JOLIET (AP) - The Joliet Jackhammers, minor league affiliate of the Johannesburg Steelmen, began play this week with an unusual cast.

Of the 24 players on the Jackhammer squad, only two -- pitcher Kevin Haid and first baseman Ray Millard -- have any major league experience, although shortstop Roberto Mejia is scheduled to begin his rehab start next month.

Steelmen owner Rick Gregg said before the season that his plan was to play only experienced players, even if it might hurt his ballclub. This has left many Jackhammer supporters scrambling to buy programs and asking themselves, "Who are these guys?"

Start with the manager, former Weaver Leaguer Kirby Puckett. Gregg says he admires Puckett's even-temperment, and has always known Puckett to be a good mentor and teacher for young ballplayers.

The Steelmen have taken the unusual step of folding their low minor league squad and combining all players onto the Jackhammer club. While 10 players are still designated for the low minors, they play their games with the AAA team so no player gets too worn out, and competition is easier to find.

That also means that the Jackhammer club needs more coaches at the minor league level, to bring along the 22 rookies. Slugger Frank Thomas has signed on to coach the bats, with Ball Four author Jim Bouton attending to the young arms. While Bouton can't throw like he used to, he is teaching the knuckleball to some of the players-in-waiting and is making life on the road easier.

And who are the players? Well, an informal poll shows fans are coming out to watch the Jackhammers play largely due to the play of 23 year old Jake Mills, 21 year old Hugh Baumann, 23 year old Al Harding, and 19 year old Joe Duff.

Mills is a centerfielder with impressive speed and decent contact ability, though his troubles with the longball are well-chronicled. The team hopes his hitting and fielding improve by next season, when he could fill holes in the Steelmen starting lineup.

Third baseman Hugh Baumann has dazzled coaches and fans with his extraordinary arm strength. They also praise his raw talent -- Baumann hasn't recieved much coaching, since he was just drafted last season, but has shown flashes of true athleticism.

The pitching staff is shored up by Harding and Duff, neither of whom are on the 40-player major league roster. Harding has what Bouton calls "the best slider I've ever seen" along with a decent fastball and good control. He's been starting for the club but may fall into a relief role when he joins the Steelmen in the future.

Duff has acquired several nicknames in his short time in Joliet -- such as "Wild Thing" for his, well, total lack of control. "The kid's got a great fastball and slider," Puckett said in an interview. "I just wish he'd get the darned ball over the plate." Duff is also called "The Beer Man" because of his last name (fans of The Simpsons would understand) and because fans know to order up an extra when he comes into the game -- it'll be a long inning.

I would also be remiss if I did not mention the saga of Doyle Lopez. Probably the least talented player anywhere in the Weaver League heirarchy, coach Thomas reports Lopez is working just as hard, if not harder, than any other player on the team. You may remember that Johannesburg drafted the then-seventeen-year-old Lopez with their final pick in last year's draft, when the Steelmen had 11.

Lopez was given ratings of just '8', '7', and '37' in his offensive categories, but has improved those to '13', '10', and '39'. That may not sound like much of an improvement, but nobody expects much out of poor Doyle. At the time, owner Rick Gregg said, "Hey, he's young. We'll give him a shot." And we'll continue to update you on the progress of the diminuitive first baseman.