Eastern League update
Published on July 3, 2006 under Eastern League (EL1) News Release
Eastern League All-Star Game Rosters Announced
The Eastern League, in conjunction with the Altoona Curve, have announced the rosters for the 2006 UPMC Health Plan Eastern League All-Star Game, which will be played at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, July 12. The game will feature the brightest stars in the league as a collection of the top players in the Southern Division square off against the All-Stars from the Northern Division.
Each roster consists of 25 players, with every Eastern League club being represented by at least three players on their respective rosters.
As part of the selection process, one position player and one pitcher from every team was selected through the Rite Aid All-Star balloting program, which was held at each of the 12 ballparks in the league and allowed fans to vote for their favorite players, with the top vote getters being selected to the All-Star rosters.
The complete rosters for both the Northern Division and Southern Division teams are listed below.
Northern Division Roster
Pitchers
Matt Garza (New Britain)*
Philip Hughes (Trenton)*
Michael MacDonald (New Hampshire)*
Charlie Manning (Trenton)
Patrick Misch (Connecticut)*
Henry Owens (Binghamton)
Mike Pelfrey (Binghamton)*
Glen Perkins (New Britain)
Justin Pope (Trenton)
Ismael Ramirez (New Hampshire)
Chris Smith (Portland)*
Catchers
Brian Munhall (Connecticut)
Curtis Thigpen (New Hampshire)
Infielders
Michel Abreu (Binghamton)
Brian Buscher (Connecticut)
Gabe Lopez (Trenton)*
Felix Molina (New Britain)
Chad Spann (Portland)*
Tyler Von Schell (Connecticut)*
Jeremy West (Portland)
Outfielders
Adam Lind (New Hampshire)*
Tyler Minges (Portland)
Jorge Padilla (Binghamton)*
Bronson Sardinha (Trenton)
Denard Span (New Britain)*
Southern Division Roster
Pitchers
Ronald "Bear" Bay (Akron)*
Kip Bouknight (Harrisburg)*
Gio Gonzalez (Reading)*
Daniel Haigwood (Reading)
Landon Jacobsen (Altoona)
James Johnson (Bowie)*
Bobby M. Jones (Erie)*
Brandon Knight (Altoona)*
Marino Salas (Bowie)
Sean Smith (Akron)
Shane Youman (Altoona)
Catchers
Salomon Manriquez (Harrisburg)
Mike Rabelo (Erie)
Infielders
Kory Casto (Harrisburg)
Melvin Dorta (Harrisburg)*
Tony Giarratano (Erie)
Kevin Kouzmanoff (Akron)*
Carlos Leon (Reading)
Simon Pond (Altoona)
Eider Torres (Akron)
Outfielders
Kurt Airoso (Erie)*
Michael Bourn (Reading)*
Vic Buttler (Altoona)*
Cory Keylor (Bowie)*
Brett Roneberg (Altoona)
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2005 First Round Pick Joins The Fisher Cats
Left-hander Ricky Romero, the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft, received a promotion from Class-A Dunedin to New Hampshire last week. Romero, who was ranked by Baseball America as the second best prospect in the Blue Jays organization entering this season, was 2-1 with 61 strikeouts and a 2.47 ERA in 10 starts with Dunedin.
The 21-year-old made his Double-A debut for the Fisher Cats on Saturday at Binghamton and gave up five runs in six innings of work in a 6-4 loss.
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Rock Icon Bob Dylan To Play Eastern League Ballparks
Rock 'n' Roll Icon Bob Dylan announced the schedule for his third annual tour of America's minor league baseball stadiums, and included on the tour schedule are three stops at Eastern League ballparks as well as a stop at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
The tour, which was named "Most Creative Tour Package" by Pollstar Magazine, will kick off on August 12th in Comstock Park, Michigan before eventually making stops at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading on August 23rd, Merchantsauto.com Stadium in Manchester on August 27th and New Britain Stadium, the home of the Rock Cats, on August 29th.
All tickets for the show are priced at $49.50 and kids age 12 and under get in free with each adult ticket holder. Tickets for the show in New Hampshire go on sale on July 8th at 10 a.m., and the tickets in Reading and New Britain go on sale one week later on July 15th at 10 a.m.
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R-Phils Retire Sandberg's Number
Prior to their game against the Erie SeaWolves on Sunday night, the Reading Phillies held a ceremony to officially retire the number 26, which was worn by Ryne Sandberg when he was an Eastern League All-Star with the club in 1980.
Sandberg is the second former Reading player to have his number retired, joining Mike Schmidt, whose number 24 was retired by in 1991. Schmidt wore that number as a member of the 1971 Reading Phillies. Jackie Robinson's number 42 was also retired by the R-Phils in 1997, along with the rest of affiliated baseball.
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All-Star Game Umpires Announced
Along with the rosters for the UPMC Health Plan Eastern League All-Star Game being announced last week, the umpires working the game have also been announced. The four umpires selected to work the game are Tim Donald, Fran Burke, Tim Daub and Chris Schultz.
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Eastern league Team News and Notes
For the week ending 7/02/06
Akron Aeros
RHP Adam Miller is 4-1 with 44 strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA over his last seven starts. Over his las 14 games, OF Ryan Goleski is batting .321 (18-for-56) with seven doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and four runs scored. The Aeros had a record of 19-8 during the month of June and are 22-9 over their last 31 games.
Altoona Curve
After tossing seven scoreless innings Sunday night against Akron, E.L. Pitcher of the Week Shane Youman lowered his season ERA to a league-best 1.46. The Curve franchise record for lowest ERA in a season is held by Sam McConnell, who posted a 1.61 ERA during the 2000 season. The Curve enter the week with a league-best record of 29-13 (.690) at Blair County Ballpark this season.
Binghamton Mets
Saturday against New Hampshire, RHP Henry Owens picked up his 11th save in as many opportunities, but allowed a run for only the second time in 22 appearances. Owens had not given up a run since April 20 against Erie, tossing 13.2 scoreless innings over 13 appearances during that span. The B-Mets have won 14 of their last 23 games, a streak that started with an eight-run eighth inning in a come-from-behind victory at Reading on June 7.
Bowie Baysox
The Baysox currently have a season-high six game winning streak and have won eight of their last 10. On Saturday the Baysox played their first ever "road" games at Prince George's Stadium as the doubleheader between Bowie and Harrisburg was moved to Bowie due to flooding at Commerce Bank Park in Harrisburg.
Erie SeaWolves
E.L. Player of the Week Kelly Hunt led the league in homers (5), slugging percentage (1.080) and extra-base hits (8) last week and tied for the league lead in RBI (10). SS Tony Giarratano and RHP Preston Larrison currently lead their respective positions in fielding percentage this season.
Harrisburg Senators
Kory Casto, one of the top prospects in the Nationals organization, was moved to left field earlier this week. After becoming one of the top defensive third basemen in the Eastern League, Casto already looks comfortable in the outfield, where he started his career. The decision to move him to left field is because former Senator and National League Rookie of the Year candidate Ryan Zimmerman has been outstanding at third base for the Nationals.
New Britain Rock Cats
SS Matt Tolbert is batting .324 (11-for-34) with two home runs, eight runs scored and six RBI over his last 10 games. OF Doug Deeds hit .337 (29-for-86) with four doubles, two homers, eight runs scored and seven RBI in 25 games during the month of June.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire finished the month of June with a record of 15-13, their first winning month since last August. 1B Chip Cannon tied for the league lead in home runs during the month of June, with seven. Cannon now has 13 home runs this season, giving him 20 for his career with the Fisher Cats, which is just two shy of tying John-Ford Griffin for the career franchise record of 22.
Connecticut Defenders
With seven extra base hits in Saturday's 9-5 win in New Britain, the Defenders tied a season high, matching the previous mark set in the Defenders 13-1 win at New Britain on May 21. Connecticut picked up their eighth walk-off win of the season against Harrisburg on Thursday, tying the franchise record for the most walk-off wins in a season. The Defenders were shutout for the 14th time on Friday, breaking the franchise record of 13, which was set in 2003.
Portland Sea Dogs
The Sea Dogs played their longest game in franchise history on Sunday, a 5 hour and 30 minute marathon in which the Sea Dogs prevailed 14-13 in 14 innings. In the game, Portland tied a franchise record for the largest lead blown in franchise history, at 9 runs. Portland was ahead 11-2 after 5 innings. The Sea Dogs also set a franchise record with eight doubles in the game and the 27 combined runs is also a franchise record.
Reading Phillies
On Sunday night the R-Phils held Reading Baseball Hall of Fame Night. Inducted before the game between the Phillies and Erie SeaWolves were former Phillies pitchers Gene Rounsaville and Pat Bayless, former Reading Indians shortstop Billy Harrell, former Reading Indians general manager Dan Zerbey and National Baseball Hall of Famer Bucky Harris, who played second base for the Reading Pretzels of the New York State League.
Trenton Thunder
RHP Justin Pope recorded a league-high 11 saves in June, breaking the previous franchise record for saves in a month, which was nine. OF Justin Christian stole three bases for the Thunder last week to push his league-best total to 40 on the season.
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Transactions
Akron Aeros
None
Altoona Curve
Sent 2B Craig Stansberry to Indianapolis (AAA)
Placed OF Rafael Alvarez on the DL
Received INF Brian Bixler from Lynchburg (A)
Received OF Nyjer Morgan from Lynchburg (A)
Binghamton Mets
Sent LHP William Collazo to Norfolk (AAA)
Activated LHP Rich Rundles from the Inactive List
Placed RHP Tim McNab on the DL
Received LHP Ryan Cullen from Brooklyn (A)
Bowie Baysox
Sent OF Tony Alvarez to Ottawa (AAA)
Received OF Todd Donovan from Ottawa (AAA)
Erie SeaWolves
Placed RHP Preston Larrison on the DL
Placed OF Kurt Airoso on the DL
Activated SS Tony Giarratano from the DL
Sent 2B Max Leon to Oneonta (A)
Received OF Nook Logan from Toledo (AAA)
Received LHP Jon Connolly from Lakeland (A)
Harrisburg Senators
Received RHP Pedro Astacio on a Major League Rehab Assignment
Received OF Alex Escobar on a Major League Rehab Assignment
New Britain Rock Cats
None
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Received LHP Ricky Romero from Dunedin (A)
Sent 3B Eric Arnold to Dunedin (A)
Received INF Danny Solano from Syracuse (AAA)
Placed LHP Jim Bullard on the DL
Sent RHP Paul Phillips to Dunedin (A)
Received RHP Jesse Litsch from Dunedin (A)
Received C Erik Kratz from Syracuse (AAA)
Activated OF Tony Miller from the DL
Placed C John Schneider on the DL
Placed 1B Vito Chiaravalloti on the DL
Sent RHP Justin James to Dunedin (A)
Received RHP Jordan DeJong from Syracuse (AAA)
Connecticut Defenders
Placed 2B Aaron Hornostaj on the DL
Portland Sea Dogs
Activated INF Keoni De Renne from the DL
Sent INF Keoni De Renne to Pawtucket (AAA)
Placed RHP Victor Ramos on the DL
Received RHP Kyle Jackson from Wilmington (A)
Reading Phillies
Sent OF Brian Sellier to Clearwater (A)
Received OF Peter Bergeron from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)
Traded LHP Daniel Hagiwood to Texas
Received LHP J.A. Happ from Clearwater (A)
Placed RHP Evan Fahrner on the DL
Received LHP Luke Lockwood from Clearwater (A)
Sent INF Jesus Merchan to Clearwater (A)
Trenton Thunder
Sent RHP Jesus Colome to Columbus (AAA)
Received RHP Francisco Butto from Columbus (AAA)
Eastern League Stories from July 3, 2006
- B-Mets come from behind in last at-bat twice, win in 13 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Mets come from behind twice in last at bat, complete sweep of NH - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Curve treat another huge crowd to 10-0 win over first place Akron - Altoona Curve
- Thunder clobbers Sea Dogs 15-2 - Portland Sea Dogs
- Thunder bats collect 21 hits in 15-2 win - Trenton Thunder
- City Islanders Weekly - Harrisburg Senators
- Sea Dogs Welcome Five Millionth Fan - Portland Sea Dogs
- Eastern League update - EL1
- Patterson transferred to Tampa - Trenton Thunder
- Eastern League announces weekly award winners - EL1
- Curve starter Shane Youman named EL Pitcher of the Week - Altoona Curve
- Baysox on a roll, beat Senators 7-5 - Chesapeake Baysox
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
