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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Six Men Who Spent Time on Riverfront in 2009 Headed to Grand Canyon State

August 26, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - The Kansas City Royals have announced that five players who spent time with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2009 will have their season extended in the Arizona Fall League. All five men will play for the Surprise Rafters.

Jeff Bianchi, David Lough, Mike Moustakas, Danny Gutierrez and Ben Swaggerty will all be playing in the most prestigious off-season league in minor league baseball. They will also be joined by another familiar face, as Wilmington manager Brian Rupp will skipper the team that is made up of players from the Cardinals, Yankees, Rangers, Mets and Royals organizations.

All six men who are headed for Arizona have enjoyed tremendous years to date.

Bianchi, a shortstop and a former second-round draft choice, led the Blue Rocks in hitting until his promotion just before the end of the first half. Moustakas and Lough were each named CL All-Stars and represented the Rocks in the Carolina/California League All-Star Game. Lough, an outfielder who walked on to his college baseball team, received a well-deserved promotion shortly after the start of the second half and departed as the league's second-best hitter. Moustakas, listed by Baseball America as the Royals' top prospect, continues to lead the Rocks' charge towards a second-half Carolina League North crown. The third baseman paces the team in doubles, homers and RBIs.

Gutierrez, a right-handed starter, began the season in extended spring training and did not make his Wilmington debut until July 28. In seven outings (three starts), he has logged a 2.21 ERA and has held the league to a .147 batting average.

Swaggerty spent the first two-and-a-half months of the campaign in Wilmington before getting promoted to Double-A on June 12. The southpaw reliever's ERA as a Blue Rock checked in at a slim 1.64. He went 3-1 with two saves for the Blue Crew.

Rupp has managed each of these men, and after leading the Burlington Bees to a Midwest League championship in 2008, has the Rocks less than two weeks away from a potential berth in the CL postseason. The first-place Blue Rocks enjoy a 2.5-game lead over the defending league champion Potomac Nationals.

The Royals plan to add two more players to the Rafters' roster by Sept. 10.

The 18th annual Arizona Fall League season begins on Oct. 13 and runs through Nov. 19, with the Rising Stars game on Nov. 7 and the championship game set for Nov. 21. Every game can be followed live on Gameday on MLB.com and MLBFallBall.com.

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Carolina League Stories from August 26, 2009


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