Francis Parker grad gets a taste of the South

Augusta second baseman is no fan of bus rides, humidity, thunderstorms Every step Nick Noonan takes vaults him closer to the major leagues. Selected by the San Francisco Giants as the 32nd overall pick in the 2007 pro baseball draft, Noonan was honored as an all-star last year by Baseball America magazine after batting .316 for the Giants' Arizona Rookie League team. This season, Noonan is playing second base for Augusta, Ga., which leads the Southern Division of the Single-A South Atlantic League. Through 84 games, Noonan was batting .289 (103-for-357) and led the GreenJackets in doubles (21) and triples (seven). Noonan opted for pro ball over a baseball scholarship to Clemson University after graduating from Francis Parker High. Playing in the South, Noonan said he has managed to endure the humidity but finds the 12-hour... [read full story]