Goldschmidt Earns Topps Southern League Player of the Month Award

Published on June 8, 2011 under Southern League (SL1) News Release

MARIETTA, GA - Mobile BayBears first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has been named the Topps Player of the Month for May, as selected by the Southern League field managers. The Topps Company of New York, in conjunction with Minor League Baseball, presents the award each month to the top performer in each of the 10 full-season leagues.

The 23-year-old Goldschmidt is currently leading the league in home runs (19), RBI (53), on-base-percentage (.461) and slugging percentage (.674). Goldschmidt has been one of the most dominant hitters in the 2011 season and the month of May was no exception.

After establishing himself in April as the Southern League Hitter of the Week from April 7-17, Goldschmidt went forward into May and blasted 8 homeruns, 26 RBI, 6 doubles and ran home a league leading 26 times before the month was over. Mobile won 15 out of 31 games in May, a .483 winning percentage, and they ended the month tied with Jacksonville at the top of the league's South Division. As of today, Mobile is still at the forefront of the division.

The 6-foot-3inch, 245-pound Goldschmidt had an eleven-game hitting streak from May 21 through May 30, even averaging 1.7 hits per game through a grueling seven-game series with Jackson that included two double-headers. On May 14, Goldschmidt knocked in 5 RBI in a home game against Carolina. Throughout the month of May and the entire season, Goldschmidt has kept a solid batting average over .300, even hitting as high as .351 early in the month.

The 23-year-old was born in Wilmington, Delaware and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 49th round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 8th round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft. His awards of the last two seasons are numerous and include: 04/18/2011 SOU Player of the Week; 12/01/2010, Topps Class A All-Star; 09/21/2010, MiLB Round Tripper Award, Class A; 08/27/2010, CAL Post-Season All-Star; 08/27/2010, CAL Most Valuable Player; 08/27/2010, CAL Rookie-of-the-Year; 07/12/2010, CAL Player of the Week; 05/17/2010, CAL Player of the Week; 08/10/2009, PIO Player of the Week.

Southern League Stories from June 8, 2011

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• M-Braves Fall in Third Straight, Lose Series to Montgomery - Mississippi Braves
• Smokies Fail to Convert in 1-0 Loss to Jackson Wednesday - Knoxville Smokies
• Pitching Brilliant as Generals Take Series Over Smokies - Jackson Generals
• Suns Fall to Barons 4-2 in Finale - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
• Sextet of Barons Selected to All-Star Game - Birmingham Barons
• Goldschmidt Earns Topps Southern League Player of the Month Award - SL1
• Jeremy Camp to Sing National Anthem at All-Star Game - Jackson Generals
• Birmingham Extinguishes the Suns, 4-2 - Birmingham Barons
• BayBears Slam Stars, Stay in First Place - Mobile BayBears
• Five Suns Named to Southern League All-Star Team - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
• Reds Confirm Aroldis Chapman to Appear in Zebulon this Weekend - Carolina Mudcats
• Despite Solid Pitching, Carolina Falls on Fifth Inning Homer - Carolina Mudcats
• Lookouts Top Mudcats, 5-3 - Chattanooga Lookouts
• Five M-Braves Named Southern League All-Stars - Mississippi Braves
• Generals Update - Jackson Generals
• Four Biscuits Named All-Stars - Montgomery Biscuits
• Urgent Need for Flood Victims - Mississippi Braves
• Six BayBears Named to SL All-Star Game - Mobile BayBears
• 2011 Southern League South Division All-Star Team Announced - SL1
• Barons Battle for First During Final First-Half Homestand - Birmingham Barons

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