Two Sounds eye Olympics

Outfielder J.J. Davis and pitcher John Grabow, who both spent part of the 2003 season in a Nashville Sounds uniform, have been invited to participate in the 2003 Olympic Qualifying Team Trials in Phoenix Oct. 3-23.

The 31 players invited will vie for 24 roster spots on the United States Olympic Qualifying Team that will be managed by Frank Robinson and play in the Qualifying Tournament for the Americas in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 30 through Nov. 10. Team USA opens pool play in the event on Oct. 31 vs. Colombia. Teams finishing first and second in the tournament will qualify for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Davis, who spent the majority of the summer with the Sounds, was also recently named to the Pacific Coast League All-Prospect Team by Sportsticker.

The 24-year-old, one of six PCL outfielders to gain the honor, paced all circuit batters with a .554 slugging percentage and ranked 3rd in the league with a career-high 26 home runs.

The eighth overall pick in the 1997 draft, Davis finished the year with a .284 average in a Nashville-high 122 games and also led the Sounds with 68 runs scored. In addition, he batted .263 with one HR and four RBI in 19 games over two stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Grabow, a 24-year-old pitcher from San Gabriel, Calif., went 6-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 24 appearances at double-A Altoona, and also worked in 17 games with the Sounds this summer before being called up to the Major Leagues by the Pirates in September. Grabow pitched in five games for Pittsburgh