AtL Long Island Ducks

Loree Signed by Pirates

Published on August 23, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Long Island Ducks News Release


(Central Islip, N.Y., Aug. 22, 2011) - Long Island Ducks team officials today announced that the contract of pitcher Mike Loree has been purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and he will report to the team's Double-A affiliate in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He becomes the fifth Duck in 2011 to be signed by another organization and third by a Major League affiliate (Mike Parisi, Dodgers; Lenny DiNardo, Athletics; Shane Youman, Taiwan; and Valerio de los Santos, Mexico).

"Mike was excellent for us throughout the entire season," says Ducks manager Kevin Baez. "He was one of the top pitchers in the league, and we wish him the best of luck with the Pirates."

Loree led the Atlantic League in all three Triple Crown categories this season, setting the pace in wins (14), earned run average (1.79), and strikeouts (115). The righty was 14-3 in his 22 appearances (17 starts) and held opponents to a .222 batting average in 110 and two-thirds innings pitched. The New Jersey native also set a Ducks franchise record for wins in a single season with 14, surpassing the previous mark of 13 held by Troy Cate in 2009.

Now in his fifth season of professional baseball, Loree will be heading to Double-A for the first time in his career. He has previously pitched as high as Single-A when he spent the 2009 season with Augusta in the San Francisco Giants organization. The 26-year-old spent 2010 with the Newark Bears and struck out a career-high 119 batters in 130.0 innings pitched. The Villanova alum was originally drafted by the Giants in the 50th round of the 2007 amateur entry draft.

The Long Island Ducks are in their 12th season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Bethpage Ballpark in Central Islip, N.Y. Individual game tickets for the regular season are on sale now by calling 631-940-TIXX, by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark Box Office, or by logging on to www.liducks.com and clicking on the tickets icon.




Atlantic League Stories from August 23, 2011


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