Curt Smith Chosen as a Postseason All-Star
September 3, 2018 - American Association (AA)
Lincoln Saltdogs News Release
ROSEMONT, IL - The Lincoln Saltdogs and the American Association jointly announced today that Saltdogs Designated Hitter Curt Smith is an All-Star. The league's media and field managers choose the All-Star team.
The sixth-year Saltdog had a milestone season in 2018. He led the team in hits (115), RBIs (74) and extra-base hits (44) while posting the second best batting average (.315) on the club. He continued his climb up the franchise's all-time charts by passing Josh Patton to move into second place in career games, RBIs and hits. The slugger played in his 1000th professional game in 2018.
The 31-year-old Smith again proved he is one of the top hitters in the league. His 200 total bases puts him in second place in the league, his .548 slugging percentage is the second best, the RBI count is tied for third and his extra-base hit total is fourth best.
Smith's other accolades make it no surprise that he was chosen to be an All-Star. The Lincoln resident earned Team MVP honors for the second time in his career. He saved his best for the last month of the season and collected the American Association Player of the Month award for August. He hit .350 in August with five home runs and 24 RBIs to lead the Saltdogs to an 18-12 record. The DH posted career highs in home runs, RBIs and triples in 2018.
While he was primarily a designated hitter, Smith was an excellent fill-in defensively. The utility player started nine games at first base and two games in right field over the season. He registered one outfield assist and rocked an impressive .979 fielding percentage.
Smith was also a postseason All-Star in 2016.
The Curacao native made his Saltdogs debut in 2011. He has spent parts of five seasons at the Double-A level with the Cardinals, Marlins and Twins organizations. The 'Dutch Driller' is one of the most accomplished players in Team Netherlands history. He led the club to the 2011 Baseball World Cup championship and earned tournament MVP honors. He also was a regular player in the team's 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic runs.
To view all of the American Association Postseason All-Stars click this link: http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/2018-all-stars-announced/.
The Saltdogs (51-48) face the Chicago Dogs in the final regular season game on Monday at 1:05 PM. Coverage begins at 12:35 PM on ESPN 101.5 FM 1480 AM and http://www.espn1480.com/lincoln-saltdogs-baseball/.
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