Mr. Smith Goes to Yankees; Nicolas Named Player of Week

Published on June 13, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Grand Prairie AirHogs News Release


GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- After another road sweep, the Grand Prairie AirHogs returned to the Metroplex to find good news - and not just a happy populace after the Dallas Mavericks' NBA Championship. First, lefthander Greg Smith became the first AirHog of 2011 to be picked up by a Major League organization, as he was signed by the New York Yankees.

On the offensive side, infielder Cesar Nicolas returned from a six-game injury absence to tear the cover off the ball in the AirHogs' five wins in six games against Amarillo and El Paso, hitting .435 with three home runs and 12 RBIs, earning the nod as the American Association Batter of the Week, as selected by Pointstreak, the league's official statistician.

Smith, a 27-year-old from Alexandria, La., spent parts of 2008 and 2010 in the Major Leagues, and will get his chance to return after posting a 3-1 record and 2.54 ERA in six starts with Grand Prairie. The southpaw allowed 39 hits in 39 innings, with 31 strikeouts and just seven walks. He also was named Pitcher of the Week after his five-hit, complete-game, no-walk, nine-strikeout shutout against Lincoln on May 17. With the Yankees' big-league staff decimated by injuries, Smith will report to the Yankees' triple-A affiliate - the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees - and start Tuesday night in Syracuse.

"I was very impressed with the AirHogs organization from top to bottom," Smith said. "When I came here I had some reservations about independent baseball, but after playing in Grand Prairie those are no more - this league and team is as professional as it gets, and I am so grateful that I can get another chance to make it to the Majors thanks to the AirHogs."

AirHogs manager Ricky VanAsselberg, who also is from Alexandria, was sad to see Smith go from an on-field perspective, but knows his opening day starter earned the chance to make it back to "The Show."

"Greg was nothing but class from when he got here until the day he left," VanAsselberg said. Not only will we have a hole in the rotation to fill, we will also miss a great learning tool in our clubhouse. But Greg deserves this opportunity and I know he has the ability to return to the Major Leagues."

To replace Smith on the roster, the AirHogs signed lefty reliever Jason Moody, who had been a player-pitching coach with the Rio Grande Valley (Texas) WhiteWings of the North American League earlier this season, appearing in two-games. The veteran is in his 10th professional season, and played for VanAsselberg in 2006 and 2007 in Alexandria.

After missing the six games after injuring his elbow in Kansas City on May 30, Nicolas returned to the Grand Prairie lineup just in time to help the club stop a four-game losing streak. He went 0-for-3 in his return game on June 6 as the AirHogs were defeated by Amarillo, but he has hit in each of the last five, with at least three RBIs in three of the last four games, including a 4-for-5, three-run, five-RBI night on Sunday as the AirHogs swept El Paso by winning 25-11.

"It's been huge to have Cesar back in the lineup," VanAsselberg said. "When he's in the number three hole, everyone fits into place and I think our output in the last week [scoring 68 runs during the five-game winning streak] shows what we can do when everyone is healthy."

Other than Nicolas and Smith, pitcher Josh Rainwater also won a league honor this year, taking home Pitcher of the Week in the first week of the season

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The AirHogs now head to Fort Worth for their first meeting of the season with the Cats at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, June 13. The next home game at QuikTrip Park is Thursday, June 16, at 7:05 p.m. against the El Paso Diablos, with Thirsty Thursday, featuring $2 16-oz. beers. Don't miss the renewed commitment to excellence and affordable family entertainment. All games are available with live, free streaming video on ustream.tv. Individual game tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling 972-504-9383 or by visiting www.airhogsbaseball.com.

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American Association Stories from June 13, 2011


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