Five Tourists Named to SAL All-Star Game
Published on June 7, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Asheville Tourists News Release
Five members of the Asheville Tourists have been named to the South Atlantic League's Southern Division All-Star team, which will meet the Northern Division on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. The contest will mark the 51st anniversary of the annual South Atlantic League All-Star Game.
Center fielder Eliezer Mesa, who has ranked among the league leaders in batting average throughout the season's first half, was named the starting center fielder for the South. Angelys Nina and Joseph Sanders have been tabbed as utility infielders, while pitchers Sheng-an Kuo and Alan DeRatt have been selected to the team's pitching staff. Asheville trainer Billy Whitehead also has been named to serve in the same capacity for the South squad.
Mesa has been a consistent spark plug for the Tourists throughout the 2010 campaign. The leadoff hitter currently ranked third in the SAL with a .327 batting average, second with 43 runs scored, and fourth with 67 hits. He also leads Asheville with 14 stolen bases and has been caught stealing on just two occasions.
Nina has seen most of his activity this season as second base while hitting second in the order. He owns a .286 batting average with 24 RBIs and 26 runs scored. He combines with Mesa to give the Tourists some potent speed at the top of the lineup, and ranks second on the club with 12 stolen bases. Sanders has played the infield corners during the season's first half and is hitting .275 after getting off to a slow start. He currently ranks second on the Asheville club with seven home runs, 29 RBIs, 13 doubles and 55 hits.
Kuo is a former starting pitcher who has made a seamless transition to the bullpen in his second tour of duty with the Tourists. Kuo is 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA in 22 outings with six saves in seven opportunities. DeRatt, a former standout at UNC Asheville, is also in his second stint with the club after arriving in town in May. In 14 games, including two starts, DeRatt is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA.
The all-star rosters consist of 27 players for each of the two squads and were determined via ballots distributed to the 14 teams' coaching staffs, front office personnel and local media.
The Tourists are at home tonight, June 7, beginning at 7:05 p.m. and on Tuesday, June 8, with a special 11:05 a.m. start for Education Day against the West Virginia Power. Asheville's next homestand starts on Monday, June 14, against the Hagerstown Suns at 7:05 p.m. For more information, contact the Tourists' front office at (828) 258-0428.
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