Eight Whitecaps Selected to MWL All-Star Game
June 5, 2007 - Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The Midwest League announced today that eight Whitecaps players were selected to the league's annual All-Star Game on June 19. The eight selections are a franchise record in Whitecaps history, breaking the old mark of seven players selected in 2000 and 2003.
The eight players selected to the MWL Eastern roster are C James Skelton, OF Gorkys Hernandez, OF/DH Deik Scram, 1B Ryan Strieby, LHP Chris Cody, LHP Duane Below, RHP Brett Jensen and RHP Jeff Gerbe. West Michigan will also see three of their players start the game as Skelton will start at catcher, Hernandez in the outfield and Scram at DH. The All-Stars were nominated and selected by the Field Managers of the Midwest League.
"These players have really played well this season and are deserving to make the All-Star Game," said Whitecaps Manager Tom Brookens. "Talk around the baseball world has been the improvement of the Tigers organization and I think this is another step which proves that. These guys are all good ball players and they are getting the job done between the lines."
Scram, an Arkansas City, Kansas native, is at the top of the MWL leader board in hitting. Entering today's game, Scram is second in the league with a .343 batting average and third in on-base percentage with a .421 clip.
Hernandez, the Tigers No. 7 top prospect according to Baseball America, has electrified teams around the Midwest League with his hitting, speed and defensive skills in center field this year. The Venezuelan native is hitting .306 with 26 RBIs and a league-leading 22 stolen bases.
Skelton, a West Covina, Calif. native, has started 37 games at catcher for the Whitecaps and is hitting .323 with one home run, 13 RBIs, 19 runs scored and an on-base percentage of .383.
Cody, a Brewster, N.Y. native, is second in the league in ERA with a sparkling 1.76 mark. He also tops the league in strikeouts with 77 and innings pitched with 76.2. Below made a name for himself around the league on May 11 when he struck out 14 batters on route to a victory over Cedar Rapids. The local Britton, Michigan native is 6-2 with a 3.03 ERA and 63 strikeouts this season.
Jensen makes his second straight All-Star Game after being selected as an All-Star in 2006 in the New York-Penn League. The Whitecaps closer is 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA while recording 11 saves for West Michigan this season.
Gerbe, a Michigan State product, started the season in the bullpen before moving into the starting rotation. As a reliever Gerbe tossed 13 consecutive scoreless innings early in the season and has not slowed down in the starting role. The Shelby Township, Mich. native is 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA and two saves this season.
Strieby is the fourth Whitecaps hitter to make the All-Star game and will be a reserve off the bench. The former Kentucky Wildcat is hitting .295 with a team-leading six home runs and 31 RBIs.
The Whitecaps are tied with the most players from one team in the All-Star Game along with Dayton and Clinton, who both will send eight players.
The All-Star game will be Tuesday, June 19 at Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, Ill., home of the Kane County Cougars.
Midwest League Stories from June 5, 2007
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- Bees Bit by Big Inning Bug - Burlington Bees
- Swing Win Seventh Straight With Doubleheader Sweep - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Chiefs Score Late, Often In 9-1 Win Over Beloit - Peoria Chiefs
- Deal, Cougars Stifle L'Kings - Kane County Cougars
- Dragons and Eddy Rodriguez Walk Off Over Lugnuts - Dayton Dragons
- Dragons Stun Lugnuts With Walk-Off Homer - Lansing Lugnuts
- Quad Cities Knocks Around Rattlers In Game One - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Eight Whitecaps Selected to MWL All-Star Game - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Eight Dragons to Play in MWL All-Star Game - Dayton Dragons
- Four Loons Named to All-Star Team - Great Lakes Loons
- Five Lugnuts Heading to Midwest League All-Star Game - Lansing Lugnuts
- Six Kernels selected to MWL All-Star Game - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Hank Conger named MWL Player of the Week - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Chiefs Place Three on Midwest League All-Star Squad - Peoria Chiefs
- Six Swing Players Selected To All-Star Team - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Chiefs Send RHP Alburquerque to Mesa - Peoria Chiefs
- Four Silver Hawks Headed to MWL All-Star Game - South Bend Silver Hawks
- Three Wizards Named To All-Star Team - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Midwest League Announces All-Star Rosters - MWL1
- Wizards melt down as the Whitecaps roll to a sweep - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Kernels complete sweep with 7-1 win over Bees - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Kernels take first game of DH, 10-6 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
