Flyers Catcher Nick Guerra and Outlaws Pitcher Mikael Ryder Named GBL Players of the Week
July 23, 2009 - Golden Baseball League (GBL) News Release
San Ramon, CA July 21, 2009: The Golden Baseball League announced today that Chico Outlaws Pitcher Mikael Ryder and Orange County Flyers Catcher Nick Guerra have been named GBL Players of the Week for the 8th week of the 2009 season for games played between July 13th and July 19th.
Ryder, 23, 6-0, 180, right-handed pitcher, went undrafted after playing collegiate baseball at Menlo College in northern California. He was signed out of the Arizona Winter League this February by Chico Manager Greg Cadaret and has had a fine rookie season as a middle reliever for the Outlaws. With teammate Donnie Brandt being acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers, Ryder was given his first professional start last week against the Calgary Vipers, the top hitting team in the GBL this season. He responded with just the second complete game shutout in the league this year as he gave up only four hits while striking out 9 and walking none as the Outlaws blew out the Vipers 10-0. He now has a 2-0 record with 2 saves and lowered his E.R.A for the season to 2.85, but the most remarkable statistic is his 40 strikeouts and only 2 walks in 41 innings pitched in his 15 appearances so far this year.
Guerra, 28, 5-10, 190 went undrafted after a Division 1 collegiate career at the University of San Francisco and San Jose State. He joined the Golden Baseball League in the league's first season in 2005 and was catcher and 3rd baseman for the Champion San Diego Surf Dawgs when he also won the GBL Rookie of the Year Award as he hit .290 with 7 home runs and 62 RBIs. he retired after the 2006 season and started a family but made a comeback late in 2008 as he joined the Orange County Flyers and was a key part of the offense that led the team to the 2008 GBL Championship title. He is the only GBL player with two championship rings. This season he has been spectacular all year, being named a GBL All-Star, currently second in the league with a .389 batting average, and a defensive standout as well. Last week, in the short week following the All-Star game he led the league in batting with a .615 average in four games (8 for 13), led the league in runs scored with 7, and was the offensive catalyst for the Flyers hot start in the second half that has vaulted them into the lead in the South Division.
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