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IL1 International League

International League 2012 Award Winners & All-Stars Announced

August 28, 2012 - International League (IL1) News Release


The International League today announced its postseason All-Star Team and Award Winners as selected by the circuit's managers, coaches, media, and club representatives. Pawtucket's Mauro Gomez has been named the IL's Most Valuable Player thanks to a .310 average and 24 home runs for the Wild Card contenders. Right-handed hurler Tyler Cloyd of Lehigh Valley claimed the Most Valuable Pitcher Award. He leads the League with a 2.35 ERA to go along with a sparkling 12-1 record. Gwinnett slugger Ernesto Mejia was named the IL Rookie of the Year, the third member of that franchise to do so in its four years of existence. The 2012 IL Manager of the Year is Scranton/Wilkes-Barre skipper Dave Miley, who has his club on the brink of a division title despite being forced to play away from home all season.

Most Valuable Player - Mauro Gomez, Pawtucket

In his first season in the Boston organization and just his second year at the Triple-A level, Mauro Gomez has been named the International League Most Valuable Player for 2012. Gomez is the League's top slugger (.589) on the strength of an IL-best 59 extra-base hits. He is 4th in batting average (.310), tied for 2nd in home runs (24) and doubles (34), and 4th in RBI (74). Also the All-Star designated hitter, Gomez is currently with the Boston Red Sox where he is hitting .292 over his first 14 games in the Major Leagues. The 27-year-old Gomez joins a distinguished list of PawSox players to win IL MVP honors that includes Jim Rice (1974), Ted Cox (1977), Gary Allenson (1978), Dave Stapleton (1979), Pat Dodson (1986), and Jeff Bailey (2008).

Most Valuable Pitcher - Tyler Cloyd, Lehigh Valley

He was supposed to begin the season back in Double-A, but a suspension issued to Lehigh Valley's scheduled Opening Day starter provided Tyler Cloyd with an opportunity to prove he was ready for the International League. Cloyd worked 6.0 perfect innings in his April Triple-A debut, and a month later when he joined the IronPigs staff permanently he picked up right where he left off. In his fifth start for Lehigh Valley on May 20 he had a bad 5th inning, giving up five runs and causing him to suffer the loss. To date it is his only defeat of the 2012 campaign. The 25-year-old right-hander is now 12-1 at the Triple-A level (15-1 overall) with an IL-best 2.35 ERA. He also leads the League with a WHIP of 1.01 and is 2nd in opponents batting average (.210). The starting pitcher for the IL in July's Triple-A All-Star Game is now the second IronPigs hurler to be named the League's Most Valuable Pitcher (Justin Lehr, 2009).

Rookie of the Year - Ernesto Mejia, Gwinnett

26-year-old Ernesto Mejia made his Triple-A debut this season. The longtime Braves farmhand had his career delayed by injuries suffered in 2006 and 2009, but upon finally reaching Gwinnett in 2012 the Venezuelan native has shined. The League-leader with 91 RBI, 148 hits, and 253 total bases, Mejia is also near the top of the IL in several other offensive categories including home runs (T-2nd), slugging percentage (2nd), runs scored (5th), and batting average (6th). He served as his team's lone representative at the Triple-A All-Star Game in July, and he is now the Postseason All-Star first baseman. With Mejia following in the footsteps of the 2010 and 2011 IL Rookies of the Year (Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran), Gwinnett has become the first team since Columbus (1984-86) to boast three consecutive Rookies of the Year.

Manager of the Year - Dave Miley, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Faced with an unprecedented challenge in which his team had no true home ballpark this season, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Dave Miley has accomplished the unthinkable. While construction crews have been busy rebuilding PNC Field in Pennsylvania, Miley's Yankees have played their "home" games this season in Batavia, Buffalo, Lehigh Valley, Pawtucket, Rochester, and Syracuse. Despite the club's nomadic existence, Miley has his Yankees on the verge of a North Division championship with a record of 81-57. The Yankees now have a magic number of one in a division race that appeared to be up for grabs between as many as four teams earlier this month. SWB has produced the League's best August record (20-8) to pull away from the pack. This is Miley's second time being honored as IL Manager of the Year; the previous instance was in 2007 during his first season at the helm of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise.

In addition to designated hitter Mauro Gomez, first baseman Ernesto Mejia, and starting pitcher Tyler Cloyd, nine other players have been named to the International League Postseason All-Star Team. In all, eight IL clubs are represented on the All-Star Team, led by Pawtucket with three players.

The IL All-Star second baseman is Cord Phelps of Columbus. The 25-year-old leads the International League with 78 runs scored this season and is tied for 4th in doubles with 33. He was elected to the IL's midseason All-Star Team as the starting second baseman, and since the break he has hit .321 to solidify his status as one of the League's top players. Phelps is also the IL's leading defensive second baseman this season with a .991 fielding percentage. He is the second consecutive Clipper to make the IL Postseason All-Star Team as a second baseman, following Jason Kipnis.

It's been a whirlwind season for Pawtucket shortstop Jose Iglesias, who spent nearly a month on the disabled list in June, but he returned to play in 88 games for the PawSox. Usually the club's #2 man in the batting order, Iglesias has produced a .266 batting average with 12 stolen bases and 23 RBI. For the second straight season he earned a promotion to the big leagues, as the 22-year-old suited up for Boston this past Saturday. Iglesias was born the same year that Pawtucket last had a shortstop on the IL Postseason All-Star Team (Tim Naehring, 1990).

Carlos Rivero of Syracuse is the League's top defensive third baseman (.952 fielding percentage), but he is also one of the circuit's top hitters this season. The 24-year-old is currently 5th in the IL with a .307 batting average and is tied for 3rd with 135 hits, both highs for his Chiefs ballclub. Also a mid-season All-Star, Rivero now becomes the first Syracuse third baseman to earn election to the IL Postseason All-Star team since Kelly Gruber in 1985.

This year's All-Star catcher is Ryan Lavarnway of Pawtucket. Though he's been with Boston since the start of August, Lavarnway made a major impact this season for Pawtucket. The former Yale star and Ivy League all-time home run king hit .295 with 8 long balls and 43 RBI for the PawSox this season before being called to Boston. The 25-year-old was also the starting catcher on the mid-season IL All-Star Team. The last PawSox catcher to earn election to the League's Postseason All-Star Team was Kelly Shoppach in 2004 and 2005.

The International League's leading hitter this season, Durham's Leslie Anderson, has been named an IL Postseason All-Star outfielder. Anderson is currently hitting .313, which would earn him the League' s batting title if the season ended today. The 25-year-old was also a mid-season All-Star and is hoping to make his Major League debut soon. The last Durham outfielder on the IL Postseason All-Star Team was Jon Weber in 2009.

Also an All-Star outfielder this season is Corey Brown of Syracuse. Despite a pair of stints with the Nationals this season, Brown has been one of the International League's best all-around hitters. A mid-season All-Star as well, the 26-year-old Brown is near the top of the IL in triples (2nd), runs scored (2nd), slugging (3rd), extra-base hits (4th), and home runs (5th). Before Brown, the last Chiefs outfielder on the IL Postseason All-Star squad was John-Ford Griffin in 2005.

23-year-old Indianapolis Indians outfielder Starling Marte was a mid-season All-Star in July, and now the current member of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been elected to the Postseason All-Star Team as well. He remains far and away the League leader in triples with 13, and is also 4th in the circuit with a slugging percentage of .500. Indianapolis also had an outfielder on last year's IL Postseason All-Star Team (Alex Presley).

Earning All-Star honors for the second straight season is 29-year-old closer Tim Wood of Indianapolis. Wood is the first relief pitcher to make back-to-back IL Postseason All-Star Teams since the position was first included in 1978. Currently 2nd in the International League in saves (22), games pitched (53), and games finished (41), Wood has been a major part of his club's West Division championship season in 2012.

The final All-Star spot goes to Charlotte's Dan Johnson, who has been selected as the International League's top utility player for 2012. The 33-year-old former IL MVP was primarily a first baseman this season, but he also saw significant action as a third baseman and designated hitter. He is the League's home run leader with 27 and walks leader with 94, while also finding himself near the top of the IL in RBI (2nd), on-base percentage (3rd), and runs scored (3rd). Johnson was previously the IL All-Star third baseman in 2010 while with Durham. He is the first Charlotte player to make the All-Star Team as the utility player since Chris Getz in 2008.

2012 INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS

Most Valuable Player Mauro Gomez, Pawtucket Red Sox

Most Valuable Pitcher Tyler Cloyd, Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Rookie of the Year Ernesto Mejia, Gwinnett Braves

Manager of the Year Dave Miley, Scranton/WB Yankees

2012 INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM

First Baseman Ernesto Mejia, Gwinnett Braves

Second Baseman Cord Phelps, Columbus Clippers

Shortstop Jose Iglesias, Pawtucket Red Sox

Third Baseman Carlos Rivero, Syracuse Chiefs

Catcher Ryan Lavarnway, Pawtucket Red Sox

Outfielders Leslie Anderson, Durham Bulls

Corey Brown, Syracuse Chiefs

Starling Marte, Indianapolis Indians

Designated Hitter Mauro Gomez, Pawtucket Red Sox

Utility Player Dan Johnson, Charlotte Knights

Starting Pitcher Tyler Cloyd, Lehigh Valley IronPigs

Relief Pitcher Tim Wood, Indianapolis Indians

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