Four Defenders Named As E.L. All-Stars
July 1, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
Connecticut Defenders News Release
NORWICH, CT- The 2009 Eastern League All Star team has been announced and your hometown Connecticut Defenders will have four representatives in Bond, Martinez-Esteve, Paterson and Bumgarner.
"I am very proud of our players and their accomplishments," said Defenders Manager Steve Decker. "They have all worked hard to receive this opportunity and I'm happy they will represent the Connecticut Defenders and the San Francisco Giants organizations proudly at the All Star game."
Brock Bond, the Defenders second baseman earns his first All Star nod since being signed by the Giants in 2007 out of the University of Missouri. The St. Louis native has climbed his average to a team leading .326 over 63 games posting his best performance on June 19 versus Altoona when he went 5 for 5 with a triple and three runs scored. Bond currently holds the longest active on-base streak in all of MLB & Minor League Baseball at 45 games as well as delivered an 11 game hitting streak during the stretch. He has hit safely in 15 out his last 16 games.
Eddy Martinez-Esteve came into Spring Training twenty pounds lighter and the "new" Eddy has earned his third trip to the All Star team since 2005 when he was named to the CAL Mid and Post season teams. An outfielder, Martinez-Esteve has been a steady contributor to the Northern Division leaders ranking second on the team in doubles (20) and RBI (41) while compiling a .316 batting average. The six year veteran out of Miami, FL showed his leadership in a game on June 24 vs. Portland when he hit the game winning walk-off RBI single to lift the Defenders to a 3-2 win and eventual series victory over the Sea Dogs.
Joe Paterson has been a nightmare for left-handed batters all season long out of the bullpen therefore earning his first All Star appearance. The McMinnville, OR native has posted a (2-2) record and 1.53 ERA in a team leading 31 appearances and has held opponents to a dismal .190 batting average against. More impressive is his .063 BAA and 31 strikeouts versus southpaws.
Madison Bumgarner, the Giants #1 rated prospect according to Baseball America, received the promotion to Double-A on May 9 and since then has been a stud. The 19 year old from Hudson, NC earns his second All Star team honor which adds to his already stellar list of accomplishments. Bumgarner holds a (5-1) record, tied for second most wins on the team and has a 1.96 ERA which is tops among starters. The Portland Sea Dogs have been on the other side of Bumgarner's top achievements this year setting a season high with 10 strikeouts (May 23) as well as tying a career high with 8 innings allowing one run en route to his fifth win of the season in his last start (June 25).
The 2009 Eastern League All Star Game is Wednesday, July 15 at Samuel J. Plumeri Sr. Field at Mercer County Waterfront Park in Trenton, NJ. For more information, visit the Trenton Thunder website at www.trentonthunder.com or call at (609)-394-3300.
• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...
Eastern League Stories from July 1, 2009
- No Fun to Start July, âDogs Swept by Rock Cats in Twinbill - Portland Sea Dogs
- Aeros Fall 3-2 to Bowie - Akron RubberDucks
- Erie Tops Trenton - Trenton Thunder
- Five Extra Base Hits Not Enough for B-Mets in 5-3 Loss - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Fisher Cats Rally from Down 3-0 to Beat Mets 5-3 Wednesday Night - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Curve Lose Slug Fest - Altoona Curve
- Stars On Display In Baysox Triumph - Chesapeake Baysox
- Erie SeaWolves vs. Trenton Thunder...Game Two of Four - Erie SeaWolves
- Dopirak, Gonzalez & Jeroloman Named EL All-Stars - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Senators and Connecticut Defenders rained out - Harrisburg Senators
- Three Sens set to play in 2009 E.L. All-Star game - Harrisburg Senators
- Aerodynamics - Akron RubberDucks
- Defenders & Senators Rained Out - Connecticut Defenders
- Trio of B-Mets Named 2009 Eastern League All-Stars - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Tazawa Activated, Gabbard on DL - Portland Sea Dogs
- Four Defenders Named As E.L. All-Stars - Connecticut Defenders
- Five Rock Cats Named to 2009 Eastern League All-Star Team - New Britain Rock Cats
- Three Curve Players Named to All-Star Roster - Altoona Curve
- Four R-Phils to play in All-Star game - Reading Fightin Phils
- Four Baysox Named All-Stars - Chesapeake Baysox
- Five SeaWolves Named Eastern League All-Stars - Erie SeaWolves
- Four Sea Dogs Named All-Stars - Portland Sea Dogs
- Thunder to host Mid-Summer Classic July 15 - Trenton Thunder
- Curve Unveils Fundraiser Contest to Rename Blair County Ballpark - Altoona Curve
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.
