Bautista, Maholm looking to shine at MLB Futures Game
July 10, 2005 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ALTOONA-- The Altoona Curve will be well-represented at the prestigious Major League Baseball All-Star Futures Game this afternoon (4 PM, ESPN) at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Third baseman Jose Bautista and Paul Maholm will each take part in the annual game, which features the top prospects from all 30 major league clubs. Bautista, a native of the Dominican Republic, will play for the World Team, while Maholm will pitch for the U.S. squad, meaning it is conceivable that the two Curve teammates could face each other on Sunday.
Both Bautista and Maholm were added as replacements after several players who were originally selected to participate in the game were recently called up to the big leagues--including Pirates' pitchers Ian Snell and Zach Duke.
Bautista will be one of the few players participating in the game with previous major league experience, having spent the entire 2004 season in the big leagues between Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Pittsburgh. The 24-year old third baseman has been swinging a red-hot for the Curve leading up to his all-star break, hitting .343 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in his previous 25 games. Overall, Bautista enters the Futures Game with the ninth-best batting average in the Eastern League at .305.
Maholm will be taking the mound in the Futures Game for the first time since his start for the Curve on June 30th at Portland. The 22-year old left-hander had been away from the club since July 2nd because of the passing of his mother, Linda, back in his native Mississippi. The Pirates' 1st round selection (8th overall) in the 2003 June draft hasn't disappointed in his first Double-A season, posting a 5-2 record and 3.01 ERA in 14 starts for Altoona.
The presence of both Bautista and Maholm marks the sixth time in the seven-year history of the Futures Game that at least one Curve player will be participating in the contest. Other Curve players to take part in the Futures Game since its inception in 1999 were Yamid Haad (1999), J.R. House (2001), Tony Alvarez (2002), Jose Castillo (2003), John VanBenschoten (2003), Bryan Bullington (2004) and Jorge Cortes (2004).
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