SL Announces Season Awards
Published on September 4, 2002 under Southern League (SL1) News Release
MARIETTA, GA â The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs announced today the 2002 Southern League Batting Champion, ERA Champion and the Award of Excellence. The winners are as follows:
Batting Champion
Bobby Darula â Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts' outfielder Bobby Darula is the 2002 Southern League Batting Champion. Darula batted .325 (105-for-323) in 96 games this season. Darula becomes the third Lookout to win the award in the last four seasons following Brady Clark in 1999 and Ben Broussard in 2001. The 27-year-old was promoted to AAA Louisville in June for one month before returning to the Lookouts' line-up in mid-July. Darula was named to the Southern League mid-season and year-end all-star team. The Cincinnati Reds signed the New York, NY resident as a free agent.
ERA Champion
Vinnie Chulk â Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies righthander Vinnie Chulk is the 2002 Southern League ERA Champion. The starting pitcher had an ERA of 2.96, allowing 50 earned runs in 152 innings. Chulk finished the season with a 13-5 record tied to the league's lead in wins before being promoted to AAA Syracuse. Chulk was named the Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher. The 24-year-old was named to both the Southern League mid-season and year-end all-star teams. He was also selected to play in the 2002 AA All-Star Game. Chulk was named the Topps Southern League Player of the Month in May after going 4-0 with a save. He was named the BC Powder Southern League Pitcher of the Week May 10-16. The Toronto Blue Jays selected the Miami, FL resident in the 12th round of the June 2000 draft out of St. Thomas University.
Award of Excellence
Orlando Rays
The Orlando Rays have been honored with the 2002 Award of Excellence. This award comes by virtue of their 56% attendance increase over last season. The Orlando Rays, who played their third season at the Disney Sports Complexâ, had an increase of 50,054 fans come through the turnstiles in 2002.
Southern League Stories from September 4, 2002
- Barons Win Game One 3-2 - Birmingham Barons
- G-Braves DeRenne Named Topps "SL Player of the Month" for August - Mississippi Braves
- League Announces Playoff Schedule - SL1
- SL Announces Season Awards - SL1
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