her father, Ralph Fico, told reporters Sunday that his daughter’s reaction to being named a high school All-American this season was, “Oh, cool.”

So it’s no wonder Fico, who has already given a verbal agreement to Louisiana State University, wasn’t intimidated during her one inning against the USA Olympic team.

“I was just so excited to play against the number one team in the country, and I just went out there and had fun,” Fico said.

STRATFORD - There have been several spectacular pitching performances at DeLuca Field this summer. But for the first time, the dominant pitcher was in the visiting dugout.

That was Jennie Finch. The Team USA softball pitcher.

Finch fired a one-hitter, struck out 12, and walked just one to lead Team USA over the Stratford Brakettes 9-0 Sunday.

Finch did not allow a hit through seven innings, and gave up a one-out single to extra player Laura Trout with one out in the eighth. Brakettes shortstop Mandie Fishback, who took a bad hop to the head a night earlier and was sent to the hospital, played the game and walked in the first inning.

The Brakettes had been 40-0 prior to the game, but did not show any signs of anguish after the game, snapping photos of themselves and with members of Team USA prior to a post game autograph session.

“I’ve seen all the great players come through here, and just to have the opportunity to be on the field with them at the same time is truly an honor,” said Brakettes right fielder Amber Radomski, a Joel Barlow graduate who grew up as a bat girl for the 28-time ASA champions.

Current Masuk star Rachele Fico, who was charged with five earned runs which pitching the ninth inning, had the same feelings as Radomski after the game.

“It was just an awesome experience to throw against the greatest hitters in the world, and by far Team USA does have the greatest hitters in the world,” Fico said. “It was just awesome and so much fun to be out there.”

The game was a tune-up for Team USA, which is on the KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour in preparation for the Olympics. The announced attendance at DeLuca was 3,300, which included fans seating in temporary bleachers set up behind the outfield fences.

Peter Cox is surrounded by more than 100 kids in football uniforms. Most of them are from Bridgeport, some from surrounding areas, and other are visiting family from as far away as Kansas.

It’s a two-week camp that Cox, who works in the resource center and coaches football at Bridgeport Central High School, was able to set up through the National Football League’s Junior Development Program.

The cost for the kids — nothing. And they get to learn about more than football, they’re taught about life skills.

How many of these 12 to 14 year old boys will play football at Central. But the number of kids whose lives Cox will help shape will continue to grow.

In a city where teenage boys from a single-parent home can either walk the straight line or get tempted to join a gang, Cox has spent his last 11 years as a father figure and mentor to many Hilltoppers. The number he has got into college grows each year.

And from the Class of 2008, at least nine will go on to play college football.

“If you’re ever looking for a feel-good story, there’s one right there,” Central head coach Dave Cadelina said a few weeks back at the FCIAC Strongest Man competition.

“He’s not an Xs and Os kind of guy,” adds Central assistant coach John Carolina. “But what he’s done for our kids off the field has been amazing.”

So why does Cox do it? It’s not for the recognition. But he did see a difference almost immediately when he came over to Central from Amity Regional in Woodbridge. And he has his roots in Bridgeport, having gone to Bassick as a teen.

“In the suburban school, you have the parent involved. In the inner city, you become the mentor, the father, and everything else,” Cox said.

Cox said took one of his current players to the doctor Wednesday, with a note from the player’s mother saying he’s the guardian, “or as she said ‘coach/father,’” so the doctor could be release him to play football this season.

“So the doctor at first wasn’t going to do anything, but when he looked at the record and say the letter the mom wrote about me, and with my signature, he was fine’” Cox said.

And Cox does more than that for the student-athletes, much more than trips to the doctors and helping kids with applications and SAT scores. The 69-year-old former drill sergeant also brings the kids on road trips to various colleges so they can experience what campus life is like.

The hope is that they will enjoy the experience, and want to be on campus after four years of high school.

“My car is four years old in December, and I’ve got 146,000 miles on it,” Cox said like it’s no big deal. “That’s my passion — to make sure they do well in school, to make sure they do well in their SAT courses, then get them into college.”

Tomorrow there’s a trip to Lackawanna College in Scranton, PA, where he’s going with recent Central graduate Dewayne Guscott. Coming along for the ride — Rashaad Bass, an Ansonia lineman who will room with Guscott this fall. They are heading out to meet with the coaching staff and fill out some paperwork.

And Guscott is just one of many thankful past and future Hilltoppers who understand what Cox has done to help out.

“Without Coach Cox, I probably wouldn’t even be in college,” Guscott said. “He puts in so much work – I can’t even count how many times we’ve been to McDonalds, driven us to a college, or that he’s called up a college so he’d get our names in a coach’s ear.”

Guscott has estimated Cox’s fuel bill to be around $7,000 since his freshman year. And that’s included trips from South Carolina to Maine.

“When I first met him, he was kind of a hard ass, telling us not to quit on him,” Guscott said. “Now it’s all love. He’s like a father, and I feel like a son to him.”

One of those Central players who Cox convinced not to quit is Trevardo Williams, who has a full ride to UConn waiting on the table after he preps this year at Canterbury School. He’s convinced none of his good fortune would have happened without Cox’s support.

“He’s the one responsible for us going to college,” Williams said. “When we need a ride, he gives it to us. When we need some guidance, we’ll go to him, he’s the one we can rely on.”

Williams said he’s also thankful for Cox, who gave him the advice to do a year of prep school before taking his offer to play at UConn.

“I could have different choices, and what he told me made me think twice about the choice I made,” Williams said. “With him being there, I just feel like I’ve accomplished something, like someone is on my side, guiding me.”

Timmy Reece, who is heading off to play football at American International College, says it’s more than the miles Cox puts on the car that makes his a hero to the football community.

“Not a lot of people go the extra mile,” Reece said. “Coach Cox does. I remember my freshman year, [former running back] Akeem Wright’s grades were so bad that Coach Cox found a school for him all the way out in California. Not a lot of coaches do that.”

Reece, too, will soon be brought to college in Cox’s white van. And when Cox drops him off in Springfield, he says it will be like saying good by to a dad.

“He’s the type of man you’d want in your corner at all times,” Reece said. “I love him like a father because that’s what he is to us.”

And while Cox does see himself as a father figure to many of Central’s players, he also feels he’s helping to do God’s work.

“It’s like God sent him down here, and he says that’s why he does it. He’s such a devout Christian,” Guscott said. “He thinks this is his way of paying back God for all he has given, and he wants to give back to people. He’s just a nice person.”

Though Cox’s work has been appreciated by the community, it may be he doesn’t think he’s done anything to help out just yet. Or that he’s found his life’s calling.

“It’s worth it, 100%,” Cox said. “If I can help one kid, it’s worth it.”

Not a lot of people outside the Staples locker room heard of Jeff Frusciante before the beginning of the 2007 season. Heck, playing in an offense that ran a lot more than it passed, not a lot of people heard of Frusciante after catching six touchdown passes for the Wreckers.

But Catholic University head coach Dave Dunn knew enough about Frusciante to make him a part of his 2008 recruiting class. And Frusciante knew enough about Catholic that he wanted to spend his next four years there.

“The system fits me perfect down there. I’ll be playing wide receiver, and they throw a lot,” Frusciante said before a practice session on Monday for tonight’s Hall of Fame Classic in West Haven. “The coach, I thought he was great, and everything just clicked there.”

Frusciante hopes to represent Staples well, too, as its lone representative tonight on the Fairfield County team, which is hoping to snap its five game losing streak against New Haven. Though he was more known as a wide receiver, he will be in the defensive backfield tonight.

“It feels real good to play in it, even to just get picked,” Frusciante said. “And even if I didn’t get to play, it’s nice to be a part of it.”

Frusciante and the Wreckers went a perfect 8-0 int he regular season before before stumbling in the FCIAC championship game against Greenwich and in the first round of the CIAC playoffs against Bunnell.

But it’s that final regular season win that sticks in Frusciante’s mind. That was an overtime win over New Canaan in the same stadium he was standing in on media day.

“We thought we tied. We were kind of annoyed, and then we found out about the Kansas City shootout,” Frusciante said. “Watching that in college football and getting to play in a game like that was awesome to play in. It was something you dream about being a part of. I’m just glad it worked out in our favor.”

Video bonus footage of Frusciante:

And though the Chargers won’t take the field until 2009, Wallace said his first year as a football player will be a busy one. They will compete as a pseudo-junior varsity program in 2008.

“We’re going to be playing quality teams like Yale and have a chance to build some camaraderie before the real season starts in 2009,” Wallace said.

Wallace was a captain this past season for the Green Wave, and had 105 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, six sacks, and four forced fumbles. He was also first team all-state and all-SWC.

And as much as he is looking forward to being a student athlete at New Haven, he wants to prove his worth to his Fairfield County teammates tonight.

“It means a lot for me to be chosen to play for this team, I am proud to represent my town,” Wallace said. “I can’t wait to prove why I belong on this team when game time comes around and I knock some heads around.”

It’s not easy for Timothy Reece to find a pair of decent shoes for his size 17 feet. But it was a normal head size that helped him get a spot of the Connecticut team that defeated Rhode Island in the Governor’s Cup back on June 27.

Reece, who will play on both the offensive and defensive lines tonight for Fairfield County in the Hall of Fame Classic at West Haven High School, was just in the right place at the right time.

“It’s funny because I went to the practice [in Southington] to see [Central teammates] DeWayne [Guscott] and Trevardo [Williams] play, and they were looking at me. And after the practice they called me over and told me to try this helmet on. They said, ‘if it fits, you’re on the team,,” Reece said.

And as it happened, the helmet was a perfect fit.

“DeWayne and Trevardo were kidding me that it was the easiest tryout ever,” Reece said. “I guess you cold say it was a Cinderella story, but I proved I should have a spot.”

Reece was a first-team All-FCIAC offensivve lineman this season, and was on the second team as a junior. He has started for three seasons under head coach Dave Cadelina.

But it’s the relationship he has with assistant coach Peter Cox that Reece and his teammates talk about just as much.

“We have a great coaching staff all the way from the head coach down to the water boy,” Reece said. “Coach Cox has been a big influence on our lives. He drives us back and forth to the All-Star games, and he helped us get into college. It’s good to have those people on your side.”

Reece will be heading to American International College in Springfield, MA, in a few weeks to continue both his athletic and academic careers. He will be reunited with former Central linemate Terrance Mercer, who will be a junior at AIC.

“AIC was attractive to me because I wanted to be close to home, not to mention they are looking good this year,” Reece said. “Terrance got me interested, so I’ll be chilling with him while we hope to win a title.”

But first, Reece wants to help Fairfield County break its five-game losing streak against the New Haven County all-stars. Even if he didn’t qualify to play because of his helmet size.

“It’s good to be chosen to be a player in the All-Star game,” Reece said. “When you get called upon, it’s your responsibility and duty to your school and your town, and in this case, your county.”

Former Wilton lineman Joe Smith was told to dislike people only because of the color of their football uniform. But he’s become good friends with someone who wears the red and black on New Canaan, former Ram Kyle Duncan.

And that has nothing to do with the Hall of Fame Classic, which has Smith (left) and Duncan as teammates on the Fairfield County team which will play New Haven County at West Haven High School tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.

Smith and Duncan will take their games - and their personal belongings - to Bowdoin in a just a few weeks.

“I feel pretty fortunate to be able to go up to Maine with someone I already know, and that he’s a nice kid, and we have some similarities,” Smith said.

That includes postseason accolades. Both were CHSCA All-State offensive linemen in their respective divisions. Both started on the defensive line, too.

“I kind of get a preview of what the next four years are going to be like, even though I’m going to be on the defensive side of the ball and he’ll be on offense,” said Duncan (left). “I really think [Bowdoin] should be getting two quality football players.”

Smith chose Bowdoin over several NESCAC and Ivy League schools, and says he was very close to heading to Cornell. But he knew Bowdoin was the school for him when he set foot on campus for the first time.

“I know I’m not going to play in the NFL,” Smith said. “I wanted to balance the academics and the athletics.”

But right now, Smith is taking a crash course in New Canaan’s spread offense. After four years of starting in the three-point stance, Smith is adjusting to a two-point stance.

But Duncan, who went through the adjustment two seasons ago, has helped mentor his new friend - and his Fairfield County teammates.

“Going to the two point stance, it’s kind of weird and you are back on your heels a little bit, but the kids here have really started to pick it up well,” Duncan said. “He’s a great offensive lineman. If he was in this spread system for even a year of so, he would have just been great.”

Another plus for Duncan and the Fairfield County team - three of the five offensive linemen from the Class MM state champion Rams will be protecting former Rams quarterback Charlie Westfal.

“It’s absolutely awesome. I never thought I’d get a chance to play again with Mike Glass and Charley Donnelly ever again,” Duncan said. “Especially when we’ll be protecting Charlie Westfal. It’s like old times, it’s great.”

Smith plans to major in psychology, while Duncan is looking at a major in government and legal studies.