Hodges Named EL Rookie of the Year
August 27, 2008 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release
AKRON, OH - Aeros third baseman Wes Hodges was named Eastern League Rookie of the Year today, as determined by voting from league managers and coaches, beat writers, and other media personnel. Hodges is the second consecutive Aeros player to win the award, after Jordan Brown claimed both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors last season.
Hodges has been a constant in the Aeros lineup in just his second professional season in 2008, batting .285 with a team-leading 16 home runs and 91 RBI while playing in 128 of Akron's 136 games this season. He leads the club with 138 hits, 38 multi-hit games and 21 multi-RBI games, and his 91 RBI rank second in the league and are the second-most in single-season franchise history. Hodges also ranks second on the team in runs scored (66) and doubles (25), and is third in walks (52).
A native of Chattanooga, TN, Hodges attended Georgia Tech before joining the Indians as a second-round pick in 2006. He was named to the season-ending Eastern League All-Star team just last week, in addition to participating in the All-Star game July 16th in Manchester, NH. Hodges also played for the U.S. team in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium during the Major League All-Star break, and was named Bank of America Eastern League Player of the Week for the week ending June 15th. He batted .288 with 15 home runs and 71 RBI in Kinston last year, while also being named to the season-ending Carolina League All-Star team.
Current Cleveland All-Star Grady Sizemore is the only other Aero to win the Rookie of the Year award since the franchise moved to Akron in 1997. Sizemore hit .304 with 13 home runs and 78 RBI in 2003; Brown batted .333 with 11 homers and 76 RBI last season.
The Aeros will host the Altoona Curve at 7:05 p.m. tonight in the penultimate home game of the regular season. The Principal Financial Group Family Fun Fest will make its annual appearance just outside the ballpark on Main St. beginning at 4 p.m. Frank Herrmann (10-6, 4.01 ERA) will get the start for Akron against Curve left-hander Kyle Bloom (5-7, 4.17 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.
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