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IL1 International League

Charlotte's Fields And Durham's Talbot Both Turn Around Season To Earn Weekly Honors

May 29, 2007 - International League (IL1) News Release


The International League announced today that Charlotte third baseman Josh Fields and Durham pitcher Mitch Talbot have been named the League's Batter and Pitcher-of-the-Week for the period from May 21-27. Fields becomes the first member of the Knights to win an IL weekly award in 2007, while Talbot is now the third member of the Bulls' starting rotation to be honored as Pitcher-of-the-Week this season, following Jason Hammel (April 5-15) and Andy Sonnanstine (April 23-29).

Charlotte third baseman JOSH FIELDS raised his batting average by more than 30 points during the week of May 21-27, returning to the form that made him the International League's 2006 Rookie of the Year. He hit safely in all six games this week, extending his hitting streak to nine games through Sunday. (A hit in Monday night's game now has his hitting streak sitting at ten games). Fields enjoyed a pair of three-hit games, including a 3-4 effort Saturday night against Ottawa in which he homered, doubled, stole a base, drove in two runs and scored two more in the 6-2 Knights victory. The home run, his second of the series versus the Lynx, was his ninth of the year, bringing him into a tie for 3rd place among all IL sluggers. Fields started the week in the midst of a tough season at the plate, hitting .253 with 7 HR and 25 RBI. Following his sizzling effort during the last full week of May, Fields numbers improved to .284 with 9 HR and 32 RBI. It is the second time in his career Fields has been honored as the IL Batter-of-the-Week (May 8-14, 2006).

24-year-old Josh Fields is in his fourth season in the White Sox organization after being selected in the 1st round of the 2004 draft. In his rookie campaign at the Triple-A level in 2006, Fields hit .305 (4th in the League) with 19 HR and 70 RBI, earning a spot on the mid-season and post-season International League All-Star teams. He also made his Major League debut last season, hitting .150 for Chicago with one homer in 11 games. Fields is a native of Ada, OK.

Durham right-hander MITCH TALBOT got things going in the right direction this week after a rough beginning to his season that saw his record fall to 2-5 with an 8.21 ERA heading into his start May 21 at Syracuse. Talbot beat the Chiefs by hurling 6.0 innings of one-run baseball, scattering four hits and striking out five. Sunday night Talbot took the hill in Rochester looking to make it back-to-back victories for the first time this season. He turned in his best outing of the year thus far, shutting out the Red Wings over 8.0 innings and allowing only two hits while striking out five. No member of the Red Wings advanced past first base all evening. His efforts against Syracuse and Rochester produced 14.0 innings pitched with only one earned run surrendered, bringing his ERA down from 8.21 to 6.00. Talbot's record also improved from 2-5 to 4-5.

23-year-old Mitch Talbot is in his fifth professional season, and his first full campaign in the Devil Rays organization. Talbot was acquired from Houston in the July 2006 deal for Aubrey Huff, and went on to toss two complete game shutouts in the post-season for Southern League Champion Montgomery. Talbot entered the 2007 season with a lifetime record of 32-32 with a 3.55 ERA in the Minor Leagues before making his Triple-A debut this April. Talbot is a native of Cedar City, UT.

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