Bozied, Castro to Represent PCL in All-Star Game

Published on June 26, 2003 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Beavers first baseman Tagg Bozied and second baseman Bernie Castro have been selected to represent the Pacific Coast League in the 16th-annual Triple-A All-Star Game July 16 at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn., it was announced today.

In addition, it was announced that Portland manager Rick Sweet would manage the PCL All-Stars when they take on the best of the Triple-A International League in Memphis.

It marks the second straight season the Beavers had two players named to the PCL team.

Bozied, 23, got off to a slow start this season but has picked things up considerably over the last two months. Ranked by Baseball America as the San Diego Padres' No. 4 prospect, Bozied leads the Beavers with 11 home runs and is batting .278 with 34 RBIs in 67 games. The former third-round draft pick of the Padres is batting .360 (31-for-86) with five home runs and 16 RBIs in June and has chalked up 13 multi-hit games during the month.

Bozied began his professional career in 2001 with the independent Sioux Falls Canaries before signing with the Padres prior to the 2002 season. In his first year with the San Diego chain, Bozied led all Padres minor leaguers with 24 home runs and 92 RBIs, playing for Class A Lake Elsinore and Class AA Mobile. Following the 2002 campaign, Bozied competed in the Arizona Fall League, where he set a new AFL record with 12 home runs for the league-champion Peoria Javelinas, also leading the circuit with 39 RBIs. The previous mark of 11 homers was held by five different players, including current Padre Ryan Klesko.

Despite battling nagging injuries this season, Castro, the 19th-rated San Diego prospect according to Baseball America, ranks third in the league with 25 stolen bases and is batting .281 with a home run and 11 RBIs in the leadoff slot for the Beavers.

The 23-year-old was acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade, Dec. 18, 2001, and batted .260 with 13 doubles and 53 stolen bases at Mobile last year in his first season in the Padres organization. His theft total with the BayBears led the Southern League, despite being a career low for the speedster. He has stolen 275 bases in 412 professional games since beginning his career in 1998.

Castro led the Class A South Atlantic League with 67 stolen bases in 2001.

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

The game will be broadcast nationally at 5:05 pm (Pacific) by ESPN2, the Sporting News Radio Network as well as around the world on Armed Forces Radio.

The Beavers were one of six teams to have two players chosen, joining Iowa, Nashville, New Orleans, Salt Lake and Tucson. Colorado Springs, Las Vegas and Sacramento led the way, each landing three players on the 28-man roster, while Albuquerque, Edmonton, Fresno, Memphis, Oklahoma, Omaha and Tacoma each had one player selected.

Former Portland Rockies manager and current Salt Lake hitting coach, Jim Eppard, and Memphis pitching coach Dyar Miller round out Sweet's field staff. Eppard led the Rockies to a Northwest League title and was named the league's manager of the year in 1997.

The PCL trainer is Aaron Bruns from Memphis.

Last season, third baseman Alex Pelaez and right-handed pitcher Dave Lundquist were selected to the PCL All-Star Team. In 2001, third baseman Sean Burroughs was the lone Portland representative chosen to participate in the mid-season game.

Trenidad Hubbard, who batted .379 (11-for-29) with three home runs and six RBIs in eight games with the Beavers last year, will join Bozied and Castro on the PCL team, representing Iowa, the Chicago Cubs' top affiliate. Hubbard is batting .327 with two homers, 17 RBIs and 12 stolen bases this season with the Cubs.

Additionally, former Beaver Emil Brown was selected to the International League All-Star Team on Thursday. Brown batted .321 (25-for-78) with three home runs and eight RBIs with Portland during the 2001 campaign. This year, Brown, an outfielder, carries a .285 batting average with 10 home runs, 44 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 66 games with Louisville, Cincinnati's Triple-A affiliate.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 26, 2003


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