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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Dominate Royals Awards

January 13, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


KANSAS CITY, MO - On January 16, the Kansas City Royals will host 2009 Royals Awards Night in Overland Park, KS. The first such evening for the club since 2001 will recognize 13 honorees for their contributions both on and off the field in 2008. Granted the pedigree and success many have had while at the Carolina League affiliate of the Royals, it fails to surprise that the majority of those awards will go to former Wilmington Blue Rocks players, a current front office member and the future manager. Former Royals greats such as Frank White, Willie Wilson and former Wilmington Blue Rock Mike Sweeney (1995) will be among the presenters.

AMONG THE WINNERS:

Brian Rupp, recipient of the Dick Howser Player Development Person of the Year - recognizing an outstanding member of player development. Rupp, recently assigned to manage the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2009, led the Burlington Bees to the Midwest League title in 2008. The Bees posted a 43-26 record during the second half of the 2008 campaign and went 6-0 in three playoff series. Rupp enters his seventh season with the Royals organization in 2009.

Everett Teaford (2008), recipient of the Mike Sweeney Award - recognizing a player who best represents the organization on and off the field. Teaford, a 24-year-old left-handed pitcher, helped anchor the pitching staff for the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2008, posting an 8-6 mark with a 3.80 ERA. But it is through his off-the-field efforts where he continually separates himself from his peers. He was part of every hospital appearance, every baseball camp and every outside event that involved a Blue Rocks player in 2008. In recognition of his service, the Carolina League named him as the inaugural winner of the Matt Minker Community Service Award.

Derrick Robinson (2008), recipient of the Willie Wilson Base Runner of the Year - recognizing the organization's top base runner. Robinson, 21, finished the 2008 season as the Carolina League leader with 62 stolen bases in 79 attempts for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The outfielder's stolen base total also ranked fourth among all minor leaguers. In addition, the 2008 campaign marked the second straight year that Robinson has led the Royals organization in stolen bases. Robinson, a fourth-round pick in the 2006 draft, was recently tabbed by Baseball America as the best athlete in the Royals organization.

Jeff Bianchi (2008), recipient of the Frank White Defensive Player of the Year - recognizing the organization's top defensive player. A second-round draft pick in 2005, Bianchi posted a .994 fielding percentage in 75 games as Wilmington's second baseman. The 22-year-old committed just two errors at the position and only seven total errors in 2008.

Dan Cortes (2007), recipient of the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year - recognizing the organization's top pitcher. Cortes, 21, posted a 9-4 mark with a 3.98 ERA in 22 starts during his first season at the Double-A level en route to earning Northwest Arkansas Pitcher of the Year honors and being named a postseason Texas League All-Star. The right-hander finished the season strong, going 7-1 in his final 11 starts of the 2008 campaign. Cortes, originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the seventh round of the 2005 draft, joined the Royals as part of the Mike MacDougal (2000, 02) trade on July 24, 2006.

Kila Ka'aihue (2007), recipient of the George Brett Hitter of the Year - recognizing the organization's top hitter. Ka'aihue, a 24-year-old first baseman, was named the 2008 Northwest Arkansas Player of the Year after hitting .314 with a league-leading 26 home runs and 79 RBIs in 91 games for the Naturals before being promoted to Triple-A Omaha. The Texas League Player of the Year continued his success at the plate by batting .327 with 10 homers in 29 games for Omaha and received a call-up to the majors in September. Ka'aihue was a 15th-round selection in the 2002 draft.

Chris Kemple (1993-Present), recepient of the Matt Minker Award - recognizing an outstanding minor league affiliate employee who most exemplifies the qualities Minker was known for, including a display of leadership and dedication to the Kansas City Royals organization. The only general manager the Wilmington Blue Rocks have ever known was tabbed in December as the first-ever honoree for this award, created in honor of the former president and managing partner of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, who passed away at the age of 60 in November of 2007.

Previously, the club announced the following award recipients as voted on by the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Mike Aviles (2004) was named the 2008 Les Milgram Player of the Year and pitcher Zack Greinke (2003) was named the 2008 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award winner.

Since the modern day inception of the Blue Rocks in 1993, there have been 100 players that have gone from the Riverfront to "The Show". The Blue Rocks open their 2009 season on April 9 against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Atlanta Braves) in South Carolina with the first of an eight-game road trip. Frawley Stadium will see its first game action of the year on April 17 when the Blue Crew kicks off a six-game homestand with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch against the Lynchburg Hillcats (Pittsburgh Pirates).

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