Top:  Fresno Grizzlies general manager and executive vice president Andrew Stuebner speaks to attendees at the 49th annual Hot Stove Banquet Thursday evening at the Holiday Inn Downtown Fresno.  The event raised funds for the Grizzlies Community Fund.

Bottom:  Former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants Dave Dravecky (left) signs a miniature baseball bat for Melissa Davin and Tayler Mason of Clovis.  Davin won an award later that night for Female Player of the Year.

Fresno, CA (Feb. 5, 2010) – The Fresno Grizzlies hosted the 49th annual Hot Stove Banquet Thursday evening at the Holiday Inn Downtown Fresno, an event that celebrates the impending beginning of the baseball season and also raises funds for the Grizzlies Community Fund.

Special guests were welcomed, baseball and softball awards were presented, and items were auctioned off, including baseball memorabilia such as autographed jerseys, baseballs and cleats.

“If we can raise upwards of $10,000 or more then we feel like that’s a great foundation for us to really fund a lot of the worthy programs that the community fund runs and operates throughout the course of the calendar year,” said Grizzlies general manager and executive vice president Andrew Stuebner.

One of the special guests was Steve Decker, new manager for the Grizzlies.  Decker entered professional baseball in 1988, and was drafted as a San Francisco Giant.  He has been coaching with the Giants 10 years, and was the Grizzlies hitting coach for two seasons from 2003-2004.  Decker has a winning attitude, and said that he will develop the Grizzlies’ skills to prepare them for playing in the Major League.

“We came to play and we came to compete, and you’re gonna know that we’re doing everything we can starting at 2 in the afternoon to prepare for that game and to go out and beat the other team in front of our hometown fans,” Decker said.

Another special guest was former San Francisco Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky, who ended his eight-year Major League career with the Giants.  He contracted cancer in and eventually lost his pitching arm, and retired afterwards due to further injury.  Dravecky said he was ready when the Giants called and asked him if he would be a part of the evening.  

“I love this organization, and they have been wonderful to me and my family, and it’s great being here to be a part of an event tonight that ultimately is for a wonderful cause,” Dravecky said.  “And I think those are the important things about evenings like this.

“The Fresno Grizzlies are a very important part of this organization in developing the talent that’s necessary to go out to the big league level and be successful,” he added.

Other VIPs included former Giants pitcher Mark Gardner and top Giants prospect Buster Posey.  The following is a list of the evening’s award winners.

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