EL1 Eastern League

EL Newsletter

Published on August 14, 2007 under Eastern League (EL1) News Release


2007 "Best Tools" Winners Announced

Baseball America has released their "Best Tools" winners in the Eastern League for the 2007 season. Below is a complete list of Eastern League winners.

Best Batting Prospect

Jordan Brown, Akron Aeros

Best Power

Jeff Larish, Erie SeaWolves

Best Strike Zone Judgement

Jordan Brown, Akron Aeros

Best Baserunner

Eugenio Velez, Connecticut Defenders

Fastest Baserunner

Eugenio Velez, Connecticut Defenders

Best Pitching Prospect

Clay Buchholz, Portland Sea Dogs

Best Fastball

Radhames Liz, Bowie Baysox

Best Breaking Ball

Clay Buchholz, Portland Sea Dogs

Best Changeup

Clay Buchholz, Portland Sea Dogs

Best Control

Eddie Bonine, Erie SeaWolves

Best Reliever

Jim Hoey, Bowie Baysox

Best Defensive Catcher

Wyatt Toregas, Akron Aeros

Best Defensive First Baseman

Josh Whitesell, Harrisburg Senators

Best Defensive Second Baseman

Mark Hollimon, Erie SeaWolves

Best Defensive Third Baseman

Mark Kiger, Binghamton Mets

Best Defensive Shortstop

Asdrubal Cabrera, Akron Aeros

Best Infield Arm

Sergio Santos, New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Best Defensive Outfielder

Matt Joyce, Erie SeaWolves

Best Outfield Arm

Clete Thomas, Erie SeaWolves

Most Exciting Player

Andrew McCutchen, Altoona Curve

Best Manager Prospect

Tim Bogar

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Tigers Top Prospect Promoted To Erie

It was announced last Thursday that outfielder Cameron Maybin has been promoted from the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Class-A Florida State League to the Erie SeaWolves. Maybin, who entered the season ranked as the top prospect in the Tigers organization by Baseball America, batted .304 (90-for-296) with 14 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 58 runs scored, 44 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 83 games with the Flying Tigers. In the recent "Best Tools" edition of Baseball America the 6'4", 205 lb. speedster was named the Best Baserunner and the Most Exciting Player in the Florida State League.

The 20-year old made his Double-A debut for the SeaWolves on Friday night against the Connecticut Defenders and went 1-for-4 with a solo home run at Jerry Uht Park. He also homered on Saturday and Sunday and is hitting .400 (4-for-10) with six runs scored and four RBI in three games with the SeaWolves.

Cameron, who was selected by the Tigers as the 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft out of T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, North Carolina, made his pro debut last season with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League and hit .304 with 20 doubles and 69 RBI in 101 games and was named the Detroit Tigers Minor League Player of the Year.

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Fisher Cats Set Single-Season Attendance Record

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats set a new franchise single-season attendance record for the fourth consecutive year on Saturday, when 5,901 saw the Fisher Cats take on the Altoona Curve at Merchantsauto.com Stadium. That pushed New Hampshire's attendance total to 303,840, leaving the team on pace to shatter the previous record of 300,049 set in 2006.

The team has welcomed the top three crowds in franchise history this season, capped by the all-time high of 8,227 fans on June 17 against the Erie SeaWolves. In all, six of the top seven and eight of the top 15 single-game attendance records have been set this season. The Fisher Cats also welcomed the 1,000,000th fan in franchise history on July 7th.

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Sea Dogs Get A Walk-Off Win At Fenway Park

Jay Johnson hit a two-run, bases loaded double in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Portland Sea Dogs to a 12-11, comeback win against the Harrisburg Senators at Fenway Park on Saturday. A total crowd of 34,746 was in attendance for the doubleheader, which also included a game between the Lowell Spinners and Hudson Valley Renegades.

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MerchantsAuto.com Stadium Named Vegetarian Friendly

MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, the home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, was selected by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as the top Vegetarian-Friendly ballpark in Double-A baseball. The ballpark was also ranked seventh on PETA's list of the top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly ballparks in all of Minor League Baseball. Veggie burgers, fruit salads, garden salads and baked potatoes are among the numerous vegetarian-friendly choices for the fans at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium.

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Eastern league Team News and Notes

For the week ending 8/30/99

Akron Aeros

Akron has rebounded from their first month with a losing record by going 7-3 with a league-best 3.00 ERA during the month of August. INF Brandon Pinckney is batting .476 (10-for-21) with four RBI and four runs scored over his last five games. 1B Michael Aubrey has driven in 10 runs in his last nine games.

Altoona Curve

The Curve have won five of the first six games during their current season-high, nine game road trip and are now a season-high eight games over .500. In six starts since the All-Star Break RHP Yoslan Herrera is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA. OF Andrew McCutchen has reached base in 17 straight games and is batting .323 with 12 runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and a .384 on-base percentage during that stretch.

Binghamton Mets

Brett Harper blasted a pair of home runs last Tuesday against the Thunder to become the first player since Mike Jacobs (2005) to hit 20 home runs in a season. Harper currently has 21 homers, which ranks third in the league. The B-Mets were swept at Bowie over the weekend and finished the season series against the Baysox with an 0-7 record. It is the first time in franchise history that the B-Mets have been swept in a season series.

Bowie Baysox

The Baysox tied their season-high in runs scored (12), homers (3) and extra-base hits (8) in a 12-7 win at Reading last Wednesday. Over his last 10 games E.L. Player of the Week Oscar Salazar is batting .432 (16-for-37) with three home runs, 14 RBI and 11 runs scored. Since returning to the Baysox lineup on July 31, OF Nolan Reimold is batting .348 with four doubles and three home runs.

Erie SeaWolves

RHP Alan Mills is 18-for-18 in save situations this season and is currently ranked fifth in the league in saves. OF Cameron Maybin has homered in each of the first three games he has played for the SeaWolves since being promoted from Lakeland on August 9th. In his last five games 1B Jeff Larish has three homers and six RBI.

Harrisburg Senators

1B/OF Steve Mortimer became the first Harrisburg player to hit for the cycle since Geoff Blum in 1998 in the Senators 8-3 win over Portland on Friday night. The Senators won two out of three games against New Hampshire and Portland last week to finish their six-game road trip with a 4-2 record. In five games with the Senators since being promoted from Potomac INF Brandon Powell is batting .455 with one home run, nine RBI and five runs scored.

New Britain Rock Cats

OF Garrett Guzman batted .500 (10-for-20) last week and hit his 13th home run of the season. Guzman is currently ranked in the top 10 in the league in batting (.301), hits (119) and RBI (69). RHP Tim Lahey made three scoreless appearances last week out of the New Britain bullpen to lower his ERA to 3.06. The former Ivy Leaguer is now second in the league in appearances with 44.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

LHP Jesse Carlson has not allowed a run in five games during the month of August, striking out 11 batters and walking three in 8.1 innings of work. Carlson has a team-high eight wins this season. With his start against Altoona on Saturday, LHP Kurt Isenberg became the first New Hampshire pitcher to make a start against every other team in the league in a single season.

Connecticut Defenders

The Defenders have scored first in 11 straight road games but are just 5-6 in that stretch. 3B Simon Klink hit a home run in three straight games from August 8-11. OF John Bowker currently has an eight-game hitting streak during which he is batting .371 and 1B/OF Carlos Sosa has a seven-game hitting streak.

Portland Sea Dogs

INF Iggy Suarez currently has a 10-game hitting streak and he is hitting .405 during the month of August. California League home run leader Aaron Bates was promoted to the Sea Dogs from the Lancaster JetHawks last week and hit his first Double-A homer on Sunday. The Sea Dogs scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth against Harrisburg on Saturday at Fenway Park to earn their first walk-off win of the season.

Reading Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies RF Shane Victorino is expected to rehab with the R-Phils August 14-16 when they play at Erie at home. Reading currently has a five-game losing streak, which matches their longest of the season. OF Michael Spidale has at least one hit in 20 of his last 22 games and is bating .330 (30-for-91) during that stretch.

Trenton Thunder

1B Cody Ehlers has reached base in 18 straight games and he is batting .328 (19-for-58) with eight doubles and a .473 on-base percentage during the streak. Over his last three starts RHP Daniel McCutchen is 1-1 with 16 strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA.

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Transactions

Akron Aeros

Sent C/INF Chris Gimenez to Kinston (A)

Received 1B Stephen Head from Kinston (A)

Placed INF Shaun Larkin on the DL

Activated C Argenis Tavarez from the Temporary Inactive List

Altoona Curve

Sent RHP Todd Redmond to Lynchburg (A)

Received RHP Luis Munoz from Indianapolis (AAA)

Received RHP Olivo Astacio from Lynchburg (A)

Placed RHP Wardell Starling on the DL

Activated 1B/OF Brett Roneberg from the DL

Placed OF Alex Fernandez on the DL

Binghamton Mets

Sent INF Ryan Coultas to St. Lucie (A)

Received C Shawn Wooten from New Orleans (AAA)

Bowie Baysox

Placed C Eli Whiteside on the DL

Placed RHP Rosman Garcia on the DL

Received RHP Jim Miller from Norfolk (AAA)

Received LHP Richard Salazar from Frederick (A)

Sent RHP Jim Miller to Norfolk (AAA)

Signed RHP Orlando Roman and Assigned to Bowie (AA)

Erie SeaWolves

Placed OF Jackson Melian on the DL

Received OF Cameron Maybin from Lakeland (A)

Harrisburg Senators

Released RHP Dan Kolb

Released RHP Jerome Williams

Received RHP Adam Carr from Potomac (A)

Received 3B Brandon Powell from Potomac (A)

New Britain Rock Cats

Sent RHP Danny Powers to Ft. Myers (A)

Activated 1B Brock Peterson from the DL

Received RHP Armando Gabino from Ft. Myers (A)

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Placed C John Schneider on the DL

Activated C Brian Bormaster from the DL

Sent LHP Eric Fowler to Dunedin (A)

Activated RHP Ty Taubenheim from the DL

Activated RHP Ismael Ramirez from the DL

Connecticut Defenders

Sent RHP Geno Espineli to Fresno (AAA)

Received RHP Brooks McNiven from Salem-Keizer (A)

Sent RHP Brooks McNiven to San Jose (A)

Received LHP Geno Espineli from Fresno (AAA)

Activated 2B Mark Minicozzi from the DL

Sent 2B Mark Minicozzi to San Jose (A)

Portland Sea Dogs

Received INF Aaron Bates from Lancaster (A)

Placed INF Chad Spann on the DL

Reading Phillies

Designated RHP Zack Segovia For Assignment

Received RHP Ryan Cameron from Ottawa (AAA)

Trenton Thunder

Activated OF Jamal Strong from the DL

Sent OF Bronson Sardinha to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Signed INF Mike Kinkade and Assigned to Trenton (AA)

Received LHP Charlie Manning from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA)

Activated RHP Steven Jackson from the DL

Released INF Juan Francia

Released RHP Tim Lavigne

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Eastern League Stories from August 14, 2007


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