Five Curve Players Headed to Harrisburg for E.L. All-Star Game
June 29, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
CURVE, Pa - A total of five Altoona Curve players will make up the Eastern League Western Division All-Star roster on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg, PA.
Eastern League President Joe McEachern made the announcement this afternoon that Altoona Curve catcher Hector Gimenez, first baseman Matt Hague, infielder Josh Harrison, right-handed pitcher Derek Hankins and left-handed pitcher Rudy Owens will represent the Curve and the city of Altoona.
Hague and Owens were chosen by fan balloting that was conducted online.
The five representatives for Altoona is the most that have been selected since 2008 and will be the most that are attending since 2007. In 2008, righty Yoslan Herrera was unable to attend due to his promotion to the Major Leagues at the time, while second baseman Shelby Ford could not participate due to injury.
Gimenez, 27, currently has the second-highest average in the league at .327. He also leads the league in slugging percentage (.627) and is second in on-base percentage (.407). His 11 home runs are tops on the Curve team.
Hague, 24, is one of the toughest outs in the Eastern League as the Seattle, Wa. Native strikes out just once every 9.87 times at the plate which is fifth best in the circuit.
Harrison, 22, currently has the fifth-best average in the circuit at .313. Like Hague, Harrison has proven to be a very pesky out as the Cincinnati, Oh. native goes down swinging just once every 12.78 plate appearances, ranking second in the league. Harrison has also pounded out 22 doubles which is second most in the E.L.
Hankins, who will celebrate his 27th birthday on Thursday, has the lowest ERA in the Eastern League a 1.60. The Altamont, Ill. native has strung together a superb season as a valuable swing man, appearing both out of the bullpen and being used in the starting rotation for Altoona. Hankins also ranks third in the league in WHIP (1.06), while opponents are hitting just .212 off the righty (fourth best)
Owens, 22, currently has the fifth lowest ERA (2.74) in the Eastern League while also leading the circuit in WHIP (0.95). Additionally, opponents have hit just .211 off of Owens this season, which ranks third-best.
The Curve have the second most representatives in the Eastern League as the Harrisburg Senators, will have six representatives and the Eastern Division's New Hampshire Fisher Cats will also have six players.
"Our whole team is thrilled for these five guys," said Altoona Curve Manager Matt Walbeck. "All five are very deserving as they each have been significant contributors to our team's success this season."
For Hague and Hankins, this year's All-Star selection is the first in their professional careers. Gimenez was selected as a mid-season All-Star while playing for the Corpus Christi Hooks in the Texas League in 2005 while in the Houston Astros organization. Harrison was a Mid West League All-Star last season while in the Chicago Cubs chain and Owens was a South Atlantic League All-Star last season as well while playing for the West Virginia Power.
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