Diaz and Cogan Named Northern League Player and Pitcher of the Week

July 20, 2009 - Northern League (NL) News Release


Designated hitter Juan Diaz of the Winnipeg Goldeyes was named Northern League Player of the Week, and Gary SouthShore RailCats pitcher Tony Cogan received the Northern League Pitcher of the Week honors for the period ending July 19th , 2009.

Diaz, who is tied for the Goldeyes team lead in home runs (10), batted .371 (13-for-35) with nine runs scored, two doubles, three home runs, and a league-high 12 RBI in the week. He collected at least one hit in seven of the eight games played this week, including a five-hit performance on July 15th versus the Schaumburg Flyers. He also notched at least one RBI in six of eight games in that same span.

The 6-4, 298-pounder, is a 13-year veteran with major league experience. He made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2002. His major league resume includes a double, a home run, and two RBI during his brief stint with the Red Sox. Despite continually producing at the triple-A level, injuries and visa problems have led Diaz to the independent circuit the last three seasons. He signed with the Goldeyes on April 21st

after having played the previous two years with the Joliet JackHammers. He is a career .290-hitter with over 1,000 hits in professional baseball.

Diaz was initially signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1996 following his defection from Cuba. However, Major League Baseball voided his contract in 1999. It was ruled the Dodgers illegally signed him as an amateur. He also spent time in the Orioles, Twins, and Cardinals organizations

Cogan, who is in the midst of a league-high 17 consecutive scoreless innings streak, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA for the week. While striking out 12, the former major leaguer yielded only eight hits and a total of 10 baserunners over his two starts, including a complete game shutout versus the Kansas City T-Bones on July 14th .

After seeing his ERA rise to a season-high 5.47 on June 23rd , he has lowered it over a run and a half to 3.83 in next five starts. In that span, he has gone 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA. He currently ranks tenth in the league in ERA and is second in the league with 62 strikeouts.

The 6-2, 200-pounder was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 12th round of the 1999 amateur draft. He debuted in the major leagues in only his third season of professional ball in 2001, pitching 39 games in relief for the Royals. He joined the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the '03 season, however, by mid-April he landed on the disabled list and eventually had to have shoulder surgery.

After rehabbing a year, Cogan played two seasons with the Sioux Falls Canaries prior to joining the RailCats in 2007. He went on to lead the Northern League with 25 saves in 2007 and in 2008 as a starter, he went 6-3 with a 2.08 ERA (second in the league).



Northern League Stories from July 20, 2009


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