TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Poldberg Wins Royals Award

Published on December 16, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


KANSAS CITY, MO- Northwest Arkansas Naturals manager Brian Poldberg, third baseman Mike Moustakas, first baseman Eric Hosmer, outfielder Derrick Robinson, and pitcher John Lamb were named Thursday as Kansas City Royals' organizational award recipients for their on-field achievements during the 2010 season.

The honorees will be recognized at the 2011 Royals Awards Show, scheduled for Saturday, January 22 in conjunction with Royals FanFest presented by Sprint and Teva Neuroscience at the Overland Park Convention Center.

Poldberg has been named as the Dick Howser Player Development Person of the Year - recognizing an outstanding member of player development. The only manager the Naturals have ever known, Poldberg led the club to the Texas League Championship in 2010 and is the reigning Texas League Manager of the Year. He also has skippered the Naturals, who were recently named as Minor League Team of the Year by Baseball America, to more wins than any other Texas League team since 2008. After ending a seven-year playing career, the Carter Lake, Iowa resident has been a coach and instructor in the Royals organization since 1987.

Moustakas has been named as the George Brett Hitter of the Year - recognizing the organization's top hitter. The 22-year-old third baseman combined to hit .322 between the Naturals and Triple-A Omaha, tying for the minor league lead with 36 home runs. The Royals' first-round selection (2nd overall) in 2007 also posted 41 doubles and drove in 124 in being named the Sporting News Minor League Hitter of the Year, the Texas League Player of the Year, and a Baseball America 2010 first-team Minor League All-Star.

Hosmer is recipient of the Frank White Defensive Player of the Year - recognizing the organization's top defensive player. Hosmer, 21, is an athletic first baseman who posted a .988 fielding percentage in 80 games at Advanced Class-A Wilmington before upping that mark to .994 in 43 games at first for the Naturals. At the plate, the Royals' first-round pick (3rd overall) in 2008 batted a combined .338 with 43 doubles, nine triples, 20 home runs, 86 RBI and 87 runs, also stealing 14 bases in 16 attempts.

Robinson has been named as the Willie Wilson Base Runner of the Year - recognizing the organization's top base runner. The 23-year-old patrolled center field for the Naturals in 2010, hitting .286 with a league-leading 50 stolen bases in 67 attempts. The speedster, drafted by the Royals in the fourth round in 2006, has swiped 236 bases in his professional career, including 181 in his last three campaigns, and is a two-time winner of the Willie Wilson Award, also earning the honor in 2008.

Lamb received the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year - recognizing the organization's top pitcher. The 20-year-old pitched at three levels of the Royals system in 2010, wrapping up in Northwest Arkansas. The six-foot-three lefty from Laguna Hills, Calif., was a combined 10-7 with a 2.38 ERA in 28 starts, allowing 122 hits in 147.2 innings, striking out 159 and walking just 45. Lamb was a fifth-round pick of the Royals in 2008.

Information on how to purchase tickets for the awards event and further details for all 12 award winners is available at www.royals.com. The Naturals offer our heartfelt congratulations to all of the organization's award recipients.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The 2011 season begins on Thursday, April 7th. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from December 16, 2010


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