It's Official: Startup Has Best Baseball Name In Minors

Published on April 10, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Beavers pitcher Will Startup won't let an injury keep him out of the limelight.

The four-year professional, currently on the club's disabled list with an injured left elbow and rehabbing in extended spring training in Arizona, today was crowned champion of the 64-player, tournament-style "Minors Moniker Madness" competition on MiLB.com, the official site of Minor League Baseball.

Startup defeated Dusty Napoleon in the finals; winners of each round were determined by fan voting on the website to determine the ultimate baseball name in the minors. Startup garnered 56 percent of the vote in the finals, getting the backing of a record 15,192 votes in the title matchup with Napoleon, who received 11,995 votes (44 percent).

Startup, a No. 10 seed entering the competition, earned victories over Jimmy James and Bubbie Buzachero to get to the Sweet 16. He then beat Winter Polo and Rocky Roquet before passing up No. 1-seed Rowdy Hardy to get to the finals.

"This ranks right up there with the highest achievements of my life," Startup said, tongue in cheek, from the San Diego Padres spring training headquarters in Peoria, Ariz. "There's no other feeling in the world like this."

It was sweet redemption for Startup, who settled for runner-up status in 2007 after losing to Houston Summers in the finals last year.

"I would probably have been angrier if I had lost in the finals again more than anything else," Startup said. "I hate losing anything, so there was a lot of anticipation on this. As much as I tried not to pay attention to the tournament, it was hard not to get caught up in it."

In an interesting twist, the left-hander has never started a professional game in his career spent with the Atlanta Braves and Padres organizations, amassing 129 relief appearances to date.

"I think the people in the stands find more irony in that than anything," he said. "Certainly, my name draws a little more attention than the average name."

Startup joined the Beavers last season, coming to the Padres organization along with pitcher Wil Ledezma from Atlanta in exchange for former Beaver Royce Ring on July 31. The 23-year-old Startup made 14 relief appearances with Portland and posted a 4.66 ERA.

Former Beaver Tagg Bozied, a six seed in this year's tourney, picked up first- and second-round victories before getting bounced by Given Kutz in third-round play. Bozied played in Portland from 2003-05 and is currently with the Albuquerque Isotopes.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 10, 2008


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