TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Five Naturals to Play for Team USA

Published on September 9, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


KANSAS CITY, MO - Five members of the 2010 Northwest Arkansas Naturals will represent the United States at the upcoming Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico in early October. A sixth Natural is slated to compete for Team Canada.

The Naturals' representatives scheduled to join Team USA are as follows:

21-year old left-hander Danny Duffy, who was 5-3 with a 2.74 ERA in 14 starts this season. The Royals' third-round pick in 2007 is scheduled to make the start Thursday night for the Naturals as they open up the Texas League Playoffs.

Eric Hosmer, who posted a .313 average with 13 homers, 14 doubles, and 35 RBI in 50 games since joining the Naturals in mid-July. The 20-year old Hosmer was Kansas City's first-round pick (third overall) in 2008 and this season won the Carolina League batting title and was named by the Royals as Advanced Class-A Wilmington's Player of the Year.

Mike Montgomery, a 21-year old left-hander, went 7-5 with a 2.61 ERA in 20 starts this season, split between Wilmington and the Naturals. He was selected by the Royals in the supplemental first-round (36th overall) in 2008.

Mike Moustakas - the recently-named Sporting News Hitter of the Year, Royals' George Brett Minor League Hitter of the Year and Texas League Player of the Year tied for the minor league lead with 36 home runs and finished second with 124 RBI while batting .322 for the Naturals and Triple-A Omaha. The Royals first-round selection (second overall) in 2007 will turn 22 on Saturday, September 11.

Everett Teaford, the 26-year old hurler recently named as the Naturals' Pitcher of the Year after leading the Texas League with 14 wins against three losses while compiling a 3.36 ERA in 27 outings, including 12 starts. The left-hander was the Royals' 12th-round pick in 2006.

Tim Collins, a left-handed reliever from Triple-A Omaha, is the Royals' sixth Team USA representative. The six players on one USA Baseball Professional Team are the most ever for a single organization since USA Baseball began fielding professional teams in 1999. The next-highest organization represented on the 24-man roster is the Colorado Rockies with three.

In addition, current Naturals' third baseman Jamie Romak will represent his native Canada at the same tournament. The 24-year old Romak, who hails from London, Ontario, split the 2010 season between the Naturals and Wilmington, batting a combined .296 with 13 homers and 64 RBI in 127 games.

The Pan American Qualifying Team will first gather in Cary, N.C. at the USA Baseball National Training Complex from September 25-28. The squad will work out on September 25 and square-off against the Canadian Pan American Qualifying Team, September 26-28. The U.S. will then depart for San Juan, Puerto Rico where the qualifier is set to run from October 1-10. The 12-team tournament will feature top Pan Am talent, including host Puerto Rico, Canada, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state of the art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. You can purchase tickets and group outings with the Naturals by calling (479) 927-4900.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from September 9, 2010


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