More K's for the Joe Niekro Foundation

Hey all. I'm going to be very brief today as I'm in full-on Halloween prep mode with the kids. But I wanted to update everyone on the progress from Friday in terms of the strikeouts for Aneurysm Awareness Week.

The Arizona Fall League is teaming up with the Joe Niekro Foundation for a great fundraiser/awareness-raiser this week. Any pitcher from one of the seven organizations Joe Niekro pitched for who strikes out a batter this week helps raise money for aneurysm awareness and research. Four sponsors have agreed to donate $36 (Niekro's number during his playing days) per strikeout. That's $144 per K.

And we've continued to add to the pile. First it was the Cubs, then it was the Astros, now it's the Yankees. The Yankees have agreed to match whatever the other teams are doing in terms of making a donation in honor of their pitchers in the AFL. The idea was to put their money where their arms are, giving a donation should their pitchers strike out the most batters during the course of the week. So lets see where we are, first with yesterday's totals and then the organizational standings:

Scot Drucker, Tigers (Javelinas) -- 2 K
Robbie Weinhardt, Tigers (Javelinas) -- 4 K
Ian Kennedy, Yankees (Rafters) -- 4 K
Michael Dunn, Yankees (Rafters) -- 3 K
Daniel Meszaros, Astros (Saguaros) -- 2 K
Blake Parker, Cubs (Solar Sox) -- 1 K
Day Total: 16 K x $144 per K = $2304
Grand Total: 60 K = $8640

Organization standings (teams in bold have committed to making a donation if their pitchers win the week):

Tigers -- 13 K
Yankees -- 11 K
Twins -- 7 K
Astros -- 9 K
Cubs -- 8 K
Padres -- 7 K
Braves -- 5 K

One more day to go.