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Astros name minor league MVPs

September 19, 2006 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Greeneville Astros News Release


HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros Player Development Department announced the 2006 Most Valuable Players for the team's minor league affiliates today. The eight MVPs, selected by the field staff of each team, will be recognized at a special pre-game ceremony at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, September 23, prior to the Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals 6:05 p.m. game.

Infielder Joe McEwing was named MVP of the Round Rock Express, the Astros Triple A affiliate. He led the team with a .315 (133x422) average, ranking eighth in the Pacific Coast League. He finished the season with 38 multi-hit games, and his 133 hits ranked second on the Express while his 64 runs ranked tied for third. McEwing appeared in seven games for the Astros in June and has a career big league average of .251 (443x1767) with 25 home runs and 158 RBI over parts of nine seasons.

Joe McEwing - Round Rock Express (AAA) - Infielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .315 422 133 64 21 1 10 46 16

In Corpus Christi, the Astros Double A affiliate, outfielder Josh Anderson was tabbed MVP after helping the Hooks to the Texas League title. He earned both mid-season and postseason Texas League All-Star honors and was named MVP of the TL All-Star Game. Anderson led the league in hits (173) and stolen bases (43) as well as ranking eighth with a .308 (173x561) average. He has led the Hooks in both hits and steals in each of the last two seasons.

Josh Anderson - Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) - Outfielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .308 561 173 83 26 4 3 50 43

Salem's Beau Torbert captured the honor for the Avalanche, the Astros Advanced Class A affiliate. He led the team and ranked second in the Carolina League with both a .305 (139x455) average and 139 hits. Torbert also led the team with 69 runs scored and 24 stolen bases to help the Avalanche to the CL playoffs. He was named a CL mid-season and postseason All-Star.

Beau Torbert - Salem Avalanche (A) - Outfielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .305 455 139 69 31 1 5 52 24

Lexington Legends outfielder Eli Iorg tallied a .256 average (120x469) and 15 home runs en route to claiming team MVP honors. He led the team in home runs, RBI (85), doubles (32), and stolen bases (42). He finished tied for first on the Legends squad in hits (120) and triples (4), and second in runs scored (68), helping the Legends to the first half division title and the South Atlantic League playoffs.

Eli Iorg - Lexington Legends (A) - Outfielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .256 469 120 68 32 4 15 85 42

The Tri-City ValleyCats (SS-A) named outfielder Jordan Parraz team MVP after he led the New York-Penn League with a .336 average (85x253), a .421 on-base percentage, and a .494 slugging percentage. He also finished second in the league in runs scored (46) and stolen bases (23); tied for second in hits (85); tied for third in doubles (18); and tied for fourth in extra-base hits (26). He was named a NYPL All-Star, and he batted .333 (6x18) for the ValleyCats postseason run to the NYPL Championship Series.

Jordan Parraz - Tri-City ValleyCats (SS-A) - Outfielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .336 253 85 46 18 2 6 38 23

With the Greeneville Astros (R), infielder Ronald Ramirez hit .314 (72x229) to earn team MVP honors. He led the team and ranked seventh in the Appalachian League in batting (.314), second in doubles (20) and tied for third in hits (72). A product of the Astros Venezuelan Academy, he was named an AL All-Star.

Ronald Ramirez - Greeneville Astros (R) - Infielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .314 229 72 23 20 2 3 33 7

For the Astros Dominican Summer League team, right-hander Jose Duran earned team MVP honors (6-1, 1.47 ERA) and led the squad with six wins. Infielder Ricardo Bonfante was tabbed MVP with the Astros Venezuelan Summer League team (.291, 48x268), finishing third in the league with 33 stolen bases.

Jose Duran - Dominican Summer League Astros - Right-Handed Pitcher W-L-S G IP H R ER BB K ERA 6-1-0 13 61.1 31 12 10 21 67 1.47

Ricardo Bonfante - Venezuelan Summer League Astros - Infielder AVG AB H R 2B 3B HR RBI SB .291 268 78 48 11 2 0 41 33

Also being honored at the ceremony will be Astros right-handed pitcher Jason Hirsh, who was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year; right-hander Matt Albers, the Texas League Pitcher of the Year; Salem manager Jim Pankovits, who earned Carolina League Manager of the Year honors; and Greeneville trainer J.D. Shields, the Appalachian League Trainer of the Year.

The Astros currently have four of the organization's former minor league MVP honorees on their active roster, including Lance Berkman, Chris Burke, Jason Hirsh and Jason Lane. Hirsh was tabbed MVP last season at Corpus Christi after posting a 13-8 record with a 2.87 ERA. Burke earned the honor in 2004 while batting .315 with 16 home runs and 37 stolen bases at Triple A New Orleans, and also in 2003 at Double A Round Rock. Lane received MVP honors in four consecutive seasons, beginning in 1999 at Short-Season Auburn, followed by 2000 at Class A Michigan, 2001 with Double A Round Rock, and 2002 at Triple A New Orleans. In 1998, Berkman won the award at Double A Jackson with a .306 average, 24 home runs and 89 RBI.



Appalachian League Stories from September 19, 2006


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