Six Kane County Cougars see stars!
Published on June 3, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release
GENEVA, IL - The Midwest League has announced the rosters for the 2008 All-Star Game, which will be held Tuesday, June 17 at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan - home of the Great Lakes Loons. Six Kane County Cougars were named Western Division All-Stars, the highest number of players to be selected to the midseason classic since seven Cougars were chosen for the 2004 All-Star Game.
In voting by league managers, a half-dozen Cougars will be making the trip to Michigan for this year's festivities: pitchers Craig Italiano, Scott Mitchinson and Jamie Richmond, infielders Larry Cobb and Greg Dowling along with outfielder Corey Brown. Brown, a first round compensation pick from the 2007 draft, will hold one of the coveted starting spots. Brown leads the Cougars with 8 home runs and has the second-most RBIs and hits on the team, behind fellow All-Star Greg Dowling.
The starting pitcher for the Western Division squad will be announced as the game nears, although Cougars ace Craig Italiano figures to be the likely candidate assuming the talented 21-year old is not promoted within the Oakland system before June 17. Italiano (7-0) currently leads all of Minor League Baseball with a sparkling 0.65 ERA and is also tops in the minors with 11.13 strikeouts per nine innings. A second round compensation pick in 2005, Italiano combined with teammate Branden Dewing for a seven inning tandem no-hitter earlier this season.
In addition to Italiano, fellow starting pitchers Scott Mitchinson and Jamie Richmond were also star-struck. Mitchinson's ledger includes a 4-2 mark and a 1.49 ERA, good for third-best in the league. Richmond is 5-3 with a 3.43 ERA and has tossed the Cougars' only complete game this season. Mitchinson was a Rule 5 acquisition this past winter, while Richmond was dealt from Atlanta to Oakland as part of the Mark Kotsay trade.
Dowling and Cobb, both holdovers from the '07 squad, receive deserving nods as All-Star reserve players. The pair has sparked the Cougars' offense through the season's first two months of play. Both '06 draft selections by Oakland, Dowling's 30 RBIs lead the squad while Cobb has consistently kept his batting average above the .300 mark.
This year's All-Star class joins a prestigious list of alumni who have represented Kane County in the Midwest League All-Star Game. Past Cougars who were named Midwest League All-Stars include current Major Leaguers such as Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Gonzalez, Joe Blanton and Kevin Millar.
Midwest League Stories from June 3, 2008
- Short-handed staff wins rain-shortened game - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Snappers Bounce Back in 5-0 Win - Beloit Sky Carp
- Cougars outduel Kernels, 1-0 - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Loons Pound Wizards, 9-4 - Great Lakes Loons
- Cougars Edge Kernels, Control Series - Kane County Cougars
- Dragons Lose Rain-Shortened Game, 5-2 - Dayton Dragons
- Bandits run into all-star buzzsaw - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Timber Rattler Trio Gives All-Star Performances - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Chiefs Fall to Rattlers 4-2 - Peoria Chiefs
- Bees Use Two Homeruns To Beat LumberKings - Burlington Bees
- Seven Snappers Heading to All-Star Game - Beloit Sky Carp
- Streaking Lugnuts win again - Lansing Lugnuts
- Six Kane County Cougars see stars! - Kane County Cougars
- Seven Snappers Heading to All-Star Game - Beloit Sky Carp
- Kane County Cougars Offer One-Of-A-Kind Father's Day Experience - Kane County Cougars
- Five Dragons Selected to Play in All-Star Game - Dayton Dragons
- Bandits Place Three in All-Star Game - Quad Cities River Bandits
- Bressoud signed by Angels; assigned to Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Trio of Rattlers Named to All-Star Squad - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Lugnuts sending seven to All-Star game - Lansing Lugnuts
- Five 'Caps Named All-Stars - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Kernels place three on MWL All-Star Roster - Cedar Rapids Kernels
- Three Wizards Named To All-Star Team - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Midwest League Announces 2008 All-Star Rosters - MWL1
- Gagnier to Make Spot Start for Triple-A Toledo Tonight - West Michigan Whitecaps
- Parrino's Single in 1Oth Gives Wizards 5-4 - Fort Wayne TinCaps
- Suicide squeeze caps Kernels 9-8 win over Kane County - Cedar Rapids Kernels
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