James And Cruse Named Northern League Player And Pitcher Of The Week

Published on July 19, 2010 under Northern League (NL) News Release


Outfielder Jason James of the Rockford RiverHawks was named Northern League Player of the Week, and Kansas City T-Bones pitcher Andrew Cruse received the Northern League Pitcher of the Week honors for the period ending July 18th, 2010.

James, who ranks second in the Northern League in batting average (.332) and third in hits (68), batted .400 (6-for-15) with six runs scored, a double, a home run and five RBI in four games played for Rockford during all-star break abbreviated week.

James represented the RiverHawks at the Northern League-Golden Baseball League All-Star Game this past week and went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI on his way to being the named the M.V.P. of the interleague exhibition game.

The 5-10, 175-pound outfielder is playing his first season in the Northern League, but fourth with the expansion RiverHawks. Playing the previous three seasons with Rockford as part of the Frontier League, he won a batting title in '09 (.374) and twice finished second in the league in batting '08 (.350) and '07 (.345).

The 25-year-old, left-handed hitter was originally drafted by New York Mets in the 32nd round of the 2004 amateur draft, but did not sign. He played collegiately at Kishwaukee College (Malta, IL) prior to joining the RiverHawks professionally in 2007. Following the 2009 season, the Chicago Cubs signed James to a minor league contract. He was re-signed by Rockford on April 22nd, 2010.

Cruse, who leads the Northern League with eight wins, went 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA during the week for the first place Kansas City T-Bones. In his lone start for K.C., he hurled seven innings of two-hit ball versus Joliet on July 18th. It was his sixth straight victory in as many starts. On the year, he is 8-2 with a 1.90 ERA over 11 starts. He currently ranks second in the league in ERA and strikeouts. In eight of his 11 appearances, he has allowed no more than one earned run.

Cruse was also the starting pitcher for the Northern League at the All-Star Game in Tucson, AZ this past week versus the Golden Baseball League. He pitched two scoreless innings, yielding only one hit and striking out one on his way to earning the win for the victorious Northern League.

Cruse, who is 26-years-old, is playing his second season in the Northern League, but first with the T- Bones. He was acquired with a player to be named later by Kansas City on November 24, 2009 from the Winnipeg Goldeyes in exchange for '09 NL All-Star outfielder Aaron Eggleston. With the Goldeyes in 2009, he was 5-5 with a 4.58 ERA.

The 6-1, 200-pounder was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 9th round of the 2006 draft out of the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC). He spent three season in the Phillies farm system posting a career mark of 17-22 with a 3.66 ERA.

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Northern League Stories from July 19, 2010


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