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Baker, Hensley to represent PCL in Triple-A All-Star Game; Barfield headed to Futures Game

June 23, 2005 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Right-handed pitchers Brad Baker and Clay Hensley have been selected to represent the Portland Beavers and the Pacific Coast League in the 2005 Triple-A All-Star Game, while second baseman Josh Barfield has been chosen to participate in the upcoming XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game, it was announced today.

The Triple-A All-Star Game, which pits the best players from the Pacific Coast League versus the best from the Triple-A International League, will be played Wednesday, July 13, at Raley Field in Sacramento, Calif.

The All-Star Futures Game, which features the top minor league prospects in a United States-versus-World formatted exhibition, will take place at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, July 10, two days prior to the 76th All-Star Game to be played there.

Baker, 24, leads the PCL with 20 saves and ranks among the leaders in all Minor League Baseball in the category.

With 34 saves between Class AA Mobile and Portland in 2004, Baker was named the San Diego Padres Co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year and was the Class AA Southern League's "Most Outstanding Pitcher."

The right-handed closer was originally a first-round selection (40th overall) of the Boston Red Sox in 1999. Baker was traded to the Padres in a four-player deal on June 23, 2002.

In a team-high 32 appearances with Portland this season, Baker is 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA. Baker entered the season ranked as the Padres' No. 9 prospect, according to Baseball America.

Hensley, 25, is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) with Portland. Hensley currently ranks second among PCL pitchers in ERA and was the most consistent starter for the Beavers during the first half of the season, his first in Triple-A. The fourth-year professional has 54 strikeouts compared to 15 walks in 66.2 innings pitched.

Hensley began his career in 2002 as an eighth-round selection of the San Francisco Giants. He was acquired by the Padres on July 13, 2003, in a trade that sent former Portland pitcher Matt Herges to the Giants.

Hensley has recorded seven quality starts with the Beavers (6 or more innings pitched, 3 earned runs or fewer), but has been the victim of poor run support and blown saves, resulting in eight no-decisions among his 10 starts. He is limiting opposing batters to a .191 batting average.

Barfield, ranked by Baseball America as the Padres' No. 1 prospect coming into the season, marks his second trip to the All-Star Futures Game.

Through 71 games with the Beavers, Barfield, 22, is batting .287 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs. The fifth-year pro led all of Minor League Baseball with 128 RBIs in 2003 and is a two-time Minor League Player of the Year in the Padres organization.

Last season, Barfield paced the Class AA Southern League and led all Padres minor leaguers with 90 RBIs.

Both the PCL and International League teams were selected by club personnel, media representatives and league administrators. This year's game marks the eighth consecutive season that teams representing the PCL and IL have met. The prior 10 meetings pitted National League affiliates against American League affiliates.

Four former Beavers were named to the International League All-Star Team on Wednesday, including pitcher Tim Byrdak, second baseman Bernie Castro, third baseman Jake Gautreau and outfielder Ernie Young.

The 2005 Triple-A All-Star Game will be televised at 7:05 p.m. (Pacific) by ESPN2 and can be heard locally on KKAD AM-1550 and on the Internet at www.portlandbeavers.com.

Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the 30 major league clubs and Baseball America, selected the 25-man rosters for the All-Star Futures Game. Each major league organization is represented and the World Team features players from six different foreign countries, Puerto Rico and Guam. Players from all full-season minor leagues were eligible to participate.

The Futures Game will begin at 1 p.m. (Pacific) and will be televised live on ESPN2.



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 23, 2005


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