One More Award: McPherson Named Spink Winner as TOPPS/Minor League Player of the Year
Published on October 26, 2004 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Ray Winder Field, Little Rock, AR - Adding yet another post-season award to his mantle, former Travs' and current Angels' third baseman Dallas McPherson was named the 45th annual J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner as the 2004 TOPPS/Minor League Player of the Year. McPherson, who split the minor league season between Arkansas and Salt Lake, compiled a .317 batting average, 40 home runs and 126 RBI. Dallas then completed the season as the Angels third baseman during the American League Division Series against Boston. Besides the Spink Award, which is officially sanctioned by the governing body of Minor League Baseball, McPherson was named the Angels' Organizational Player of the Year as well as the top player according to The Sporting News and The Sports Network.
McPherson, in his fourth pro season after being drafted in the second round out of The Citadel in 2001, had played just 28 games above the Class A level prior to this season. He had a few growing pains and was batting .192 two weeks into the season. Then the 6-4, 230-pound lefthanded hitter from Randleman, NC, went 8-for-9 in back-to-back games and was on his way.
Along the way with Arkansas, McPherson had a four-home run, six-hit doubleheader and a stretch of 25 games with 16 home runs and 44 RBI. Putting a stamp on his time in the Texas League, McPherson won the Texas League All-Star Home Run Derby in Midland two days before earning a promotion to Salt Lake.
He had no problems adjusting to his first look at Triple-A pitching after a promotion in mid-June, going 3-for-3 with a double and homer in his first start. Finishing 2004 in Anaheim, Dallas also went 3-for-3 in his first MLB start, finishing with 3 homers and 6 RBIs in 16 games.
Recent winners of the Spink Award include such Major League stars as Josh Beckett of Florida (2001); Eric Chavez of Oakland (1999); Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox (1997); Andruw Jones of Atlanta (1996); Johnny Damon of Boston (1995); and Derek Jeter of the Yankees (1994).
Texas League Stories from October 26, 2004
- One More Award: McPherson Named Spink Winner as TOPPS/Minor League Player of the Year - Arkansas Travelers
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