First Two Added to 'Fish Tank
January 31, 2012 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Bridgeport, Conn. - Jan. 31, 2012) - The Bridgeport Bluefish today announced their first additions of the 2012 season, signing infielder Luis Lopez and pitcher Jorge Julio. Lopez will enter his fifth season as a member of the Bluefish, while Julio will return for his second campaign in the Park City.
"The Bluefish are proud to welcome back Luis and Jorge as the first signings of 2012," says Bluefish general manager Bob Goughan. "We are looking forward to the upcoming season and filling out our roster in the weeks to come."
Lopez returns for his seventh season in the Atlantic League and 17th of professional baseball. In 121 games with Bridgeport last year, he recorded a .276 batting average with 67 RBI and 59 runs scored in 456 at-bats and also reached a career milestone by collecting his 2,000th career hit. After four successful seasons in the Park City, Luis is now among the all-time Bluefish batting leaders, ranking second in walks (260), third in hits (543), doubles (93) and RBI (276), and fourth in games played (507), at-bats (1,897) and runs scored (264).
The former Major Leaguer spent two seasons in the big leagues, his first coming in 2001 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He spent the next two years with Sacramento (AAA, Athletics) of the Pacific Coast League before returning to the Major Leagues with the Montreal Expos in 2004. The infielder's best season came in 1997 with Single-A Hagerstown (South Atlantic) when he paced the league in hits (180) and batting average (.358), while posting career-highs in doubles (47), extra-base hits (63) and RBI (99). In 1,666 career minor league games, the infielder owns a .299 batting average with 2,043 hits, 409 doubles, 151 home runs, 1,099 RBI and 1,000 runs scored.
Julio makes his way back for his second season in the Atlantic League and 17th of professional baseball. Last year, the former Major Leaguer was a spring training invitee of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization following a successful 2010 campaign with the Bluefish. However, he suffered an arm injury early in camp and was forced to sit out the 2011 season.
Jorge appeared in 55 games for the Bluefish in 2010, striking out 57 batters over the course of 55 innings of work. He finished second in the Atlantic League with 28 saves and ended the season with a stellar 1.15 ERA, the lowest single-season mark for a Bluefish pitcher (minimum 50 innings pitched). Julio also held opposing batters to a .193 batting average and proved to be one of the best hurlers in the Atlantic League last year.
Over his nine-year big league career, the 33-year-old has also spent time with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, and Cleveland Indians. He has recorded 17 wins and 99 saves over 453 appearances. Jorge owns a 4.43 ERA with 448 strikeouts in 467 innings pitched, while holding opposing hitters to a .244 batting average. His best season in the Majors came in 2002 as a member of the Orioles. The righthander posted career-bests with a 1.99 ERA, five victories and 67 appearances, while recording 25 saves and 55 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched.
The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2012 season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.
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