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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Five Naturals Selected as Post-Season All-Stars

August 30, 2010 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SAN ANTONIO, TX - Five players plus Manager Brian Poldberg found their names on the list for the Texas League's Post-season All-Star Team, Texas League President Tom Kayser announced Monday.

The voting process for the honorary squad included the circuit's managers, beat writers, broadcasters, and league personnel.

Clint Robinson was selected at first base, Johnny Giavotella at second base, Mike Moustakas at third base, and both Paulo Orlando and Derrick Robinson were selected as outfielders. The last time one team in the league had five players plus their manager named to the squad was 2006, when skipper Dave Clark and five of his Texas League Champion Corpus Christi Hooks made the list.

Clint Robinson has been having a monster season. His .321 batting average ranks second in the league, and he leads the Texas League in home runs (27), and RBI (89). He also leads the league in doubles (37), slugging percentage (.607), extra base hits (69), runs scored (84), and total bases (272). His 27 home runs are a Naturals' franchise record (both single-season and career), and he is one RBI away from tying Corey Smith for the club record. Also, Robinson is three home runs away from being the first player in the Texas League since 2006 to hit 30 home runs in a season.

Giavotella has put together a tremendous season as well for the Naturals. His .319 batting average ranks fourth in the league, and he leads the league in games played at 126. Giavotella also leads the league in hits (157), is tied for the lead in runs scored (84), and he ranks second in doubles with 30. He has had a scorching hot August as the Naturals get ready for the playoffs.

Moustakas, also honored as Texas League Player of the Year, made quite an impact on the Texas League during his 66-game stay that spanned from mid-April to mid-July. He hit .347 with the Naturals, with 21 home runs, and 76 RBI. Before his promotion to Triple-A Omaha, Moustakas led the league in batting average, home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage, taking home several other National awards and league honors along the way.

After starting the season on the bench as the Naturals' fourth outfielder, Orlando has, however quietly, emerged as one of the Naturals' most unsung heroes. The Brazil native is hitting .306 on the year with 10 home runs, 59 RBI, and 23 stolen bases. His batting average ranks sixth in the league, he is third in runs scored (79), and he is fifth in stolen bases.

The speedy Derrick Robinson has turned in a career year with the Naturals. He is hitting .285, with two home runs, and 46 RBI. He also leads the league with 50 stolen bases, 17 more than the second-place base thief. He is tied for second in triples (8), and he is third in the league in hits (139).

All five of these players were among the 12 Naturals' players selected to represent the North Division in June's Texas League All-Star Game.

Naturals' skipper Brian Poldberg was also honored as the Texas League Manager of the Year. Poldberg has led the Naturals to a club record and league high 80 wins this season. The Naturals won the first half championship and have a three game lead in the second half race as well. If the Naturals win both halves, it would be the first time since Frisco went wire-to-wire in the South Division in 2008.

The Naturals would host a potential game five, winner-take-all game in the first round of a playoff series with Springfield at Arvest Ballpark, where they have the league's top home record, should the Naturals clinch the second half. If Tulsa or Springfield wins the second half crown and takes the Naturals to five games in the opening series, the Naturals would have to win that game, which would be September 12th, on the road.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website also offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.

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Texas League Stories from August 30, 2010


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.

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