Noochie Varner Named TOPPS SL Player Of The Month

[KittyDuran]

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_87109.asp

Noochie Varner Named TOPPS SL Player Of The Month
by Tim Evearitt
posted June 6, 2006


Photo by Tim Evearitt
Noochie Varner batted .404 in May with six homers and 34 RBI.

Click to enlarge photo.
Marietta, Ga --- Chattanooga Lookouts' left fielder Noochie Varner has been named the TOPPS Player of the Month for May.

Varner enjoyed a spectacular month, hitting. .404 with six home runs and 34 RBI. He led all Southern Leaguers in RBI for the month, and was tiedfor the league lead with 38 stolen bases while ranking second in batting average and tied for third in home runs.

The Cynthiana, KY native raised his average from .206 to .325 over the course of the month. He collected hitting streaks of 7, 5, and 4 games. Varner recorded at least one hit in 21 of 28 contests and collected 12 multi-hit games along the way, including five three-hit games.

Varner came through in the clutch all month long, driving in the game-winning run on six occasions. He singled three times to win the game, doubled once, and hit two sacrifice flies.

The 25-year old twice drove in five runs in a game twice during the month.

For the season, Varner is hitting at a .297 clip, good for ninth in the league. His 36 RBI are tied for second in the league. He has also hit six home runs, collected 52 hits, and scored 29 runs. He was previously named the BC Powder SL Hitter of the Week for the week of May 22-28.

The Cincinnati Reds selected Varner in the 10th round of the 2000 draft. He played in the Detroit Tigers, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Arizona Diamondbacks organizations before signing as a free agent with his original club in 2006.

[savafan]

I didn't even know that Noochie was back in the organization.

25 years old and at AA, although with those numbers, I'm not sure why he's still at AA.

[KittyDuran]

I didn't even know that Noochie was back in the organization.

25 years old and at AA, although with those numbers, I'm not sure why he's still at AA.

He's played at the AAA level... here's an article that explains what has gone on in his career so far...

Here's the article...

Varner lights up Smokies with five RBIs
By NICK GATES, gates@knews.com
May 25, 2006


SEVIERVILLE - A Tennessee Smokies fan leaned over the railing at Smokies Park and asked Chattanooga Lookouts outfielder Noochie Varner for an autograph. "I think they made a mistake letting you go," she said, smiling.

Sure looks that way.

Varner was 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI to power the Chattanooga Lookouts to a 7-4 Southern League victory over Tennessee on Wednesday night before 2,576.

The familiar cry of "Noochie, Noochie, Noochie!" boomed through the concourse before Varner drove a Garrett Mock pitch over the fence in left field for a three-run home run in the first inning.

"Bet you can't do that again," was all the disappointed Smoky fan managed before Varner stepped into the batter's box for his second at-bat.

The Lookouts (31-17) have won six in a row. The Cincinnati Reds' Class AA farmhands are out in front of the North Division pack by three games.

Mock (1-5) struggled from the get-go.

Chattanooga's Javon Moran singled to start the game and Joey Votto doubled beyond the reach of right fielder Jon Zeringue an out later. Varner followed with his fourth homer.

That was all of a head start Chattanooga starter Tyler Pelland (3-1) needed. He limited the Smokies (21-26) to four hits and a run in his five-inning stint.

Varner made it 4-1 with a run-scoring single in the sixth and knocked in another run with a single off reliever Matt Wilkinson in the seventh. He also walked.

The 25-year-old from Cynthiana, Ky., was looking for a fresh start after he hit .278 with three homers and 41 RBI for Tennessee last year.

"I asked for my release during the offseason," he said. "I thought I had no future with them (Diamondbacks). I played two years ago in Triple-A and hit .321 and they sent me back to Double-A last year. I had to battle to get in the lineup and I wasn't happy."

Arizona threw Varner a curve at the end of spring training.

"I thought I was going to be in Triple-A with the Diamondbacks and they told me the last day they were letting me go," he said.

Varner was unemployed for about an hour.

"I was driving to my hotel and they (Reds) called my cell phone," he said.

Cincinnati's 10th-round draft pick in 2000 is hitting .500 (11-for-22) against the Smokies in his second tour of duty in the Reds' organization.

"They (Reds) know me," Varner said. "They told me they had plans for me and we got it (contract) done in a couple of hours.

Varner doesn't have a vendetta against the Smokies. It just seems that way with the way he is playing against his former team.

"I've been playing for a long time and for four different organizations," he said. "I'm happy and it just so happens I've been swinging the bat well."

Zeringue and Steve Garrabrants homered for the Smokies.

Timely hits have been few and far between for Zeringue in the series. He popped out with the bases full in the first. The former LSU star left the bases loaded twice in Tennessee's 9-5 loss Tuesday. He emerged from a zero-for-10 funk with a solo home run off reliever Edward Valdez.

Agustin Murillo drove in two runs for Tennessee with a pair of two-out singles.

[Caseyfan21]

I'm glad to see him doing well. I was sad to see him go when he was dealt as part of the Moehler trade a few years ago. He was always very gracious and a nice guy when he was with the Dragons.

[15fan]

A few years ago, I had visions of a Reds lineup that included Noochie Varner, Gookie Dawkins, Pokey Reese, Corky Miller, and Junior.

[Mario-Rijo]

A few years ago, I had visions of a Reds lineup that included Noochie Varner, Gookie Dawkins, Pokey Reese, Corky Miller, and Junior.

Wow, sorry but glad that didn't turn out.

[savafan]

A few years ago, I had visions of a Reds lineup that included Noochie Varner, Gookie Dawkins, Pokey Reese, Corky Miller, and Junior.

A new Tinkers to Evers to Chance. Noochie to Gookie to Pokey.

[TeamBoone]

I didn't even know that Noochie was back in the organization.

I didn't either; this is a nice surprise.

[KittyDuran]

A new Tinkers to Evers to Chance. Noochie to Gookie to Pokey.

Only if Noochie goes back to the infield...

[Johnny Vander m]

Saw Noochie play tonight as Chattanooga is in town for 5 games. If the pics turn out will post them later. Had a real nice talk with Dewayne Wise, autograph and pictures, realy a very nice guy.

Also a pic and autgraph from Joey Votto, who seemed like, why me, I am nobody. Nice though.